Unofficial · AI-generated · not affiliated with the AFL or any club

Fixture explained

The 2027 modelled fixture, “TV slots and 54 rules checked · Wednesday-start calendar”, walked through in the order a new fixture is usually revealed. Every number here is counted from what this version records. Games are named by their slot band (“Friday night”, “Saturday twilight”); kick-off clocks are modelled and shown smaller.

About this version · Every round · The wall: every club, every round

1. Headline games

The season opens with Wednesday night: Brisbane Lions v Adelaide at Gabba, Wed 17 Mar. 7:30 pm · modelled

How many of the 207 games land in each slot band:

Monday twilight

Wednesday night

Thursday night

Friday twilight

Friday night

Saturday day

Saturday twilight

Saturday night

Sunday day

Sunday twilight

Sunday night

2. Round 1

Home side first, in blue; away side in red.

Round 1 · 9 games

Wednesday nightBrisbane Lions (home) v Adelaide (away)Gabba · Wed 17 Mar · 7:30 pm · modelled
Thursday nightCarlton (home) v Collingwood (away)Docklands · Thu 18 Mar · 7:30 pm · modelled
Friday nightFremantle (home) v Essendon (away)Perth Stadium · Fri 19 Mar · 6:10 pm · modelled
Saturday dayHawthorn (home) v Melbourne (away)M.C.G. · Sat 20 Mar · 1:15 pm · modelled
Saturday twilightPort Adelaide (home) v Geelong (away)Adelaide Oval · Sat 20 Mar · 3:45 pm · modelled
Saturday nightGreater Western Sydney (home) v North Melbourne (away)Sydney Showground · Sat 20 Mar · 7:10 pm · modelled
Saturday nightSt Kilda (home) v Gold Coast (away)Docklands · Sat 20 Mar · 7:35 pm · modelled
Sunday twilightWest Coast (home) v Western Bulldogs (away)Perth Stadium · Sun 21 Mar · 3:10 pm · modelled
Sunday twilightRichmond (home) v Sydney (away)M.C.G. · Sun 21 Mar · 3:15 pm · modelled

3. Prime time, club by club

Prime time here means Thursday night and Friday night games.

Most: Adelaide (22 each). Fewest: Greater Western Sydney, St Kilda and West Coast (3 each). There is also one Wednesday-night game, not counted here.

Thursday & Friday Night Games

22Adelaide
21–
20–
19–
18–
17–
16–
15–
14–
13Brisbane Lions
12–
11–
10–
9–
8–
7Essendon, Gold Coast, Melbourne
6Fremantle, Hawthorn
5Carlton, Port Adelaide, Sydney
4Collingwood, Geelong, North Melbourne, Richmond, Western Bulldogs
3Greater Western Sydney, St Kilda, West Coast
2–
1–
0–

See every prime-time game

4. Who each club plays twice

Each club meets some opponents a second time. They are grouped by where those opponents finished on the 2026 ladder (the home-and-away ladder): top 6, middle 6, bottom 6. Clubs are listed in ladder order.

