Bold proposals have been made to revamp the AFL fixture when Tasmania enters. Plus the extent of St Kilda’s day of injury carnage as a young gun faces suspension for his VFL hit.
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MID-SEASON TOURNAMENT, PRE-FINALS ‘GROUP STAGE’ PROPOSED AS BOLD AFL FIXTURE SHAKE-UPS DISCUSSED
Four potential fixture structures from the 2028 AFL season, when Tasmania becomes the 19th team, have been presented to club bosses including two radical changes.
The league will need to play an even number of games once the Devils are introduced, meaning the current 23-game fixture cannot continue.
Multiple reports state during a two-day CEOs summit on the Gold Coast, the clubs were taken through four possible fixture options.
Those include:
1. A 22-game season where every team plays each other once (18 games) with four double-ups, and either no Gather Round OR the AFL would buy home games off clubs to keep 11 home/11 away game structure;
2. A 24-game season where every team plays each other once (18 games) with six double-ups, including two neutral rounds with one of them Gather Round;
3. A 20-game season where every team plays each other once (18 games) with Gather Round and Rivalry Round, then the top 16 teams split into groups to play for finals places, and the bottom three play each other to decide draft position;
4. A 20-game season where every team plays each other once (18 games) with Gather Round and Rivalry Round, followed by a three-week play-in tournament to determine the finals, plus a three-week midseason tournament also featuring a 20th ‘State League All-Stars’ team.
The ‘group stage’ concept could see the top 16 either split into two groups of eight (playing for top eight position, and the last spots in the top 10 respectively), or into four groups of four – Group A (positions one, eight, nine and 16), Group B (two, seven, 10 and 15), Group C (three, six, 11 and 14), and Group D (four, five, 12 and 13).
The Age reported the AFL would also consider shortening game lengths if a 24-game season was implemented.
The 24-game season would appear to be the prohibitive favourite given it’s the least disruptive as compared to the current structure.
Adelaide, Australia 11/06/2026. AFL CEO Andrew Dillon and Premier Peter Malinauskas announces that Gather Round will remain in South Australia for the next three years. Picture: Eleni TzanosSource: News Corp Australia
EX-DEMON’S PARTNER DETAILS ALLEGATIONS IN LAWSUIT
Melbourne premiership star Steven May’s partner Sachi Dade is alleging she suffered public humiliation, psychiatric harm and emotional distress as part of a lawsuit filed against the Demons, coach Steven King and footy boss Alan Richardson.
Documents filed with the Federal Court detail Dade’s allegations regarding the Demons disclosing private information about her during a meeting with players’ partners earlier this season, according to The Age.
Dade argued it was a breach of privacy, which came in the aftermath of a police welfare check at Dade and May’s home in January, and resorted to legal action after initially raising concerns with the AFL and its integrity unit.
The alleged privacy breaches involved:
1. A club statement on February 4 acknowledging police had attended their home;
2. Melbourne disclosing confidential information about the couple to the AFL;
3. A Teams meeting on February 5 involving around 15 partners of Demons players where confidential information was disclosed.
“No one from the MFC spoke with Ms Dade prior to the First Breach or the Second Breach to advise her that the MFC intended to make a public statement and to divulge private information to the public or the AFL, or to ask for her comments or input on those matters,” the filing reads.
She alleges Melbourne vice president Geoff Porz contacted May’s legal representatives, describing it as an attempt to apply pressure “through her partner, which demonstrated a continued lack of insight and awareness” of the situation.
According to her allegations the club caused “emotional distress, embarrassment, psychiatric harm and anguish” and saw her subjected to “rumours, personal ridicule and humiliation by members of the public”.
Dade then says she raised concerns with the Demons, the AFL and the AFLPA, but “the responses by the MFC and the AFL were slow and the concerns and complaints were not resolved”.
She is seeking a declaration that those involved seriously invaded her privacy along with a formal apology, damages, exemplary damages, interest and costs.
SAINTS CARNAGE, YOUNG GUN SENT TO TRIBUNAL FOR VFL HIT
St Kilda is left with a heavy injury toll after a day of carnage in the club’s loss to the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Alix Tauru is facing at least a three-week ban for his VFL hit.
AFL Media reports Tauru has been sent straight to the tribunal for his high bump on Stirling Phipps-Parsons that ended the Footscray player’s day.
It drew a rough conduct charge and was graded as severe impact, high contact and careless conduct.
It marks the 19-year old’s fourth VFL sanction in just over 12 months.
On the injury front, both SEN.com.au and AFL Media report Tom De Koning sustained a punctured lung and two cracked ribs in a brutal setback that saw the prized recruit taken to hospital.
Jack Sinclair has avoided an Achilles injury but could miss the rest of the season with a serious calf issue.
Sinclair underwent scans on Monday after the setback in Sunday’s game left the dual All-Australian in a moon boot.
Rowan Marshall’s shoulder injury is still to be determined as he prepares to undergo scans on Monday.
The 6-9 Saints, who sit 12th on the ladder, have a bye this weekend before they play another eight games in the home and away season.
St Kilda’s next premiership side? | 02:19
‘OVER-EXAMINED’: MCRAE SAYS PIES LIST SCRUTINY DRIVEN BY ‘CLICKS’
Collingwood coach Craig McRae says the state of the club’s list is “over-examined” and suggested scrutiny of its plan is driven by “clicks.”
The Magpies are again in the hunt for some of the biggest names on the trade and free agency market. They’ve emerged as a landing spot or Lachie Neale, who turns 34 next year, and have been linked to Zak Butters and Jed Walter.
That comes while the oldest list in the competition balances having several veterans out of contract including Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom and Jeremy Howe, as well as question marks on the quality of Collingwood’s youth coming through.
What is the Fraser effect? | 06:20
However, speaking after his side’s win over Port Adelaide on Saturday night, McRae suggested the discussion around Collingwood’s list is overblown.
“It’s probably over-examined,” he told reporters.
“I don’t recall any other list in the competition that has been examined as much as ours, and judged, but again, we get clicks, so it creates storytelling, opinions,” he said.
“It’s an interesting narrative around where we’re at.
“We’re working towards being the best version of us. I didn’t look at the age demographic of our team tonight, but there are a lot of different players who haven’t played together. Chemistry is important.
“It’s hard to describe it, but there’s a lot of talk about it, isn’t there?”
McRae recently said on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 he was “impatient” to keep evolving Collingwood’s list when asked about its trade and free agency links to rival stars.
According to reports, Collingwood could be prepared to offer Neale a three-year deal worth as much as $3 million in total, while Nick Daicos was included in the club’s pitch to Butters as part of a meeting with the Power superstar.