The Western Bulldogs will open their 2021 AFLW season under lights against St Kilda with a trip to RSEA Park, Moorabbin on Friday 29 January.
The AFL today announced the nine-round fixture, which will see the Bulldogs play four home games at VU Whitten Oval, including the launch of Pride Round in Round 2 on Friday 5 February.
The Bulldogs will also host Richmond in Round 4, North Melbourne in Round 6, and Geelong in Round 9 on home turf.
Their only other game in Victoria will be against Melbourne (Round 8 at Casey Fields), with three interstate match-ups against Adelaide at Norwood Oval (SA), GWS at Blacktown International Sportspark (NSW), and West Coast at Mineral Resources Park (WA).
The conference system will also be removed for the 2021 season, with the 14 teams to be combined on a single ladder.
The top six teams will then compete in a three-week finals series, scheduled to begin the weekend of Saturday 3 April.
An inaugural AFLW Indigenous Round will also take place in 2021.
“We are proud to formally celebrate a Pride Round across the competition in Round Two and we recognise the leadership of the Carlton and Western Bulldogs Football Clubs who have paved the way with the Pride Game over recent years,” AFL Head of Women’s Football, Nicole Livingstone, said.
“The inclusion of Indigenous Round in Round Five is a truly significant milestone for the competition and an opportunity to celebrate and continue to learn from Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander players and staff in our game.
“The Toyota Good for Footy Round will be held during Round Nine of the season and will be the first joint themed-round across both the men’s and women’s competitions aimed at supporting local communities and growing the game at the grassroots.
“Where we can be more celebratory, where we can be more inclusive, where we can give back to the community, we will.”
To help fans attend in a COVID-safe manner, all games will also be ticketed at $10 per adult, with those aged under 18 allowed into matches for free.
Six Bulldogs’ games will be broadcast free-to-air on Channel 7, with the remaining three to be aired via FOX Sports.
WESTERN BULLDOGS 2021 AFLW FIXTURE
R1 vs St Kilda @ RSEA Park, Friday 29 January, 7.10pm (Foxtel)
R2 vs Carlton @ VU Whitten Oval, Friday 5 February, 7.45pm (Ch 7)
R3 vs Adelaide @ Norwood Oval, Sunday 14 February, 2.40pm local time (Ch 7)
R4 vs Richmond @ VU Whitten Oval, Saturday 20 February, 5.10pm (Foxtel)
R5 vs GWS @ Blacktown International Sportspark, Sunday 28 February, 1.10pm local time (Ch 7)
R6 vs North Melbourne @ VU Whitten Oval, Sunday 7 March, 3.10pm (Ch 7)
R7 vs West Coast @ Mineral Resources Park, Sunday 14 March, 2.10pm local time (Foxtel)
R8 vs Melbourne @ Casey Fields, Sunday 21 March, 1.10pm (Ch 7)
R9 vs Geelong @ VU Whitten Oval, Saturday 27 March, 1.10pm (Ch 7)
