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AFL releases times and dates for Round 23 and Round 24 fixture

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The AFL has finally released the final two rounds of the home and away season with the last Sunday of action raising eyebrows among fans.

On the Sunday of Round 24, Essendon will take on Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium in what is certain to be a dead rubber, while Sydney will host North Melbourne and Hawthorn will head to WA for a clash with West Coast.

See the Round 23 and Round 24 fixture below

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With the Swans and the Hawks at the pointy end of the ladder and the Roos and the Eagles out of Wildcard contention, it’s hard to imagine any upsets there either.

And given the Hawks and Swans are separated by half a game due to a draw, percentage won’t play a part in their ladder positions (in respect to each other), with Sydney currently second and the Hawks currently third.

So unless a miracle happens in the next few weeks (such as Sydney playing in a draw), that 2026 home and away season is likley to end more with a whimper than a bang.

The AFL is also rolling the dice on the Gold Coast-St Kilda clash which kicks off Round 24 on Thursday and will help shape the inaugural Wildcard Round.

The Saints and Carlton will face each other in Round 22, but there is a chance that the race for the top-10 could be over if St Kilda wins that Thursday night match-up against the Suns.

If that’s the case, it will certainly suck the suspense out of the rest of the weekend and the Wildcard race ... but then again, funny things can happen.

Also in Round 24, Carlton hosts ladder leader Fremantle at Marvel on Saturday, while the GWS Giants take on Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

As it stands, they are all in the running for a Wildcard slot but the Blues and Giants will start as outsiders in what could be their final games of the 2026 season.

It is the first year the AFL has had the Wildcard Round, and in some ways it has taken the gloss off a fascinating race for the top eight.

Only one game separates the Crows in fifth place from Geelong in ninth place, with Geelong half a game behind (yet percentage clear) of eighth-placed Collingwood, and also percentage clear (and one game behind) sixth-placed Melbourne and seventh-placed Western Bulldogs.

On paper, those teams are all seemingly legitimate finals contenders, with whatever team that finishes in tenth, not quite at the same level.

AFL executive Tom Harley has defended the underwhelming final day of home and away action, saying the Wildcard Round forced the league’s hand.

“I think we do (benefit) from the floating fixture. It gives us an opportunity to really focus on both the footy and the fans,” Harley said.

“This year was obviously the first time we’ve had the wildcard finals come into play; we’ve got double-headers for AFLW; so I acknowledge there a few added layers of complexity this time around.

“Our focus will always be providing the best opportunity for fans to watch the best games of footy.

“And the added layer for this year … is making sure we give those teams in contention for finals, particularly Wildcard finals, the best chance to put their best foot forward.”

As well as the finals race, four double-headers with AFLW matches will complete the final two rounds of the home and away season.

The women’s season will start with a standalone Thursday match between Hawthorn and Melbourne on August 13, before Fremantle host Adelaide in a blockbuster opening to Round 23 the following night.

It will be the first and only AFL round this season not to feature a Thursday night game.

There will be four double-headers with men’s and women’s matches, starting with North Melbourne and Geelong playing each other in the AFLW and AFL at Marvel Stadium on August 15.

The Kangaroos will also feature in a double-header the following week, the AFL team facing Sydney at the SCG after the Swans’ AFLW match against Essendon.

In a first for the AFL era, two men’s matches will be played at the MCG on the same day.

In Round 23, Richmond and St Kilda will play an early match at the MCG on August 14, before Hawthorn and Collingwood gear up for finals action when they face off at the same venue later that night.

“I just think what a great opportunity for Melbourne to be the focus for that Saturday (in Round 23),” Harley said.

“There’s a game in between those two games at Marvel Stadium (North Melbourne v Geelong) as well.

“And we have a great working relationship with the MCC to ensure that the supporters of those four clubs playing in that double-header get the chance to see their teams play.”