The AFL today announced it had finalised the fixture for round 23 of the 2016 Toyota AFL Premiership season, which had been left as a floating round when the fixture was announced late last year.
The schedule of games will be as follows (local time and host broadcaster in each case):
Friday August 26
Adelaide Crows v West Coast at Adelaide Oval, 7.40pm (Channel 7)
Saturday August 27
Geelong Cats v Melbourne at Simonds Stadium, 1.45pm (Channel 7)
Essendon v Carlton at the MCG, 2.10pm (Foxtel / Fox Sports)
Sydney Swans v Richmond at the SCG, 4.35pm (Foxtel / Fox Sports)
North Melbourne v GWS Giants at Etihad Stadium, 7.25pm (Channel 7)
Gold Coast Suns v Port Adelaide at Metricon Stadium, 7.25pm (Foxtel / Fox Sports)
Sunday August 28
St Kilda v Brisbane Lions at Etihad Stadium, 1.10pm (Foxtel / Fox Sports)
Fremantle v Western Bulldogs at Domain Stadium, 2.40pm (Foxtel / Fox Sports)
Hawthorn v Collingwood at the MCG, 3.20pm (Channel 7)
It was the AFL’s view that the Adelaide Crows v West Coast match should be scheduled on the Friday night at Adelaide Oval as a match involving two current top-eight sides, which was likely to have significant impact on ladder positions before the finals.
The North Melbourne v GWS Giants match was the other consideration to be played on Friday night, involving two current top-eight sides, but was scheduled for the key Saturday night timeslot to provide North Melbourne with a seven-day break (noting they have had more six-day breaks than any other club this season) and to provide the Giants with prime time coverage as they seek to contest their maiden finals series.
Finalist Hawthorn will play Collingwood on Sunday afternoon at the MCG in a match that may determine whether or not Hawthorn secure a top-two spot.
The Western Bulldogs will play Fremantle on Sunday at Domain Stadium, ensuring the final ladder positions won’t be known until the end of the round. This will be the AFL farewell for Dockers’ club record-holder and six-time All Australian Matthew Pavlich.
The remaining matches in the round were placed to complete the normal AFL round schedule of one Friday game, two Saturday afternoon games, one Saturday twilight game, two Saturday evening games, one Sunday early game, one Sunday afternoon game and one Sunday twilight game.
Tickets for Round 23 matches will be on on-sale as follows:
Adelaide Crows v West Coast at Adelaide Oval – 9am, Friday August 5
Geelong Cats v Melbourne at Simonds Stadium - 9am, Thursday August 11
Essendon v Carlton at the MCG – 9am, Wednesday August 10
Sydney Swans v Richmond at the SCG - TBC
North Melbourne v GWS Giants at Etihad Stadium – 9am, Wednesday August 10
Gold Coast Suns v Port Adelaide at Metricon Stadium - TBC
St Kilda v Brisbane Lions at Etihad Stadium – 9am, Wednesday August 10
Fremantle v Western Bulldogs at Domain Stadium – 9am, Monday August 15
Hawthorn v Collingwood at the MCG – 9am, Wednesday August 10
