1 week Ago By Shayne Hope
Hawthorn have been rewarded for their stunning surge to the AFL finals this year with a suite of primetime fixtures in 2025. Dubbed the ‘Hollywood Hawks’ last season, Sam Mitchell’s entertainers will play seven games on Thursday and Friday nights through the opening 16 weeks next year. Scroll to see all the home and away games Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today The Hawks, who start their campaign in ‘Opening Round’ for the first time, also feature in a blockbuster Sunday night fixture against Port Adelaide to end Gather Round and the traditional standalone Easter Monday clash with Geelong.
It is a far cry from last season, when Hawthorn did not have a single Thursday or Friday night fixture during the home-and-away campaign. “Our 2025 fixture is one that rewards our loyal members and fans and puts our club back in the spotlight with a great balance of blockbuster, primetime matches, as well as family-friendly timeslots,” Hawthorn chief executive Ash Klein said. “Given the hype and excitement generated by our 2024 Hawks, it is fitting that we welcome a well-deserved nine games under lights across the first 15 weeks of the season, giving the brown and gold faithful the chance to taste the ecstasy of night footy once again.
” Victorian heavyweights Carlton and Collingwood have also been handed seven matches in Thursday and Friday slots in 2025, while Essendon (eight) are the only club with more. The Bombers’ and Magpies’ tallies include an afternoon slot for their traditional Anzac Day clash, which falls on a Friday next year. At the other end of the scale, 2024 preliminary finalists Port Adelaide have been given only one Thursday or Friday game — the same number as West Coast and Gold Coast — while GWS have none.
The Power-Hawks clash in Gather Round is one of a series of marquee Sunday night matches the AFL hopes will help drive record attendances and television audiences in 2025. The new slot is a product of the league’s new $4.5 billion broadcast deal, which starts next year.
A handful of the Sunday night games will be broadcast free-to-air, while the league is seeking to take advantage of public holidays around many of those fixtures. The Western Bulldogs play St Kilda on Easter Sunday, while Carlton and Essendon meet in their annual night game before the King’s Birthday holiday. The first Queensland derby of the season - the Brisbane Lions taking on Gold Coast in Round 8 — falls before the local Labour Day holiday.
West Coast will host Geelong in round 12, the night before WA Day. >> Every Thursday and Friday night blockbuster will be live and free on Seven and 7plus The Eagles and Fremantle will host five of the nine games which will be broadcast in Sunday night slots on the east coast, including a derby at 3.10pm local time in Round 3.
Confirmation of the Sunday night matches comes on top of Thursday night football becoming a regular part of the fixture, set to feature in 23 home and away rounds next year. AFL fixtures boss Josh Bowler hopes the marquee matches will help drive another record-breaking year of attendances after more than eight million fans went through the gates last season. “We are thrilled to announce a fixture that will build on this, while also being the fairest possible draw for all of our clubs as they look to chase the premiership flag,” Bowler said.
“We are pleased to offer fans more Thursday nights than ever this season with 23 matches set to be played across the season. “Sunday nights proved to be very popular last season and we have a number of marquee matches slated for this time slot, including Gather Round, Easter Sunday, Queensland Labour Day Eve, WA Day Eve and King’s Birthday Eve. “These matches, along with other big match-ups fixtured for key dates in the country’s calendar have become part of the holiday celebrations for fans to mark in their diaries and plan trips with friends and family around.
” Reigning premiers Brisbane will unfurl their flag at the season opener against Geelong at the Gabba on March 6, before tackling beaten grand final foe Sydney the following week. Sir Doug Nicholls Round will feature the annual ‘Dreamtime at the G’ fixture between Essendon and Richmond as a standalone fixture on a Friday night in Round 11. >> Every Thursday and Friday night blockbuster will be live and free on Seven and 7plus The following day, Marvel Stadium will host a rare double-header with Carlton-GWS (1.
20pm) and North Melbourne-Collingwood (7.35pm) matches. The Bulldogs, Hawthorn and North will all celebrate the 100-year anniversaries of their entry into the competition, then known as the VFL, with marquee matches in Rounds 2, 8 and 20 respectively.
