Fixture 2023

[The bulldog tragician]

Can understand how you feel mate. As a lad I was going to the footy with my dad and all games were on Saturday starting at 2.10 or close to it. So much harder for the dads and kids these days.

And mums too of course!

It really isn’t a great draw. You can immediately cross off the match at Taxpayer Funded Stadium as one to attend and on recent form as one to look forward to with any optimism. I hope we start the season strongly - last years sluggish start set the trend for an ordinary year.

[Grantysghost]

At this stage it's a BS draw but maybe lady luck will help us out for once and some of those top 8 teams have an off year.

Pray its the Lions imagine another top ten pick!

[hujsh]

Pray its the Lions imagine another top ten pick!

Doesn't help us with the fixture but that's another angle for sure (would not complain!)

[bornadog]

We know it's uneven and unless we get to 19 teams and 18 games it's just going to be the way that it is. We need the money that the extra games generate so we have to cop a harder draw some years.

What I am saying is doesn't have to be like that. If the AFL had the balls they could make it an even playing field now, but they dictated by TV rights and pampering Collingwood, Carlton, Richmond and Essendon.

[Axe Man]

Fixture boss Travis Auld said there had been a low key change to how the weighted system would work in 2023.

“The weighted rule remains central to the fixture, however we had to make an adjustment for the 24th round and add a sixth double-up match up for each club,” Auld said.

“You get a minimum of two and maximum of three double-up matches against teams in your bracket of six, and either one or two double-up games in each of the other two groups of six.”

So we got:
2 v top 6 bracket (Geelong and Freo)
2 v middle bracket (Richmond and Port)
2 v bottom bracket (GWS and Hawthorn)

[Bulldog4life]

And mums too of course!

It really isn’t a great draw. You can immediately cross off the match at Taxpayer Funded Stadium as one to attend and on recent form as one to look forward to with any optimism. I hope we start the season strongly - last years sluggish start set the trend for an ordinary year.

Of course mums too

[Bulldog Joe]

What I am saying is doesn't have to be like that. If the AFL had the balls they could make it an even playing field now, but they dictated by TV rights and pampering Collingwood, Carlton, Richmond and Essendon.

While I agree with the pampering to the big 4 that they ensure remain big 4 by the fixturing, when it comes to TV my understanding is that we rate very competitively.

We would have a great chance of growing our supporter base if we had a fair share of the prime fixtures.

[F'scary]

A bit late to the party but I want to say that we lost the marquee Good Friday game because we didn't play to the script.

[Axe Man]

At least we have voiced our displeasure.

Dogs ‘very disappointed’ after Good Friday dumping from 2023 fixture

The Western Bulldogs say they’re “very disappointed” to be the taken off the 2023 Good Friday fixture after the AFL over the weekend released the draw.

It saw the Dogs get replaced by Carlton on Good Friday despite playing North Melbourne on the annual public holiday fixture in the last two years.

The Dogs have blown out North in the last two Good Friday games – that drew crowds of 28,00 and 32,000 respectively – with News Corp reporting the league hopes the rising Blues and rebuilding Roos will create more interest in the game and pull in a bigger attendance.

Dogs CEO Ameet Bains was unimpressed the club wouldn’t feature in the Friday, April 7 contest next season after its commitment to building up the fixture, but remains hopeful it could yet return to the stage in the coming years.

“The club is very disappointed that we won’t feature in the Good Friday game in 2023, a fixture our entire club has taken great pride in bringing to life, particularly through the strong relationships we’ve built with the Royal Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald House,” Bains said.

“Good Friday is a game we request to take part in every season, and we will continue to push for our involvement into the future. We think it’s fair and reasonable that each year our fans get to experience a consistent annual blockbuster clash, like many other clubs fans do.”

The Bulldogs have been handed one of the toughest fixtures in the league – ranked the second-hardest by foxfooty.com.au – including six interstate trips despite not leaving Victoria over the first month of the campaign.

They play Geelong, Fremantle, Richmond, Hawthorn, GWS and Port Adelaide twice as they look to climb into the top four after underwhelming with an eighth place – and first-round finals exit – last season.

The Dogs also host two games in Ballarat (Adelaide in Round 20 and GWS in Round 20) and 12 Marvel Stadium games in total including three away matches.

It comes after questions were asked of whether North Melbourne deserved to continue playing on Good Friday after being smashed in the last two games.

The arrival of new coach Alastair Clarkson certainly adds more intrigue to the Arden Street-based club though as it looks to bounce back from consecutive wooden spoon finishes.

[MrMahatma]

It is kind of weird that Nth get flogged and we get dumped?

[GVGjr]

It is kind of weird that Nth get flogged and we get dumped?

It's Josh Bruce's fault

[bulldogsthru&thru]

It is kind of weird that Nth get flogged and we get dumped?

North have been the constant since day 1.
They're always the home team.
They got smashed by us.
AFEL solution: replace away team who smashed them.

A very typical AFEL response.

[angelopetraglia]

Fixture for rounds 16-23 has dropped. Prime time Dogs. https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/1333544

Western Bulldogs: R16-23 fixture

Round 16 v Fremantle
Saturday 1 July, 1.45pm
Marvel Stadium (H)

Round 17 v Collingwood
Friday 7 July, 7.50pm
Marvel Stadium (H)

Round 18 v Sydney
Thursday 13 July, 7.20pm
SCG

Round 19 v Essendon
Friday 21 July, 7.50pm
Marvel Stadium (A)

Round 20 v GWS
Saturday 29 July, 1.45pm
Mars Stadium

Round 21 v Richmond
Friday 4 August, 7.50pm
Marvel Stadium (H)

Round 22 v Hawthorn
Sunday 13 August, 1.10pm
University of Tasmania Stadium

Round 23 v West Coast
Sunday 20 August, 1.10pm
Marvel Stadium (H)

Round 24 v Geelong
Time and date TBC
GMHBA Stadium

[hujsh]

No Saturday night games is perfect

[bornadog]

No Saturday night games is perfect

Thursday in Sydney is a bummer. I was hoping to make the trip and also see a show. Maybe I have to take Thursday off.