AFLW 2023 Fixture

[Teen Wolf]

Fixture news/predictions/ideas for the 2023 AFLW season.


Start date
First round of the H&A season will take place on the weekend of Saturday, 2 September.


Number of games
In ongoing negotiations, the AFL's starting position is 10 H&A games per team, while the AFLPA's is 12. So I would guess it's a 60% chance of staying at 10, and a 40% chance of increasing to 11.

An eleventh round would imo work best as a Rivalry/Vic Gather Round: Teams in WA/SA/NSW/QLD play their local derbies in that round (at Optus/AO/Henson Park--hard to identify a neutral venue for BL v GC); Vic teams play each other at non-regular grounds, in Ballarat or Gippsland or wherever, considering the state govt's wishes for more events in regional areas. Everybody gets their 5 home and 5 away outside of that.


Million-dollar match
Given that Nicole Livingstone brought this up last week while talking about the new McClelland Trophy system, it suggests to me they will aim to have the top-two clubs across both comps play each other in the last round of the AFLW season. Melbourne will be one of those clubs. I bet Brisbane will also finish top 2 in that race, though I'm thinking the AFL will take a risk and back Collingwood.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Match length and interchange limit
The AFL are proposing an extension of quarters from 15 minutes to 17.5mins, and introducing an interchange cap of 55 for each team. I suspect this is relevant because it will likely be brought up as a reason to be cautious with adding too many/any more games than last year's tally of 10 each.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Match length and interchange limit
The AFL are proposing an extension of quarters from 15 minutes to 17.5mins, and introducing an interchange cap of 55 for each team. I suspect this is relevant because it will likely be brought up as a reason to be cautious with adding too many/any more games than last year's tally of 10 each.

Quarters need to be longer.
The standard of 20mins in the vflw is so much better as a result.

20mins plus time on in the last 2.5

 

[Teen Wolf]

Women's H&A as curtain-raisers to Men's Finals
The AFL definitely thought they hit it out of the park last year by putting AFLW R2 Melb v NM (Friday 5pm at the MCG) before AFL QF Melb v Syd, so I'm likely wasting my breath on this one.

The aim should be to avoid clashes between women's H&A and men's finals in relation to time, venue and clubs. This year, that would look something like:

AFLW Round 2 / AFL Finals Week 1
Thursday N: Men's EF
Friday 5.40pm: NM v Haw at UTAS
Friday N: Men's QF
Saturday 12.30pm: GC v Syd at GBR Arena
Saturday 2.30pm: GWS v Frem at Manuka
Saturday 4.35pm: Men's QF
Saturday 7.20pm: Men's EF
Saturday 10pm (8pm AWST): WC v Rich at Lathlain
Sunday: The remaining 10 AFLW teams playing each other, no men's finals

Quarters need to be longer.
The standard of 20mins in the vflw is so much better as a result.

20mins plus time on in the last 2.5

The VFLW system is terrible. Effectively prolongs low-scoring games, shortens high-scoring games.

The current AFLW quarter length of "15mins + stoppages for goals + stoppages for everything in the last 2 mins" is sometimes already longer than the VFLW's 20 mins siren-to-siren.

If AFLW quarters become "17.5mins + stoppages for goals + stoppages for everything in the last 2 mins", they'll nearly always be longer than the VFLW's 20 mins siren-to-siren.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Most overdue match-ups
Melbourne v Geelong – joined in 2017 and 2019 respectively, yet to meet
Carlton v West Coast – joined in 2017 and 2020 respectively, yet to meet
Collingwood v Gold Coast – joined in 2017 and 2020 respectively, yet to meet


High priority match-ups for newest teams
Two teams (including one of Ess/Haw/PA/Syd) that finished in the same bracket last season (7th-12th or 13th-18th) but didn't play each other:

Essendon v Fremantle
Essendon v Gold Coast
Essendon v GWS Giants
Essendon v W. Bulldogs

Hawthorn v Carlton

Port Adelaide v GWS Giants

Sydney v Carlton
Sydney v West Coast

 

[Dirty Bird]

As much as I feel a gather round in Melbourne defeats the point. I'm not opposed to it happening the weekend of the AFL Grand Final
Eyes are already on Melbourne with everyone out and about.

proposed games edited to take into account public holiday on Friday.

