Full AFLW fixture released

THE AFLW fixture for this year has finally been locked in, with teams to compete over 10 rounds and four weeks of finals.

Confirmed earlier today (Monday, July 17), the fixture includes a  vibrant “festival of footy” in round 5 during the AFL Grand Final week, and the exciting return of historic heartland venues.

The second half of the season brings Indigenous Round in rounds 7 and 8, and Pride Round celebrating diversity and inclusion in Round 10.

AFLW will reach diverse corners of the country, with games held in several new locations nationwide.

Round 1 promises to be an exhilarating start to the season, with blockbuster match ups across the weekend.

The Cats will start their season at home, playing the Western Bulldogs on September 2.

Round 5 will be a festival of football, coinciding with the AFL Grand Final weekend. The round will kick off with Geelong Cats and Melbourne who will face off for the first time ever on a Thursday night, followed by a double-header on Friday after the Grand Final Parade.

Pride Round, scheduled for round 10, will be a momentous occasion as clubs unite to support and celebrate the LGBTIQ+ community. Fans will get to witness a Grand Final re-match when Brisbane Lions take on reigning Premiers Melbourne at Brighton Homes Arena in Springfield. The Western Bulldogs play against North Melbourne at home, while Collingwood will play Richmond at Victoria Park.

To provide certainty for fans and players, the AFLW has fixed most matches in the early part of the season.

The final round will feature floating timeslots as seen in the AFL, which will be confirmed mid-season.

In addition, the league can adjust the round 4 11am game, in the event of a night preliminary final in the AFL competition.

Finals will again feature a four-week structure, mirroring the previous season’s structure.

The grand final will be held on Sunday December 3 with the highest placed club earning the home ground hosting rights.

As the AFL continues to work to expand its reach across the country, fans from across many corners of Australia will have the opportunity to experience an AFLW match with games to be played outside of their traditional hometowns.

Building upon the success of the previous season, Essendon and Geelong will again head to Reid Oval in Warrnambool for the country game, continuing to promote the growth of the sport in regional areas.

Geelong Cats AFLW fixture (all times AEST):

• Round 1 vs Western Bulldogs at GMHBA Stadium, September 2 at 5.05pm
• Round 2 vs Sydney Swans at North Sydney Oval, September 9 at 1.05pm
• Round 3 vs North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos at GMHBA Stadium, September 15 at 5.05pm
• Round 4 vs Port Adelaide at Alberton Oval, September 23 at 1.05pm
• Round 5 vs Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium, September 28 at 6.15pm
• Round 6 vs Essendon at Reid Oval, October 8 at 1.05pm
• Round 7 vs Fremantle at GMHBA Stadium, October 14 at 3.05pm
• Round 8 vs Collingwood at Victoria Park, October 22 at 1.05pm
• Round 9 vs Richmond at IKON Park, October 28 at 7.15pm
• Round 10 vs Hawthorn at GMHBA Stadium, TBC