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The 2027 VC loophole schedule

Every club's game slot, round by round, from the AFL's 2027 fixture. Green clubs play early in the round, which suits your vice-captain. Red clubs play on Sunday, which keeps a loophole player unlocked for longest. A dot marks the last game of the round.

From the AFL's 2027 fixture · Melbourne time

Hover or tap a cell for the opponent and start time.
For your loophole player

Clubs that play latest

    Ranked by rounds played on Sunday or Monday, then by last games of the round. Byes and rounds without times do not count.

    For your vice-captain

    Clubs that play earliest

      Ranked by rounds played Wednesday to Friday.

      The 2027 loophole at a glance

      • Round 1 opens on Wednesday 17 March 2027 with Sydney v Geelong at 7:30pm Melbourne time.
      • In rounds 1 to 10 of the 2027 fixture, the clubs that play on Sunday or Monday most often are St Kilda in 7, Essendon in 6, and North Melbourne, Port Adelaide and Western Bulldogs in 5 each.
      • In rounds 1 to 10 of the 2027 fixture, the clubs that play Wednesday to Friday most often are Sydney in 7, and Adelaide, Brisbane, Carlton, Collingwood and Fremantle in 5 each.
      • Monday games: round 2 (Geelong v Hawthorn, 29 March) and round 13 (Melbourne v Collingwood, 14 June).
      • Match times are confirmed for rounds 1 to 16. Later rounds are shown as time not set until the AFL confirms them.

      Round by round, in start order

      Melbourne time. The last game of each round is the longest window for a loophole player.

