GWS Giants' 2024 Manuka Oval fixtures locked in with AFL draw

Belconnen product Steele's St Kilda will face GWS in an afternoon game at Manuka Oval on April 13, 12 days before the Giants meet beaten grand finalists Brisbane in an Anzac Day clash in Canberra.

The Hawthorn Hawks are the third team to travel to Canberra next year as part of the Giants' $28.5 million deal with the ACT government to bring matches to Manuka Oval.

The Hawks will face GWS on the weekend of August 2-4, returning to the site of their famous snow game four years ago. Those who were there could hardly forget the night of August 9, 2019, for what is said to be the first time snow has fallen during a senior VFL/AFL game in league history.

The Giants are entering the second year of a new 10-year, $28.5 million deal to play games in Canberra and wear the city's tourism logo on the back of their playing guernseys.

MORE CANBERRA SPORT NEWS:

The partnership, which is an increase on the previous $23 million deal, will ensure the Giants' presence at Manuka Oval will stretch to 20 years with the agreement to run until the end of the 2032 season.

Territory officials hope next year's Anzac Day clash with Brisbane could be one of the biggest drawcards in the partnership's history, with Canberra to be broadcast in a prime time slot on one of the AFL calendar's biggest days.

Channel Seven's Thursday night broadcast is tipped to attract huge ratings following the afternoon's traditional Collingwood-Essendon Anzac Day match, and it sets the scene for a triple-header weekend of football in Canberra.

GWS host a game at Manuka Oval on the Thursday night, before the ACT Brumbies and Canberra Raiders play at Canberra Stadium across the weekend.

The Giants' clash with St Kilda comes a day before the Raiders host the Gold Coast at Canberra Stadium, while the Brumbies' Super Rugby side has a bye.

GWS will get clear air for their third match at Manuka Oval, with the Raiders playing in Belmore and the Super Rugby season run and won.

The league's four northern clubs will host matches to start the season in what has been dubbed "Opening Round", a move fuelled by AFL boss Andrew Dillon's desire to have "footy in every home around the country".

GWS will host Collingwood at Giants Stadium in round one, which sparked a cheeky jab from premiership-winning Collingwood star Mason Cox, who posted on social media website X: "Round 1, NRL goes to Las Vegas. AFL premiers go to... A showground for livestock..."

The fixtures fall in the same week as the NRL's first matches of the year in Australia, with the competition set to launch in Las Vegas on the weekend prior with "round zero".

We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.