AFL clubs are back into the swing of things, gearing up for the new season and all the excitement that comes with it.
And as part of preparations, every club will play an unofficial arranged match simulation, as well as a practice match in the AAMI Community Series.
Foxfooty.com.au can reveal the dates, times and format details for all nine match simulations, with every hit-out to again be broadcast exclusively live on Fox Footy, available via Kayo Sports and Foxtel.
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A match sim western derby between Fremantle and West Coast has been confirmed for Saturday February 21 at Victor George Kailis Oval, with the match to begin just after 12pm (AEDT).
While the Crows and Power will again meet in a match sim, the four northern teams will take on Victorian-based teams, rather than take part in another derby. Brisbane and Gold Coast will host matches against Carlton and St Kilda respectively, while the Swans and Giants will travel to Melbourne to take on Western Bulldogs and Collingwood respectively.
The Pies-Giants clash will be held at La Trobe University in Bundoora.
Hawthorn will host the first scratch match against Geelong at the new Kennedy Community Centre in Dingley.
As has become customary, the unofficial practice matches will consist of varying timings and game situations.
For instance, the Melbourne-North Melbourne match simulation will consist of four flat 25-minute quarters. But at the end of both the third and fourth quarters, there’ll be two minutes of ‘scenario’ training. The Kangaroos were involved in a similar set-up for a scratch match against Collingwood several years ago, which saw each team have a crack at trying to win — or save — a game from three goals down in those two minutes.
The unofficial practice matches will be played between the AFL Origin clash in Perth and the AAMI Community Series, which is considered the pre-season’s official set of practice games.
The Community Series will run from Wednesday February 25 to Sunday March 1, with matches to consist of premiership season timings, though there will be no interchange cap.
Clubs will select extended squads of 30 players, with 18 on the field, eight interchange and four emergencies.
All Community Series matches will be broadcast exclusively live on Foxtel and Kayo.
UNOFFICIAL MATCH SIMULATIONS (all times AEDT)
Monday, February 16
Hawthorn v Geelong Cats, Kennedy Community Centre at 3.15pm (4 x 30-minute quarters, no time on)
Wednesday, February 18
Brisbane v Carlton, Brighton Homes Arena at 6.00pm (4 x 30-minute quarters, no time on, extended bench)
Thursday, February 19
Western Bulldogs v Sydney, Mission Whitten Oval at 2.00pm (4 x 30-minute quarters, no time-on)
Gold Coast v St Kilda, People First Stadium at 7.45pm (4 x 20-minute quarters, plus time on)
Friday February 20
Essendon v Richmond, NEC Hangar at 10.30am (4 x 30-minute quarters, no time-on)
Collingwood v GWS Giants, La Trobe University Sports Park (Bundoora) at 11am (4 x 25-minute quarters, no time-on)
Melbourne v North Melbourne, Casey Fields at 4.30pm (4 x 25-minute quarters, no time-on + 2-minute scenarios at the end of both Q3 and Q4)
Port Adelaide v Adelaide, Alberton Oval, 6.00pm (4 x 20-minute quarters, plus time on)*
Saturday February 21
Fremantle v West Coast Eagles, Victor George Kailis Oval at 12.00pm (4 x 25-minute quarters, no time-on)
FULL 2026 COMMUNITY SERIES FIXTURE (all times AEDT)
Wednesday, February 25
Carlton v Geelong, Ikon Park, 7.10pm
Thursday, February 26
Sydney v GWS, Henson Park, 4.10pm
Brisbane v Gold Coast, Brighton Homes Arena, 7.10pm
Friday, February 27
Melbourne v Richmond, Mars Stadium, 4.10pm
Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn, Mission Whitten Oval, 7.10pm
Saturday, February 28
St Kilda v Essendon, Mars Stadium, 3.10pm
Fremantle v Adelaide, Rushton Park, 6.10pm
Sunday, March 1
North Melbourne v Collingwood, Mars Stadium, 3.10pm
West Coast v Port Adelaide, Mineral Resources Park, 6.10pm
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