The West Coast Eagles have received a boost to start next season with three of the club’s opening four matches to be played at Optus Stadium.
With the AFL fixture set for 2023, the Eagles can also look ahead to some bumper home games, with traditional powerhouse Victorian clubs Carlton (round seven), Essendon (round 11), Collingwood (round 12) and Richmond (round 18) set to head west.
After opening the campaign at Marvel Stadium against North Melbourne, the Eagles will play three-straight matches at Optus against the Giants, Fremantle in an ‘away’ RAC Derby and 2021 premier Melbourne on consecutive Sunday afternoons.
Back-to-back games at Adelaide Oval - against Geelong for the newly-created Gather Round and Port Adelaide – are on the agenda after that home stand.
West Coast has only been scheduled for one home and away game at the MCG, against the Tigers in round eight, and will undertake the long trip to Launceston to meet Hawthorn in round 10.
The Eagles will also fly to face the Lions at the Gabba for the sixth-straight year – with the clubs yet to face-off at Optus Stadium since the world-class venue opened in 2018.
The date and time of that round 17 match is yet to be announced – with only games up to round 15’s trip to the SCG against Sydney on Saturday, June 24 set in stone at this stage.
West Coast’s sole Friday night game is against the Gold Coast Suns at Optus Stadium in round nine at 6.40pm.
The Eagles will play eight Saturday games in the opening 15 rounds – including home games under lights against Carlton and Essendon – plus five Sunday games, with the club’s bye set for round 14.
West Coast’s double-up games will be played against the Kangaroos (rounds one and 20), Fremantle (three and 22), Carlton (seven and 19), Richmond (eight and 18), the Bombers (11 and 21) and Adelaide (13 and 24).
The Eagles will also be familiar with Marvel Stadium by the end of the season, with three consecutive away trips to the Docklands venue against Carlton, Essendon and the Western Bulldogs from rounds 19 to 23.
