AFLW 2021 fixture: See every game of the women’s league season

Get out your diary — the full fixture for the next AFLW season is out. See every game here.

Collingwood and Carlton will kick off the 2021 AFLW season.

A blockbuster clash between Carlton and Collingwood — the two teams who played in the first ever AFLW match — will open the new season at Ikon Park on January 28 next year.

The traditional rivals faced off in the 2017 and 2018 season openers before the marquee match was shared with other clubs.

Richmond played Carlton in the first game of the 2020 season but the Tigers have been bumped after failing to win a game in their inaugural AFLW campaign.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE FULL 2021 AFLW FIXTURE

In a strong opening round, St Kilda will host the Western Bulldogs at RSEA Park on Friday night before Melbourne clash with the Adelaide Crows at Casey Fields and Gold Coast host West Coast at Metricon Stadium on Saturday January 30.

On the Sunday, Richmond will begin its season with a Punt Rd clash against the Brisbane Lions. Meanwhile, Geelong will face North Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium and Fremantle will take on the GWS Giants in the west.

The inaugural AFLW Pride Round will be held in Round 2, with the inaugural AFLW Indigenous Round to be played across Round 5.

“The season kicks off in 48 days with Carlton and Collingwood, a return to the very first match of AFLW in 2017, and there is so much to look forward to from that opening night right through to the NAB AFLW Grand Final,” AFLW boss Nicole Livingstone said.

“Matches will be played right across the country with state-based and traditional rivalries being continued in 2021.”

The Grand Final will be played on the weekend of April 17-18.

No premier was declared in 2020 owing to the COVID-19 shutdown early in the year.