Double Match Ups

Ladder	Club	Plays twice (rounds beneath)
1	Fremantle	Sydney · Top 6R8, R20 Geelong · Top 6R9, R21 Melbourne · Middle 6R3, R18 St Kilda · Middle 6R11, R23 North Melbourne · Bottom 6R10, R22 West Coast · Bottom 6R12, R24
2	Sydney	Fremantle · Top 6R8, R20 Brisbane Lions · Top 6R12, R24 Carlton · Middle 6R11, R23 Greater Western Sydney · Middle 6R6, R19 Gold Coast · Bottom 6R4, R21 West Coast · Bottom 6R3, R16
3	Brisbane Lions	Sydney · Top 6R12, R24 Hawthorn · Top 6R9, R21 Western Bulldogs · Middle 6R11, R23 Carlton · Middle 6R4, R16 Gold Coast · Bottom 6R8, R20 Essendon · Bottom 6R2, R14
4	Hawthorn	Brisbane Lions · Top 6R9, R21 Geelong · Top 6R2, R22 Adelaide · Top 6R8, R20 Collingwood · Middle 6R11, R23 North Melbourne · Bottom 6R4, R24 Essendon · Bottom 6R7, R19
5	Geelong	Fremantle · Top 6R9, R21 Hawthorn · Top 6R2, R22 Adelaide · Top 6R6, R18 Greater Western Sydney · Middle 6R11, R24 Port Adelaide · Bottom 6R1, R23 Richmond · Bottom 6R4, R16
6	Adelaide	Hawthorn · Top 6R8, R20 Geelong · Top 6R6, R18 Melbourne · Middle 6R9, R21 Western Bulldogs · Middle 6R12, R24 Port Adelaide · Bottom 6R10, R22 Richmond · Bottom 6R11, R23
7	Melbourne	Fremantle · Top 6R3, R18 Adelaide · Top 6R9, R21 Western Bulldogs · Middle 6R2, R17 Collingwood · Middle 6R13, R24 Port Adelaide · Bottom 6R4, R16 Richmond · Bottom 6R6, R22
8	Western Bulldogs	Brisbane Lions · Top 6R11, R23 Adelaide · Top 6R12, R24 Melbourne · Middle 6R2, R17 Collingwood · Middle 6R9, R21 West Coast · Bottom 6R1, R13 Essendon · Bottom 6R8, R20
9	Collingwood	Hawthorn · Top 6R11, R23 Melbourne · Middle 6R13, R24 Western Bulldogs · Middle 6R9, R21 Carlton · Middle 6R1, R14 St Kilda · Middle 6R10, R22 Richmond · Bottom 6R8, R20
10	Carlton	Sydney · Top 6R11, R23 Brisbane Lions · Top 6R4, R16 Collingwood · Middle 6R1, R14 St Kilda · Middle 6R12, R24 Greater Western Sydney · Middle 6R9, R21 Essendon · Bottom 6R5, R17
11	St Kilda	Fremantle · Top 6R11, R23 Collingwood · Middle 6R10, R22 Carlton · Middle 6R12, R24 Greater Western Sydney · Middle 6R5, R17 Gold Coast · Bottom 6R1, R13 North Melbourne · Bottom 6R6, R21
12	Greater Western Sydney	Sydney · Top 6R6, R19 Geelong · Top 6R11, R24 Carlton · Middle 6R9, R21 St Kilda · Middle 6R5, R17 Gold Coast · Bottom 6R10, R22 North Melbourne · Bottom 6R1, R23
13	Gold Coast	Sydney · Top 6R4, R21 Brisbane Lions · Top 6R8, R20 St Kilda · Middle 6R1, R13 Greater Western Sydney · Middle 6R10, R22 North Melbourne · Bottom 6R3, R19 Port Adelaide · Bottom 6R11, R24
14	North Melbourne	Fremantle · Top 6R10, R22 Hawthorn · Top 6R4, R24 St Kilda · Middle 6R6, R21 Greater Western Sydney · Middle 6R1, R23 Gold Coast · Bottom 6R3, R19 Port Adelaide · Bottom 6R8, R20
15	Port Adelaide	Geelong · Top 6R1, R23 Adelaide · Top 6R10, R22 Melbourne · Middle 6R4, R16 Gold Coast · Bottom 6R11, R24 North Melbourne · Bottom 6R8, R20 West Coast · Bottom 6R2, R14
16	West Coast	Fremantle · Top 6R12, R24 Sydney · Top 6R3, R16 Western Bulldogs · Middle 6R1, R13 Port Adelaide · Bottom 6R2, R14 Richmond · Bottom 6R9, R21 Essendon · Bottom 6R11, R23
17	Richmond	Geelong · Top 6R4, R16 Adelaide · Top 6R11, R23 Melbourne · Middle 6R6, R22 Collingwood · Middle 6R8, R20 West Coast · Bottom 6R9, R21 Essendon · Bottom 6R10, R24
18	Essendon	Brisbane Lions · Top 6R2, R14 Hawthorn · Top 6R7, R19 Western Bulldogs · Middle 6R8, R20 Carlton · Middle 6R5, R17 West Coast · Bottom 6R11, R23 Richmond · Bottom 6R10, R24

