AFL heavyweights Collingwood, Essendon, in prime-time race as league locks in floating fixture

Essendon and Collingwood will joust for another Friday prime-time clash in round 24 as the league looks to lock in its floating fixture in coming weeks.

Essendon and Collingwood will joust for another Friday prime-time clash in round 24 as the league looks to lock in its floating fixture in coming weeks.

Both Victorian sides are playing likely finals contenders in round 24 and could receive yet another blockbuster clash to round out the home-and-away calendar.

Collingwood has been handed footy’s most enviable prime-time slot, with seven Friday night and three Thursday night clashes, while Essendon will play seven Fridays and one Thursday.

The Brisbane Lions-Essendon clash at the Gabba and the Melbourne-Collingwood contest at the MCG are the logical pair of games the AFL would consider as it looks to lock in a Friday night blockbuster.

Essendon and Collingwood’s latest battle is for a Friday prime-time slot in rond 24 as AFL locks in the floating fixture. Picture: Michael Klein

The league will schedule the times and days of round 24 five or six weeks out from those clashes to give clubs and fans certainty as they look to travel to those games or buy tickets.

Carlton takes on Sydney in round 24, but the Blues play the previous Sunday in round 23, which would see them playing off a five-day break. The league can hand clubs three five-day breaks each season but given St Kilda will not play finals it does not hold as much appeal and the Blues would prefer a longer break leading into round 24.

Essendon’s bid to lock in a high finals spot as it attempts to break a finals winning drought that dates back to 2004 might be broadcast catnip for the AFL.

Essendon are on track to end a two-decade AFL finals drought, a chase which could bring in a big audience for the AFL. Picture: Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Brisbane is also surging after a 2-5 start to the season and will likely be pushing for a top-four spot. But the Melbourne-Collingwood clash also has appeal for the AFL, given both teams are in the finals mix and might need to win to make finals or shore-up a top-8 spot.

Fremantle-Port Adelaide is a less likely Friday clash, despite both sides likely being in finals contention.

The league has in recent years designed its round 24 fixture for maximum appeal, with Essendon and Collingwood scheduled last year, but the Pies winning by 70 points amid the Dons’ second-half fade out.

The AFL will have several more weeks sample size to assess the finals ramifications before locking in that fixture. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

The AFL will have several more weeks sample size to assess the finals ramifications before locking in that fixture. The league has not even announced the start time, with the next commission meeting in August.

The Herald Sun understands the final game of the season will be a day game as the league works on the formulation of next year, which will include another opening round in the northern states.

Originally published as AFL heavyweights Collingwood, Essendon, in prime-time race as league locks in floating fixture