Cats primed for another flag tilt as all AFL clubs’ fixture difficulty ranked 1-18

Geelong is primed for another top four finish and premiership tilt as the club with the easiest fixture for the rest of the home and away season.

As the 2025 campaign hits its midway point and the first of five bye weeks begins, Fox Footy’s On the Couch ranked all 18 teams’ remaining schedule difficulty, based on where every side currently sits on the ladder.

And the Cats have the friendliest run home of any side, with six of their remaining 12 games at GMHBA Stadium. After a trip west to play West Coast this week, Geelong plays three of their next four games at the Cattery against Gold Coast, Brisbane and Richmond.

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Of the Cats’ other remaining six games away from GMHBA Stadium, three of them are against bottom three clubs West Coast, North Melbourne and Richmond.

In total, Geelong’s double up games this season are against Brisbane, Essendon, GWS Giants, Port Adelaide, Richmond and St Kilda.

“They have the easiest draw coming home. The Cats sit number one. Is that a scary prospect?,” Tigers champion Jack Riewoldt posed on Fox Footy.

It has Chris Scott’s 7-4 side, which currently sits a game behind the fourth-placed Crows on percentage, on track for another top four finish — if not top two — and well placed for a crack at an 11th flag as this perennially successful club keeps on keeping on.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 03: Bailey Smith of the Cats and Chris Scott, Senior Coach of the Cats celebrate during the 2025 AFL Round 08 match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Geelong Cats at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on May 3, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

To provide some hope for Carlton’s unravelling campaign, the Blues are deemed to have the second-easiest fixture.

Michael Voss’ side plays West Coast and North Melbourne for a second time in its next three games after this week’s bye. Carlton’s other double up games this year are against Collingwood, Essendon, Hawthorn and Port Adelaide.

It means the Blues may have the best chance of the clubs outside the top eight to make a run for finals. But they might have to win nine of their last 12 games to hit 13 wins — the same amount they won last year to finish eighth.

In a promising sign these clubs looking to consolidate their spot in the finals and make a run for the top four, Gold Coast, Western Bulldogs and Adelaide round out the five teams with the easiest runs home.

Just below those sides is Fremantle with the sixth-easiest fixture. The ninth-placed Dockers, who are currently tied with the Western Bulldogs and GWS in the final two spots of the eight, play three-straight games at Optus Stadium after their Round 13 bye against North Melbourne, which is technically an away game the Roos sold, Essendon and St Kilda.

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At the other end of the spectrum, Port Adelaide is graded as having the hardest remaining fixture.

The Power, who tumbled from the top four down to 15th currently, have double ups against Adelaide, Collingwood, Fremantle, Geelong, Hawthorn and Sydney. However, only five of Port’s remaining games are away from Adelaide Oval.

Reigning premier Brisbane meanwhile has the second-hardest schedule and is the only top eight club ranked in the top six toughest draws to come.

It includes big road tests still to come against Geelong, Gold Coast and Collingwood. The Lions other double ups are Hawthorn, Sydney and Western Bulldogs, all of which are at home.

See the full list below.

FIXTURE DIFFICULT FROM ROUNDS 12-24 (easiest to hardest)

1. Geelong

2. Carlton

3. Gold Coast Suns

4. Western Bulldogs

5. Adelaide Crows

6. Fremantle Dockers

7. Sydney Swans

8. Richmond

9. Melbourne

10. GWS Giants

11. Hawthorn

12. Collingwood

13. St Kilda

14. North Melbourne

15. West Coast Eagles

16. Essendon

17. Brisbane Lions

18. Port Adelaide

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