EVERY club is now set to play their AAMI Community Series fixture in their home state, after the AFL opted to rearrange a host of games to ensure no side will be forced to travel for the pre-season matches.
Five games have been altered to manage the risks around COVID-19, with four teams from South Australia and Queensland and two sides from Victoria now no longer being asked to fly interstate early next month.
>> Check out the full fixture below
Under the initial plans, Adelaide and Port Adelaide would have flown to Western Australia, while Gold Coast and Brisbane had been asked to fly to New South Wales.
However, the Crows and the Power will now meet at Noarlunga Oval on Sunday 7 March, while the Suns and the Lions will clash at Metricon Stadium on Monday 8 March.
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It means that the Eagles and the Dockers will now do battle at Optus Stadium, while the Swans and the Giants will face off at Giants Stadium. Both of those fixtures have been scheduled for Sunday 7 March.
North Melbourne's clash with Hawthorn will also no longer take place in Tasmania, with the League deciding on Wednesday to relocate the fixture to Arden Street.
"The AAMI Community Series continues to play an important role for AFL clubs and supporters across the country and we thank everyone in the game for their understanding as we continue to work through the safest and most straightforward options for players, staff and supporters," the AFL's general manager of clubs and broadcasting, Travis Auld, said.
"The changes to the fixture are consistent with the League's approach to best managing the risks around COVID by minimising travel for teams where possible across both the men’s and women’s programs.
AFL FIXTURE Check it out here
"As a result, we have had to make changes to some venues and we thank the people of Canberra (ACT), Joondalup (WA) and Launceston (TAS) for their understanding – each of those areas plays an extremely important role in our game. We hope to be able to return to Joondalup in the near future and we look forward to Canberra and Tasmania hosting AFL games as part of the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
"While we share the disappointment of these areas, we are also looking forward to supporters being able to safely attend AAMI Community Series matches, particularly in states where supporters have not been able to attend a men’s game in over a year."
2021 AAMI Community Series Fixture
Thursday, March 4
Carlton v St Kilda at Marvel Stadium, 7.10pm AEDT
Friday, March 5
Collingwood v Richmond at Marvel Stadium, 7.10pm AEDT
Saturday, March 6
North Melbourne v Hawthorn at Arden Street Oval, 4.10pm AEDT
Geelong v Essendon at GMHBA Stadium, 7.10pm AEDT
Sunday, March 7
GWS Giants v Sydney at Giants Stadium, 1.10pm AEDT
Adelaide v Port Adelaide at Flinders University Stadium, 3.40pm ACDT
West Coast v Fremantle at Optus Stadium, 4.10pm AWST
Monday, March 8
Western Bulldogs v Melbourne at Marvel Stadium, 3.10pm AEDT
Gold Coast v Brisbane at Metricon Stadium, 6.10pm AEST