The schedule for the first 16 weeks of the season has been locked in, with timeslots for games in rounds 16-23 to be confirmed about four weeks out. Timeslots for Round 24 will be finalised much closer to that week as the league attempts to set up another grandstand finish to the home-and-away season. Full 2025 AFL fixture: Every round (All times are AEDT until Saturday April 5, then AEST from April 6 onwards) OPENING ROUND Thursday March 6 Brisbane Lions v Geelong Cats, The Gabba (7.
50pm) Friday March 7 Sydney Swans v Hawthorn, SCG (7.40pm) Saturday March 8 Gold Coast Suns v Essendon, People First Stadium (5.15pm) Sunday March 9 GWS Giants v Collingwood, ENGIE Stadium (3.
20pm) Bye: Adelaide Crows, Carlton, Fremantle, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Richmond, St Kilda, West Coast Eagles, Western Bulldogs ROUND 1 Thursday March 13 Richmond v Carlton, MCG (7.30pm) Friday March 14 Hawthorn v Essendon, MCG (7.40pm) Saturday March 15 Geelong Cats v Fremantle, GMHBA Stadium (1.
20pm) Sydney Swans v Brisbane Lions, SCG (4.15pm) Collingwood v Port Adelaide, MCG (7.35pm) Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium (7.
35pm) Sunday March 16 Adelaide Crows v St Kilda, Adelaide Oval (12.35pm) Melbourne v GWS Giants, MCG (3.20pm) West Coast Eagles v Gold Coast Suns, Optus Stadium (6.
10pm) ROUND 2 Thursday March 20 Carlton v Hawthorn, MCG (7.30pm) Friday March 21 Western Bulldogs v Collingwood, MCG (7.40pm) Saturday March 22 Essendon v Adelaide Crows, MCG (1.
20pm) Port Adelaide v Richmond, Adelaide Oval (4.15pm) St Kilda v Geelong Cats, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm) Sunday March 23 Brisbane Lions v West Coast Eagles, The Gabba (1.
10pm) North Melbourne v Melbourne, Marvel Stadium (3.20pm) Fremantle v Sydney Swans, Optus Stadium (6.10pm) Bye: Gold Coast Suns, GWS Giants ROUND 3 Thursday March 27 Essendon v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium (7.
30pm) Friday March 28 Carlton v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium (7.40pm) Saturday March 29 Melbourne v Gold Coast Suns, MCG (1.20pm) St Kilda v Richmond, Marvel Stadium (4.
15pm) Hawthorn v GWS Giants, UTAS Stadium (7.35pm) Sunday March 30 Adelaide Crows v North Melbourne, Adelaide Oval (3.20pm) West Coast Eagles v Fremantle, Optus Stadium (6.
10pm) Bye: Brisbane Lions, Collingwood, Geelong Cats, Sydney Swans ROUND 4 Thursday April 3 Collingwood v Carlton, MCG (7.30pm) Friday April 4 Geelong Cats v Melbourne, GMHBA Stadium (7.40pm) Saturday April 5 Gold Coast Suns v Adelaide Crows, People First Stadium (1.
20pm) Richmond v Brisbane Lions, MCG (4.15pm) North Melbourne v Sydney Swans, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm) Sunday April 6 GWS Giants v West Coast Eagles, ENGIE Stadium (1.
10pm) Port Adelaide v St Kilda, Adelaide Oval (3.20pm) Fremantle v Western Bulldogs, Optus Stadium (5.10pm) Bye: Essendon, Hawthorn ROUND 5 (Gather Round) Thursday April 10 Adelaide Crows v Geelong Cats, Adelaide Oval (7.
40pm) Friday April 11 Collingwood v Sydney Swans, Adelaide Oval (7.40pm) Saturday April 12 North Melbourne v Gold Coast Suns, Barossa (12.35pm) Carlton v West Coast Eagles, Adelaide Oval (1.
