2025 Draw - hoping for MUCH softer

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AFL Fixture: The 10 most anticipated matches of 2025
We’re just days away from the release of next year’s AFL draw. JAY CLARK names the 10 grudge matches to pencil in the diary as soon as that fixture is revealed.

THE 10 MOST ANTICIPATED MATCHES OF 2025
1

HAWTHORN V PORT ADELAIDE
AFL'S NEWEST RIVALRY
There is certain to be a spicy sequel to the most explosive interaction of the season. No one at Hawthorn has forgotten when Port coach Ken went troppo at Jack Ginnivan and James Sicily after the epic semi-final win over the Hawks at Adelaide Oval. Remember the ‘You aren’t flying anywhere Jack’ barb, and Sicily standing up for his troops? Emotions ran hot after the three-point thriller which knocked Sam Mitchell’s men out of the finals and the coach said he wasn’t interested in taking Hinkley’s call on the matter. Tense. Hawks fans wanted the next contest to be back on the Hawks’ turf at the MCG but it will be the headline act at Gather Round. Hinkley, who apologised profusely for his moments of madness, can breathe a sigh of relief it is back in the Power’s backyard. The whole thing was Kevin Sheedy-esque.


2

SYDNEY V GWS
THE DERBY
The Giants must have spent the off-season in the foetal position. The Mad Monday costume blunder was a total brain fade but the bigger picture will haunt the Giants who had the Swans and Lions on toast in their two finals this year, but lost them both after choking after half time. And that includes leading the eventual premier by 31 points at the start of the last term. But it’s the local rivalry that contains more venom than a brown snake. And let’s only hope the Giants’ social media team pours more petrol on the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ which has become one of the most testy and bitter rivalries in the caper. They just don’t like each other, and isn’t it great.


3

COLLINGWOOD V HAWTHORN
THE GINNI SHOW
The MCG will be full to the brim when Jack Ginnivan meets his old mates in another prime time blockbuster for the brown and gold. The Hawks have been off-Broadway since Alastair Clarkson was coach but Sam Mitchell’s men will rightly become marquee men in 2025. And Ginnivan, like him or not, has become one of the most watchable figures and biggest draw cards in the competition because now he how has a licence to celebrate with his mate ‘The Wizard’ Nick Watson. At Collingwood, Ginnivan was told to stand in line, and was eventually booted out. At Hawthorn, he has permission to go full flair. And now who is closer to the next flag, the Hawks or Pies? Hopefully we won’t have to wait long to find out in 2025.


4

CARLTON V COLLINGWOOD
HOUSTON, WE HAVE A BLOCKBUSTER
Not sure Dan Houston will get a full night’s sleep in the big build-up to this one. For a period, Houston wanted to go to the Demons, then the Blues, but landed at the Magpies. Collingwood loaded up on Houston from Port and Harry Perryman from GWS Giants in the exchange period, but the age profile has alarm bells all over it. Without any early draft picks in hand. Hawthorn, West Coast and Richmond fell off the list management cliff, and perhaps Collingwood is next? Whereas the Blues opted to leave Houston on the shelf and go up the draft order in a jackpot swap with West Coast for pick three. This is the sliding doors moment for two of the biggest clubs in the caper. Is Collingwood’s ageing backline up to the task against the Blues’ twin towers, and can the new recruits give Collingwood’s midfield mix the shot in the arm it needs? Someone is going to get leapfrogged.


5

ADELAIDE V PORT ADELAIDE
THE SHOWDOWN
South Australia could become a tinder box if the two local clubs don’t perform in 2025. Port Adelaide has been the big story in recent years as it admirably sought to win a flag but narrowly fell short. However, the stakes will go up a notch for the other SA outfit next season. Adelaide will be in the gun if the Crows miss the finals for an eighth-straight year, especially after going hard in the trade period for three established players, Alex Neal-Bullen (Melbourne), Isaac Cumming and James Peatling (GWS Giants). They will all walk into the best 22, leaving Adelaide with no more excuses. Watch the jungle drums start to beat about a pitch for Melbourne Simon Goodwin if it goes pear-shaped at Adelaide for Nicks next year. The pressure index will certainly rise for the Showdown which is always the centrepiece in both teams’ regular seasons.