      Round 1: Wed 17 March to Sun 21 March
      1. Wed 7:30pm: Sydney v Geelong
      2. Thu 8:10pm: Fremantle v Western Bulldogs
      3. Fri 7:50pm: Hawthorn v Brisbane
      4. Sat 12:35pm: Richmond v Carlton
      5. Sat 4:15pm: Adelaide v GWS
      6. Sat 7:40pm: St Kilda v Collingwood
      7. Sun 1:10pm: North Melbourne v Port Adelaide
      8. Sun 3:15pm: Melbourne v Essendon
      9. Sun 6:10pm: West Coast v Gold Coast (last game)
      Round 2: Thu 25 March to Mon 29 March
      1. Thu 7:50pm: Brisbane v Collingwood
      2. Fri 3:15pm: North Melbourne v Carlton
      3. Fri 7:15pm: Fremantle v Adelaide
      4. Sat 2:10pm: GWS v West Coast
      5. Sat 5:10pm: Gold Coast v Richmond
      6. Sat 8:10pm: Port Adelaide v Melbourne
      7. Sun 3:15pm: Essendon v Sydney
      8. Sun 7:20pm: Western Bulldogs v St Kilda
      9. Mon 3:15pm: Geelong v Hawthorn (last game)
      Round 3: Thu 1 April to Sun 4 April
      1. Thu 7:30pm: Collingwood v Fremantle
      2. Fri 7:15pm: Sydney v GWS
      3. Fri 7:50pm: Carlton v Brisbane
      4. Sat 1:35pm: St Kilda v Melbourne
      5. Sat 4:35pm: Adelaide v Western Bulldogs
      6. Sat 7:45pm: Hawthorn v Essendon
      7. Sun 12:30pm: Geelong v Richmond
      8. Sun 3:15pm: Gold Coast v North Melbourne
      9. Sun 6:10pm: West Coast v Port Adelaide (last game)
      Round 4: Thu 8 April to Sun 11 April
      1. Thu 7:40pm: Adelaide v Brisbane
      2. Fri 7:40pm: Sydney v Collingwood
      3. Sat 12:35pm: Gold Coast v GWS
      4. Sat 1:35pm: Carlton v Melbourne
      5. Sat 4:35pm: Richmond v West Coast
      6. Sat 7:45pm: Fremantle v Hawthorn
      7. Sun 12:30pm: Essendon v North Melbourne
      8. Sun 3:15pm: St Kilda v Geelong
      9. Sun 7:15pm: Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs (last game)
      Round 5: Thu 15 April to Sun 18 April
      1. Thu 7:30pm: Carlton v Collingwood
      2. Fri 7:40pm: Melbourne v Sydney
      3. Fri 8:10pm: Fremantle v West Coast
      4. Sat 1:15pm: Adelaide v Gold Coast
      5. Sat 4:15pm: Richmond v North Melbourne
      6. Sat 7:35pm: Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn
      7. Sun 12:30pm: Essendon v Geelong
      8. Sun 3:15pm: St Kilda v Port Adelaide
      9. Sun 6:10pm: Brisbane v GWS (last game)
      Round 6: Thu 22 April to Sun 25 April
      1. Thu 7:30pm: Gold Coast v Hawthorn
      2. Fri 7:40pm: Sydney v Adelaide
      3. Sat 1:15pm: Brisbane v West Coast
      4. Sat 4:15pm: Geelong v North Melbourne
      5. Sat 7:40pm: Melbourne v Richmond
      6. Sat 8:10pm: Port Adelaide v Carlton
      7. Sun 12:15pm: GWS v Western Bulldogs
      8. Sun 3:15pm: Collingwood v Essendon
      9. Sun 8:15pm: Fremantle v St Kilda (last game)
      Round 7: Thu 29 April to Sun 2 May
      1. Thu 7:30pm: Brisbane v Sydney
      2. Fri 7:40pm: Hawthorn v Carlton
      3. Sat 1:15pm: Melbourne v Adelaide
      4. Sat 4:15pm: Essendon v Fremantle
      5. Sat 4:35pm: GWS v Geelong
      6. Sat 7:35pm: West Coast v Collingwood
      7. Sun 12:30pm: Western Bulldogs v Gold Coast
      8. Sun 3:15pm: Richmond v Port Adelaide
      9. Sun 6:10pm: North Melbourne v St Kilda (last game)
      Round 8: Thu 6 May to Sun 9 May
      1. Thu 7:30pm: Carlton v Geelong
      2. Fri 7:40pm: Collingwood v Western Bulldogs
      3. Fri 8:10pm: Port Adelaide v Adelaide
      4. Sat 1:15pm: Gold Coast v Essendon
      5. Sat 4:15pm: St Kilda v Richmond
      6. Sat 7:35pm: Sydney v North Melbourne
      7. Sun 12:30pm: Hawthorn v GWS
      8. Sun 3:15pm: Melbourne v West Coast
      9. Sun 7:20pm: Fremantle v Brisbane (last game)
      Round 9: Thu 13 May to Sun 16 May
      1. Thu 7:30pm: Adelaide v Geelong
      2. Fri 7:45pm: Richmond v Essendon
      3. Sat 1:15pm: GWS v Fremantle
      4. Sat 1:45pm: Melbourne v Gold Coast
      5. Sat 4:15pm: West Coast v Sydney
      6. Sat 7:35pm: Hawthorn v Port Adelaide
      7. Sun 12:30pm: Brisbane v St Kilda
      8. Sun 3:15pm: Carlton v Western Bulldogs
      9. Sun 6:10pm: North Melbourne v Collingwood (last game)
      Round 10: Thu 20 May to Sun 23 May
      1. Thu 8:10pm: Fremantle v Melbourne
      2. Fri 7:40pm: Sydney v Hawthorn
      3. Sat 1:15pm: Port Adelaide v Brisbane
      4. Sat 4:15pm: Geelong v West Coast
      5. Sat 4:35pm: Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne
      6. Sat 7:35pm: Collingwood v Richmond
      7. Sun 12:30pm: St Kilda v GWS
      8. Sun 3:15pm: Essendon v Adelaide
      9. Sun 6:10pm: Gold Coast v Carlton (last game)
      Round 11: Thu 27 May to Sun 30 May · byes Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Richmond
      1. Thu 7:30pm: Western Bulldogs v Sydney
      2. Fri 7:40pm: Geelong v Melbourne
      3. Sat 1:15pm: Hawthorn v St Kilda
      4. Sat 4:15pm: GWS v Essendon
      5. Sat 7:35pm: Port Adelaide v Collingwood
      6. Sun 3:15pm: North Melbourne v West Coast
      7. Sun 6:10pm: Carlton v Fremantle (last game)
      Round 12: Thu 3 June to Sun 6 June · byes Geelong, GWS, Port Adelaide and Sydney
      1. Thu 7:30pm: Western Bulldogs v Melbourne
      2. Fri 7:40pm: Collingwood v Hawthorn
      3. Sat 1:35pm: Richmond v Adelaide
      4. Sat 4:35pm: Brisbane v Gold Coast
      5. Sat 7:35pm: North Melbourne v Fremantle
      6. Sun 3:15pm: Essendon v St Kilda
      7. Sun 8:10pm: West Coast v Carlton (last game)
      Round 13: Thu 10 June to Mon 14 June · byes Fremantle and North Melbourne
      1. Thu 7:30pm: Adelaide v Hawthorn
      2. Fri 7:40pm: Geelong v Brisbane
      3. Sat 1:15pm: Gold Coast v Port Adelaide
      4. Sat 4:15pm: Richmond v GWS
      5. Sat 7:35pm: West Coast v Western Bulldogs
      6. Sun 3:15pm: Sydney v St Kilda
      7. Sun 7:20pm: Carlton v Essendon
      8. Mon 3:15pm: Melbourne v Collingwood (last game)
      Round 14: Thu 17 June to Sun 20 June · byes Carlton, Collingwood, St Kilda and West Coast
      1. Thu 7:30pm: Hawthorn v Fremantle
      2. Fri 7:40pm: Western Bulldogs v Geelong
      3. Sat 1:35pm: Port Adelaide v Sydney
      4. Sat 4:35pm: Brisbane v Richmond
      5. Sat 7:35pm: Essendon v North Melbourne
      6. Sun 3:15pm: Adelaide v Melbourne
      7. Sun 5:10pm: GWS v Gold Coast (last game)
      Round 15: Thu 24 June to Sun 27 June · byes Essendon, Hawthorn, Melbourne and Western Bulldogs
      1. Thu 8:10pm: Fremantle v Geelong
      2. Fri 7:40pm: Sydney v Brisbane
      3. Sat 1:15pm: Richmond v West Coast
      4. Sat 4:15pm: Adelaide v North Melbourne
      5. Sat 7:35pm: Gold Coast v Collingwood
      6. Sun 3:15pm: St Kilda v Carlton
      7. Sun 5:10pm: GWS v Port Adelaide (last game)
      Round 16: Thu 1 July to Sun 4 July
      1. Thu 7:30pm: Brisbane v Fremantle
      2. Fri 7:40pm: Sydney v Melbourne
      3. Fri 8:10pm: West Coast v Adelaide
      4. Sat 1:35pm: Port Adelaide v Hawthorn
      5. Sat 4:15pm: Geelong v Gold Coast
      6. Sat 4:35pm: Collingwood v GWS
      7. Sat 7:35pm: Carlton v North Melbourne
      8. Sun 3:15pm: Essendon v Richmond
      9. Sun 5:10pm: St Kilda v Western Bulldogs (last game)

