The AFL today announced it had finalised the fixture for round 23 of the 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership season, which will see Gold Coast take on Port Adelaide at 7.10pm ACST / 7.40pm AEST at Adelaide Oval.
Round 23 had been left as a floating round when the fixture was announced late last year.
AFL General Manager Clubs Travis Auld said the AFL had sought to fixture the final round both to maximise the potential attendance at each game, as well as providing the best possible schedule for the AFL’s broadcast partners – the Seven Network, Foxtel / Fox Sports and Telstra.
Mr Auld said the AFL was hopeful, with four rounds remaining in the season, that the AFL could yet eclipse the all-time season attendance record of 6,525,071 established in 2011 (a 17-team competition that season). After round 19, AFL attendances stand at 5,491,840.
All matches in the round were placed to complete the normal AFL round schedule of one Friday game, two Saturday afternoon games, one Saturday twilight game, two Saturday evening games, one Sunday early game, one Sunday afternoon game and one Sunday twilight game.
The schedule of games will be as follows:
Friday August 25
Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium, 7.50pm AEST (Channel 7)
Saturday August 26
Collingwood v Melbourne at the MCG, 1.45pm AEST (Foxtel / Fox Sports)
Brisbane Lions v North Melbourne at the Gabba, 2.10pm AEST (Foxtel / Fox Sports)
Sydney Swans v Carlton at the SCG, 4.35pm AEST (Foxtel / Fox Sports)
Geelong Cats v GWS Giants at Simonds Stadium, 7.25pm AEST (Channel 7)
Port Adelaide v Gold Coast Suns at Adelaide Oval, 7.10pm ACST / 7.40pm AEST (Foxtel / Fox Sports)
Sunday August 27
Essendon v Fremantle at Etihad Stadium, 1.10pm AEST (Foxtel / Fox Sports)
Richmond v St Kilda at the MCG, 3.20pm AEST (Channel 7)
West Coast Eagles v Adelaide Crows at Domain Stadium, 2.40pm AWST / 4.40pm AEST (Foxtel / Fox Sports)
