THE AFL'S Sydney Derby will be the only game in town in the first week of May next year, with the Swans and Giants to face off at the SCG while the entire NRL competition will be in Brisbane for Magic Round.
The NRL's full 2025 schedule was announced last week, with the annual Magic Round - a precursor to the AFL's Gather Round where every game is played in the same city - to again take place at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on May 2-4.
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The AFL fixture, which was announced a week before the NRL's, includes a Swans v Giants game at the SCG on Sunday May 4, a rematch of the thrilling qualifying final between the two sides this year.
It means the AFL will be the only top-level men's sport in the heart of the city that weekend, with both the NSW Waratahs (Super Rugby) and Sydney FC (A-League) also scheduled to play interstate. The A-League match between Macarthur and Western Sydney in Campbelltown, 50km south-west of the centre of Sydney, will take place on the Saturday night.
In 2023, the AFL was criticised by the likes of former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire for not scheduling games for either the Swans or Giants in Sydney on the weekend the NRL was out of town for Magic Round.
After the two Sydney clubs pushed the AFL to better promote the game in their city, the League introduced Opening Round in the northern states for 2024, with that concept to return in 2025.
"It shouldn't come as a surprise to hear that we missed some opportunities when it came to fixturing games here (in 2023), and we all acknowledge it was a big miss," Swans CEO Tom Harley said last year.
In 2024, the Swans hosted a blockbuster against Carlton at the SCG on the Friday night of Magic Round before the Giants faced old rivals the Bulldogs at Engie Stadium on the Saturday evening.
For 2025, the NRL has similarly scheduled a Melbourne Storm home game against the Warriors on the Sunday of Gather Round, when all 18 AFL clubs will be in Adelaide.
Opening Round in 2025 will be held on March 6-9 and see Brisbane host Geelong at the Gabba, the Swans play Hawthorn at the SCG, Gold Coast host Essendon and the Giants play at home against Collingwood.
"Footy is growing exponentially in New South Wales and Queensland - all four clubs saw more than 10 per cent growth in membership this past season and we have seen community participation numbers grow a combined 17 per cent this year," AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said earlier this month.
"We continue to strive to have footy in every home around the country, whether that be playing, coaching, umpiring, supporting or volunteering and starting the season across Queensland and NSW will only amplify this desire."