1. Thursday 7pm
2. Friday 2pm*
3. Friday 4pm*
4. Friday 6pm
5. Friday 8pm
6. Saturday 11am
7. Sunday 1pm
8. Sunday 3pm
9. Sunday 5pm

*To be home games to Collingwood and Richmond vs Melbourne clubs (Taking advantage of parade route, and public holiday)

 

[Dirty Bird]

Quarters need to be longer.
The standard of 20mins in the vflw is so much better as a result.

20mins plus time on in the last 2.5

And I 100% agree with this.

I'd personally leave it at 15min for now, but have timeon for the entire 15 minutes, rather than goals and the final 2.
Over time I'd like to push towards the 20 + Timeon.
But for now, I'd take 15+.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

As much as I feel a gather round in Melbourne defeats the point. I'm not opposed to it happening the weekend of the AFL Grand Final

1. Thursday 7pm
2. Friday 6pm
3. Friday 8pm
4. Saturday 10am
5. Saturday 12pm
6. Sunday 11am
7. Sunday 1pm
8. Sunday 3pm
9. Sunday 5pm

It's effectively how it was last yr.
There were 2 triple headers in Melbourne I'm pretty sure

 

[Teen Wolf]

15mins + proper time on will work out to about 22min quarters on average.

17.5mins + diluted time on will work out to about 21min quarters on average.

The reason to not just go with the 4-minute-longer option could be about maintaining a 2-hour TV product.

Forget about 20mins + proper time on. That will never happen for women. More likely to see the men's matches get shorter.

 

[The Victorian]

When do we expect the fixture to come out?

 

[TheTassieHawk]

When do we expect the fixture to come out?

My guess is July, assuming there is actually an agreement on the number of rounds for 2023, which in turn assumes the joint AFL/AFLW CBA is either fully or partially agreed by then.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

When do we expect the fixture to come out?

Pre-season officially starts in 2 weeks, so sometime around then

 

[Teen Wolf]

Most overdue matchups—venue based

Collingwood vs Carlton at Victoria Park – All 7 meetings have been at Ikon Park.

North Melb. vs Melbourne at Arden Street or in TAS – Have met 6 times: 4 at Casey Fields, 1 at MCG, 1 final at Ikon Park.

Melbourne vs Collingwood at Casey Fields – Have met 5 times: 2 at Victoria Park, 1 at Ikon Park, 1 at Marvel Stadium, 1 in NT.

Carlton vs GWS Giants in VIC – Last 5 meetings have been in NSW/ACT. Haven't met in VIC since 2017.

GWS Giants vs Collingwood in NSW/ACT – All 4 meetings have been in VIC.


More overdue matchups—venue based

W. Bulldogs vs Collingwood at Whitten Oval – Last 4 meetings (but including 1 final) have been at Victoria Park or in Moe/Morwell. Haven't met at Whitten Oval since 2017.

Collingwood vs Brisbane in VIC – Last 4 meetings (but including 2 finals) have been in QLD. Haven't met in VIC since 2021.

Geelong vs Gold Coast in VIC – All 3 meetings have been in QLD.

West Coast vs GWS Giants in WA – All 3 meetings have been in NSW.

W. Bulldogs vs West Coast in VIC – All 3 meetings have been in WA.

Fremantle vs North Melb. in WA – Last 3 meetings have been in VIC/TAS. Haven't met in WA since 2019.

Fremantle vs W. Bulldogs in WA. Last 3 meetings have been in VIC. Haven't met in WA since 2019.

Gold Coast vs Fremantle in QLD. All 3 meetings (but including 1 final) have been in WA.

Richmond vs Carlton at Punt Road. All 3 meetings have been at Ikon Park.

W. Bulldogs vs North Melb. at Whitten Oval. Have met 3 times: 2 in TAS, 1 at Punt Road.

 

[____]

I'd like to see 15 mins plus normal time on

 

[CURVE]

Most overdue matchups—venue based

Collingwood vs Carlton at Victoria Park – All 7 meetings have been at Ikon Park.

North Melb. vs Melbourne at Arden Street or in TAS – Have met 6 times: 4 at Casey Fields, 1 at MCG, 1 final at Ikon Park.

Melbourne vs Collingwood at Casey Fields – Have met 5 times: 2 at Victoria Park, 1 at Ikon Park, 1 at Marvel Stadium, 1 in NT.

Carlton vs GWS Giants in VIC – Last 5 meetings have been in NSW/ACT. Haven't met in VIC since 2017.

GWS Giants vs Collingwood in NSW/ACT – All 4 meetings have been in VIC.


