AFL fixture latest: Adams, Grundy, Swans slated to face Pies on night of flag unveiling

Taylor Adams and Brodie Grundy missed the Pies’ premiership for different reasons, but both look set to be front and centre when the premiers unfurl the flag in 2024.

New Swans Taylor Adams and Brodie Grundy could be drawn to take on their former Collingwood teammates when the Magpies unfurl their premiership flag in round 1.

The latest version of the AFL’s 2024 fixture has Collingwood slated to host the Swans at the MCG in the second week of the new season, reuniting Adams against his former side for the first time since his shock trade last month.

It will be the second game of the new season for both sides who are set to feature in the league’s ‘Round Zero’ opening weekend most likely on March 8-9 in the northern states.

As this masthead revealed on Wednesday, the league wants to follow the four-game opening weekend in Queensland and Sydney with a full nine-game round 1 including three MCG blockbusters.

The Magpies want a big home game in round 1 to unfurl their premiership flag and celebrate their swelling fan base at a packed-out MCG, most likely on Friday night, March 15.

Adams missed the Pies’ premiership win. Photo by Michael Klein.

Grundy spent 2023 at the Demons. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

It promises to be an emotional meeting for former Collingwood vice-captain Adams who missed the grand final win over Brisbane Lions this year with a heartbreaking hamstring injury.

Adams, 30, was understandably in tears after the premiership win after failing a fitness test days out from the grand final.

He will be highly motivated to perform against his old side in the second week of the new season after being poached by the Swans on a three-year deal to lead the bolstered engine room in 2024.

The Swans requested more prime-time MCG games as part of their 2024 fixture after only five regular season games at the home of football over the past two years.

The Magpies are set to play in ‘Round Zero’ against GWS Giants (GS), Sydney Swans (MCG) in round 1, St Kilda (MCG) round 2, Brisbane (Gabba) round 3, Gather Round in South Australia in Round 4 before a bye.

The Swans secured Grundy and Adams to help beef-up their contested ball work and return to the finals after sliding out of the eight on the back of a 2022 grand final loss to the Cats.

Grundy is set to face his former Melbourne teammates in ‘Round Zero’ at the SCG as part of the four-game northern-states extravaganza.

The Pies could unveil their 2023 flag ahead of a clash with Sydney. Pic: Michael Klein

Gold Coast will host Richmond, Brisbane will host Carlton, and the Giants will take on Collingwood as well as the Swans-Demons clash on the opening weekend to help grow the game up north.

GWS Giants are pencilled in to host North Melbourne in round 1, Brisbane Lions will head west to play one of the Perth teams, Geelong is set to host St Kilda at its redeveloped GMHBA Stadium and Richmond take on Carlton as well in the traditional blockbuster Thursday night game in the second week of the season across March 14-17.

‘Round Zero’ is currently pencilled in for March 8-10, but the AFL is set to finalise the official name and details of the opening weekend by early next week.

The league will continue to thrash out details of the rest of the 2024 fixture next week before releasing it to the public on November 16.

The AFL has reserved the right to make changes to the draft version of the fixture before its official release in a fortnight.

Originally published as AFL fixture latest: Adams, Grundy, Swans slated to face Pies on night of flag unveiling