Who each club plays twice

Club	Top 6	Middle 6	Bottom 6
Fremantle	Sydney, Geelong	Melbourne, St Kilda	North Melbourne, West Coast
Sydney	Fremantle, Brisbane Lions	Carlton, Greater Western Sydney	Gold Coast, West Coast
Brisbane Lions	Sydney, Hawthorn	Western Bulldogs, Carlton	Gold Coast, Essendon
Hawthorn	Brisbane Lions, Geelong, Adelaide	Collingwood	North Melbourne, Essendon
Geelong	Fremantle, Hawthorn, Adelaide	Greater Western Sydney	Port Adelaide, Richmond
Adelaide	Hawthorn, Geelong	Melbourne, Western Bulldogs	Port Adelaide, Richmond
Melbourne	Fremantle, Adelaide	Western Bulldogs, Collingwood	Port Adelaide, Richmond
Western Bulldogs	Brisbane Lions, Adelaide	Melbourne, Collingwood	West Coast, Essendon
Collingwood	Hawthorn	Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, Carlton, St Kilda	Richmond
Carlton	Sydney, Brisbane Lions	Collingwood, St Kilda, Greater Western Sydney	Essendon
St Kilda	Fremantle	Collingwood, Carlton, Greater Western Sydney	Gold Coast, North Melbourne
Greater Western Sydney	Sydney, Geelong	Carlton, St Kilda	Gold Coast, North Melbourne
Gold Coast	Sydney, Brisbane Lions	St Kilda, Greater Western Sydney	North Melbourne, Port Adelaide
North Melbourne	Fremantle, Hawthorn	St Kilda, Greater Western Sydney	Gold Coast, Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide	Geelong, Adelaide	Melbourne	Gold Coast, North Melbourne, West Coast
West Coast	Fremantle, Sydney	Western Bulldogs	Port Adelaide, Richmond, Essendon
Richmond	Geelong, Adelaide	Melbourne, Collingwood	West Coast, Essendon
Essendon	Brisbane Lions, Hawthorn	Western Bulldogs, Carlton	West Coast, Richmond

Who plays whom twice, drawn

5. Byes by round

Round 12 · Byes: Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Richmond
Round 13 · Byes: Carlton, Essendon
Round 14 · Byes: Gold Coast, Melbourne, St Kilda, Sydney
Round 15 · Byes: Brisbane Lions, Geelong, West Coast, Western Bulldogs
Round 16 · Byes: Adelaide, Collingwood, Fremantle, Greater Western Sydney

6. Breaks between games

Across the season there are 10 games a club plays after a break of five days or fewer. Most: Collingwood, Essendon, Geelong, Gold Coast, Greater Western Sydney, Hawthorn, Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Richmond and St Kilda (1).