20pm) Western Bulldogs v Brisbane Lions, Norwood Oval (4.15pm) Melbourne v Essendon, Adelaide Oval (7.35pm) Sunday April 13 Richmond v Fremantle, Barossa (12.
35pm) St Kilda v GWS Giants, Norwood Oval (3.20pm) Port Adelaide v Hawthorn, Adelaide Oval (7.20pm) ROUND 6 Thursday April 17 (Easter Thursday) Brisbane Lions v Collingwood, The Gabba (7.
30pm) Friday April 18 (Good Friday) North Melbourne v Carlton, Marvel Stadium (3.20pm) West Coast Eagles v Essendon, Optus Stadium (6.10pm) Saturday April 19 Melbourne v Fremantle, MCG (1.
20pm) Adelaide Crows v GWS Giants, Adelaide Oval (4.15pm) Richmond v Gold Coast Suns, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm) Sunday April 20 (Easter Sunday) Sydney Swans v Port Adelaide, SCG (3.
20pm) Western Bulldogs v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium (7.20pm) Monday April 21 (Easter Monday) Geelong Cats v Hawthorn, MCG (3.20pm) ROUND 7 Thursday April 24 Melbourne v Richmond, MCG (7.
30pm) Friday April 25 (Anzac Day) Collingwood v Essendon, MCG (3.20pm) Fremantle v Adelaide Crows, Optus Stadium (8.10pm) Saturday April 26 St Kilda v Brisbane Lions, Marvel Stadium (1.
20pm) Port Adelaide v North Melbourne, Adelaide Oval (4.15pm) GWS Giants v Western Bulldogs, Manuka (7.35pm) Sunday April 27 Gold Coast Suns v Sydney Swans, People First Stadium (1.
10pm) Carlton v Geelong Cats, MCG (3.20pm) Hawthorn v West Coast Eagles, Marvel Stadium (4.40pm) ROUND 8 Thursday May 1 Essendon v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium (7.
30pm) Friday May 2 St Kilda v Fremantle, Marvel Stadium (7.40pm) Saturday May 3 Western Bulldogs v Port Adelaide, Mars Stadium (1.20pm) Adelaide Crows v Carlton, Adelaide Oval (4.
15pm) West Coast Eagles v Melbourne, Optus Stadium (7.35pm) Collingwood v Geelong Cats, MCG (7.35pm) Sunday May 4 Sydney Swans v GWS Giants, SCG (1.
10pm) Hawthorn v Richmond, MCG (3.20pm) Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast Suns, The Gabba (7.20pm) ROUND 9 Thursday May 8 Fremantle v Collingwood, Optus Stadium (8.
10pm) Friday May 9 St Kilda v Carlton, MCG (7.40pm) Saturday May 10 Melbourne v Hawthorn, MCG (1.20pm) Essendon v Sydney Swans, Marvel Stadium (4.
15pm) Gold Coast Suns v Western Bulldogs, TIO Darwin (7.35pm) Port Adelaide v Adelaide Crows, Adelaide Oval (8.10pm) Sunday May 11 Richmond v West Coast Eagles, MCG (1.
10pm) Geelong Cats v GWS Giants, GMHBA Stadium (3.20pm) North Melbourne v Brisbane Lions, Ninja Stadium (4.40pm) ROUND 10 (Sir Doug Nicholls Round) Thursday May 15 Gold Coast Suns v Hawthorn, TIO Darwin (7.
30pm) Friday May 16 Sydney Swans v Carlton, SCG (7.40pm) Saturday May 17 Collingwood v Adelaide Crows, MCG (1.20pm) GWS Giants v Fremantle, ENGIE Stadium (4.
15pm) Western Bulldogs v Essendon, Marvel Stadium (4.15pm) Port Adelaide v Geelong Cats, Adelaide Oval (7.35pm) Sunday May 18 Richmond v North Melbourne, MCG (1.
10pm) Brisbane Lions v Melbourne, The Gabba (3.20pm) West Coast Eagles v St Kilda, Optus Stadium (4.40pm) ROUND 11 (Sir Doug Nicholls Round) Thursday May 22 Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs, GMHBA Stadium (7.
