GIANTS Welcome 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership Season Fixture
The 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership Season will see the GIANTS take to centre stage with three Friday night games.
In a blockbuster fixture for fans, the GIANTS will play their first ever Friday night game at Manuka Oval in Canberra against reigning premiers the Western Bulldogs in Round 6, Friday April 28 (7.50pm), before featuring in the coveted Friday night slot twice more during the season.
The GIANTS will open their season against Adelaide at Adelaide Oval in Round 1 before playing their first home game against the Gold Coast Suns at Spotless Stadium on Saturday, April 1. Spotless Stadium has again been named as the number one Stadium in the AFL for fan experience, the third consecutive year the venue has been awarded this accolade.
Highlights of the 2017 fixture for the GIANTS include:
- Three Friday night fixtures, against the Western Bulldogs (Rounds 6 and 21), St Kilda (Round 7)
- Three Saturday night fixtures, against Sydney (Rounds 5 and 17) and Geelong (Round 15)
- Eight home games at Spotless Stadium including big Victorian clubs Collingwood, Richmond, Essendon and Geelong
- Two Sydney Derbies against the Swans in the primetime Saturday night time slot in Round 5 and Round 17
- Canberra to host it’s first ever Friday night game (against the Western Bulldogs in Round 6) as well as Port Adelaide (Round 4) and Melbourne (Round 20)
- Star recruit Brett Deledio to play against his former club Richmond at Spotless Stadium in Round 9 on Saturday, May 20
- Two matches against top four clubs the Western Bulldogs, Sydney Swans and Geelong as well as West Coast and Richmond
- Five Saturday matches in the family friendly twilight time slot at Spotless Stadium
- Five matches in Victoria, including one at the MCG, three at Etihad Stadium and one at Simonds Stadium
- Five games broadcast nationally on free to air television via Channel 7
GIANTS Chief Executive David Matthews has welcomed the 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership Season fixture.
“This is an exciting fixture and sees the GIANTS given greater exposure with more primetime and free to air games than ever before,” Mr Matthews said.
“On the back of making the finals for the first time and proving to be one of the highest rating teams at the back end of this season, we’re delighted to be playing three games in the marquee slot of Friday night.
"To bring Friday night football to the ACT early in the 2017 premiership season will be a significant occasion for our club and the Canberra community.
“We’re pleased to have big Victorian clubs like Collingwood, Richmond, Essendon and Geelong coming to Western Sydney as well as the Sydney Derby in Round 17.
“The Sydney Derby against the Swans is now one of the hallmarks of the AFL calendar and indeed the sporting calendar in Sydney as demonstrated by the sellout at Spotless Stadium earlier this year and the crowd of over 60,000 at our first final last month.
“To be playing fellow top four clubs in the Western Bulldogs, Sydney and Geelong twice is representative of the growth of the GIANTS in recent seasons.
“The twilight time slot of 4.35pm on a Saturday afternoon is very popular with our fans and we’re happy to have five matches at Spotless Stadium at this family friendly time as well as two Saturday night blockbusters against Geelong and the Swans.
“Spotless Stadium has once against been voted as the AFL’s number one ranked venue with great family entertainment with initiatives such as the Virgin Australia stage, kick to kick after every game and the Toyo Tires Kick for Cash which has captured the attention of the whole country.
“We’ve seen unprecedented growth both on and off the field in recent times with the GIANTS making the Preliminary Final, having a membership base in excess of 15,000 and playing in front of sell out crowds at both Spotless Stadium and Manuka Oval.
“We’ve also added a team in the AFL Women’s competition and welcomed GIANTS Netball into our growing family.
“There is a lot to look forward to as a GIANTS fan and we encourage everyone to sign up and become a GIANTS member ahead of what promises to be a big 2017.”
The GIANTS play five games in Victoria with one game at the MCG (Round 18), three at Etihad Stadium (including Friday night games in Round 7 and 21) and one at Simonds Stadium in Geelong in Round 23.
The GIANTS will travel to Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane once as well as twice in Tasmania (North Melbourne in Round 3 and Hawthorn in Round 16).
As well as the five games shown nationally on Channel 7, every game will be shown live in NSW and Canberra on 7mate and Fox Footy.
Over 6000 GIANTS fans have signed up as a 2017 member already. Become a GIANTS member today by visiting membership.gwsgiants.com.au or calling 1300 442 687.
