A FIRST game at the MCG in nearly four years highlights Geelong’s VFL fixture for the 2023 season.
Released on Thursday, it confirmed the Cats would play Hawthorn-aligned Box Hill as a curtain raiser to the traditional Easter Monday AFL clash between Geelong and the Hawks on April 10.
The Cats’ last VFL appearance at the home of football came against Essendon in May 2019.
Like last year, Geelong will play 18 home-and-away games and have four byes across a 22-round season.
The VFL will again feature 21 clubs across Victoria, NSW and Queensland, with St Kilda-aligned Sandringham and standalone Williamstown as the two teams the Cats won’t meet.
One other curtain raiser has been confirmed. Geelong will play Gold Coast at VFL level for the first time at Metricon Stadium in Round 2.
The Cats have nine ‘home’ games fixtured, with those after Round 14 to be scheduled once the AFL confirms the final two months of its season.
Geelong will play three practice matches – against Box Hill Hawks (February 23 – GMHBA Stadium), Werribee (March 10 – GMHBA Stadium) and Collingwood (March 18 – Olympic Park)
Meanwhile, Geelong’s VFLW team will play all its home games at Deakin University in 2023.
The Cats have a 14-round schedule, with return meetings in the 12-team competition against North Melbourne, who they meet in Round 1, Collingwood and Darebin Falcons.
Geelong, which lost an elimination final to the Southern Saints in 2022, has practice matches against Williamstown and the Western Bulldogs at Deakin University locked in as part of its preparation for this season.
The Cats meet the Seagulls and Dogs on March 4 and 11, respectively, with both matches to start at 11am.
2023 VFL FIXTURE
| ROUND 1 – FRIDAY, MARCH 24 | ||
| Carlton vs. Geelong | IKON PARK | 7:05pm |
| ROUND 2 – SATURDAY, APRIL 2 | ||
| Gold Coast vs. Geelong | Metricon Stadium | 10:25am |
| ROUND 3 – MONDAY, APRIL 10 | ||
| Geelong vs. Box Hill Hawks | MCG | 11:45am |
| ROUND 4 – SATURDAY, APRIL 15 | ||
| Werribee vs. Geelong | Avalon Airport Oval | 1:05pm |
| ROUND 5 | ||
| Bye | ||
| ROUND 6 – SUNDAY, APRIL 30 | ||
| Coburg vs. Geelong | Piranha Park | 12:00pm |
| ROUND 7 – SUNDAY, MAY 7 | ||
| Geelong vs. Southport | GMHBA Stadium | 12:00pm |
| ROUND 8 – SATURDAY, MAY 13 | ||
| Richmond vs. Geelong | Swinburne Centre | 11:05am |
| ROUND 9 | ||
| Bye | ||
| ROUND 10 – SUNDAY, MAY 28 | ||
| Geelong vs. Port Melbourne | GMHBA Stadium | 12:00pm |
| ROUND 11 – SUNDAY, JUNE 4 | ||
| Footscray vs. Geelong | Avalon Airport Oval | 2:35pm |
| ROUND 12 | ||
| Bye | ||
| ROUND 13 – FRIDAY, JUNE 16 | ||
| Geelong vs. Frankston | GMHBA Stadium | 7:35pm |
| ROUND 14 – FRIDAY, JUNE 23 | ||
| Geelong vs. Casey Demons | GMHBA Stadium | 7:05pm |
| ROUND 15 – JUNE 30/JULY 1/2 | ||
| Sydney Swans vs. Geelong | TBC | TBC |
| ROUND 16 – JULY 8/9/10 | ||
| Geelong vs. North Melbourne | TBC | TBC |
| ROUND 17 – JULY 14/15/16 | ||
| Geelong vs. Essendon | TBC | TBC |
| ROUND 18 – JULY 21/22/23 | ||
| Brisbane Lions vs. Geelong | TBC | TBC |
| ROUND 19 – JULY 28/29/30 | ||
| Geelong vs. Northern Bullants | TBC | TBC |
| ROUND 20 | ||
| Bye | ||
| ROUND 21 – AUGUST 11/12/13 | ||
| Collingwood vs. Geelong | TBC | TBC |
| ROUND 22 – AUGUST 18/19/20 | ||
| Geelong vs. GWS Giants | TBC | TBC |
2023 VFLW FIXTURE
| ROUND 1 – SATURDAY, MARCH 25 | ||
| Geelong vs. North Melbourne | Deakin University | 3:00pm |
| ROUND 2 – SATURDAY, APRIL 1 | ||
| Carlton vs. Geelong | IKON Park | 11:00am |
| ROUND 3 – SATURDAY, APRIL 8 | ||
| Geelong vs. Darebin Falcons | Deakin University | 12:00pm |
| ROUND 4 – SUNDAY, APRIL 16 | ||
| Southern Saints vs. Geelong | Trevor Barker Beach Oval | 9:45am |
| ROUND 5 – SATURDAY, APRIL 22 | ||
| Geelong vs. Western Bulldogs | Deakin University | 12:00pm |
| ROUND 6 – SATURDAY, APRIL 29 | ||
| North Melbourne vs. Geelong | Arden Street Oval | 1:00pm |
| ROUND 7 – SATURDAY, MAY 6 | ||
| Geelong vs. Collingwood | Deakin University | 10:30am |
| ROUND 8 – SUNDAY, MAY 14 | ||
| Darebin Falcons vs. Geelong | La Trobe University | 3:00pm |
| ROUND 9 – SATURDAY, MAY 20 | ||
| Essendon vs. Geelong | NEC Hangar | 11:00am |
| ROUND 10 – SATURDAY, MAY 27 | ||
| Geelong vs. Port Melbourne | Deakin University | 12:00pm |
| ROUND 11 – SATURDAY, JUNE 3 | ||
| Geelong vs. Casey Demons | Deakin University | 12:00pm |
| ROUND 12 – SATURDAY, JUNE 17 | ||
| Geelong vs. Box Hill Hawks | Deakin University | 12:00pm |
| ROUND 13 – SATURDAY, JUNE 24 | ||
| Collingwood vs. Geelong | AIA Centre | 10:00am |
| ROUND 14 – JULY 1/2 | ||
| Williamstown vs. Geelong | TBC | TBC |
