The footy season is mere weeks away.
Although the 2025 Toyota AFL premiership season kicks off on March 6, club competitions will begin next weekend as teams intensify their pre-season preparations.
Prior to the AAMI Community Series of official practice matches scheduled from February 25 to March 2, all 18 clubs will engage in extra hit-outs between February 15-22, primarily comprising unofficial match simulations.
The Western Bulldogs will start the club’s centenary celebrations with a match simulation against Essendon at Mission Whitten Oval on Saturday, February 15. Later that evening, Fremantle will face the Indigenous All Stars in Perth.
>> VIEW THE COMPLETE PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE BELOW
>> CHECK OUT THE FULL 2025 PREMIERSHIP FIXTURE HERE
On Monday, Geelong will host Hawthorn at GMHBA Stadium, while Liam Baker’s inaugural match in West Coast colours will see him pit against his old club, with Richmond heading to Perth for a contest at Mineral Resources Park.
Thursday, February 20, will see Gold Coast play against both Brisbane and Collingwood at People First Stadium in a tri-match event, where each club will compete for two quarters against one another.
On Friday morning, the two Sydney teams will clash, with the Swans taking on the Giants at Tramway Oval near the SCG, while Adelaide will battle Port Adelaide in Mount Barker that evening.
The match simulations will wrap up on Saturday, February 22, with North Melbourne set to face Melbourne at Arden St, and Carlton hosting St Kilda at Ikon Park.
The clubs hold the discretion over the rules and duration of their arranged match simulations. Information regarding ticketing and broadcast arrangements will be disclosed in the weeks to come.
The AAMI Community Series fixture, unveiled last year, will commence on Tuesday, February 25, with Geelong set to take on Essendon at GMHBA Stadium.
All matches in the AAMI Community Series will adhere to premiership rules, comprising four 20-minute quarters plus time-on, although there will be no cap on interchanges.
Each AAMI Community Series game will be broadcast live on Foxtel and Kayo, with tickets set to go on sale on Wednesday, February 5.
Indigenous All Stars game
Saturday, Feb 15
Fremantle v Indigenous All Stars, Optus Stadium, 7.30pm AEDT (4.30pm local)
Unofficial match simulations
Saturday, Feb 15
Western Bulldogs v Essendon, Mission Whitten Oval, 2pm AEDT (streamed on Kayo, tickets subject to availability)
Monday, Feb 17
West Coast v Richmond, Mineral Resources Park, 12.30pm AEDT (9.30am local)
Geelong v Hawthorn, GMHBA Stadium, 2pm AEDT
Thursday, Feb 20
Gold Coast v Brisbane v Collingwood, People First Stadium, 6pm AEDT (5pm local)
Friday, Feb 21
Sydney v Greater Western Sydney, Tramway Oval, 10am AEDT
Adelaide v Port Adelaide, Mount Barker, 5.30pm AEDT (5pm local) (streamed on Kayo, tickets subject to availability)
Saturday, Feb 22
Carlton v St Kilda, Ikon Park, 11am AEDT (streamed on Kayo, tickets subject to availability)
North Melbourne v Melbourne, Arden St, date and time TBC
* Ticket and broadcast information for match simulations will be provided by the respective home clubs.
AAMI Community Series
Tuesday, Feb 25
Geelong v Essendon, GMHBA Stadium, 7:10pm AEDT
Wednesday, Feb 26
Richmond v Collingwood, Ikon Park, 7:10pm AEDT
Thursday, Feb 27
Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs, UTAS Stadium, 5:20pm AEDT
Brisbane v Adelaide, Brighton Homes Arena, 8:10pm AEDT (7.10pm local)
Friday, Feb 28
Greater Western Sydney v Carlton, Manuka Oval, 5:20pm AEDT
Gold Coast v Sydney, People First Stadium, 8:10pm AEDT (7.10pm local)
Saturday, Mar 1
St Kilda v Port Adelaide, RSEA Park, 3:10pm AEDT
West Coast v North Melbourne, Hands Oval (Bunbury), 6:10pm AEDT (3.10pm local)
Sunday, Mar 2
Fremantle v Melbourne, Rushton Park (Mandurah), 6:10pm AEDT (3.10pm local)
All AAMI Community Series matches will be broadcast on Foxtel and Kayo.
