Rules in this version

82 rules checked against Realism: prime time spread fairly · Thursday-start calendar

78 met · 0 not met · 0 switched off · 4 don't apply. Only "Not met" is a failure. Everything else in grey is a limit of the checking, or a rule that has nothing to act on.

Version

Each row is one rule's recorded verdictAn independent checker's result for one rule on one version: met, not met, switched off, or doesn't apply. in this version, grouped by what the rule is about. Open a rule for what it means, why it exists and how it played out across every version. The rule explorer covers all versions at once.

TV coverage · 10 rules

The TV deal: free-to-air and pay-TV promises, Saturday windows and state coverage.

Met, metAt least 81 games on free TVBC-01 · must-follow rule · Step 5: TV slotFlag an issue
Met, metThree live free-TV games a roundBC-02 · must-follow rule · Step 5: TV slotFlag an issue
Met, metEvery game live on pay TVBC-03 · must-follow rule · Step 5: TV slotFlag an issue
Met, metEarly Thursday nights on free TVBC-04 · must-follow rule · Step 5: TV slotFlag an issue
Met, metBig occasions live on free TVBC-05 · must-follow rule · Step 5: TV slotFlag an issue
Met, metPay-TV-only Saturdays early in the seasonBC-08 · must-follow rule · Step 5: TV slotFlag an issue
Met, metWhen local games return to live TVBC-09 · must-follow rule · Step 5: TV slotFlag an issue
Met, metEvery local game on free TVBC-10 · must-follow rule · Step 5: TV slotFlag an issue
Met, metSame-state clubs never clash on TVBC-11 · must-follow rule · Step 5: TV slotFlag an issue
Met, metSame-state clubs in different slotsVT-02 · must-follow rule · Step 5: TV slotFlag an issue

Season shape · 24 rules

The season’s shape: clubs, games, rounds, byes, double-ups and spacing between return games.

Met, metBye rounds still have seven gamesBY-01 · must-follow rule · Step 2: roundsFlag an issue
Met, metEighteen clubs in the competitionFS-01 · must-follow rule · Step 2: roundsFlag an issue
Met, metEveryone plays everyoneFS-02 · must-follow rule · Step 1: opponentsFlag an issue
Met, metSix double-ups eachFS-03 · must-follow rule · Step 1: opponentsFlag an issue
Met, metTwenty-three games eachFS-04 · must-follow rule · Step 1: opponentsFlag an issue
Met, metTwenty-four rounds in the seasonFS-05 · must-follow rule · Step 2: roundsFlag an issue
Met, metOne bye each, mid-seasonFS-06 · must-follow rule · Step 2: roundsFlag an issue
Met, metEvery game has one dateinternal:date.DATE-ASSIGN-01 · must-follow rule · Step 3: datesFlag an issue
Met, metGames per dayinternal:date.DATE-DAY-CAPACITY · must-follow rule · Step 3: datesFlag an issue
Met, metSame-state derbies per dayinternal:date.DATE-MARKET-CAPACITY · must-follow rule · Step 3: datesFlag an issue
Met, metEvery game has one roundinternal:round.ASSIGN-01 · must-follow rule · Step 2: roundsFlag an issue
Met, metOne game per club per roundinternal:round.ASSIGN-02 · must-follow rule · Step 2: roundsFlag an issue
Met, metBanned double-up pairsinternal:stage1.forbidden_pairs · must-follow rule · Step 1: opponentsFlag an issue
Met, metEvery game has one groundinternal:venue.OPT-01 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metDerbies are played twiceOH-07 · must-follow rule · Step 1: opponentsFlag an issue
Doesn't apply here, doesn't apply hereOpening Round involves only some clubsOR-01 · must-follow rule · Step 2: roundsFlag an issue
Doesn't apply here, doesn't apply hereOpening Round clubs get an extra byeOR-02 · must-follow rule · Step 2: roundsFlag an issue
Doesn't apply here, doesn't apply hereOpening Round runs Thursday to SundayOR-03 · must-follow rule · Step 2: roundsFlag an issue
Met, metGames fixed in advance stay putRA-01 · must-follow rule · Step 2: roundsFlag an issue
Met, metSix rounds between the two meetingsRA-02 · must-follow rule · Step 2: roundsFlag an issue
Met, metNo return games before mid-seasonRA-05 · must-follow rule · Step 2: roundsFlag an issue
Met, metFinal round is for return games onlyRA-06 · must-follow rule · Step 2: roundsFlag an issue
Met, metDerbies are always double-upsWR-02 · must-follow rule · Step 1: opponentsFlag an issue
Met, metGrand Final rematch is a double-upWR-04 · must-follow rule · Step 1: opponentsFlag an issue

Fairness and balance · 8 rules

Draw fairness, home and away balance, and each club’s prime-time limits and weekday ranges.

