THE AFLW fixture is expected to include a compressed period of four games per club in three weeks when it is released in coming days. 

The fixture block overlaps with term three school holidays around the country, and the mid-week evening games are expected to be weighted towards whichever state is on holidays at the time, with an aim of building buzz and attendance. 

The AFL confirmed in February that the length of the home and away season would be 11 matches, but played over a 10-week period.

At the time, clubs were anticipating three games in two weeks, but with the release of the fixture imminent, they are now preparing for four matches in three between weeks four and seven of the season.

The AFLW season has already been confirmed to start on the last weekend of August, which is also the pre-finals bye for the men's competition.

Week four of the AFLW fixture will fall in preliminary final week for the men's competition, week five will coincide with the Toyota AFL Grand Final, while week seven will be during the men's Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period (which runs from Monday, October 7 to Wednesday, October 16).

When contacted for comment, the league said the fixture – with an additional home-and-away game in 2024 – is still being finalised and will be released in the coming weeks.

Clubs are planning for four- or five-day breaks throughout the window, and are hoping for equality when it comes to gaps between games in the period, given the travel involved.

Squads of just 30 players means rotation, injury management and training loads will be vital. 

Some clubs share staff (physios, trainers etc) across both the men's and women's programs, although an increasingly smaller number will be affected the further the men's finals progress.

There is a chance clubs will be based away from home for a period of time (for example, last year saw Fremantle playing two consecutive games in Melbourne and have a mini-camp throughout the week), with only a small group of players across the competition still working full-time outside of football. 

Assistant coaches and support staff, however, often work "day" jobs away from the club.

An example would see Adelaide travel to Perth and play both Fremantle and West Coast before returning home.

Complicating fixturing matters is ground availability for weeknight games, with some grounds – such as RSEA Park – not having suitable lights for night broadcasting, with daylight savings in the eastern states not kicking in until the final weekend of the compressed period.

All teams are expected to have a minimum of five home games across the 11-game season.