6

GEELONG V WESTERN BULLDOGS
BAZLENKA AGAINST THE OLD MOB
Bailey Smith let people know a long way out last year that things had gone sour for him at the kennel. And the relationship with the senior coach, Luke Beveridge, wasn’t ideal. That happens, but get the popcorn ready for when the two teams collide again next season after Smith dons the blue and white. He was frozen out of the midfield mix under Beveridge but is set to be a key cog in the engine room at the Cats. But he is unlikely to cop any sort of tag. Rather, bet your bottom dollar the Dogs will try to hurt him the other way to expose the two-way game.


7

BRISBANE V SYDNEY
GRAND FINAL REMATCH
The Grand Final rematch is perhaps an obvious one but sadly the premiership decider was largely a non-event as the Lions demolished John Longmire’s men inside 30 minutes. All credit to Brisbane, whose midfield annihilated their much-vaunted counterparts under Chris Fagan’s direction. But Sydney, which has been one of the most respected clubs in the caper over the past two decades, has work to do and scars to heal after being blown away in two of the past three grand finals. They were very public flops. We’ve lauded the Bloods’ young gun midfielders but when it came to the crunch they weren’t up to it. The Grand Final no-show will be all the focus in the lead-up to the two teams’ next clash, and the flashbacks will be tough viewing. But it’s in only September that Sydney can truly make up for it.


8

RICHMOND V CARLTON
TRADITIONAL SEASON-OPENER
The Tigers were the worst team and the competition and have since lost four best players in Daniel Rioli, Shai Bolton, Liam Baker and Jack Graham. Nathan Broad was chased hard by the Roos and turned down big dollars to remain loyal. But even as the Tigers prepare to hit the jackpot in this year’s draft, they risk being severely undermanned in 2025, and first up will be fascinating against a prime Carlton outfit. If the Tigers, led by Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper in the middle, can be genuinely competitive there is hope this year, with a handful of top-10 picks in the side. But it could also be a bloodbath in the traditional season-opener, signalling a long and torrid second year for Adem Yze year. In any case, the MCG will be full as always for it as a new era starts at Punt Rd.


9

ESSENDON V GWS
WILL THE PACKAGE DELIVER?
Cutting to the chase, Essendon wanted to get rid of Jake Stringer, and accepted half a bag of stale Twisties in return for the 42-goal forward. Stringer will feel like the scapegoat because often when the team played poorly, he was the one who copped it. Unfit, disinterested or a poor influence, Stringer heard it all. In making the move north where he will walk down the street unrecognised, Stringer has the chance to play without the weight of the world on his shoulders, which can make him an even dangerous proposition with a five-star midfield putting the ball on his chest, and a gun small forward crew at his feet. Make no mistake the build-up will be huge and the motivation massive for Stringer to fire in this one. The Stringer show will deserve prime time billing at a club which often gets the Saturday or Sunday afternoon graveyard slots.


10

HAWTHORN V NORTH MELBOURNE
CLARKO V MITCH
The coaching switch was branded a dud back in 2021 but Hawthorn’s faith in Sam Mitchell has been a spectacular success so far, soaring up the ladder this year. While it’s not clear whether Mitchell and ‘Clarko’ are back on each other’s Christmas card lists, this is a game both men will have circled in their diaries. The Roos would love for it to be under the roof at Marvel Stadium early in the season in an attempt to fill the joint. The Kangaroos need to improve sharply in their third season just like Hawthorn did under Clarkson, making finals in 2007. Hawthorn bullied the Kangaroos in the last game of the season, smashing them by 124 points in the wet in Launceston. North has new recruits Jack Darling, Luke Parker and Caleb Daniel to bolster the side for next season, and both sides will be out to prove a point, as this one is personal.


Plus what about …
THE DEMONS

All eyes will be on Christian Petracca’s first physical contest following his recovery from life-threatening injuries in the King’s Birthday clash against Collingwood. Rivals are unlikely to target him in that way, but it will be interesting to see how mentally he copes given his struggles in the wake of that fateful contest which required surgery to save his life. So the spotlight will again be on him and his mate Clayton Oliver who wanted out, too, but was denied a trade to Geelong. The Demons have lost respect and relevancy and will be out to win it all back in 2025. Or has the window shut? The club admits it has lost the destination club tag.

AND ALWAYS A BEAUTY

ANZAC Day, ANZAC Day eve, King’s birthday, Easter Monday.
Click to expand...
**** you and your Simon Goodwin rubbish.
DO. NOT. WANT.
 
I find the Opening round followed by round 1 pretty dumb. Just stretch round 1 over 2 weeks if you want to marquee things. Then everyone starts week 3 (round 2) having played 1 game. The teams that played the 1st week play each other in round 2 and the teams that played 2nd week play each other. Done.

