AFL’s ‘opening round’ set to return in 2025 – but clubs want change

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AFL’s ‘opening round’ acceptable to instrumentality successful 2025 – but clubs privation change

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Clubs are expected to fiercely statement the “opening round” format astatine a CEOs gathering to beryllium held successful Perth days aft circular 18 with 2 Victorian clubs indicating they privation the load dispersed competition-wide if the 2024 format is to beryllium replicated.

Carlton CEO Brian Cook told this masthead that if “round zero is repeated successful NSW and Queensland [in 2025] determination should beryllium a rotation of their opponents each year”.

Carlton were the lone Victorian squad to grounds a triumph successful opening round.

A elder root astatine different nine progressive past year, who preferred to stay anonymous until details were revealed, indicated they lone wanted to instrumentality portion if the question arrangements were fairer than they had been successful 2024.

Melbourne, Carlton, Collingwood and Richmond were the Victorian clubs who played successful opening circular this season, with the Blues the lone travelling squad to instrumentality with a win. The remainder of the contention had a “bye” earlier each 18 clubs played successful circular one.

Clubs are yet to person details connected what the AFL has planned for 2025 but sources from 3 Victorian clubs, who preferred to stay anonymous up of the meeting, said they anticipated a repetition of this year’s format – 4 matches played successful NSW and Queensland pitting big-drawing clubs against Sydney, the Giants, Gold Coast and the Brisbane Lions.

Although clubs broadly supported the thought to springiness the crippled a boost successful non-traditional markets, they privation the issues that arose arsenic a effect of this year’s opening circular to beryllium addressed arsenic galore clubs felt it created an uneven commencement to the season.

Collingwood had a six-day interruption aft travelling to play the Giants successful “round zero”, drawn to play Sydney successful circular 1 astatine the MCG. The Swans had an eight-day interruption up of that game. Collingwood mislaid some matches and did not play a crippled successful Victoria betwixt rounds 2 and five.

Opening circular kicked disconnected with a afloat location astatine the SCG erstwhile the Swans played Melbourne.

Richmond had a five-day break, 1 time less than Carlton, starring into their accepted circular 1 fixture against the Blues astatine the MCG aft some teams had travelled to Queensland.

Several officials astatine clubs person besides admitted privately that they felt rushed preparing for opening round, which kicked disconnected connected March 7 with the 4 preliminary last teams and six of the 8 finalists from 2023 taking portion successful the round.

Blues manager Michael Voss told reporters aft they defeated Richmond successful circular 1 that the nine had needed to set its mentation owed to the aboriginal play bye.

The allocation of byes has besides caused consternation, with the 8 clubs who played successful opening circular having 2 mid-season byes this year.

Although thing is locked in, nine officials told this masthead the league was discussing whether to motorboat the adjacent AFL season, held successful Sydney this year, successful NSW oregon Queensland.

Immediately aft opening round, AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said the conception had been an unqualified occurrence with sellout crowds and accrued rank income for northern-based clubs. However, helium promised to reappraisal the concept.

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