Met, metThursday and Friday caps per clubinternal:date.DATE-PRIMETIME-CLUB-CAP · must-follow rule · Step 3: datesFlag an issue
Met, metThursdays spread across the seasoninternal:date.DATE-PRIMETIME-THIRD-SPREAD · must-follow rule · Step 3: datesFlag an issue
Met, metAt least six Saturdays, three to twelve Sundaysinternal:date.DATE-PRIMETIME-WEEKEND-BAND · must-follow rule · Step 3: datesFlag an issue
Met, metEach club's own weekday rangeinternal:date.DATE-WEEKDAY-ENVELOPE · must-follow rule · Step 3: datesFlag an issue
Met, metDouble-ups: one home game eachinternal:venue.HA-ALTERNATION · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metAt most three rounds without a home gameinternal:venue.HA-AWAY-RUN-CAP · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metEleven home, eleven awayinternal:venue.HA-BALANCE · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metThe weighted ruleWR-01 · must-follow rule · Step 1: opponentsFlag an issue

Rest and breaks · 9 rules

The players' rest-break rules from the 2023 to 2027 collective agreement.

Met, metSix days between gamesCBA-01 · must-follow rule · Step 3: datesFlag an issue
Met, metAt most three short breaks a seasonCBA-02 · must-follow rule · Step 3: datesFlag an issue
Doesn't apply here, doesn't apply hereShort breaks only in the home-and-away seasonCBA-03 · must-follow ruleFlag an issue
Met, metExtra rest beside a short breakCBA-04 · must-follow rule · Step 3: datesFlag an issue
Met, metThe opponent has at most six days’ restCBA-05 · must-follow rule · Step 3: datesFlag an issue
Met, metThree rounds between a club's short breaksCBA-06 · must-follow rule · Step 3: datesFlag an issue
Met, metOnly one interstate trip around a short breakCBA-07 · must-follow rule · Step 3: datesFlag an issue
Met, metNo short break after a Perth tripCBA-08 · must-follow rule · Step 3: datesFlag an issue
Met, metPerth clubs: no short break then travelCBA-09 · must-follow rule · Step 3: datesFlag an issue

Big occasions and event rounds · 6 rules

Fixed occasions and event rounds: Anzac, King's Birthday Eve, tribute matches, Gather Round.

Met, metGather Round in one cityGR-01 · must-follow rule · Step 2: roundsFlag an issue
Met, metGather Round: four days, three groundsGR-02 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metEveryone travels to Gather RoundGR-03 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metKing's Birthday EveMQ-09 · must-follow rule · Step 2: roundsFlag an issue
Met, metPort Adelaide's Anzac tribute gameMQ-10 · must-follow rule · Step 2: roundsFlag an issue
Met, metFremantle's Len Hall TributeMQ-11 · must-follow rule · Step 2: roundsFlag an issue

Travel · 6 rules

Where clubs travel, how often, and whether trips come in consecutive rounds.

Met, metEvery state gets footy most weeksinternal:venue.STATE-ROUND-PRESENCE · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metFive games in Victoria for every clubOH-01 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metVictorian clubs travel at least five timesOH-02 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metEveryone visits Western AustraliaOH-04 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metPerth clubs never travel two weeks runningRA-10 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metNo club travels three weeks runningRA-11 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue

Grounds and venues · 18 rules

Ground choices, contracts, home-game limits, known bookings and ground-specific rules.

Met, metBig Victorian games on separate daysinternal:date.DATE-BIG-CLUB-SAME-DATE · must-follow rule · Step 3: datesFlag an issue
Met, metBig Victorian games at the MCGinternal:venue.BIG-CLUB-MCG · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metGold Coast's Darwin games back to backinternal:venue.GC-DARWIN-BLOCK · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metTen Geelong home games at Kardinia Parkinternal:venue.GEELONG-KARDINIA-COUNT · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metMelbourne's Alice Springs gameinternal:venue.MEL-TRAEGER-GAME · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metVenue caps for interstate visitorsinternal:venue.SM-CLUB-INTERSTATE-VENUE-MAX · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metVictorian venue capsinternal:venue.SM-CLUB-VENUE-MAX · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metSold home games: the exact countSM-01 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metDarwin games are night games (venue deal)SM-03 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metDarwin in May, Alice Springs in winterSM-04 · preference · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metThree Giants home games in CanberraSM-05 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
No known conflict, metThe ground must be free that dayVA-01 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundNo venue has confirmed any date, so a pass only means we found no booking that clashes.Flag an issue or email us
Met, metEveryone plays at the MCGVT-03 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metAt least 45 games at the MCGVT-04 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metAt least 40 games at DocklandsVT-05 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metDarwin games are night gamesVT-08 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metNo lights, no night gamesVT-12 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue
Met, metOne game per ground per dayVT-13 · must-follow rule · Step 4: home club and groundFlag an issue

Not in force for 2027, or not carried by this version

1 analyst-level or retired rule this version still records

Met, metNo rested club against an unrested one BY-02 · analyst level