AFLW 2021 FIXTURE

ROUND 1

Thursday, January 28

Carlton v Collingwood, Ikon Park 7.15pm

Friday, January 29

St Kilda v Western Bulldogs, Moorabbin 7.10pm

Saturday, January 30

Melbourne v Adelaide, Casey Fields 3.10pm

Gold Coast v West Coast, Metricon Stadium 5.10pm

Sunday, January 31

Richmond v Brisbane Lions, Punt Rd 1.10pm

Geelong v North Melbourne, GMHBA Stadium 3.10pm

Fremantle v GWS Giants, Fremantle Oval 5.10pm

ROUND 2

Friday, February 5

Western Bulldogs v Carlton Whitten Oval, 7.45pm

Saturday, February 6

North Melbourne v St Kilda Arden St, 1.10pm

GWS Giants v Melbourne, Blacktown,3.10pm

Adelaide v Gold Coast, Norwood Oval 5.10pm

Sunday, February 7

Collingwood v Fremantle, Victoria Park 1.10pm

Brisbane Lions v Geelong, Hickey Park, Bris 3.10pm

West Coast v Richmond, Perth 5.10pm

ROUND 3

Friday, February 12

Melbourne v St Kilda ,Casey Fields 7.10pm

Saturday, February 13

GWS Giants v Brisbane Lions, Blacktown 3.10pm

Gold Coast v Carlton, Mackay 5.10pm

Fremantle v North Melbourne, Fremantle Oval 7.10pm

Sunday, February 14

Richmond v Geelong, Punt Rd 1.10pm

Adelaide v Western Bulldogs, Norwood Oval 3.10pm

West Coast v Collingwood, Perth 5.10pm

ROUND 4

Friday, February 19

Geelong v GWS Giants, GMHBA Stadium 7.10pm

Saturday, February 20

Western Bulldogs v Richmond, Whitten Oval 5.10pm

Collingwood v Adelaide, Victoria Park 7.10pm

Fremantle v West Coast, TBC 9.10pm

Sunday, February 21

St Kilda v Gold Coast, Moorabbin 1.10pm

Carlton v North Melbourne, Ikon Park 3.10pm

Brisbane Lions v Melbourne, Hickey Park, Bris 5.10pm

ROUND 5

Friday, February 26

West Coast v St Kilda, Perth 7.40pm

Saturday, February 27

North Melbourne v Richmond, North Hobart Oval 3.10pm

Gold Coast v Brisbane Lions, Metricon Stadium 5.10pm

Geelong v Collingwood, GMHBA Stadium 7.10pm

Sunday, February 28

GWS Giants v Western Bulldogs, Blacktown 1.10pm

Carlton v Melbourne, Ikon Park 3.10pm

Adelaide Crows v Fremantle, Norwood Oval 5.10pm

ROUND 6

Friday, March 5

St Kilda v Collingwood, Moorabbin 7.10pm

Saturday, March 6

Melbourne v Richmond ,Casey Fields 3.10pm

GWS Giants v Gold Coast, Manuka Oval 5.10pm

Fremantle v Geelong, Fremantle Oval 7.10pm

Sunday, March 7

Carlton v West Coast, Ikon Park 1.10pm

Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne, Whitten Oval 3.10pm

Brisbane Lions v Adelaide, Hickey Park, Bris 5.10pm

ROUND 7

Friday, March 12

Gold Coast v Richmond, Metricon Stadium 7:50pm

Saturday, March 13

Collingwood v GWS Giants, Victoria Park 3.10pm

Brisbane Lions v Fremantle, Hickey Park, Bris 5.10pm

Adelaide v Carlton, Norwood Oval 7.10pm

Sunday, March 14

North Melbourne v Melbourne, UTAS 1.10pm

St Kilda v Geelong, Moorabbin 3.10pm

West Coast v Western Bulldogs, Perth 5.10pm

ROUND 8

Friday, March 19

Richmond v Adelaide, Punt Rd 5.10pm

Saturday, March 20

GWS Giants v St Kilda, Giants Stadium 1.10pm

Geelong v Carlton, GMHBA Stadium 3.10pm

Brisbane Lions v Collingwood, The Gabba 5.10pm

Sunday, March 21

Melbourne v Western Bulldogs, Casey Fields 1.10pm

North Melbourne v West Coast, Arden St 4.10pm

Fremantle v Gold Coast, Fremantle Oval 6.10pm

ROUND 9

Friday, March 26

Adelaide v GWS Giants, Norwood Oval 5.40pm

Saturday, March 27

Western Bulldogs v Geelong ,Whitten Oval 1.10pm

Collingwood v Melbourne, Victoria Park 3.10pm

Gold Coast v North Melbourne, Metricon Stadium 5.10pm

Sunday, March 28

Carlton v Fremantle, Ikon Park 1.10pm

Richmond v St Kilda, Punt Rd 4.10pm

West Coast v Brisbane Lions, Perth 6.10pm

* all times AEDT

AFLW SCRAPS UNPOPULAR CONFERENCES

Announcing the structure of the coming season, the AFL confirmed a single ladder would be used following significant backlash to the conference system used for the past two years.

In further developments, all matches will be fully ticketed for the first time. Adults and concession tickets will be $10, while children under-18 will be admitted free.

The full AFLW fixture will be released on Friday.

“The 14-team competition will consist of nine home-and-away rounds plus three weeks of finals … up from the scheduled eight rounds in 2020,” the league said.

“All matches will be fully ticketed for the first time as part of the continued progression of the competition and ensuring all venues are COVID-safe.”

The AFL commission has also approved recommendations relating to the AFL and AFLW match review and tribunal systems.

The changes will see:

The definition of ‘High’ contact expanded to cover if there is a careless or intentional dangerous tackle which has the potential for injury to be caused through dangerous high contact with the ground but where high contact does not actually occur;

The guideline in relation to upgrading impact based on the potential to cause injury expanded to capture all intentional strikes (not limited to headhigh strikes only); and

The ‘contesting the ball’ exception in relation to high bumps and forceful front-on contact tightened by changing the requirement that “the Player was contesting the ball and did not have a realistic alternative way to contest the ball” to “the Player was contesting the ball and it was reasonable for the Player to contest the ball in that way”.

The new AFLW season starts on January 28.

With no winner in 2020 owing to COVID-19, AFL’s head of women’s football Nicole Livingstonesaid: “The absolute commitment from the AFL remains to complete the season and award an AFLW premier in 2021.

“We have been working hard behind the scenes to not only ensure the season commences, but also to allow for us to remain as adaptable as possible as the season progresses in a constantly changing environment.

“While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the community, the health and welfare of everyone remains the priority and the AFL will deliver a full season in a safe manner anchored in the advice of public health officials and medical experts.

“The use of high-performance centres (hubs) and the option of compressing the season were strongly considered and, while a more traditional model is in place for the upcoming season, we know we have the ability to pivot if the circumstances require us to do so and it becomes necessary to complete the season.

“Throughout the planning process we listened to and worked closely with the players, their clubs and the AFLPA to ensure the best possible outcome for everyone in the game.

“We openly acknowledge there are unique challenges and recognise the non-football commitments of both AFLW players and staff, and through this open dialogue, we know the AFLW community is absolutely determined to work through them to achieve a full season.”

Originally published as AFLW 2021 fixture: See every game of the women’s league season