AFL fixture 2017: Lights to shine on Sydney and GWS Giants
AFL in the harbour city is going prime time with Sydney and GWS set to light up Friday nights next season.
Sydney
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sydney. Followed categories will be added to My News.
AFL in the harbour city is going prime time with Sydney and GWS set to light up Friday nights next season.
The Swans will play a massive eight Friday night games and two on Thursdays, while the Giants will play three Friday nights games and two on Saturday nights.
GWS have never played on Friday night before and the Swans have almost tripled this year’s number of three on Friday night and one on Thursday night.
The AFL is also sending a clear message to the established Melbourne clubs who are underperforming like Richmond, Collingwood and Carlton. They can no longer rely on reputation and tradition to grab all the best timeslots.
ROUND BY ROUND: HOW DID YOU CLUB FARE?
MUST WATCH: 12 GAMES YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS
VOTE: CLUBS BACK TWILIGHT GRAND FINAL IN 2017
The league’s governing body is now rewarding on-field success with greater exposure and commercial opportunities.
Premiers the Western Bulldogs are the other big winners with seven Friday night matches and one on Thursday night.
The Tigers and Magpies are the big losers, going from four Friday night matches this season to none in 2017.
Collingwood have gone from five to just two next year.
Football in Sydney has never been stronger and the AFL has rewarded the Swans and Giants with just about everything they wanted from the fixture and more.
The SCG will host the Marn Grook match for the fourth consecutive year and continue their great indigenous tradition inspired by Adam Goodes and Michael O’Loughlin.
As part of the Sir Doug Nicholls round the game will be one of the Friday blockbusters and couldn’t get any bigger with Hawthorn their opponents.
The famous venue will also stage the Pride match against St Kilda in Round 18.
The Swans won’t have to wait long for another crack at the Western Bulldogs with the grand final rematch set down for round two at Etihad Stadium with a Thursday night follow up set down for the SCG in Round 12.
“With so many big matches at home and away, including eight Victorian matches, the 2017 fixture is a real win for Swans members, supporters and corporate partners,” Swans managing director Andrew Ireland said.
The Sydney derby will also take on huge significance in the premiership race, the first instalment comes in Round 5 at the SCG and the second in Round 17 at Spotless Stadium.
“The Sydney Derby against the Swans is now one of the hallmarks of the AFL calendar,” Giants CEO David Matthews said.
“It was demonstrated by the sellout at Spotless Stadium earlier this year and the crowd of over 60,000 at our first final last month.”
Two of the Giants Friday night matches will be against the premiers with the first coming round six at Canberra (the first Friday night match in the national capital) and the second in Round 21 at Etihad Stadium. Spotless Stadium will host eight games including four against big Victorian teams Collingwood, Richmond, Essendon and Geelong.
Originally published as AFL fixture 2017: Lights to shine on Sydney and GWS Giants
Best 23s: How trade period changed every club
Trade period is behind us and the clear winners and losers have emerged. How will every club’s best 23 look for 2025 after the exchange period? FIND OUT HERE
Heat turned up on Swans’ drafting after another first-round pick exits
The Swans don’t have a great history in the first round of the draft outside matching bids. With picks 19 and 22, they must nail the brief come November after being quiet in the trade period.