Round 24 Fixture

[Walshawk]

Remember that there is not supposed to be a Thursday night game in the final round (and Round 23).

https://resources.afl.com.au/afl/document/2024/11/18/7725bb33-4432-471f-b038-356010b02148/ICL_EDT_2025_140694_Fixture-Release_Booklet_FA_R_LowRes.pdf

Seven are allowed to broadcast 23 Thursday games per season. My guess is that this year will be 22 Thursdays (R1-R22) + the Wednesday game in Round 24 being considered the last of the 23 'Thursday' games.

My guess:

Friday 22nd August
Essendon v Carlton @ MCG 7.20pm (Seven)
Port Adelaide v Gold Coast @ Adelaide Oval 8.20pm

Saturday 23rd August
North Melbourne v Adelaide @ Marvel Stadium 12.35pm
GWS Giants v St Kilda @ ENGIE Stadium 1.20pm
Collingwood v Melbourne @ MCG 4.15pm
West Coast v Sydney @ Optus Stadium 7.35pm

Sunday 24th August
Western Bulldogs v Fremantle @ Marvel Stadium 1.10pm
Richmond v Geelong @ MCG 4.10pm
Brisbane v Hawthorn @ GABBA 7.20pm (Seven**)

Wednesday 27th August
Gold Coast v Essendon @ People First Stadium 7.20pm (Seven)

**Seven are broadcasting an AFLW match that Sunday afternoon, suggesting the free-to-air mens match will be a night game.

7 missed out on opening round so reckon the Port v GC will be Thursday.

 

[Cam Payne]

The Lions v Hawks and Dogs v Freo games are the only really important games of that round and I suspect the AFL will ensure the broadcasts of these matches overlap by at least 1 to 2 qtrs.

 

[Skinnyfwdpocket]

Lot of chat around the last round being a bad fixture, I don't think it is as bad as people think, yes this is a few dead rubber games but with the ladder the way it is with the top 9 being so far ahead of the bottom 9 unsure what else could have been done.

Essendon v Carlton
- Dead rubber but will be close as both teams suck

Port Adelaide v Gold Coast
-Gold Coast potentially looking for top 4 spot or a win just to stay in the 8, depending on the next few weeks
-Kens last game, Port will send him out with a win

North Melbourne v Adelaide
- Dead rubber

GWS Giants v St Kilda
- Depending on other results GWS may have to win to secure a spot in the 8, St Kilda have slightly improved and Ross Lyon loves ruining other club's finals chances.

Collingwood v Melbourne
- Depending on Pies next few games may need to win to get top spot

West Coast v Sydney
- Dead rubber

Western Bulldogs v Fremantle
- This will probably be the fight for the last spot in the 8

Richmond v Geelong
- Dead rubber

Brisbane v Hawthorn
- Hawthorn likely needing to win to stay in the 8, Brisbane needing to win for a home final

Gold Coast v Essendon
- Dead rubber, Gold Coast may need %

 

[JPetro83]

Have the AFL confirmed that the suns v dons will be a weds night game?

 

[The Feeder Club]

Have the AFL confirmed that the suns v dons will be a weds night game?

As far as I know, the only thing they have said is it will be played as part of round 24 with the aim of optimising breaks. People are assuming it will be last game of round 24 midweek as that makes the most sense, but I am not aware that the AFL have committed to that

 

[Run n Spread]

Wish they'd hurry up and decide.
Have a few things on that weekend.

 

[My_Username]

Play Ess v Carlton as a Thursday afternoon game.

Nobody is going to want to go/watch anyway.

 

[Rod Stroker]

this bloke gets it

 

[Teen Wolf]

Yeah they should've prioritised fairness and integrity by making the Suns play a home game against Essendon at Marvel.

 

[Rod Stroker]

Yeah they should've prioritised fairness and integrity by making the Suns play a home game against Essendon at Marvel.

not that part, but the general gist that the game should have been played way earlier in the year rather than after all other games have been played.

 

[kreglze]

The issue at the time was forcing players to leave families during a cyclone to go play a game of footy (which probably didn't hit the strength that people thought, but couldn't know at the time).

 

[My_Username]

Yeah they should've prioritised fairness and integrity by making the Suns play a home game against Essendon at Marvel.

They should have flipped them.

Opening round goes to Marvel, and made the Ess home game.
The Ess home game in rnd 17 should have been moved to the GC.

Would have favored Ess somewhat (the unexpected opening round switch would be easier for the team that doesn't need to travel for it), but...shit happens.

 

[Teen Wolf]

They should have flipped them.

Opening round goes to Marvel, and made the Ess home game.
The Ess home game in rnd 17 should have been moved to the GC.

Would have favored Ess somewhat (the unexpected opening round switch would be easier for the team that doesn't need to travel for it), but...shit happens.

Thereby making the Suns travel to Melbourne and Perth for the first two weeks of the season.

I'm sure if Collingwood, on short notice, had to fly to Queensland and WA in the opening fortnight, Eddie would've been singing the AFL's praises.

 

[Senor M]

They should have flipped them.

