AFLW launches season fixture list, with Carlton-Collingwood and West Coast-Gold Coast on opening night
The Eagles-Suns clash, confirmed in Friday's fixture release, immediately follows the previously announced season opener between traditional foes Carlton and Collingwood on Thursday, August 14.
It is the first time the AFLW season will start during the AFL home-and-away campaign, coinciding with the final two rounds of the men's competition.
Also in round one, old rivals Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs will do battle for the Hampson-Hardeman Cup, and GWS host Essendon in the first-ever meeting between the sides.
Brisbane will take on North Melbourne in round five, in their first encounter since the Kangaroos' breakthrough grand-final triumph under Darren Crocker last year.
AFLW fixtures boss Josh Bowler said the league was looking to celebrate iconic moments, grow rivalries and create traditions with this season's fixture.
"It is important to recognise the moments and match-ups in the game that have helped shape the league so far, while also nurturing the emerging rivalries and making it easy and accessible for fans to attend," Bowler said.
Geelong's Kardinia Park is the only major AFL venue where AFLW matches will be played in 2025. None have been scheduled at premier venues in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth or Adelaide.
Unpopular mid-week fixtures have been dropped in 2025, except for Thursday night features in rounds one, seven and eight, with the latter two falling either side of the AFL grand final.
The fixture change has been partially based on last season's ladder, divided into three groups of six, and is weighted towards ensuring more match-ups within each group.
AFLW's two major themed rounds will both be played over two weeks; Indigenous Round in rounds three and four and Pride Round across rounds nine and 10.
Intrastate rivalries are littered throughout the fixture, starting in round five when Fremantle host West Coast at the port.
Sydney and GWS clash in round six, Gold Coast take on Brisbane in round eight and Adelaide do battle with Port Adelaide in round 11.
The schedule for the final round of the home-and-away season has been left floating, to be confirmed closer to the date.
AFLW grand final hosting rights will fall to the highest-ranked preliminary final winner.
AAP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Courier-Mail
8 minutes ago
- Courier-Mail
AFL: Carlton Blues blow Collingwood away in season opening AFLW statement
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Carlton kicked off the AFLW's 10th season on a perfect note with a comfortable 24-point win over arch rivals Collingwood. The Pies started the night strongly with the first two goals, but the Blues would kick six of the next seven to cruise to victory at Ikon Park, 6.9 (45) to 3.3 (21). Watch every match of the 2025 NAB AFL Women's Season LIVE ad-break free during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. Mimi Hill starred for the Blues in the midfield with a game-high 32 disposals and Erone Fitzpatrick bagged two goals as Carlton opened its account with a win in a campaign captain Kerryn Peterson will miss due to the birth of her first child. 'They'll be really pleased with the electricity of their footy,' Herald Sun reporter Lauren Wood said on Fox Footy. 'Particularly without their captain. Carlton's Poppy Scholz celebrates after kicking her first goal. (Photo by James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images) Mimi Hill (right) starred for the Blues. (Photo by James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images) 'Naturally when you're without your skipper, you would have that sense of unknown. But led by Mimi Hill, they were pretty seamless without her.' Former AFLW Carlton coach Daniel Harford said Hill was 'allowed to do whatever the hell she liked' and 'took full advantage of that'. 'Really set the game alight, she was enormous,' he said on Fox Footy. Harford also praised Carlton's 'slick' ball movement, but noted Collingwood 'had no answers' in a disappointing start to the season for last year's wooden spooners, who have dropped 13 of their last 14 games. Over 25 debutants to be named in round 1 Video Player is loading. Play Video This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. X Learn More Loaded : 5.20% 0:00 00:00 / 00:00 Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. 03:09 SUBSCRIBER ONLY Over 25 debutants to be named in round 1 AFLW: Over 25 young guns are set to be handed their AFLW debuts in the opening round of season ten. 'There's a few questions about the Magpies on the back of that and what they're trying to do and look like,' he added. 'They didn't show too much tonight, sadly for Magpies fans.' Collingwood fans had one moment in particular to cheer about, with No. 1 pick Ash Centra kicking her first goal with her first disposal in the second term. But further souring the loss for the Pies was Irish rookie Kellyann Hogan's night ending prematurely due to a shoulder issue. Originally published as Carlton make a statement in 'enormous' Pies beat down as rivals kick-off new season
