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It’s Christmas time for AFL nerds. The AFL today released its 2017 home-and-away season fixture to great fanfare and fascination from fans. It takes time to fully digest this thing, but for now, here’s the basic facts and figures.
As I remarked last season, the fixture is one of the AFL’s most important policy levers. Scheduling is critical to the game’s success – as we saw in 2015 when Friday nights developed a bit of a stink about them due to the continued presence of a no good Carlton side.
The fixture controls which teams get the most, and best quality, exposure, and which teams are left battling for attention.
It’s little wonder, then, that this morning’s release was quite a grand occasion. There were live streams, press conferences, instant pundit analysis and hot takes flying left, right and centre.
As is my wont, I’ll spend this evening pouring over the details to come up with some more weighty insights for you to chew on during a lazy Friday afternoon – or over the weekend if that’s more your style.
For now, here’s the basic facts and figures for each team: days played, time slots, double ups, consecutive six-day breaks, stadiums and states where games are played.
For a full version of the AFL fixture, head over to Josh’s piece.
And if you want to do your own analysis, here’s a link to an Excel-based version of the fixture. Despite constant badgering by fans, the AFL still don’t release their fixture in Excel, so I’ve filled that gap in the market.
Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | |
Adelaide | 1 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Brisbane | 0 | 0 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
Carlton | 1 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
Collingwood | 1 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
Essendon | 0 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
Fremantle | 0 | 0 | 10 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
Geelong | 2 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
Gold Coast | 0 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
GWS | 0 | 3 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Hawthorn | 2 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
Melbourne | 0 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
North Melbourne | 0 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
Port Adelaide | 2 | 1 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Richmond | 2 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
StKilda | 0 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
Sydney | 2 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
WCE | 2 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
Western Bulldogs | 1 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
*excludes Round 23
Team | 5 days | 6 days | 7 days | 8 days | 9 days | 10 days | Mid year bye | CSDB | vs CSDB |
Adelaide | 0 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Brisbane | 0 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Carlton | 0 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Collingwood | 1 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Essendon | 1 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Fremantle | 0 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Geelong | 0 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Gold Coast | 0 | 2 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
GWS | 0 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Hawthorn | 0 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Melbourne | 0 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
North Melbourne | 0 | 4 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Port Adelaide | 0 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Richmond | 0 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
StKilda | 0 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Sydney | 0 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
WCE | 1 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Western Bulldogs | 0 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
*CSDB: Consecutive six day break
Day | Twilight | Night | |
Adelaide | 7 | 1 | 13 |
Brisbane | 8 | 9 | 4 |
Carlton | 12 | 2 | 7 |
Collingwood | 13 | 3 | 5 |
Essendon | 9 | 2 | 10 |
Fremantle | 7 | 8 | 6 |
Geelong | 8 | 2 | 11 |
Gold Coast | 3 | 10 | 8 |
GWS | 7 | 8 | 6 |
Hawthorn | 11 | 2 | 8 |
Melbourne | 13 | 3 | 5 |
North Melbourne | 12 | 3 | 6 |
Port Adelaide | 8 | 7 | 6 |
Richmond | 9 | 3 | 9 |
StKilda | 10 | 5 | 6 |
Sydney | 5 | 3 | 13 |
WCE | 7 | 8 | 6 |
Western Bulldogs | 7 | 3 | 11 |
*excludes Round 23
China | NSW | NT | QLD | SA | TAS | VIC | WA | |
Adelaide | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
Brisbane | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
Carlton | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 2 |
Collingwood | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 1 |
Essendon | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
Fremantle | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 12 |
Geelong | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 2 |
Gold Coast | 1 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
GWS | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
Hawthorn | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 1 |
Melbourne | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 1 |
North Melbourne | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 1 |
Port Adelaide | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
Richmond | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
StKilda | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 2 |
Sydney | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
WCE | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 12 |
Western Bulldogs | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 2 |
Team | Adelaide Oval | Blundstone Arena | Cazalys Stadium | Domain Stadium | Etihad Stadium | Eureka Stadium | Gabba | Jiangwan Sports Centre | Manuka Oval | MCG | Metricon Stadium | SCG | Simonds Stadium | Spotless Stadium | TIO Stadium | TIO Traeger Park | University of Tasmania Stadium |
Adelaide | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Brisbane | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Carlton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Collingwood | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Essendon | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fremantle | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Geelong | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Gold Coast | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
GWS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Hawthorn | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Melbourne | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
North Melbourne | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Port Adelaide | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Richmond | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
StKilda | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Sydney | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
WCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Western Bulldogs | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Team | Adelaide | Brisbane | Carlton | Collingwood | Essendon | Fremantle | Geelong | Gold Coast | GWS | Hawthorn | Melbourne | NMFC | Port Adelaide | Richmond | St Kilda | Sydney | WCE | Western Bulldogs |
Adelaide | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Brisbane | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Carlton | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
Collingwood | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Essendon | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Fremantle | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
Geelong | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Gold Coast | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
GWS | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
Hawthorn | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
Melbourne | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
North Melbourne | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Port Adelaide | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
Richmond | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
StKilda | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |
Sydney | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |
WCE | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |
Western Bulldogs | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Come back tomorrow morning for an extended take on the 2017 AFL fixture.