AFL locks in grand final start time and fixture for rounds 16-19
The AFL has revealed a six-pack of blockbuster Thursday and Friday night games for Rounds 16-19. See the full fixture here.
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The AFL has revealed a six-pack of blockbuster Thursday and Friday night games for Rounds 16-19 as the league attempts to draw bumper ratings and crowds.
The league has released three more rounds of fixtures and the prime time clashes are a welcome return to quality games given lowly Essendon was given Friday night games in rounds 13 and 14.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE FULL FIXTURE
The league will play five Thursday night games between rounds 13-17, with the Lions hosting the Bulldogs (Thursday) then Carlton taking on St Kilda at Marvel (Friday) in round 16.
In round 17 the Cats host Melbourne in what could be one of the games of the season at GMHBA Stadium (Thursday) before Sydney hosts the Dogs (Friday).
In round 18 St Kilda hosts the Western Bulldogs (Friday night), then in round 19 Richmond hosts Fremantle (Marvel Stadium) in a well-deserved Friday night clash for the Dockers.
All of the nine highest teams by ladder position will feature across Thursday and Friday nights in the slot, with Melbourne also hosting Port Adelaide in Alice Springs in round 18.
In round 19 the Dogs host Melbourne on a Saturday night at Marvel Stadium in the second match between the 2021 Grand Finalists this year.
Fixture boss Travis Auld said the league was keen to give fans notice ahead of a huge stretch of football.
“Rounds 16 to 19 of the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Season will not only see our best sides on primetime, but the four rounds will play a big part in shaping the top eight as we move closer to finals,” Auld said.
The Herald Sun revealed this week the AFL’s attendances were down 16 per cent from 2019, with the league handing out free tickets for a month to kids as it attempts to get fans back to games.
Carlton, St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs have all been rewarded with games in big slots which is the chief advantage of a rolling fixture.
While many fans believe a rolling fixture does not give them enough time to plan for interstate trips, the fixture release gives fans at least six weeks to plan.
Fremantle’s attractive style of winning football is rewarded with the stand-alone Friday night slot against Richmond after their early-season Friday clash against North Melbourne was the second half of a Friday night double-header.
The league has backed in the Western Bulldogs to surge in the back half of the season because Luke Beveridge’s Dogs are in ninth place with those trio of prime time clashes coming up.
The five Thursday night clashes from rounds 13-17 make it 10 Thursday games in all ahead of a likely Thursday night final in week one.
Next year the AFL plans to bring in around 18-20 Thursday clashes in the home-and-away season but must first broker a deal with the AFLPA to allow clubs to play off two five-day breaks per season.
AFL GRAND FINAL START TIME LOCKED IN
The AFL has backed in people power by deciding to keep the grand final start time at 2:30pm AEST.
While it was heavily speculated the league was pushing for its first ever twilight grand final this year, the AFL Commission has ruled to stick with the longstanding tradition of its afternoon start time.
It is a huge win for young fans, with the grand final remaining in the family friendly timeslot.
In making the decision, the league must be confident that it can still boost finances with a new broadcasting deal.
The 2020 grand final started at 6.30pm and last year’s Perth grand final had a 5.15pm start time which was broadcast into eastern states at 7.15pm.
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“Prior to the start of this season, we emphasised that after two really challenging years, we all yearned to return to the footy rituals and routines that set the rhythms of our lives, to continue to focus on getting back to football and going to football as we know it,” AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said.
“That return-to-rituals principle underpinned our decision making in ratifying a traditional start time - the prestige, nostalgia and atmosphere of the day Grand Final is something we all know and love.
“Our role is to deliver fans the best possible game experience, whether that be at the match or the millions watching the broadcast, and together with our broadcast partner the Seven Network, we remain committed to creating an amazing event, and seeing 100,000 fans return to the MCG on that last Saturday in September.
“The 2022 Toyota AFL Grand Final is sure to be a fantastic spectacle for both the fans in the stadium and the millions watching around the country and overseas.”
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