Get all you need to know about the 2015 AFL fixture by following our live coverage from 9.30am.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Good morning and welcome to our rolling coverage of the official release of the 2015 AFL fixture. Footy junkies across the nation (and even some in far-flung places around the world) are set to analyse the full fixture to the final degree as it's officially released from 10am.
News about the AFL fixture has already been flowing free and fast ... Caroline Wilson reported this week that the AFL seems certain to adopt a new strategy in its traditional struggle with the Mothers' Day football fixture, looking to unveil a six-game "Super Saturday" in round six next season and scheduling Carlton with the challenging Sunday game at Etihad Stadium.
No longer labelled the women's round, the AFL remains determined to avoid a supporter backlash on Mothers' Day weekend.
One of my highlights of the year is today. The release of the #AFLFixture. #needtogetalife — Peter Phoebe (@EatDrinkCricket) October 29, 2014
And in another reminder about the amount of information already available about the fixture, Richmond fans will no doubt be overjoyed with the news that the Tigers will play 14 home-and-away games at the MCG next season.
15 minutes!!!! #AFLFixture — Ash. (@ash_ruffo) October 29, 2014
Ryan Griffen playing against the Western Bulldogs in round nine.
The AFL is pushing the story line about the return of Saturday arvo footy at the MCG .... and confirmation that there will be five Thursday night games in 2015.
I predict 198 home and away games will be played. #AFLFixture — Gigs (@AndrewGigacz) October 29, 2014
And confirmation that there won't be a Good Friday match next season. "We'll certainly look at it in the future," the AFL's fixture boss Simon Lethlean says.
Dayne Beams will play against Collingwood in round one.
Hawthorn v Sydney grand final re-match in round eight. But the Hawks will unveil their premiership flag in the opening round, on Easter Monday against Geelong.
Hawthorn to play Sydney, Port Adelaide and Geelong twice ... as three of the other clubs in the top six.
And at the other end of the ladder ... Saints to play Bulldogs, Giants and Demons twice next season. That's all geared around the model of the ladder split into three groups of six.
Collingwood and Geelong have the most six-day breaks (8 each).
North make a prelim and only get 2 Fri night games? What a joke - apart from that = on the surface a good draw #AFLFixture — Adam Rompel (@a_rompa4) October 29, 2014
Tough draw for the Dees with 20 of our 22 games against teams above us... ;) #AFLFixture — Brett Anderson (@BrettAndersonIF) October 29, 2014
Just a reminder that Richmond and Carlton will begin the home-and-away season on Thursday, 2 April.
Essendon fans will have to wait until Round 17 for Paddy Ryder's first match against his former club Essendon .... at Etihad Stadium.
As a Dees member, rapt with the 2015 #AFLFixture and who we play twice. Unfortunately everyone we do play twice will be doing cartwheels too — Mr AFL (@MrAFL) October 29, 2014
Gillon McLachlan is addressing the media and stressing the league's main message about the fixture: A return of footy for the fans.
Want to see the fixture in full? DOWNLOAD a PDF of the fixture right here.
If @WestCoastEagles manage to improve just a little on last year, their fixture is very, very kind #aflfixture — Ryan Buckland (@RyanBuckland7) October 29, 2014
What the West Coast Eagles are saying:
West Coast fans in New South Wales will be facing another year without an Eagles match in their home state. The club will play a Friday night blockbuster against Carlton at Patersons Stadium and its second Friday night fixture in 2015 will see them meet Richmond at the MCG. They will line up against St Kilda, Adelaide and Gold Coast twice, as well as playing the two traditional derbies against Fremantle. West Coast played six games in Victoria in 2014, but Melbourne fans will have just four opportunities to watch their team next season, with games at the MCG and Etihad Stadium.
And one of the Swans fans ....
Sydney Swans draw for the 2015 season. #AFL #AFLFixture pic.twitter.com/pRVy92hHMa — SMH Sport (@SMHsport) October 29, 2014
What North Melbourne is saying:
North Melbourne will have a heavy home presence in the early stages of the season. Four home games in the first six rounds sees the Kangaroos hosting Brisbane (Round 2), Port Adelaide (Round 3), Hawthorn (Round 5) and Richmond (Hobart, Round 6). North could also be the opponent for Dustin Fletcher’s 400th game in Round 7, with the first Friday night game of the season against Essendon. Brent Harvey is again set to play a milestone game outside of Victoria, with his 400th game, assuming he plays every game, scheduled for the GABBA in Round 17. The games against Essendon are North’s only Friday night encounters - a puzzling drop from five in 2014 for a team that made a Preliminary Final. For the first time since 2008, the Kangaroos will not play Carlton on a Friday night, the match pushed across to a Saturday night timeslot. North plays four of its home games and seven matches in total on a Saturday night, counting for almost one third of its fixture, with Round 23’s timeslot against Richmond still to be decided. In a surprise, North will face Sydney in Melbourne for the first time since 2011, with a Round 11 clash at Etihad Stadium.
There's constant discussion about the rights, wrongs (and inequalities) of the AFL fixture, it was interesting to note this reference words from Gil McLachlan: "In an imperfect world, which our fixture is ..."
And the word from the GWS Giants ...
