Opening Round 2026 and Beyond

[JPetro83]

Opening round is ridiculous. i know the snowflake AFLPA wont like it but why not just add a 24th game to the fixture and have a 24 week fixture? start the season on that 2nd weekend of March. Get rid of the stupid "opening round" theme/gimmick and have Rounds 1 to 24 with each team playing a 24 game season. And scrap the staggered bye weeks.. have Round 12 as a split round.. 5 games 1 week and 4 the next. Thoughts?

 

[Walshawk]

Opening round is ridiculous. i know the snowflake AFLPA wont like it but why not just add a 24th game to the fixture and have a 25 week fixture? start the season on that 2nd weekend of March. Get rid of the stupid "opening round" theme/gimmick and have Rounds 1 to 25 with each team playing a 24 game season. And scrap the staggered bye weeks.. have Round 12 as a split round.. 5 games 1 week and 4 the next. Thoughts?

Just need to be patient. The fixture will change dramatically from 2028 when Tas come in. There will be 24 games (there can’t be an off number with 19 teams) as they will want to keep Gather Round. You can either spread the 38 byes over the season, or bunch them up at the start or end of the season.

 

[The King!]

I hate opening round

 

[flyinghi64]

Opening round is just another AFL idea that doesn't make sense except for adding an extra week for the media endorsements.
It creates an unfair and uneven start to the season. It is just plain fact that nothing compares to an actual proper game to gain game fitness so a team that has had a proper game will have an advantage over a team that is yet to have one.
Either start the season a week earlier or just leave it the F alone.

 

[Jeremias]

Really surprised they've stuck with it for 2025.

It was crap in 2024. The build up to round one is usually great but it felt completely flat this year in Melbourne. Despite my club being a part of it, it was very hard to get excited by it.

It shouldn't be a thing in 2026 or beyond. Open the year with a big game at the MCG and be done with it.

 

[The 747]

Looking forward to Round Minus One!

 

[aCunningPlan]

Screw everyone in Melbourne. Long live Opening Round!

 

[blueiris]

The week is wrong I can see in the future the AFL wanting the Gather round in Sydney at the same time Magic Round is in Queensland either have it then or the week the NRL is actually in LAS VAGES

 

[errant bounce]

Honestly think that Gather Round will end up running out of steam. people will go to Adelaide once, maybe twice for the Barossa, and won't go back. people in Melbourne can go to a weekend's worth of football every week. people in WA love a footy weekend away but the distance is too far to make it affordable and the airline and accomodation prices mean it's just easier – and you can tie it in with a gig or seeing friends or family – to just go to Melbourne a couple of months later.

People won't go up to Sydney or Brisbane en masse and Perth's just way too far, and again pricey, to get to for most of the country.

Throw in people having far less money and the idea of blowing two grand on going to some boring city you never otherwise would to watch your team lose isn't very enticing. you might as well use that on a cheaper, longer, warmer, or more exciting holiday, pay your bills, or keep it in the bank.

I love going to the football and watching a neutral game but the reasons I'm into it are the total opposite reasons you'd go to Gather Round. I can decide on the morning – or an hour before bounce down – if I want to head down; I just scan my AFL membership so it essentially feels like I'm not paying for anything; I can go with mates; or I can spend some time by myself, stretching out, being as idle and mindless as I want/need and not having to talk to anyone, deal with heaps of people, or running around needlessly.

Do not get the appeal and feel if not this year, then next that it fizzles out.

IMO think we end up with an extra round played in neutral venues around the country. that, or a situation where the interstate clubs have 12 home games and all bar the big four + Geelong have 11 in Victoria and two neutral games they sell off.

 

[BobbyMorri]

I just hate the name. and the concept

It is round 1. Call it so!!!
And
Prefer all the teams to play in round 1. I don't think the lift in metrics in NSW/Qld is just special or unique. The first home games are always full of optimism and hope.