Days break

▲ 5 or fewer days◆ 6 days7+ daysblank: bye or first game

Days since each club's previous game, by round. ▲ marks 5 days or fewer, ◆ marks 6 days.
Round	ADE	BRL	CAR	COL	ESS	FRE	GEE	GCS	GWS	HAW	MEL	NTH	PTA	RIC	STK	SYD	WCE	WBD
1	first game	first game	first game	first game	first game	first game	first game	first game	first game	first game	first game	first game	first game	first game	first game	first game	first game	first game
2	8	11	8	7	9	7	9	◆6	7	9	7	◆6	7	◆6	8	7	◆6	◆6
3	7	◆6	◆6	9	◆6	7	▲5	7	7	◆6	◆6	7	7	7	◆6	7	8	8
4	8	7	9	▲5	◆6	◆6	7	8	7	7	9	9	8	7	8	◆6	7	◆6
5	◆6	◆6	7	9	8	7	◆6	7	7	◆6	7	7	◆6	8	◆6	8	7	8
6	7	7	◆6	8	8	8	◆6	◆6	7	7	◆6	7	8	◆6	8	◆6	◆6	7
7	7	8	8	◆6	▲5	8	9	◆6	7	◆6	7	7	7	8	7	8	7	7
8	7	◆6	7	7	9	7	7	8	8	◆6	◆6	◆6	◆6	◆6	▲5	◆6	8	7
9	7	7	7	7	◆6	7	7	8	◆6	8	◆6	8	◆6	8	7	8	7	◆6
10	7	7	7	7	◆6	8	8	8	8	8	8	7	◆6	▲5	8	◆6	7	7
11	7	7	◆6	7	8	◆6	◆6	7	◆6	7	9	7	10	◆6	7	◆6	◆6	◆6
12	7	8	8	◆6	7	8	8	7	◆6	bye	◆6	bye	bye	bye	7	8	8	◆6
13	7	◆6	bye	10	bye	◆6	◆6	◆6	◆6	14	9	12	14	17	7	7	7	10
14	7	7	15	◆6	13	7	7	bye	9	7	bye	◆6	7	◆6	bye	bye	7	◆6
15	7	bye	◆6	◆6	8	8	bye	15	7	◆6	12	9	7	8	12	13	bye	bye
16	bye	14	◆6	bye	7	bye	14	7	bye	9	7	7	◆6	◆6	10	◆6	11	15
17	14	7	8	14	7	13	◆6	◆6	15	◆6	8	◆6	◆6	7	7	7	9	7
18	7	8	7	7	7	8	◆6	◆6	7	8	7	9	8	7	◆6	9	◆6	7
19	7	7	7	7	◆6	◆6	10	9	7	▲5	7	7	7	7	7	8	◆6	◆6
20	7	◆6	7	7	8	7	7	▲5	▲5	◆6	▲5	7	8	7	8	◆6	9	7
21	7	8	7	7	◆6	8	7	9	8	9	◆6	7	▲5	7	7	8	7	7
22	7	7	7	7	8	7	7	7	8	8	8	7	◆6	◆6	◆6	◆6	7	7
23	7	◆6	7	7	7	◆6	7	7	7	◆6	9	7	10	◆6	7	7	7	◆6
24	7	7	7	7	8	7	◆6	7	◆6	8	◆6	7	7	10	7	◆6	7	◆6

Every club’s breaks, round by round

7. Travel

An interstate trip is a game at a venue outside the club’s home state. This version has 162 trips in all, and 47 times a club travels interstate two weeks in a row. Most trips: Greater Western Sydney (14).

Every trip on a timeline

8. Fair or not? The facts side by side

Fairness is hard to define, and a perfectly even fixture is not possible with 18 clubs and 23 games. So there is no overall score here: just the counts, one row per club, for you to weigh.

Club	Twice v top 6	Twice v middle 6	Twice v bottom 6	Prime time	Interstate trips	Trips two in a row	Breaks of ≤5 days
Fremantle	2	2	2	6	10	2	0
Sydney	2	2	2	5	11	3	0
Brisbane Lions	2	2	2	13	11	4	0
Hawthorn	3	1	2	6	9	5	1
Geelong	3	1	2	4	7	1	1
Adelaide	2	2	2	22	10	3	0
Melbourne	2	2	2	7	7	3	1
Western Bulldogs	2	2	2	4	7	2	0
Collingwood	1	4	1	4	7	1	1
Carlton	2	3	1	5	7	1	0
St Kilda	1	3	2	3	7	0	1
Greater Western Sydney	2	2	2	3	14	7	1
Gold Coast	2	2	2	7	13	6	1
North Melbourne	2	2	2	4	8	2	0
Port Adelaide	2	1	3	5	10	2	1
West Coast	2	1	3	3	10	3	0
Richmond	2	2	2	4	7	1	1
Essendon	2	2	2	7	7	1	1

Counts from this version’s recorded games, dates, slot bands and venues. Flag an issue