The AFL is pleased to announce the fixtures for the 2025 Smithy’s VFL and rebel VFLW seasons.

The fixture release includes the full schedule for Rounds 1-13 of the Smithy’s VFL and Rounds 1-9 of the rebel VFLW.

Match-ups for Rounds 14-21 of the Smithy’s VFL and Rounds 10-14 of the rebel VFLW have also been announced. Dates, times and venues for those rounds will be confirmed after the corresponding rounds of the AFL fixture are announced later in the year.

All matches in the 2025 Smithy’s VFL and VFLW seasons will be live-streamed free via the AFL website, AFL Live Official App and VFL App.

AFL Head of State League Competitions, Jennie Loughnan, said: “2025 shapes as an exciting year across the Smithy’s VFL and rebel VFLW and we are pleased to announce the home and away fixtures.

“Both competitions enjoyed memorable campaigns last year and we look forward to continuing to build on that momentum throughout the 2025 season.

“Eighteen players from the Smithy’s VFL and eight players from the rebel VFLW have been selected by AFL and AFLW clubs over the past 12 months and we look forward to watching more stars of the game emerge this year.

“The 2025 Smithy’s VFL campaign will see new chapters written in the storied history of the competition’s traditional rivalries. Meanwhile, the new rebel VFLW season dates provide great new opportunities and possibilities for clubs and players.

“I thank all VFL and VFLW clubs for working closely with us throughout the development of the 2025 fixtures.

“I also wish to sincerely thank our fans for their patience and understanding as we factored in the many considerations that impact our fixtures and scheduling to ensure we can land on the best outcome for our competitions and clubs.”

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SMITHY’S VFL

The 2025 Smithy’s VFL season will commence the weekend of March 22-23, which will align with Round 2 of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

The same 21 teams from Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland who competed across the past two seasons will again feature in the Smithy’s VFL competition this year.

The 2025 Smithy’s VFL home-and-away season will consist of 21 rounds, with every team to play 18 matches.

The top-ten teams on the ladder at the conclusion of the home and away season will qualify for the Smithy’s VFL Finals Series, which will commence with the Wildcard finals on the weekend of August 23-24.

The finals series will again be played across five weeks and will conclude with the 2025 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final on the weekend of September 20-21.

Some of the key features of the 2025 Smithy’s VFL season include:

• 30 matches between two VFL standalone clubs, with all VFL standalones to play each other at least once. Werribee, Williamstown and Southport will play each other twice, while Port Melbourne, Frankston, Coburg and Northern Bullants will play each other twice.

• 28 VFL/W double headers across the opening 13 rounds of the Smithy’s VFL season

• Competition bye scheduled for the 2025 AAMI State Game between the VFL and SANFL, which will be played at Tanunda Recreation Reserve on Saturday, April 12 during the AFL Gather Round.

• Two Grand Final rematches between Werribee and the Southport Sharks. The first clash will be played at Fankhauser Reserve in Round 1, followed by a meeting at Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval in Round 20.

• Five matches scheduled on Good Friday in Round 4.

• Two matches to be played on ANZAC Day Eve, along with a clash between Werribee and Williamstown on ANZAC Day during Round 5.

• Richmond to play three home matches at Beaconsfield’s Holm Park Recreation Reserve.

• Box Hill Hawks to host Port Melbourne in a VFL and VFLW double-header at Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve in Round 5.

• GWS Giants to host Port Melbourne at Albury Sports Ground in Round 9.

• Finals series to commence with Wildcard Finals on the weekend of August 23-24. The format for the Wildcard Finals remains unchanged, with the team that finishes in seventh place on the ladder to play against the team that finishes 10th, while eighth will take on ninth.

• Smithy’s VFL Grand Final to be played on the weekend of September 20-21

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rebel VFLW

The rebel VFLW competition will be played in a new season window, with the 2025 campaign to be played from April to August. The competition has been played from March to July over the past two seasons.

The opening round of the 2025 rebel VFLW season will begin the weekend of April 18-20, while the final round of the home and away season will be played the weekend of August 2-3.

The competition will consist of a 14-round home and away season, which will be played across 16 weeks and feature two competition byes.

The rebel VFLW finals format will remain unchanged, with the top-six teams on the ladder at the conclusion of the home and away season to qualify for the 2025 rebel VFLW Finals Series.

Finals will be played across four weeks, commencing the weekend of August 9-10 and concluding with the rebel VFLW Grand Final the weekend of August 30-31.

The rebel VFLW competition will consist of the same 12 full-time clubs who have featured in the competition for the past four seasons. The GWS Giants and Sydney Swans won’t feature in the rebel VFLW this year after playing five invitational matches in 2024.

From the 2025 season, the Southern Saints will compete as the Sandringham Zebras. The decision was announced last November and will consolidate Sandringham's women's and men's teams under the same name and brand.

Meanwhile, Port Melbourne will compete in the rebel VFLW as a standalone team following the mutual conclusion of a four-season alignment with Richmond.

Some of the key features of the 2025 rebel VFLW season include:

• New season window, with the 2025 rebel VFLW campaign to be played from April to August.

• Inaugural rebel VFLW State Team to represent the ‘Big V’ in a clash with the SANFL Women’s State Team at Alberton Oval on Friday, April 11.

• 28 VFL/W double headers across the opening nine rounds of the rebel VFLW season

• Round 1 to be played the weekend of April 18-21, with the season to open on Good Friday with matches scheduled between North Melbourne and Carlton at Arden Street Oval and Port Melbourne and Essendon at ETU Stadium.

• Reigning premier North Melbourne to host Williamstown at Arden Street Oval on ANZAC Day during Round 2.

• 2024 grand finalists North Melbourne and Western Bulldogs to meet twice, with the two matches scheduled in Round 5 at Arden Street Oval and Round 11.

• Competition byes scheduled for the King’s Birthday weekend (June 7-8) and the weekend of July 26-27.

• The finals format will remain unchanged, with the top-six teams on the ladder at the conclusion of the home and away season to qualify for the 2025 rebel VFLW Finals Series.

• The finals series will be played across four weeks, commencing the weekend of August 9-10.

• The 2025 VFLW Grand Final is scheduled to be played on August 30-31

OTHER VFL/W INFORMATION

Broadcast and streaming
All matches in the 2025 Smithy’s VFL and rebel VFLW seasons will be live streamed free via AFL.com.au, the AFL Live Official App and the VFL App. Additional broadcast arrangements will be confirmed shortly.

Live scores and stats
Live scores and stats will be available via AFL.com.au, the AFL Live Official App and the VFL App.

Ticketing
Where Smithy’s VFL matches are ticketed, entry is $10 for adults, $5 for concession holders and kids under 15 are free. Some venues don't charge for entry. AFL ticketing prices apply for VFL matches played as curtain-raisers and curtain-closers to AFL matches.

Entry to VFLW matches is free. Where venues host VFL and VFLW double-headers, entry fees will apply after half time of the VFLW match if played first.

VFL and SANFL rivalry set for historic new chapter
An historic new chapter in the long-standing rivalry between the Victorian Football League and South Australian National Football League will be written in April with men’s and women’s representative sides to clash during Gather Round… A Festival of Footy. Both matches will be played in South Australia, with the women’s game scheduled to be played at Alberton Oval on Friday, April 11 while the men’s clash will take place at Tanunda Recreation Park in the Barossa on Saturday, April 12.