      How coaches use the VC loophole

      Players lock when their own game starts. Until then you can move your captain and vice-captain, and if your captain does not play, your vice-captain's score counts double. That is the loophole.

      1. Vice-captain early. Put the VC on a premium from a green club, so you see the score before most of the round has played.
      2. Captain later. Put the C on another premium from a later club. If the VC scores well, you have time to move the C.
      3. A loophole player who plays last. On your bench, keep a cheap player from a red club who is not expected to score. If the VC's score is worth doubling, move the C onto him before his game starts.

      AFL Fantasy also has an emergency loophole: field a player who will not play, and a higher-scoring emergency from the same position counts instead. Emergencies never score double, even when covering a captain.

      That is why the cheapest bench spots at the clubs at the top of the "Clubs that play latest" list are worth planning in pre-season, and why your premiums' clubs decide which rounds you can loophole at all.

      In a private league, a captain is also a matchup call. If this week's opponent owns your captain too, the doubled score only cancels out. Fantasy League Lens shows who in your league owns which players, so you know whether your captain is cover or a difference.

      Plan the structure around it

      The free team structure builder checks a 2027 squad against the cap and the bye rounds, with no league needed. Use this page to choose which clubs your premiums and bench rookies come from.

      Loophole questions

      What is the VC loophole?

      Players lock when their own game starts, and until then you can move your captain and vice-captain. If your captain does not play, your vice-captain's score counts double. So you put the vice-captain on a premium who plays early, watch the score, and if it is good, move the captain onto a player who will not score in a later game.

      Why does the club my loophole player is at matter?

      The captain choice stays open only until your loophole player's game starts. A player at a club that plays on Sunday, or in the last game of the round, gives you the longest window to see your vice-captain's score and the other early results before you decide.

      Which clubs are best for a loophole player in 2027?

      In rounds 1 to 10 of the 2027 fixture, the clubs that play on Sunday or Monday most often are St Kilda in 7, Essendon in 6, and North Melbourne, Port Adelaide and Western Bulldogs in 5 each. Byes and rounds without confirmed times are not counted.

      Which clubs play early in the round in 2027?

      In rounds 1 to 10 of the 2027 fixture, the clubs that play Wednesday to Friday most often are Sydney in 7, and Adelaide, Brisbane, Carlton, Collingwood and Fremantle in 5 each. A premium from one of these clubs gives you a vice-captain score to judge before most of the round has played.

      When does the 2027 AFL season start?

      Round 1 opens on Wednesday 17 March 2027 with Sydney v Geelong at 7:30pm Melbourne time. Monday games in the confirmed rounds: round 2 (Geelong v Hawthorn, 29 March) and round 13 (Melbourne v Collingwood, 14 June).

      Does the loophole work in both AFL Fantasy and AFL SuperCoach?

      Both games use rolling lockout, where a player can be changed until his own game starts, and coaches use the captain loophole in both. AFL Fantasy's 2026 rules double the vice-captain's score when the captain does not play. Neither game had published its 2027 rules on 30 October 2026, so check them when each game opens.

      What changed for captains in AFL Fantasy in 2026?

      Under the 2026 AFL Fantasy rules, a captain who finishes below 50 per cent time on ground has the higher of the captain's and vice-captain's scores doubled. Emergencies never score double, even when covering a captain.

      Why do some rounds say time not set?

      The AFL publishes confirmed match times for the first part of the season and fills in the rest later. Until it does, those rounds have only indicative dates, so this page does not rank them. It is refreshed when the AFL confirms more times.

      Source: the AFL's 2027 fixture. Times are Melbourne time.

      Know who in your league owns your captain

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