Round 1 2025 Fixture Predictions and what is your club's fixture wish list for the season?

[Dan26]

Not a fan of the 4 NSQ/Qld games personally. It likely means back-to-back travel at some other point of the season. Which is generally best avoided, particularly for Qld and WA sides who generally travel further each trip (I guess the exception being between SEQ and Sydney).
And Thursday is bad enough, Wednesday can **** right off.

The season opened on a Wednesday in 2022 with the Grand Final rematch between the Bulldogs and Melbourne. It worked well, as you'd expect. You can utilize Wednesday in Round 1, in a way you can't in other rounds because of 4-5 day breaks, which are not an issue in round one, because there is no match the previous week. It spreads the games out, is better for TV and it's really the only round you can do it.

There shouldn't be back to back travel (in theory) for the Qld/NSW sides because there is the local derby.

For example if you play out this scenario:

home
away
away - local derby
away
home

Technically there is three away games in a row, but in reality, for travel it is H-A-H-A-H

 

[blueiris]

Forget "Opening Round", What is your Round 1 prediction, who will play who and where?

Thurs: Richmond v Carlton - MCG

Friday: Hawthorn v Essendon - MCG

Saturday: Bulldogs vs Port- Marvel
Saturday(T): Adelaide vs St Kilda - Adelaide Oval
Saturday: Brisbane vs Sydney - GABBA (Channel 7 game)
Saturday: Melbourne v Geelong- MCG

Sunday: Gold Coast v Fremantle - Cararra
Sunday: Collingwood vs GWS - MCG
Sunday: West Coast v North Melbourne - Optus

I am hoping in 2025 the crows can avoid Kardinia park for once, avoid Ballarat. Would be nice to get at least 2 games at the MCG as i think we only got 1 there this year? we dont deserve much as we finished bottom 4 but hoping we can get a kickstart early on by playing teams that finished around us.. i do not want a 0-4 or 1-3 start to the year.

We’re likely be the away team in Round 1 after opening the season against Geelong at the Gabba

 

[Mr north man]

I'd like to see the 4 Qld and NSW clubs continue to host 4 matches in the first round, but have it as part of a suite of 9 games, not just 4, so it's just a regular round, albeit with 4 of the 9 games in the Northern States. No crossovers between any of the 9 games.

Wednesday
Brisbane vs Geelong (Gabba) 7:40pm

Thursday
Richmond vs Carlton (MCG) 7:40

Friday
GWS vs Collingwood (Engie Stadium) 7:40

Saturday
Port Adelaide vs Fremantle (AO) 1:10pm
Gold Coast vs St.Kilda (Cararra) 4:40pm
Sydney vs Melbourne (SCG) 7:10pm

Sunday
Nth.Melb vs West.Bulldogs (Marvel) 1:10pm
West Coast vs Adelaide (OS) 4:40PM.....(2:40 in Perth)
Hawthorn vs Essendon (MCG) 7:10pm.... Labor day eve prior to Public holiday in Victoria

2 changes to that
North VS Bulldogs at 2:10pm-Foxtel
Hawthorn VS Essendon at 6:30pm-Foxtel/Channel 7

 

[JPetro83]

Just read Geelong will play 10 games in Geelong next season:

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Just read Geelong will play 10 games in Geelong next season:

View attachment 2140842

Nothing surer than Geelong playing Collingwood once next year, with Collingwood as the home team to yet again avoid GMHBA.
Or if they do play twice, the Geelong home game would be at Gather Round.

 

[Wojcinski]

Double ups vs Richmond would be great

 

[Dirty Bird]

Hopefully

Thursday N: Brisbane vs Geelong
Friday N: Carlton vs Collingwood
Friday N: Port Adelaide vs Gold Coast
Saturday A: Hawthorn vs Essendon
Saturday T: Greater Western Sydney vs Adelaide
Saturday N: Western Bulldogs vs Fremantle
Sunday A: Melbourne vs North Melbourne
Sunday T: Western Bulldogs vs Richmond
Sunday N: West Coast vs Sydney

 

[Plugger35]

Hopefully

Thursday N: Brisbane vs Geelong
Friday N: Carlton vs Collingwood
Friday N: Port Adelaide vs Gold Coast
Saturday A: Hawthorn vs Essendon
Saturday T: Greater Western Sydney vs Adelaide
Saturday N: Western Bulldogs vs Fremantle
Sunday A: Melbourne vs North Melbourne
Sunday T: Western Bulldogs vs Richmond
Sunday N: West Coast vs Sydney

So St Kilda has a bye in Round 1 while the Bulldogs play 2 games in 2 days? I can't see that happening.

 

[Dirty Bird]

So St Kilda has a bye in Round 1 while the Bulldogs play 2 games in 2 days? I can't see that happening.

Sometimes we have to make sacrifices to avoid RossBall.

Sorry Bulldogs

 

[The Nostradamus]

Give me port at marvel

It’s about time we get ice baths Horne in front of our Melb fans

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Let them play 11-12 home games at The Costa Zoo, 3 away games at Marvel, 6 away games interstate and 2-3 away games at the MCG and never darken the doorstep of the MCG home rooms again, ever.

 

[Freshwater]

At least 1 home game where we have to play our ‘home’ final. On this issue the AFL are either incompetent or just unfairly biased.

 

[Mr north man]

Give me port at marvel

It’s about time we get ice baths Horne in front of our Melb fans

Unfortunately the AFL won’t allow it to happen.

 

[windyhill]

MCG games please 4 ideally and spread through the year .

Just not at the end of the year.

 

[Freshwater]

Piss opening round off, just have a round one.

I also think play every team round 1 then and don't split or do any gimmicky shit.

If they had to do some opening round type thing, at least just do round 1 over two weeks.


Fixture wise MCG games please 4 ideally and spread through the year .

 

[The King!]

Just not at the end of the year.

Well might help to play there later in the season come finals.

I'm Surprised when Essendon fans have a go at our grand final failures though. I mean are you guys bothering to enter the league next year ?

 

[windyhill]

I'm Surprised when Essendon fans have a go at our grand final failures though. I mean are you guys bothering to enter the league next year ?

Being one of the main ones that pull in the money, you’d think so.

 

[timokane]

Pies and Dogs MCG saturday night will do me nicely round 1

 

[Marauders5]

Pies and Dogs MCG saturday night will do me nicely round 1

Bulldogs should get the MCG home game

 

[kreuze_missile]

Richmond, please.

Four times if possible

 

[timokane]

Not sure as long as Pies play in Melbourne.
Have this feeling we will kick things off at Marvel v st kilda or travel interstate and play Sydney at the SCG.
But i like actually play the Hawks first up at the MCG on a Sunday twilight.
We sued to play hawks first up for say 5 years there.
Like to get a crack at hawthorn at the mcg myself.
Say a night game.

 

[Piggy Smalls]

GWS in round 1 please and thank you

 

[blueiris]

Surely Hawks have to travel to play the Lions (in Queensland) I don’t mean Tasmania

 

[Cool Kangas]

Bulldogs should get the MCG home game

Why?

 

[Mat Mann]

At least 1 home game where we have to play our ‘home’ final. On this issue the AFL are either incompetent or just unfairly biased.

unfairly biased gives them credibility

It's just incompetence,
they call it home state final but the only place that happens is in Melbourne GWS nor GCS will never play a final at the SCG or GABBA. We will continue to play 1 or 2 games a year at the MCG if we are lucky and every other club will roll along thinking that arrangement is fair, Interstaers will say it's ok because (insert alleged VIC bias) and MCG clubs will downplay it because it's in their interests to see it continue.