30pm) Friday May 23 Essendon v Richmond, MCG (7.40pm) Saturday May 24 Carlton v GWS Giants, Marvel Stadium (1.20pm) Hawthorn v Brisbane Lions, MCG (4.
15pm) North Melbourne v Collingwood, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm) Fremantle v Port Adelaide, Optus Stadium (8.10pm) Sunday May 25 Adelaide Crows v West Coast Eagles, Adelaide Oval (1.
10pm) Melbourne v Sydney Swans, MCG (3.20pm) St Kilda v Gold Coast Suns, Marvel Stadium (4.40pm) ROUND 12 Thursday May 29 Brisbane Lions v Essendon, The Gabba (7.
30pm) Friday May 30 Collingwood v Hawthorn, MCG (7.40pm) Saturday May 31 Gold Coast Suns v Fremantle, People First Stadium (1.20pm) GWS Giants v Richmond, ENGIE Stadium (4.
15pm) Sydney Swans v Adelaide Crows, SCG (7.35pm) Sunday June 1 Melbourne v St Kilda, TIO Traeger (3.20pm) West Coast Eagles v Geelong Cats, Optus Stadium (7.
20pm) Bye: Carlton, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Western Bulldogs ROUND 13 Thursday June 5 Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn, Marvel Stadium (7.30pm) Friday June 6 Adelaide Crows v Brisbane Lions, Adelaide Oval (7.40pm) Saturday June 7 Richmond v Sydney Swans, MCG (1.
20pm) Geelong Cats v Gold Coast Suns, GMHBA Stadium (4.15pm) GWS Giants v Port Adelaide, Manuka (7.35pm) Sunday June 8 North Melbourne v West Coast Eagles, Hands Oval – South Bunbury (3.
20pm) Carlton v Essendon, MCG (7.15pm) Monday June 9 (King’s Birthday) Melbourne v Collingwood, MCG (3.20pm) Bye: Fremantle, St Kilda ROUND 14 Thursday June 12 St Kilda v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium (7.
30pm) Friday June 13 Hawthorn v Adelaide Crows, UTAS Stadium (7.40pm) Saturday June 14 Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants, The Gabba (1.20pm) Essendon v Geelong Cats, MCG (4.
15pm) North Melbourne v Fremantle, Optus Stadium (7.35pm) Sunday June 15 Port Adelaide v Melbourne, Adelaide Oval (3.20pm) West Coast Eagles v Carlton, Optus Stadium (6.
10pm) Bye: Collingwood, Gold Coast Suns, Richmond, Sydney Swans ROUND 15 Thursday June 19 Fremantle v Essendon, Optus Stadium (8.10pm) Friday June 20 Geelong Cats v Brisbane Lions, GMHBA Stadium (7.40pm) Saturday June 21 Carlton v North Melbourne, MCG (1.
20pm) Port Adelaide v Sydney Swans, Adelaide Oval (4.15pm) Collingwood v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm) Sunday June 22 GWS Giants v Gold Coast Suns, ENGIE Stadium (1.
