Surely that would mean Essendon in Melbourne round 1. Perhaps at the G?
The games you listed will be the week before a full slate of games for the traditional week 1 games.
We will probably be more likely to play away with the Melbourne based teams listed playing at home as a part of the traditional round 1
So what we know for around 1:
Richmond V Carlton MCG (Thursday)
Collingwood V Sydney MCG (Friday likely)
Essendon V Hawthorn (MCG (Saturday night?)
I reckon we would have requested home against Hawks at the G, 40 years since 1984. Last year, Hawks home game drew 69K. You’d think 70K rollup would be a good result.
Thats only half a round though. Those games before the season would put half the comp a game ahead?
I think they are just splitting round one arent they across two weekends?
The afl’s idea theres sort of a northern states carnival to dominate one weekend to boost the games profile?
Then id assume all Melbourne/Adelaide/Perth the following weekend.
Melbourne will get a home game at the MCG aswell after playing in Sydney the week before.
Nope. Articles posted above, but essentially those 4 games will form a “round 0” with those teams getting an extra bye early in the season to “balance” it out
Ah right. Must be easter when gws lose their home ground perhaps.
They must be knocking down the Gabba soon for the Olympics replacement as well
I see this as another slap against Essendon.
Not considered as a team worthy to launch a season and attract a large crowd interstate?
The way we finished off the season, no wonder we aren’t wanted for prime time or as a showcase for an exclusive round.
I dont think they would want us back at Giants stadium after last time
Maybe us / they play Sunday 3:20.
That’s what you get when you’ve been a S…t club. It can’t be trusted and it shouldn’t be rewarded. For a crap is it’s been, we get lots of fixture support on marquee games etc.
Anzac day
Kings Birth Eve
Dreamtime
Country game
I think we have enough big fixture games. Can’t have it all.
True some clubs would kill to have at least one marquee let alone us having a few
It’s a good thing we capitalised on our period of success and relevancy by creating these marquee games with big clubs who have only gotten bigger.
Marvel Stadium could be out of action for round 1 next season due to two midweek Pink concerts.
Ground staff will likely need at least one week to repair sections of the turf following the concerts which are scheduled to be played in front of packed crowds on Tuesday, March 12 and Wednesday March 13.
It means the indoor venue will likely be unavailable for round 1, prompting the AFL to look to other venues including the MCG and Metricon Stadium to pick up the slack.
The MCG is tipped to host the traditional Richmond – Carlton blockbuster on Thursday, March 14, Collingwood-Sydney on Friday night, March 15, and potentially Melbourne – Western Bulldogs on Saturday, March 16 in round 1.
This masthead can reveal the Demons and Dogs are slated to play each other in a rematch of the 2021 grand final in round 1, but the league was still tinkering with the lineup on Friday.
Gold Coast and its new senior coach Damien Hardwick could also be the big winner from Marvel Stadium’s early unavailability as the Suns could open the season with a pair of home games at Metricon Stadium in “Round Zero” and round 1.
Gold Coast is set to host Richmond in “Round Zero” as part of the four-game northern-states extravaganza across March 8-10, pitting Hardwick against some of his Tigers’ premiership stars on the opening weekend.
A pair of Gold Coast home games would be an ideal start to the 2024 season for the Suns who are desperate to make the finals for the first time next year after making the big call to part with coach Stuart Dew mid-season.
The Herald Sun revealed on Thursday Collingwood is set to meet former Magpies Taylor Adams and Brodie Grundy when the reigning premier takes on Sydney Swans in Round 1 at the MCG.
Collingwood will unfurl its premiership flag against the Swans.
The four “Round Zero” games are GWS Giants versus Collingwood (Giants Stadium), Sydney Swans against Melbourne (SCG), Brisbane hosting Carlton (Gabba) and Suns-Tigers (Metricon).
The AFL is in talks to finalise the name for the first weekend of the season. Options include “Round Zero”, “Opening Weekend” and “Go Round”.
Marquee matches include King’s Birthday Eve between Essendon and Carlton, Good Friday between North Melbourne and Carlton, Anzac Day eve between Melbourne and Richmond, and Easter Monday between Geelong and Hawthorn.
St Kilda will be handed an MCG home game against Collingwood, likely drawing an 80,000-plus crowd, to kick-off Round 2 on Thursday night, March 21.
Marvel Stadium this year hosted a Harry Styles concert three weeks before the season-opener, while Ed Sheeran performed at the MCG one week before the first game of the season.
Does Round 0 count for points, or just the last set of pre- season games?
This actually too early for the AFL season to start.
It is. Even another week later is too early. Scrap the pre finals bye and this split round nonsense and start on March 21.
