When does the 2027 AFL season start?

The 2027 AFL Round 1 starts on Wednesday 17 March 2027, with a 9-game opening weekend beginning Wednesday/Thursday in New South Wales and Queensland and the first MCG game on Friday 19 March.

How do AFL wildcard finals work?

AFL Finals Week 1 in 2027 uses a wildcard weekend with matchups 7v10 and 8v9 as part of a five-week, ten-team finals series. Those matches are scheduled for Friday 3 September 2027 at various venues.

When is the 2027 AFL Grand Final?

The AFL Grand Final 2027 is scheduled for Saturday 2 October 2027 at 2:30pm at the MCG. It will be the first October Grand Final since 2016.

What is a line bet in the AFL?

A line bet in the AFL is a handicap market that adjusts the score margin to create balanced betting interest; it is one of the primary markets PuntX monitors alongside Head to Head, Total Points and Same Game Multi.

What is the average total score in an AFL game?

Average totals vary by season and match-up; PuntX tracks Total Points closely because scoring context directly affects Lines and Same Game Multi combinations. Archived scoring data is available in our competition pages.

AFL Tips

15 Nov, 2:04 am AEDT

This page is the PuntX Tips hub and contains afl tips for the AFL Premiership, with markets, contenders, stats and our bold reads. AFL is out of season, so new previews are not being published until the next season. Coverage is live for archival and reference information only.

See all markets at PuntX

Ladder

As at Sat 14 Nov, 11:00 pm AEDT.

#	Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	%	Pts
1	Fremantle	23	19	0	4	2286	1666	137.2	76
2	Sydney	23	18	0	5	2543	1869	136.1	72
3	Brisbane Lions	23	16	0	7	2499	2054	121.7	64
4	Hawthorn	23	15	2	6	2260	1881	120.1	64
5	Geelong	23	15	0	8	2355	1925	122.3	60
6	Adelaide	23	15	0	8	2169	1849	117.3	60
7	Melbourne	23	15	0	8	2301	2099	109.6	60
8	Western Bulldogs	23	13	1	9	1901	1992	95.4	54
9	Collingwood	23	12	2	9	2021	1974	102.4	52
10	Carlton	23	12	1	10	2007	1978	101.5	50
11	St Kilda	23	10	0	13	2030	1974	102.8	40
12	Greater Western Sydney	23	10	0	13	2073	2095	98.9	40
13	Gold Coast	23	9	0	14	2011	2128	94.5	36
14	North Melbourne	23	9	0	14	1932	2175	88.8	36
15	Port Adelaide	23	7	0	16	1803	2048	88.0	28
16	West Coast	23	4	0	19	1615	2333	69.2	16
17	Richmond	23	3	0	20	1483	2373	62.5	12
18	Essendon	23	2	0	21	1601	2477	64.6	8

Betting angles

Season scoring and form from the table above — useful context for markets, not tips.

Strongest attack
Sydney
2543 points for
Softest defence
Essendon
2477 points against
Tightest defence
Fremantle
1666 points against
Best differential
Sydney
+674

AFL tips, odds & the bold read

Updated Tue 20 Oct, 4:00 am AEDT · by PuntX Trading Desk · How we tip

Competition: AFL Premiership
Season window: Thursday 12 March 2026 to Saturday 26 September 2026
Teams: 18 teams including Geelong Cats, Collingwood and Richmond
Markets covered: Head to Head, Line, Total Points, Same Game Multi
Coverage note: AFL is out of season, so new previews are not being published until the next season.
Confirmed key dates: As at Sun 15 Nov, 2:04 am AEDT
Date Event Venue
Thursday 19 November 2026 AFL National Draft (Rd 1 Thu 19 Nov) Marvel Stadium
Saturday 13 February 2027 AAMI AFL Origin: WA v SA (50th anniversary of 1977 Origin) – date TBC (TBC) Optus Stadium
Wednesday 17 March 2027 AFL Round 1 2027 – Opening Round scrapped; 9-game round, starts Wed/Thu in NSW/Qld, first MCG game Fri 19 Mar Various
Friday 2 April 2027 Good Friday – North Melbourne v Carlton (expected) (TBC) Marvel Stadium
Thursday 8 April 2027 Gather Round 2027 (5th edition) – all 9 games in SA Adelaide / SA
Sunday 25 April 2027 Anzac Day (Sun) – Collingwood v Essendon (MCG); Port v St Kilda Anzac night; Anzac Eve Richmond v Melbourne (Fri 23) (TBC) MCG / Adelaide Oval

Markets we watch for value

AFL Premiership afl tips start with the markets that move a case: Head to Head, Line, Total Points and Same Game Multi are the primary markets we monitor for value and volatility. Trends in these markets expose where the value sits or where the market's missed an angle.

PuntX monitors four primary market types across AFL fixtures and futures. The table below updates as results come in and shows market availability and typical uses for punters. For background on how we write tips, see our about-the-tips.

