'Born in Canberra as much as Sydney': GWS Giants eye new ACT government AFL deal

League officials are going back and forth with the territory government to secure a new partnership believed to be worth almost $30 million, opting to bring games to Manuka Oval with confidence the deal will be finalised in the coming days.

The GWS Giants will return to Canberra against the Brisbane Lions in round six with a Saturday afternoon fixture slated for April 22.

It marks the first of three AFL games at Manuka Oval in 2023, with two AFLW matches set to be included in a new arrangement between the club, league and territory officials.

The Giants have long held a desire to extend the contract to play games in Canberra for another 10 years, and the trade-off for banking more ACT government dollars is a likely loss of Manuka Oval naming rights options and the power to say no to other sports using the venue during the AFL season.

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It creates one of the main sticking points in negotiations, with Manuka Oval potentially at the centre of a clash between the Giants' AFLW plans and a top-level cricket game.

The cost of the Giants' deal with the territory government has long been a point of tension in Canberra's sporting ranks, but the Giants maintain their impact transcends a handful of days at the football for Canberra fans.

Budget estimates earlier this year revealed the two Giants AFL games played at Manuka Oval in 2021 delivered an estimated $1.47 million to the region.

"We're settling back into that routine of three big games and some AFLW content. It's just been a case of working carefully through it. We're hoping there is a good opportunity to do a big announcement in the early stages of the year," Giants chief executive David Matthews said.

"All parties have been vindicated in doing the 10-year deal. We're very grateful for Andrew Barr backing a start-up footy club. He has been a part of, and the people of Canberra have been a part of, writing the history of this club. They helped create it. In many respects, I see it as being born in Canberra as much as it was born in Sydney.

"We've really had a strong intention, and it got disrupted during the COVID years if you can call them that, to build a calendar of events and have a strong presence in terms of our coterie groups, the Territorians and Giant Hearts in particular, sell-out grand final luncheons and bringing big AFL personalities to town, carbine lunches, community camp and player appearances.

"We think about what's our day to day presence? It's not just three games, because there is AFLW as well, but it's really important we maintain and build that presence."

The AFL season will expand to 24 rounds next year following the addition of Gather Round - the code's answer to the NRL's Magic Round and Super Rugby's Super Round - in South Australia.

AFL officials will publish full details for the first 15 rounds of the season on Sunday morning, with dates and times for rounds 16-23 to follow at a later date.

The Lions will return to Manuka for the second year in a row, after the Giants pushed them for two quarters in July, before the visitors skipped away to a 40-point win.

The Lions are one of the 2023 premiership favourites after making this year's preliminary final and then adding Josh Dunkley, Jack Gunston, Conor McKenna and father-son draft stars Will Ashcroft and Jaspa Fletcher in the off-season.

"Brisbane is a great opponent to get to Canberra because they play a very exciting brand of football, they obviously went deep into the finals and have for a couple of years," Matthews said.

"We've had a couple of very good games with them in recent years, particularly the 2019 final. There's a nice rivalry there between those two clubs. Their supporters travel a bit too, they come from the Fitzroy base south, and the Brisbane base north. I think that's a really good one."

AFL IN CANBERRA IN 2023

Saturday, April 22: Round six - GWS Giants v Brisbane Lions at Manuka Oval, 4.35pm.

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