More overdue matchups—venue based

W. Bulldogs vs Collingwood at Whitten Oval – Last 4 meetings (but including 1 final) have been at Victoria Park or in Moe/Morwell. Haven't met at Whitten Oval since 2017.

Collingwood vs Brisbane in VIC – Last 4 meetings (but including 2 finals) have been in QLD. Haven't met in VIC since 2021.

Geelong vs Gold Coast in VIC – All 3 meetings have been in QLD.

West Coast vs GWS Giants in WA – All 3 meetings have been in NSW.

W. Bulldogs vs West Coast in VIC – All 3 meetings have been in WA.

Fremantle vs North Melb. in WA – Last 3 meetings have been in VIC/TAS. Haven't met in WA since 2019.

Fremantle vs W. Bulldogs in WA. Last 3 meetings have been in VIC. Haven't met in WA since 2019.

Gold Coast vs Fremantle in QLD. All 3 meetings (but including 1 final) have been in WA.

Richmond vs Carlton at Punt Road. All 3 meetings have been at Ikon Park.

W. Bulldogs vs North Melb. at Whitten Oval. Have met 3 times: 2 in TAS, 1 at Punt Road.

North haven't played at away to the Gold Coast or West Coast either. Also haven't played Carlton at Arden Street.

 

[Teen Wolf]

North haven't played at away to the Gold Coast or West Coast either.

Only played one home game against West Coast, which would mean an away game is due but not overdue.

I didn't include the instances of a team's last (or only) 2 matches being at home because it's a much longer list. Would much rather see the 3-in-a-rows (or more) addressed first.

Also haven't played Carlton at Arden Street.

Haven't played several teams at Arden Street, seems strange to single out Carlton. Next matchup between the two teams should be at Ikon Park anyway, in terms of overall head-to-head fairness (NM have had 2 home games, Carl have had 1).

 

[The Nostradamus]

Pre-season officially starts in 2 weeks, so sometime around then

With preseason on Monday still haven’t heard any noise about a fixture which is disappointing

 

[Teen Wolf]

Pre-season dates have never determined the timing of the fixture release.

We are 98 days out from the first game. Number of days in advance that fixtures for previous seasons have been released:

2017 - 58
2018 - 99
2019 - 100
2020 - 102
2021 - 49
22S6 - 37
22S7 - 53

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Pre-season dates have never determined the timing of the fixture release.

We are 98 days out from the first game. Number of days in advance that fixtures for previous seasons have been released:

2017 - 58
2018 - 99
2019 - 100
2020 - 102
2021 - 49
22S6 - 37
22S7 - 53

The league is trying to put things in place to have it announced at about the time preseason rolls around. This is the inside word from the league from players who I know.
The CBA is what is holding back an announcement

 

[Teen Wolf]

The league is trying to put things in place to have it announced at about the time preseason rolls around. This is the inside word from the league from players who I know.
The CBA is what is holding back an announcement

In other words pre-season dates are irrelevant. The fixture release will be determined by the timing of the AFL and the AFLPA reaching the 'A' part of the CBA.

 

[____]

11 or 12 games with a top 6 finals (in three weeks) is the best compromise. Maybe a round or two of midweek games to prevent the season going into December.

Next year onwards it should be a May or June start with 17 games each and finals in October to allow a chance of the GF being hosted at proper grounds.

 

[Teen Wolf]

...well it isn't going to be a 17-game season next year. Nor is it going to start in May or June. Nor does an October finals series change the availability status of any ground. And this thread is about 2023, anyway.

But I agree the AFL needs to show the women's league more respect by expanding the season and respectfully schedule respectful midweek games to respectfully cram them all in. Respectfully.

 

[timokane]

As im a pies man.

Like to see a Collingwood v carlton/essendon/melbourne/richmond game at Vic park.

About time Pies played the Blues at Vic park.

Love to see a night game at Vic park as well.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Collingwood last played Melbourne and Richmond at Victoria Park, and Essendon at Olympic Park. As I'm a common sense man, I'd like to see the Pies be the away team next time they meet.

It is indeed about time Collingwood played Carlton at Victoria Park. Just like, as indicated in a previous post, it's equally time Collingwood played Melbourne at Casey Fields. Probably more so, actually, given the Pies have been allowed to dodge the Dees for the last two seasons.

 

[The Nostradamus]

The league trying to still only make it a 10 round season

Players want more as they should