PuntX focuses on price movement, liquidity and scoring context when choosing where the value sits. We do not publish new match previews while the season is out of play, but archived market notes remain available for reference.

Premiership contenders and the bold reads

AFL Premiership contenders are discussed on form, depth and roster composition even out of season. PuntX tips target where the market's missed a midfield mismatch or a forward line reshuffle; our stance is a clear, contrarian value play when the facts support it.

When assessing contenders we weigh list changes and structural form across clubs named in the fact sheet. The table below updates as results and trades are recorded.

We call the bold play where a side’s list or an injury reshuffle creates overlooked value. Our calls are opinionated and explicitly framed as such; they do not promise outcomes. For archival notes on rounds and previews, see the AFL hub index at /aussie-rules.

Stats that actually move markets

AFL Premiership stats that matter for betting include scoring patterns, head-to-head splits and turnover rates. PuntX hunts for the statistical edge that changes the market narrative and creates a value window before prices adjust.

We focus on scoring context and head-to-head trends because they shift Total Points and Line markets most quickly. The table below updates as statistical feeds refresh and as games are played.

PuntX emphasises stats that create trading edges rather than vanity metrics. For more on responsible staking, consult our responsible gambling page.

Where our free AFL tips sit

AFL Premiership free tips from PuntX aim for value rather than consensus. Our tips lean into market moves that have gone too far or spots where the market's missed a structural change; we deliver a firm verdict and the risks that temper it.

Verdict first, case second, then the risks: that’s our structure. While the season is out, we are not publishing fresh match previews, but our free tips archive and futures commentary remains accessible. The table below updates as prices and previews return to live publication.

Read more about how our tips are presented and timestamped in the methodology below and on the about-the-tips page.

Key AFL dates and the calendar to note

AFL Premiership key dates include the 2027 Round 1 opening, Gather Round in Adelaide and the October Grand Final. PuntX lists confirmed dates so you can plan coverage and mark the season milestones.

Confirmed dates include the season window and several event milestones. The table below updates the confirmed key dates for the competition.

Confirmed dates for the AFL Premiership:

As at Sun 15 Nov, 2:04 am AEDT
Date	Event	Venue
Thursday 19 November 2026	AFL National Draft (Rd 1 Thu 19 Nov)	Marvel Stadium
Saturday 13 February 2027	AAMI AFL Origin: WA v SA (50th anniversary of 1977 Origin) – date TBC (TBC)	Optus Stadium
Wednesday 17 March 2027	AFL Round 1 2027 – Opening Round scrapped; 9-game round, starts Wed/Thu in NSW/Qld, first MCG game Fri 19 Mar	Various
Friday 2 April 2027	Good Friday – North Melbourne v Carlton (expected) (TBC)	Marvel Stadium
Thursday 8 April 2027	Gather Round 2027 (5th edition) – all 9 games in SA	Adelaide / SA
Sunday 25 April 2027	Anzac Day (Sun) – Collingwood v Essendon (MCG); Port v St Kilda Anzac night; Anzac Eve Richmond v Melbourne (Fri 23) (TBC)	MCG / Adelaide Oval

For fixture context and archived round previews, visit the AFL hub index at /aussie-rules/afl/round-preview.

How PuntX picks AFL tips

PuntX picks AFL Premiership tips from the numbers and the price. Every PuntX tip starts with the same structured inputs and produces a single, bold lean backed by the facts and the live price at capture.

Every PuntX tip starts with the numbers in the preview: form, scoring, head to head and the live price. Then we take a side. We back the lean the numbers support, even when it is the unpopular one, and we show the price and the time it was captured so you can judge it yourself.

Our methodology is transparent and archived while the season is out; read more on our tip process at /about-the-tips.

Frequently asked questions

When does the 2027 AFL season start?: The 2027 AFL Round 1 starts on Wednesday 17 March 2027, with a 9-game opening weekend beginning Wednesday/Thursday in New South Wales and Queensland and the first MCG game on Friday 19 March.
How do AFL wildcard finals work?: AFL Finals Week 1 in 2027 uses a wildcard weekend with matchups 7v10 and 8v9 as part of a five-week, ten-team finals series. Those matches are scheduled for Friday 3 September 2027 at various venues.
When is the 2027 AFL Grand Final?: The AFL Grand Final 2027 is scheduled for Saturday 2 October 2027 at 2:30pm at the MCG. It will be the first October Grand Final since 2016.
What is a line bet in the AFL?: A line bet in the AFL is a handicap market that adjusts the score margin to create balanced betting interest; it is one of the primary markets PuntX monitors alongside Head to Head, Total Points and Same Game Multi.
What is the average total score in an AFL game?: Average totals vary by season and match-up; PuntX tracks Total Points closely because scoring context directly affects Lines and Same Game Multi combinations. Archived scoring data is available in our competition pages.