“We are very pleased with the balance of games across Western Sydney and the ACT, in particular the match against the Gold Coast Suns at Startrack Oval Canberra on Anzac Day to mark the 100th anniversary of Gallipoli,” Matthews said. “Canberra deserves to have big events and we hope this game starting under lights at 5.40pm will be a sell-out. We have our strongest fixture yet in Canberra with Geelong and Melbourne also playing there next year.
On the issue of five matches scheduled for Anzac Day, McLachlan was quick to deflect any criticism that the AFL has 'hijacked' the 100th anniversary of the historic Gallipoli landings.
"It's the biggest thing we have in our game ... We would never do anything that (would be hijacking it)," he says.
McLachlan stressed that the only reason five games were scheduled was because the date fell on a Saturday.
A reminder that Carlton and Essendon only meet once in 2015 under one of the quirks that teams can only play one other team outside your six twice in any season.
The view from the Brisbane Lions ....
The Lions are pleased with a 'fiery' season-opener with Collingwood at the Gabba for a Round 1 blockbuster on April 4. The Easter Saturday clash will see Lions new recruit, Dayne Beams, face his old side just six months after making the move North. The side will then head to Melbourne to take on North Melbourne in Round 2. The Lions will travel to Melbourne three times within the first eight rounds of the season and will play a total of six games in Victoria in 2015. Other highlights include: back-to-back home blockbusters against Gold Coast and Carlton at the Gabba in Rounds 19 and 20 and the QClash 9 (Round 5) against Gold Coast to be held at Metricon – the Lions’ will host QClash 10 at the Gabba in Round 19.
Lions CEO Greg Swann welcomed the release of the fixture, saying:
“From a footy perspective, it’s pretty fair. If we play the way we want to play then the fixture provides the opportunity to win our fair share of games.
"Three of our first four games are at home then we go down the highway to play the Suns, so travel won’t be an issue as we look to make a big start to the season."
McLachlan: "I've made an incredible personal commitment to our footy fans that they are (high on our list) of stakeholders."
People seem upset every year but as long as $ take precedence over fairness then the AFL fixture will always be rubbish. #AFLFixture — Lee Skinner (@Lee_Skinner23) October 29, 2014
The AFL has come good on its pledge for a fan-friendly fixture in 2015 with a marked increase in weekend day games in Victoria. After just 34 weekend day matches in Victoria last season, the league has delivered 47 for next year. In total, there will be 20 Saturday afternoon and 27 Sunday afternoon games in Victoria in 2015. Some of the blockbuster MCG Saturday afternoon games next year are Carlton v Essendon, Essendon v Collingwood, Richmond v Geelong, Hawthorn v Essendon, Collingwood v Carlton and Collingwood v Richmond.
The view from Fremantle:
And the view from Fremantle ...
Fremantle members and supporters will kick off its home and away season in round one against Port Adelaide at Patersons Stadium on Easter Sunday. The club returns to the same venue in round four to take on Sydney under lights for the 16th annual Len Hall Tribute Game on Anzac Day, Saturday 25 April. One of the most anticipated night games at Patersons Stadium will be against Collingwood on Thursday June 25, which follows Fremantle’s round 12 bye and round 11 away game against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium on Saturday 13 June. The club’s only Friday night game in 2015 is in round 10 against Richmond at Patersons Stadium on June 5.
Fremantle's six games in Victoria next season include a round two away game against Geelong at Simonds Stadium on Sunday 12 April and three games at Etihad Stadium, including Western Bulldogs in round seven, St Kilda in round 19 and North Melbourne in round 21.
Fremantle CEO Steve Rosich said on balance the club was pleased with its 2015 fixture, particularly the raft of blockbuster home games under lights at Patersons Stadium which would be well received by members and supporters.
“The AFL always has a difficult job striking the right balance in an 18-team competition played over 23 rounds but our members and supporters have a lot to look forward to with regard to blockbuster home games at Patersons Stadium in 2015,” Rosich said.
Now that the #fanfriendly fixtures are sorted, let's hope @AFL enforce clash guernseys for EVERY team. That's also #fanfriendly #AFLFixture — Dan Ranson (@danranson_) October 29, 2014
Are Sunday and Monday nights dead and buried?
"I think Sunday nights are going to have to dig through a bit of dirt (to get back on the radar)," says McLachlan at the media conference.
There's a chance next year's AFL grand final will coincide with the running of the group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington on 3 October.
"It's a great opportunity for them to pump up the Turnbull and put in on Sunday," McLachlan said of the prospective scheduling conflict for big sporting events in Melbourne.
The word from Essendon:
Essendon fear a "tough start to the 2015 season with match ups against this year's grand finalists as well as three interstate trips before the mid way point of the season".
They will kick off their 2015 campaign with a road trip to ANZ Stadium to take on runner up Sydney on 4 April. Then, in round two, they face reigning premier Hawthorn at the MCG on Sunday afternoon. The club's round two clash against the Hawks is the first of a number of blockbusters against traditional rivals at the MCG for the Bombers who will host both Collingwood and Richmond at the venue. Essendon has been scheduled to play Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Collingwood, Richmond and St Kilda twice during the season. In total the Bombers will have to travel five times during the season with two trips to Perth, two trips to Sydney and one trip to the Gold Coast. The team will play 17 matches in Victoria split with nine at Etihad Stadium and eight at the MCG. There will be just two Friday night matches, both falling against North Melbourne, in round seven and round 16.