Thurs night
Fri night
Sat night
Sun twilight
Mon night
Thurs night
Fri night
Sat night
Sun twilight
 
Captain Furious said:
I find the Opening round followed by round 1 pretty dumb. Just stretch round 1 over 2 weeks if you want to marquee things. Then everyone starts week 3 (round 2) having played 1 game. The teams that played the 1st week play each other in round 2 and the teams that played 2nd week play each other. Done.

Thurs night
Fri night
Sat night
Sun twilight
Mon night
Thurs night
Fri night
Sat night
Sun twilight
Click to expand...

This round 0 thing is continuing in 2025??

I thought everyone agreed it was a joke and created a while new raft of inconsistencies.

Crazy stuff.
 

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baldandbroke said:
This round 0 thing is continuing in 2025??

I thought everyone agreed it was a joke and created a while new raft of inconsistencies.

Crazy stuff.
Click to expand...
I agree

They seem to want the Northern States to have stand alone coverage. They can do that by having the 4 games in the Northern States over Thursday through Saturday, then 5 catch up games on the Sunday for the rest.
 
El Doederino said:
I agree

They seem to want the Northern States to have stand alone coverage. They can do that by having the 4 games in the Northern States over Thursday through Saturday, then 5 catch up games on the Sunday for the rest
Click to expand...
Yes, stand alone coverage.
As long as it also promotes a Victorian team at the same time...
 
DJ75 said:
Yes, stand alone coverage.
As long as it also promotes a Victorian team at the same time...
Click to expand...
That’s the dumbest part

Port really deserve to be a part of it based on their h&a record

But if you wanted the northern clubs v the most supported other clubs, it would be the northern 4 v Collingwood, West Coast, Essendon and Adelaide.

Sydney Swans are the most widely supported AFL club ahead of Collingwood, Brisbane and West Coast - Roy Morgan Research

www.roymorgan.com www.roymorgan.com
 
My ideal opening round. None of this "only some teams" play bullshit, none of this Carlton vs Richmond rubbish

  1. Sydney vs Brisbane (SCG) - Thursday night - open the season with the grand final replay
  2. Hawthorn vs Port Adelaide (MCG) - Friday night - grudge match
  3. Adelaide vs GWS (Adelaide Oval) - Saturday arvo - we stole their players
  4. North Melbourne vs St Kilda (Docklands) - Saturday arvo - just dump this one in here, no one cares or will watch
  5. Geelong vs Western Bulldogs (Kardinia Park) - Saturday twilight - Bailey Smith match
  6. Carlton vs Collingwood (MCG) - Saturday night - traditional rivals at the MCG
  7. West Coast vs Richmond (Perth Stadium) - Sunday early arvo - West Coast took players and staff from Richmond
  8. Essendon vs Melbourne (Docklands) - Sunday arvo - battle of the teams that fell off last season
  9. Gold Coast vs Fremantle (Carrara) - Sunday twilight - two rising teams
 
Last edited:
Scorpus said:
My ideal opening round. None of this "only some teams" play bullshit, none of this Carlton vs Richmond rubbish

  1. Sydney vs Brisbane (SCG) - Thursday night - open the season with the grand final replay
  2. Hawthorn vs Port Adelaide (MCG) - Friday night - grudge match
  3. Adelaide vs GWS (Adelaide Oval) - Saturday arvo - we stole their players
  4. North Melbourne vs St Kilda (Docklands) - Saturday arvo - just dump this one in here, no one cares or will watch
  5. Geelong vs Western Bulldogs (Kardinia Park) - Saturday twilight - Bailey Smith match
  6. Carlton vs Collingwood (MCG) - Saturday night - traditional rivals at the MCG
  7. West Coast vs Richmond (Perth Stadium) - Sunday early arvo - West Coast took players and staff from Richmond
  8. Essendon vs Melbourne (Docklands) - Sunday arvo - battle of the teams that fell off last season
  9. Gold Coast vs Fremantle (Carrara) - Sunday twilight - two rising teams
Click to expand...

What if the opening round was purely from the previous years post GF ladder?

