Sydney Swans’ ‘Pullman Four’ including superstars Isaac Heeney and Chad Warner look set to take centre stage in the AFL’s 2027 season-opener.

The Herald Sun can reveal the league is weighing up launching the new season with a blockbuster Sydney Swans versus Geelong Cats clash at the SCG on Wednesday night, March 17.

And grand finalist Fremantle will open its 2027 campaign at home in round one against Western Bulldogs on Thursday night in the west.

Significant intrigue will hang over the game and whether the Dockers will banish ‘wharfie time’ after the grand final heartbreak against Brisbane Lions.

It will be a tough opener for the Dockers against a team on the rise as Luke Beveridge’s men prepare to unleash new recruit Zak Butters and comeback colt Sam Darcy.

The game on the Thursday night of round one on March 18 replaces the traditional Carlton-Richmond season-opener at the MCG.

The Tigers are in full-on rebuilding mode and the AFL wants to start the season with a big bang with four of the best teams in the game taking the spotlight on the first two nights of the new season on Wednesday and Thursday nights.

The Tigers and Blues match will be played at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.

The following week in round two, North Melbourne host the Blues in the traditional Good Friday super clash at Marvel Stadium.

St Kilda is expected to play the Bulldogs in the Easter Sunday night game in round two.

Carlton is set to host reigning premier Brisbane in round three at Marvel Stadium.

Nick Blakey is set to play his first serious game for North Melbourne against Port Adelaide on Sunday at Marvel Stadium.

It’s a winnable first game for new coach Jaymie Graham against a Port side in rebuild mode.

Blakey is also facing a nervous wait for police investigations to conclude from the Pullman episode but the Roos conducted due diligence before securing him in a blockbuster trade.

Adelaide is expected to host GWS Giants at Adelaide Oval in their season-opener.

The Giants may not play a game at home until about round seven due to the Easter Show at the Sydney Showgrounds.

It would be a tough opening for the Giants after losing stars Toby Greene and Lachie Whitfield.

St Kilda is tipped to host Collingwood and Essendon is likely to meet Melbourne.

The full round one line-up could be released as early as Tuesday and the full fixture from Thursday.

The Swans are set to stay on Broadway for the bulk of the 2027 season with a bevy of prime time matches in the key night timeslots.

The superstar-heavy list is well-suited to the prime time matches in reward for their rise back up the ladder this year.

It means some of the biggest drawcards in the AFL including Charlie Curnow, Heeney, Warner, Bailey Smith and new Cats Toby Greene and Jordan Ridley will kick-off the new campaign. The game could also serve as Geelong veteran Jeremy Cameron’s 300th, played away from home in Sydney.

But the major focus will be the potential return of the four players who received season-ending suspensions for breaching team expectations with a boozy late night after the Round 23 win over Essendon last season.

Police are still completing their investigations into the sexual assault allegations which could result in more sanctions.

Heeney is focused on paying back the club’s faith in him, while Nick Blakey was traded to North Melbourne.

There will be a huge build-up to the Swans versus Cats’ clash which will see two of the best-performed clubs of the past two decades lock horns at the SCG.

But it will represent something of a new chapter for the Swans after they bowed out in the preliminary final against Fremantle without five of their best players this year.

The club is continuing its own probe into the events of the Pullman Hotel scandal in a bid to ensure there is no repeat.

League bosses are adamant the alleged victims are the AFL’s primary concern in the situation, but there will be an intense focus on the return, in particular, of Heeney, who was named fourth in the Herald Sun’s top-50 last week.

The AFL has ditched its traditional Carlton-Richmond season-opener at the MCG and is keen to start the new season in Sydney instead of Opening Round which has been ditched.

The Herald Sun last week revealed new Western Bulldogs’ superstar recruit Zak Butters will headline Gather Round in the Sunday night feature clash against his former Port Adelaide teammates at Adelaide Oval.

GRUDGE MATCHES LOCKED IN AS 2027 GATHER ROUND FIXTURE REVEALED

– Lauren Wood

It’s Gather Round – grudge match edition.

The AFL has confirmed the 2027 Gather Round fixture with three finals series rematches locked in for the April extravaganza.

As reported by this masthead, new Bulldog Zak Butters will head back to his old stomping ground to take on former side Port Adelaide to close Gather Round on the Sunday night at Adelaide Oval.

Reigning premier Brisbane has also avoided the Barossa Valley for the first time and will open proceedings for Round 4 at the showpiece oval against Adelaide.

The Saturday night sees grand finalist Fremantle take on preliminary finalist Hawthorn.

League boss Andrew Dillon has announced the fixture in Adelaide alongside South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas on Monday morning.

“Gather Round brings all 18 clubs and their fans together in South Australia and this fixture gives supporters nine exciting match-ups to look forward to across four days,” Dillon said.

“From Thursday night at Adelaide Oval through to Sunday, there will be footy across Adelaide, Norwood and the Barossa, giving fans the chance to experience matches and everything South Australia has to offer.

“We saw another terrific response from supporters in 2026 and we’re looking forward to welcoming fans from across the country back to South Australia in April.”

Gather Round will also feature a players’ parade for the first time.

Originally published as 2027 AFL fixture: Gather Round weekend revealed, Swans-Cats in line to open season