Opening round goes to Marvel, and made the Ess home game.
The Ess home game in rnd 17 should have been moved to the GC.

Would have favored Ess somewhat (the unexpected opening round switch would be easier for the team that doesn't need to travel for it), but...shit happens.

Marvel Stadium wasn’t ready that early in the season—— it hadn’t had an AFL game played there in 6 months at that stage and needed time to fix the surface.

 

[jdeezy]

this bloke gets it

I agree from the shortened break for the Suns going into the finals angle, but the complaining about the fact the Suns might be playing against a weak Essendon team makes no sense. This happens every year. The AFL scheduled Geelong vs West Coast in the last game last year and are doing the same with them versing Richmond this year. Both those teams are dog shit and are easy kills that may artificially inflate Geelong's percentage in the last round, how is it different?

 

[Shipping Report]

Thursday 7.30 - Port Adelaide v Gold Coast, AO
Friday 7.30 - Essendon v Carlton, MCG
Friday 8.10
Saturday 1.20 - Collingwood v Melbourne, MCG
Saturday 4.30 - Brisbane Lions v Hawthorn
Saturday 7.30 - Western Bulldogs v Fremantle
Sunday 1.40 - Richmond v Geelong MCG
Sunday 3.20 - North Melbourne v Adelaide Crows, Marvel
Sunday 5.10 - GWS Giants v St Kilda, Engie
Sunday 7.40 - West Coast v Sydney

Feel like this balances the rests.

Gold Coast need the Thursday for the following Wednesday match and it may end up a must win.

Hawthorn, Fremantle, and the Bulldogs all likely going for the one spot - one running into the other and both Freo and the Dogs needing a result works perfectly.

Geelong and then the Crows works well for that reason too - could potentially be a game for second spot or maybe even a game to secure top four.

GWS and then running potentially into the Sydney game could both be duds or could end up being the final two matches for the final finals spot.

 

[Rod Stroker]

I agree from the shortened break for the Suns going into the finals angle, but the complaining about the fact the Suns might be playing against a weak Essendon team makes no sense. This happens every year. The AFL scheduled Geelong vs West Coast in the last game last year and are doing the same with them versing Richmond this year. Both those teams are dog shit and are easy kills that may artificially inflate Geelong's percentage in the last round, how is it different?

Agree on that. For me, the opposition and how weak they are isn't the issue. The issue is WHEN they scheduled the game, on the Wednesday after H&A is over and the other top 8 teams are preparing for finals. Huge disadvantage for GC. Game should have been played well before then.

 

[StillAtLarge]

Agree on that. For me, the opposition and how weak they are isn't the issue. The issue is WHEN they scheduled the game, on the Wednesday after H&A is over and the other top 8 teams are preparing for finals. Huge disadvantage for GC. Game should have been played well before then.

Who knows, having some continuity might not be a bad thing for GC. Especially if they need to win that final fixture to play finals, there could actually be a healthy level of pressure on them. The afl could always give away free tickets to the game so it has a bit of atmosphere too...

 

[Teen Wolf]

Herald Sun article last week correctly pointed out the Bombers have already hit the limit of five-day breaks (3), so Ess v Carl will have to be Thursday night to avoid another five-day break heading into the GC match on Wednesday.

As for the rest of the round, the AFL might be inclined to do another Saturday double-header at Marvel for R24...

Fri 7.20pm: Coll v Melb
Fri 8.20pm: PA v GC

Sat 12.35pm: NM v Adel
Sat 4.15pm: Rich v Geel
Sat 7.40pm: WB v Frem

Sun 1.10pm: GWS v StK
Sat 4.40pm: WCE v Syd
Sun 7.30pm: BL v Haw
Times AEST

Particularly if the Bulldogs lose in R21, making WB v Frem a likely dead rubber, then it's really dumb to hit them with another late Sunday game.

If the AFL want a Sunday twilight game with top 8 ramifications, they could have Coll v Melb in that slot, then make PA v GC the first Friday game followed by WCE v Syd.

 

[gumbyline]

My Round 24 prediction
Wednesday night suns v bombers
Thursday night pies v dees
Friday night dogs v freo
Saturday twilight gws v St k
Saturday night tigers v cats
sunday day north v crows
Sunday twilight wce v swans
Sunday night bombers v blues
Monday night port v suns

 

[NetworkNerd]

Prime time specialists Bombers and Blues need to play each other in prime time

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Penalty shootout needed

 

[The Feeder Club]

My Round 24 prediction
Wednesday night suns v bombers
Thursday night pies v dees
Friday night dogs v freo
Saturday twilight gws v St k
Saturday night tigers v cats
sunday day north v crows
Sunday twilight wce v swans
Sunday night bombers v blues
Monday night port v suns

Suns play on Saturday in round 23, so this would see them playing off consecutivve four day breaks. I don't think so

 

[radiojake]

when is this all announced?

 

[Teen Wolf]

5-day break vs 7-day break is also a non-starter these days, ruling out Dogs-Freo from Friday night.

when is this all announced?

Probably after Round 21.