Perth Now
39 minutes ago
- Perth Now
O'Connor at No.10 as Wallabies suffer more injury woe
Veteran James O'Connor has been called on to take on the playmaking duties as the Wallabies seek to build on the impetus of their Lions' third-Test win with a rare victory in South Africa at the start of the Rugby Championship. But a plan for the 35-year-old O'Connor, back in the green and gold after three years, to share the No.10 role has had to be shelved after Ben Donaldson went down injured in training on Thursday. The idea had been for O'Connor to play the first 40 minutes with Donaldson coming on after the break but the injury has left the Wallabies looking at risky alternatives in the playmaking department as they get set to face the world champions in Johannesburg on Saturday (Sunday AEST). "In the second to last play of the training, 'Donno' kicked the ball and pulled up short so we don't know what the extent of the injury is," coach Joe Schmidt revealed after naming the team. "We've only been back from training for about an hour so he will get a scan now and we'll have a definitive picture because we need to know for next week as well whether we need more cover. "Nic White can cover No.10 and is astute enough to do so, Andrew Kellaway has the skill set as well if we go with what we've got at the moment." The inclusion of the 35-year-old O'Connor at No.10 is the only change to the starting XV that defeated the British & Irish Lions 22-12 in Sydney a fortnight ago, as he comes into the side after Tom Lynagh suffered a concussion in that encouraging victory. O'Connor, who helped New Zealand outfit Crusaders win the Super Rugby title this season, hasn't played for the Wallabies since 2022 but still looks the safest pair of hands after all the fly-half woes Schmidt has had to contend with, what with first-choice Noah Lolesio also out with neck trouble. O'Connor's halfback partner will be another veteran, White, who has doubled back on his decision to retire after the Lions series when first choice Jake Gordon got injured. Donaldson's injury has necessitated a late change to the planned bench with Schmidt having to replace the versatile back with loose forward Nick Champion de Crespigny. That means Australia will go from a five-three to six-two split between forwards and backs among the replacements. Yet Schmidt sounded upbeat as he noted: "The group has had a good week of preparation, adjusting pretty well to the time zone and the altitude well here in Johannesburg. "There's not many bigger Tests than playing South Africa on their home turf and we know we're going to need to be at our best on Saturday night." Australia are seeking their first win at Ellis Park since 1963, when they beat South Africa 11-9. Australia team: 15–Tom Wright, 14–Max Jorgensen, 13–Joseph Suaalii, 12–Len Ikitau, 11–Dylan Pietsch, 10–James O'Connor, 9–Nic White, 8–Harry Wilson (captain), 7–Fraser McReight, 6–Tom Hooper, 5–Will Skelton, 4–Nick Frost, 3–Taniela Tupou, 2–Billy Pollard, 1–James Slipper Replacements: 16–Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17–Angus Bell, 18–Zane Nonggorr, 19–Jeremy Williams, 20–Langi Gleeson, 21–Nick Champion de Crespigny, 22–Tate McDermott, 23–Andrew Kellaway.
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Carlton make a statement in ‘enormous' Pies beat down as rivals kick-off new season
Carlton kicked off the AFLW's 10th season on a perfect note with a comfortable 24-point win over arch rivals Collingwood. The Pies started the night strongly with the first two goals, but the Blues would kick six of the next seven to cruise to victory at Ikon Park, 6.9 (45) to 3.3 (21). Mimi Hill starred for the Blues in the midfield with a game-high 32 disposals and Erone Fitzpatrick bagged two goals as Carlton opened its account with a win in a campaign captain Kerryn Peterson will miss due to the birth of her first child. 'They'll be really pleased with the electricity of their footy,' Herald Sun reporter Lauren Wood said on Fox Footy. 'Particularly without their captain. 'Naturally when you're without your skipper, you would have that sense of unknown. But led by Mimi Hill, they were pretty seamless without her.' Former AFLW Carlton coach Daniel Harford said Hill was 'allowed to do whatever the hell she liked' and 'took full advantage of that'. 'Really set the game alight, she was enormous,' he said on Fox Footy. Harford also praised Carlton's 'slick' ball movement, but noted Collingwood 'had no answers' in a disappointing start to the season for last year's wooden spooners, who have dropped 13 of their last 14 games. 'There's a few questions about the Magpies on the back of that and what they're trying to do and look like,' he added. 'They didn't show too much tonight, sadly for Magpies fans.' Collingwood fans had one moment in particular to cheer about, with No. 1 pick Ash Centra kicking her first goal with her first disposal in the second term. But further souring the loss for the Pies was Irish rookie Kellyann Hogan's night ending prematurely due to a shoulder issue.
