It is obvious that the Western Australian clubs, especially Fremantle, are pleased with the 2025 AFL matchup, and it is easy to see why.
The West Coast Eagles and Dockers have long advocated for more equitable slates, and this off-season, a significant step was taken to guarantee that while also helping an interstate team that was struggling financially.
The Dockers and Eagles will benefit greatly from North Melbourne’s deal to sell two home games per season for at least the next three years, and the results are already evident.
The 2025 season will present the Dockers with a unique chance to win games in the middle of the season and stay in their home state in time for a crucial final stretch of play.
Fremantle will play three straight games at Optus Stadium following its Round 13 bye, beginning in Round 14 against “hosts” North Melbourne.
It will then play back-to-back Thursday night home prime-time games against 2024 bottom-eight finishers Essendon and St Kilda.
The four weeks spent in Western Australia are priceless because they provide the much-needed break before the season’s final month, which will see the Dockers go on 2024 finalists Carlton, Port Adelaide, Brisbane, and the Western Bulldogs.
In other encouraging news, Fremantle will get a nine-day break between their home game against Collingwood in Round 9 and their travel to play GWS in Round 10. Additionally, they will play on Thursday or Friday night for three weeks in a row between Round 7 (Anzac Night) and Round 9.
Simon Garlick, the chief executive of Dockers, told The West Australian, “We are really pleased from a travel perspective.”
It’s no secret that we have been pushing for greater equity for a long time.
This year, we have several blocks that are incredibly helpful. We take a trip once during the first four rounds, once during rounds 11–16, and once during rounds 20–23.
When you add the bye, we are in Perth for the entire month of June. From rounds 13 to 21, we will be playing seven of nine weeks at home. For Victorian clubs, this is regular procedure, but for us, it’s completely different.
Based on their double-up opponents’ 2024 percentage, it may be the sixth-hardest schedule in the competition, but generally, Dockers fans should view this slate favourably.
According to Garlick, “it has more equity for us.” “We believe the fixture has a better balance, but West Coast and us will still travel more than any other club.”
In a similar vein, the Eagles will gain from a crucial four-week stretch in the middle of the season during which they will stay in Washington.
West Coast will play Carlton at Optus Stadium in Round 14, host Geelong in Round 12, play the Roos in South Bunbury in Round 13, and then have a bye in Round 15.
Finishers in the bottom six The Eagles will play four of their final six games at home, and they will play teams like Melbourne, Adelaide, and Richmond twice in the upcoming season.
The Eagles’ sole perceived drawback may be that, for a club that completed the season in 16th place, their double-up schedule is only the sixth easiest.
Additionally, they must play their extra home game in South Bunbury rather than Optus Stadium, and two of their games during the previously mentioned four-week WA block are against the Cats and Blues, the finals.
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