AFL fixture round 24: The possible schedule for final weekend of the home-and-away season
We’re getting closer to the end of the season, but the round 24 fixture is still up in the air. We look at when every club could play here.
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The AFL will wait another three weeks before locking in its round 24 fixture as the 12 clubs below ladder-leader Sydney continue to jostle for top-eight positions.
The league is set for another thrilling finish to the home-and-away season after Western Bulldogs’ hopes of qualifying for finals were left in the hands of Carlton matches on the final Sunday of the 2022 and 2023 campaigns.
The Dogs secured a ticket to the 2022 finals courtesy of the Blues’ choke against Collingwood, while in 2023 they missed out after requiring Carlton to knock off Greater Western Sydney in the final game of the season.
Last year, the AFL also waited until the day after round 21 to announce the round 24 fixture, while in 2022 it was confirmed after round 19 – although that season had 23 rounds.
The two most likely match-ups for the coveted Friday night slot in round 24 are Brisbane Lions-Essendon at the Gabba and Melbourne-Collingwood at the MCG. But with the Magpies’ season hanging by a thread – and coach Craig McRae conceding that “time is running out” on multiple occasions – they could be out of business before the final round.
The Bombers have already been dealt a dream commercial fixture this season. By the end of round 23 they would have played seven Friday night matches and a further three stand-alone marquee matches – Anzac Day (Collingwood), Dreamtime at the ‘G (Richmond) and King’s Birthday eve (Carlton). A 10th stand-alone match against the Lions in round 24 would cap a fruitful season for a club that has not won a final in 20 years.
The likes of Gold Coast, Hawthorn, Western Bulldogs, GWS Giants, Melbourne, Port Adelaide and the Magpies could all be playing do-or-die matches in what looks the most even season on record. For the Dogs and Giants, that could mean Ballarat plays home to a mini “elimination final” between the fierce rivals.
Round 24 will not feature a match in South Australia, with both Adelaide (Sydney at the SCG) and Port Adelaide (Fremantle in Perth) on the road to finish the season.
Excluding bye weeks and the Covid years of 2020-21, when the SA teams played some home matches interstate, there have only been three previous rounds since Port Adelaide’s AFL entry in 1997 that neither club has hosted games in South Australia.
The most recent was round 11, 2019, which featured Port facing off against St Kilda in China and the Crows taking on Melbourne in Darwin.
Before that, there was round 14, 2015 when Adelaide was scheduled to host Geelong, but the game was cancelled due to the tragic death of Crows coach Phil Walsh.
It first happened in the opening round of 2014, giving more time to complete the redevelopment of Adelaide Oval ahead of a Showdown a week later.
— with Matt Turner
Originally published as AFL fixture round 24: The possible schedule for final weekend of the home-and-away season
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