Tickets will be available from February 5 at midday AEDT for club members and at 3pm for the general public. Free tickets for members and children (except for Richmond v Collingwood).
Pre-season schedule: Cats confront Bombers, WA clubs venture south
December 10, 2024
GEELONG will kick off the official pre-season action of 2025 against Essendon, while the two Western Australian clubs will head to regional areas for the annual AAMI Community Series.
The AFL has rolled out the nine-game schedule for official pre-season matches next year, with West Coast and North Melbourne scheduled for an early outing at Hands Oval in Bunbury before they face off for premiership points in round 13.
>> DISCOVER THE FULL AAMI COMMUNITY SERIES SCHEDULE BELOW
>> VIEW THE COMPLETE 2025 PREMIERSHIP FIXTURE HERE
The official pre-season matches will take place from February 25 to March 2, following the optional club-arranged match simulations, the details of which will be conveyed by the clubs.
The premiership season will launch with the Opening Round, commencing on March 6.
The Cats will take on the Bombers at GMHBA Stadium to inaugurate the AAMI Community Series on Tuesday, February 25, followed by Richmond squaring off against Collingwood the next evening.
Hawthorn versus Western Bulldogs will be hosted in Launceston, while Brisbane takes on Adelaide in Brisbane on the Thursday before Greater Western Sydney plays Carlton in Canberra, and Gold Coast meets Sydney on Friday.
The Eagles and Roos are set to clash on Sunday afternoon, following St Kilda’s encounter with Port Adelaide at RSEA Park.
The AAMI Community Series will culminate with Fremantle hosting Melbourne in Mandurah on Sunday, March 2. This will mark the Dockers’ second pre-season match, following their earlier game against the Indigenous All-Stars on February 15 at Optus Stadium.
Every game in the AAMI Community Series will be available for live viewing on Foxtel and Kayo. Ticket sales will commence in February, with complimentary entry for members and children.
While clubs have the autonomy to decide the rules and length of their match simulations, AAMI Community Series games adhere to the standard format of four 20-minute quarters plus time on, similar to the premiership season rules. Notably, there’s no cap on interchanges, allowing clubs to choose a squad of 30 players, consisting of eight interchange and four emergencies, with only four players allowed on the interchange bench at any given time.
The schedule allows Sydney six days of preparation between their pre-season match on the Gold Coast and their opening game of the premiership season against Hawthorn at the SCG on March 7, while the Hawks will enjoy a seven-day interval following their pre-season fixture in Launceston.
After the Opening Round on March 6-9, all 18 clubs will participate in round one, commencing from Thursday March 13 to Sunday March 16.
The eight clubs involved in the Opening Round will then have their byes in rounds two, three, or four, before all 18 clubs convene for Gather Round in round five.
AAMI Community Series
Tuesday, Feb 25
Geelong v Essendon, GMHBA Stadium, 7:10pm AEDT
Wednesday, Feb 26
Richmond v Collingwood, Ikon Park, 7:10pm AEDT
Thursday, Feb 27
Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs, UTAS Stadium, 5:20pm AEDT
Brisbane v Adelaide, Brighton Homes Arena, 8:10pm AEDT (7.10pm local)
Friday, Feb 28
Greater Western Sydney v Carlton, Manuka Oval, 5:20pm AEDT
Gold Coast v Sydney, People First Stadium, 8:10pm AEDT (7.10pm local)
Saturday, Mar 1
St Kilda v Port Adelaide, RSEA Park, 3:10pm AEDT
West Coast v North Melbourne, Hands Oval (Bunbury), 6:10pm AEDT (3.10pm local)
Sunday, Mar 2
Fremantle v Melbourne, Rushton Park (Mandurah), 6:10pm AEDT (3.10pm local)
All AAMI Community Series matches will be viewable on Foxtel and Kayo.
Tickets will be available in February. Entry is free for members and children.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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