2024 AFL Fixture Breakdown: Blues Enjoy Victory, Tigers Face Challenges

As the 2024 AFL season heads into its business end, the fixture for each club reveals varying degrees of difficulty. Some teams face daunting challenges, while others have smoother paths. Let's break down what each club is facing in the coming weeks.

Western Bulldogs and Melbourne Demons: Tough Road Ahead

The Western Bulldogs and Melbourne Demons are set for challenging fixtures in the next five weeks. These matchups are crucial and will test their finals credentials.

Western Bulldogs (7-7):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 7.2 (3rd hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium

• Round 17: vs Port Adelaide, Adelaide Oval

• Round 18: vs Carlton, Marvel Stadium

• Round 19: vs Geelong, GMHBA Stadium

• Round 20: vs Sydney, SCG

Melbourne Demons (8-6):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 8 (4th hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs Brisbane, Gabba

• Round 17: vs West Coast, MCG

• Round 18: vs Essendon, MCG

• Round 19: vs Fremantle, Optus Stadium

• Round 20: vs GWS Giants, MCG

Sydney Swans and Carlton Blues: Smoother Paths

The top two teams, Sydney Swans and Carlton Blues, have an easier run ahead, giving them a chance to consolidate their positions on the ladder.

Sydney Swans (13-1):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 11.6 (17th hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs Fremantle, SCG

• Round 17: vs St Kilda, Marvel Stadium

• Round 18: vs North Melbourne, SCG

• Round 19: vs Brisbane, Gabba

• Round 20: vs Western Bulldogs, SCG

Carlton Blues (10-4):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 12 (18th hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs Richmond, MCG

• Round 17: vs GWS Giants, Engie Stadium

• Round 18: vs Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium

• Round 19: vs North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium

• Round 20: vs Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium

Other Notable Fixtures

Geelong Cats (8-6):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 9.8 (10th hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs Essendon, MCG

• Round 17: vs Hawthorn, GMHBA Stadium

• Round 18: vs Collingwood, MCG

• Round 19: vs Western Bulldogs, GMHBA Stadium

• Round 20: vs North Melbourne, Blundstone Arena

Brisbane Lions (7-6-1):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 10.6 (14th hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs Melbourne, Gabba

• Round 17: vs Adelaide, Gabba

• Round 18: vs West Coast, Optus Stadium

• Round 19: vs Sydney, Gabba

• Round 20: vs Gold Coast, People First Stadium

Collingwood Magpies (8-4-2):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 10.4 (13th hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs Gold Coast, People First Stadium

• Round 17: vs Essendon, MCG

• Round 18: vs Geelong, MCG

• Round 19: vs Hawthorn, MCG

• Round 20: vs Richmond, MCG

Essendon Bombers (9-4-1):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 9.8 (10th hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs Geelong, MCG

• Round 17: vs Collingwood, MCG

• Round 18: vs Melbourne, MCG

• Round 19: vs Adelaide, Marvel Stadium

• Round 20: vs St Kilda, Marvel Stadium

Fremantle Dockers (8-5-1):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 9.2 (Equal 6th hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs Sydney, SCG

• Round 17: vs Richmond, Optus Stadium

• Round 18: vs Hawthorn, UTAS Stadium

• Round 19: vs Melbourne, Optus Stadium

• Round 20: vs West Coast, Optus Stadium

Adelaide Crows (4-9-1):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 9.2 (Equal 6th hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs GWS Giants, Adelaide Oval

• Round 17: vs Brisbane, Gabba

• Round 18: vs St Kilda, Adelaide Oval

• Round 19: vs Essendon, Marvel Stadium

• Round 20: vs Hawthorn, Adelaide Oval

Gold Coast Suns (7-7):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 9.2 (Equal 6th hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs Collingwood, People First Stadium

• Round 17: vs North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium

• Round 18: vs Port Adelaide, People First Stadium

• Round 19: vs GWS Giants, Engie Stadium

• Round 20: vs Brisbane, People First Stadium

GWS Giants (8-6):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 11 (15th hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs Adelaide, Adelaide Oval

• Round 17: vs Carlton, Engie Stadium

• Round 18: vs Richmond, MCG

• Round 19: vs Gold Coast, Engie Stadium

• Round 20: vs Melbourne, MCG

Hawthorn Hawks (7-7):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 9.4 (9th hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs West Coast, Optus Stadium

• Round 17: vs Geelong, GMHBA Stadium

• Round 18: vs Fremantle, UTAS Stadium

• Round 19: vs Collingwood, MCG

• Round 20: vs Adelaide, Adelaide Oval

North Melbourne Kangaroos (1-13):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 6.6 (2nd hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium

• Round 17: vs Gold Coast, Marvel Stadium

• Round 18: vs Sydney, SCG

• Round 19: vs Carlton, Marvel Stadium

• Round 20: vs Geelong, Blundstone Arena

Port Adelaide Power (8-6):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 11.2 (16th hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs St Kilda, Marvel Stadium

• Round 17: vs Western Bulldogs, Adelaide Oval

• Round 18: vs Gold Coast, People First Stadium

• Round 19: vs Richmond, Adelaide Oval

• Round 20: vs Carlton, Marvel Stadium

Richmond Tigers (2-12):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 5 (Hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs Carlton, MCG

• Round 17: vs Fremantle, Optus Stadium

• Round 18: vs GWS Giants, MCG

• Round 19: vs Port Adelaide, Adelaide Oval

• Round 20: vs Collingwood, MCG

St Kilda Saints (5-9):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 8.6 (5th hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium

• Round 17: vs Sydney, Marvel Stadium

• Round 18: vs Adelaide, Adelaide Oval

• Round 19: vs West Coast, Marvel Stadium

• Round 20: vs Essendon, Marvel Stadium

West Coast Eagles (3-11):

• Average Ladder Position of Next Five Opponents: 10.2 (12th hardest)

• Key Fixtures:

• Round 16: vs Hawthorn, Optus Stadium

• Round 17: vs Melbourne, MCG

• Round 18: vs Brisbane, Optus Stadium

• Round 19: vs St Kilda, Marvel Stadium

• Round 20: vs Fremantle, Optus Stadium

Fixture Difficulty Summary

Here is a summary of the fixture difficulty for each club from rounds 16-20, including their current ladder position and upcoming key games:

As the AFL season progresses, the upcoming fixtures present both opportunities and challenges for the teams. The Western Bulldogs and Melbourne Demons face critical matches that could define their seasons, while the Sydney Swans and Carlton Blues have a golden chance to solidify their positions at the top. Fans can look forward to an exciting run home, with every game carrying significant implications for the finals.