1 vs 2
3 vs 4
Etc …
 
Scorpus said:
My ideal opening round. None of this "only some teams" play bullshit, none of this Carlton vs Richmond rubbish

  1. Sydney vs Brisbane (SCG) - Thursday night - open the season with the grand final replay
  2. Hawthorn vs Port Adelaide (MCG) - Friday night - grudge match
  3. Adelaide vs GWS (Adelaide Oval) - Saturday arvo - we stole their players
  4. North Melbourne vs St Kilda (Docklands) - Saturday arvo - just dump this one in here, no one cares or will watch
  5. Geelong vs Western Bulldogs (Kardinia Park) - Saturday twilight - Bailey Smith match
  6. Carlton vs Collingwood (MCG) - Saturday night - traditional rivals at the MCG
  7. West Coast vs Richmond (Perth Stadium) - Sunday early arvo - West Coast took players and staff from Richmond
  8. Essendon vs Melbourne (Docklands) - Sunday arvo - battle of the teams that fell off last season
  9. Gold Coast vs Fremantle (Carrara) - Sunday twilight - two rising teams
Click to expand...

Ruddy love that 8/9 are decent grudge matches in some way and then there's just a 100% factual "just dump this one in here, no one cares or will watch" :tearsofjoy:
 
I’m OK with Round 0 (or by whatever name) BUT surely the Round 0 teams must play each other in Round 1 to wash out the unfairness.

Then at least we might play (say) the Suns in our 2nd game and it’s their 3rd.

Our first to their second was diabolically unfair.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
 
[emoji6][emoji6]" data-quote="ATsince[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]" data-source="post: 0" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">
ATsince[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]] said:
I’m OK with Round [emoji[emoji6][emoji6]] (or by whatever name) BUT surely the Round [emoji[emoji6][emoji6]] teams must play each other in Round to wash out the unfairness.

Then at least we might play (say) the Suns in our nd game and it’s their rd.

Our first to their second was diabolically unfair.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
Click to expand...

Agree but it won’t happen


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
 

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Looks like Thursday night is going to be a big part of the next season. Report is that Essendon will have the most Thursday night games.

The question has to be asked - why? What have they possibly done to suggest anyone wants to watch them? Hawthorn would make sense, they played an exciting brand. Essendon? Bizarre. Might as well make Richmond and West Coast the next most.
 
DJ75 said:
Looks like Thursday night is going to be a big part of the next season. Report is that Essendon will have the most Thursday night games.

The question has to be asked - why? What have they possibly done to suggest anyone wants to watch them? Hawthorn would make sense, they played an exciting brand. Essendon? Bizarre. Might as well make Richmond and West Coast the next most.
Click to expand...
Haven't won a final in 20 years. Essendon, Carlton and Richmond are given every opportunity to succeed.
 
Cromulant said:
I think youll find Richmond crowds will drop right off next season too, i mean they already did this year.
Click to expand...
Richmond may not win a game (except against us for no apparent reason). I would put money that Richmonds go to epic levels of tanking (think Fitzroy level of awful), and then immediately have their hand out for some priority picks.
 
DJ75 said:
Richmond may not win a game (except against us for no apparent reason). I would put money that Richmonds go to epic levels of tanking (think Fitzroy level of awful), and then immediately have their hand out for some priority picks.
Click to expand...
The AFL should laugh them out of the room.
 
Following the increase in double up games from 5 to 6 since gather round, the FIXture should be relatively even. We can expect a double up with Poort Pear plus one other top six team, two double ups from teams 7-12 and two double ups with fellow bottom sixers.

Of course the actual draw will be much easier of harder depending upon which teams are on the rise and which are on the fall.

A really tough draw based on this scenario would be double ups against Poort, Sydney or Geelong, Bulldogs, Collingwood, Melbourne and Gold Coast.

A much easier draw would be double ups against
Poort, GWS, Essendon, St Kilda, North and Richmond.
 
Ciao Giacomo said:
Following the increase in double up games from 5 to 6 since gather round, the FIXture should be relatively even. We can expect a double up with Poort Pear plus one other top six team, two double ups from teams 7-12 and two double ups with fellow bottom sixers.

Of course the actual draw will be much easier of harder depending upon which teams are on the rise and which are on the fall.

A really tough draw based on this scenario would be double ups against Poort, Sydney or Geelong, Bulldogs, Collingwood, Melbourne and Gold Coast.

A much easier draw would be double ups against
Poort, GWS, Essendon, St Kilda, North and Richmond.
Click to expand...
I'll guess we get double ups against Port, Geelong, Bulldogs, Freo, Melbourne and North Melbourne.

Trips to Geelong, Ballarat, NT and Tassie all included.
 
ams4crows said:
Wait a sec is it opening round straight into gather round so once again we get a team that played the week before in Geelong??
Click to expand...

I think Gather Round is round 5 which is technically round 6. So five rounds after Opening Round
 

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2025 Draw - hoping for MUCH softer

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