10pm) Western Bulldogs v Richmond, Marvel Stadium (3.20pm) Bye: Adelaide Crows, Hawthorn, Melbourne, West Coast Eagles ROUND 16 (all times TBC) Thursday June 26 – Sunday June 29 Collingwood v West Coast Eagles, Marvel Stadium Fremantle v St Kilda, Optus Stadium Gold Coast Suns v Melbourne, People First Stadium Hawthorn v North Melbourne, UTAS Stadium Port Adelaide v Carlton, Adelaide Oval Richmond v Adelaide Crows, MCG Sydney Swans v Western Bulldogs, SCG Bye: Brisbane Lions, Essendon, Geelong Cats, GWS Giants ROUND 17 (all times TBC) Thursday July 3 – Sunday July 6 Adelaide Crows v Melbourne, Adelaide Oval Brisbane Lions v Port Adelaide, The Gabba Carlton v Collingwood, MCG Essendon v Gold Coast Suns, Marvel Stadium Geelong Cats v Richmond, GMHBA Stadium North Melbourne v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium St Kilda v Hawthorn, Marvel Stadium Sydney Swans v Fremantle, SCG West Coast Eagles v GWS Giants, Optus Stadium ROUND 18 (all times TBC) Thursday July 10 – Sunday July 13 Carlton v Brisbane Lions, Marvel Stadium Fremantle v Hawthorn, Optus Stadium Gold Coast Suns v Collingwood, People First Stadium GWS Giants v Geelong Cats, ENGIE Stadium Melbourne v North Melbourne, MCG Port Adelaide v West Coast Eagles, Adelaide Oval Richmond v Essendon, MCG St Kilda v Sydney Swans, Marvel Stadium Western Bulldogs v Adelaide Crows, Mars Stadium ROUND 19 (all times TBC) Thursday July 17 – Sunday July 20 Adelaide Crows v Gold Coast Suns, Adelaide Oval Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs, The Gabba Carlton v Melbourne, MCG Collingwood v Fremantle, MCG Essendon v GWS Giants, Marvel Stadium Geelong Cats v St Kilda, GMHBA Stadium Hawthorn v Port Adelaide, UTAS Stadium Sydney Swans v North Melbourne, SCG West Coast Eagles v Richmond, Optus Stadium ROUND 20 (all times TBC) Thursday July 24 – Sunday July 27 Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide, Adelaide Oval Essendon v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium Fremantle v West Coast Eagles, Optus Stadium Gold Coast Suns v Brisbane Lions, People First Stadium GWS Giants v Sydney Swans, ENGIE Stadium Hawthorn v Carlton, MCG North Melbourne v Geelong Cats, Marvel Stadium Richmond v Collingwood, MCG St Kilda v Melbourne, Marvel Stadium ROUND 21 (all times TBC) Thursday July 31 – Sunday August 3 Adelaide Crows v Hawthorn, Adelaide Oval Collingwood v Brisbane Lions, MCG Fremantle v Carlton, Optus Stadium Geelong Cats v Port Adelaide, GMHBA Stadium Gold Coast Suns v Richmond, People First Stadium Melbourne v West Coast Eagles, Marvel Stadium St Kilda v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium Sydney Swans v Essendon, SCG Western Bulldogs v GWS Giants, Marvel Stadium ROUND 22 (all times TBC) Thursday August 7 – Sunday August 10 Brisbane Lions v Sydney Swans, The Gabba Carlton v Gold Coast Suns, Marvel Stadium Geelong Cats v Essendon, GMHBA Stadium GWS Giants v North Melbourne, ENGIE Stadium Hawthorn v Collingwood, MCG Melbourne v Western Bulldogs, MCG Port Adelaide v Fremantle, Adelaide Oval Richmond v St Kilda, MCG West Coast Eagles v Adelaide Crows, Optus Stadium ROUND 23 (all times TBC) Friday August 15 – Sunday August 17 Adelaide Crows v Collingwood, Adelaide Oval Carlton v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium Essendon v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium Fremantle v Brisbane Lions, Optus Stadium Gold Coast Suns v GWS Giants, People First Stadium Hawthorn v Melbourne, MCG North Melbourne v Richmond, Ninja Stadium Sydney Swans v Geelong Cats, SCG Western Bulldogs v West Coast Eagles, Marvel Stadium ROUND 24 (all times TBC) Friday August 22 – Sunday August 24 Brisbane Lions v Hawthorn, The Gabba Collingwood v Melbourne, MCG Essendon v Carlton, MCG GWS Giants v St Kilda, ENGIE Stadium North Melbourne v Adelaide Crows, Marvel Stadium Port Adelaide v Gold Coast Suns, Adelaide Oval Richmond v Geelong Cats, MCG West Coast Eagles v Sydney Swans, Optus Stadium Western Bulldogs v Fremantle, Marvel Stadium.
