AFL Finals 2023: Collingwood v Melbourne to kick off September action as full fixture confirmed

The AFL has locked in the schedule for week one of the finals — check out when your team is playing in a blockbuster opening weekend.

MELBOURNE – June 12: AFL. Alex Neal-Bullen of the Demons celebrates a 4th quarter goal during the round 13 AFL match between Melbourne and Collingwood at the MCG on June 12, 2023, in Melbourne, Australia. Photo by Michael Klein.

St Kilda has lost its bid to play its elimination final at Marvel Stadium with the MCG to host three games in the opening weekend.

The Saints had hoped they might play at their usual home ground but the league only uses its own Docklands venue if there are four Melbourne finals in any given week.

The AFL’s decision to hand Collingwood Thursday night finals opener against Melbourne will allow the Pies to have maximum breaks between games deep into September.

The league on Monday announced its finals fixture after a home-and-away season that went down the last minutes as GWS beat Carlton to seal a finals berth.

In a blockbuster MCG clash to kick off week one of the finals the Pies will take on traditional King’s Birthday opponent Melbourne in a Thursday night clash after next weekend’s pre-finals bye.

The Dees and Pies are set to kick off the finals series. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Carlton will take on 2022 Grand Finalists Sydney on Friday night in the club’s first September encounter since 2013 in a game that should attract 80,000 or more fans.

Brisbane will host Port Adelaide in a Gabba qualifying final on Saturday week, boasting a perfect 11-0 win streak at their home ground this year.

The fixture sets up the prospect of a potential Collingwood-Carlton clash in week two of the finals if the Demons beat the Pies and the Blues prevail in a week where Nick Daicos is due to return from a leg fracture.

The loser of Brisbane and Port Adelaide will play the winner of St Kilda and GWS.