The AFL's 2023 season is just around the corner as pre-season preparations are starting to ramp up.
Players and coaches hitting the gym and training track to be cherry ripe for the opening round of the season, which begins Thursday, March 16 between Richmond and Carlton.
Since the competition has decided to scrap any official pre-season series or tournament, the league and the clubs have come together to organise some hit-outs in lieu of the AAMI Community Series.
Given the introduction of the 'Gather Round' - an extra round where all 18 clubs play in one state - the AFL decided to increase the games to 23 (instead of 22) and brought the season start date earlier.
All teams have devised a fixture over two weekends (Feb 23-24 and March 2-4) that will act as rehearsals for the upcoming year.
Every club will play two matches as they seek to get their team into the best shape for an assault on the AFL Premiership, aside from the Western Bulldogs and GWS.
MORE: AFL 2023 pre-season news: Who's training well, who's injured and who's in line for round one.
The Sporting News has everything you need to know about the AFL's 2023 pre-season plans.
AFL 2023 Pre-Season Fixture
Week One - Feb 23-24 (Unofficial practice matches)
| Date | Match | Local Time | Stadium | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu Feb 23 | Geelong vs Hawthorn | 4:00pm | GMHBA Stadium | 4x20mins (no time on) |
| Thu Feb 23 | Gold Coast vs Essendon | 4:00pm | Austworld Centre Oval | 6x25mins (no time on) |
| Fri Feb 24 | North Melbourne vs Richmond | 10:00am | Arden Street Oval | 4x25mins + 2x20mins (no time on) |
| Fri Feb 24 | Carlton vs Collingwood | 11:00am | IKON Park | 4x25mins (no time on) |
| Fri Feb 24 | Sydney vs Brisbane | 12:00pm | Tramway Oval | 4x25mins (no time on) |
| Fri Feb 24 | St Kilda vs Melbourne | 4:00pm | RSEA Park | 6x25mins (no time on) |
| Fri Feb 24 | Fremantle vs Adelaide | 3:30pm | Victor George Kallis Oval | 6x25mins (no time on) |
| Fri Feb 24 | West Coast vs Port Adelaide | 4:40pm | Mineral Resources Park | 4x28mins + 2x20mins (no time on) |
*Western Bulldogs and GWS will not be participating in the first week of practice matches.
Week Two - Mar 2-4 (Official practice matches)
| Date | Match | Local Time (EDT) | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu Mar 2 | Hawthorn vs Collingwood | 5.10pm | UTAS Stadium |
| Thur Mar 2 | Fremantle vs Port Adelaide | 4:10pm (7:10pm) | Fremantle Oval |
| Thu Mar 2 | Brisbane vs Geelong | 7:10pm (8:10pm) | Brighton Homes Arena |
| Fri Mar 3 | St Kilda vs Essendon | 4:10pm | RSEA Park |
| Fri Mar 3 | Sydney vs Carlton | 7:10pm | Blacktown International Sports Park |
| Fri Mar 3 | West Coast vs Adelaide | 4:40pm (7:40pm) | Mineral Resources Park |
| Sat Mar 4 | GWS vs Gold Coast | 12:10pm | Blacktown International Sports Park |
| Sat Mar 4 | Western Bulldogs vs North Melbourne | 1:10pm | IKON Park |
| Sat Mar 4 | Melbourne vs Richmond | 4:10pm | Casey Fields |