AFL Fixture 2024: Eight games to watch as league reveals full fixture for season 2024

The AFL’s full fixture for season 2024 is out, and while West Coast may not be blessed with many blockbusters this season, there are still plenty of games to mark down in the dairy.

Here are eight of the best from the first 16 rounds revealed today.

Plus, get your full fixture and Eagles and Dockers schedule posters in tomorrow’s The West Australian.

Opening round – Brisbane v Carlton (Gabba), 4.40pm

Say what you will about the league’s new opening round, the slate of games are seriously good. The vanquished grand finalists return on their home deck against the side they ran down in last year’s prelim. And you can get used to watching the Blues on the big stage — eight of their first 15 games are mid-week.

Round 1 – Collingwood v Sydney (MCG), 4.40pm

Brodie Grundy against his old (old) side on a Friday night at the ‘G. Plus, the reigning premiers against a fun and fast finals fancy. Errol Gulden, Chad Warner and the Daicos boys. There’s a lot to like.

Round 3 – Brisbane v Collingwood (Gabba), 4.30pm

You could have pencilled this one in before the fixture as the Lions’ special-request Easter Thursday match. It also happens to be a grand final rematch. The Pies haven’t beaten the Lions at the Gabba-toir since 2019.

Round 6 – West Coast v Fremantle (Optus Stadium), 6.10pm

A derby. It speaks for itself.

It will be the first time West Coast’s new high-end draft pick gets a taste of Optus Stadium under lights, and a clash with their cross-town rivals. It’s also a big game for Fremantle, coming off back-to-back games on the road.

Round 8 – Adelaide v Port Adelaide (Adelaide Oval), 5.30pm

The scheduling of Showdowns are a long-held frustration for footy fans. Saturday nights behind a paywall has been their home for some time. Now it’s a prime-time event — and if last year’s was anything to go by, we are in for a treat.

Round 8 – Carlton v Collingwood (MCG), 5.40pm

The league is all in on Carlton being good th is year, and this could be one of the centrepieces of their season. It’s Melbourne’s favourite rivalry, in front of 90,000 and change at the ‘G. And all things point to these sides both being very good.

Round 11 – Fremantle v Collingwood (Optus Stadium), 6.10pm

It was somewhat of a surprise to see the Dockers handed any Friday games — let alone three of them. This one is the biggest. A prime-time home blockbuster against the reigning premiers and a reunion with Lachie Schultz, whose shock trade request shaped their off-season.

Round 14 – Adelaide v Sydney (Adelaide Oval), 5.30pm

Adelaide and Sydney on a Saturday night in Adelaide. Ring any bells? Back to the site of the goal review debacle that cost the Crows one last crack at a finals push. If both of these sides continue on the up, their could be even more on the line this year.