Watch every match of every round of the AFL Premiership Season LIVE and ad-break free during play on FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n SEVEN-YEAR FIRST AS ROOS UNLEASHED IN PRIME TIME<\/p>\n The rise of the Roos has been recognised and rewarded.<\/p>\n North Melbourne entered this season coming off six consecutive bottom-three finishes. It\u2019d won just 20 of its 130 games this decade.<\/p>\n While its 2026 list was more experienced, older and seemingly more stable, Kangaroos fans were hesitant to put expectations on their team to finally rise.<\/p>\n Ahead of Round 10, it\u2019s clear the Kangaroos have taken a step forward under coach Alastair Clarkson, sitting 12th on the ladder with a 4-5 record.<\/p>\n And it\u2019s been a significant enough stride for the AFL to hand North a return to prime time.<\/p>\n The Kangaroos first will face Collingwood at Marvel Stadium in Round 18. Excluding Good Friday twilight matches and a unique Gather Round timeslot in 2024, it\u2019ll be the Roos\u2019 first stand-alone prime time Friday night match since Round 20, 2019 \u2013 and just their second Friday night game overall this decade.<\/p>\n Harry Sheezel of the Kangaroos is congratulated by Jy Simpkin after kicking a goal. Picture: Quinn Rooney\/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n A month later, North will take on the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on a Thursday night. It\u2019ll be only the club\u2019s third Thursday night match in Melbourne this decade.<\/p>\n The Roos, ultimately, have lost four of their past three games to the Giants, Cats and Swans. And while Clarkson\u2019s team is now more mature, they\u2019ve often run out of puff by the back-end of seasons \u2013 a common theme of the Roos since 2020.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s something different about this Kangaroos version.<\/p>\n Despite sitting outside the top 10, the Roos are ranked seventh for points scored this season. <\/p>\n And while they\u2019ve lost most games than they\u2019ve won to date this year, they haven\u2019t been totally dismantled in any match. In fact, many believe they should\u2019ve beaten West Coast in Round 2 and the Giants in Round 7, while last weekend\u2019s eight-point loss to flag fancy Sydney was one that got away. They pushed a genuine premiership contender for four quarters, were within striking distance for the entire match and won inside 50s convincingly (67-51).<\/p>\n \u201cThey weren\u2019t far away (from beating Sydney) \u2026 it\u2019s just small margins in these games and they\u2019re moments as well,\u201d dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna told First Crack.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are not far away. But in saying they\u2019re not far away, they\u2019re still \u2018far away\u2019 from beating these top sides because of little moments.\u201d<\/p>\n The Swans, who are second in the premiership favourite market, feature in four prime time games \u2014 two on Thursday nights and two on Friday nights \u2014 as part of the latest fixture release. The Cats have been locked in for three Thursday night matches, as well as a Friday night clash at the MCG against Melbourne, which has emerged as a shock finals contender this year.<\/p>\n Fremantle, Western Bulldogs, Brisbane Lions, Adelaide Crows and Collingwood have all been scheduled into three prime time games.<\/p>\n Kingy calls out glaring Larkey issue | 01:55<\/p>\n SUPER SATURDAY HAWKS<\/p>\n Our Fox Footy commentators will be particularly familiar with Hawthorn\u2019s flag credentials by Round 22.<\/p>\n For of the Hawks\u2019 seven games between Rounds 16 and 22, five of them are exclusively live nationally on Fox Footy.<\/p>\n The Hawks have again emerged as a genuine premiership contender in 2026, sitting third on the ladder with a 6-2-1 record.<\/p>\n Headlined by the evergreen Jack Gunston and goalkicking wizard Nick Watson \u2013 who is the AFL\u2019s \u201cmost watchable player\u201d at the moment, according to Fox Footy\u2019s Jack Riewoldt \u2013 inside 50 and supported by a solid backline that includes Tom Barrass, Josh Battle, James Sicily and Blake Hardwick, the Hawks seem primed for another flag tilt, following semi-final and preliminary final appearances in the previous two seasons.<\/p>\n And their push towards finals will feature heavily on Super Saturday LIVE. <\/p>\n Hawks exclusively live nationally on Fox Footy (times AST)<\/p>\n Round 17: Hawthorn v Melbourne (Saturday \u2014 1.15pm)<\/p>\n Round 18: Carlton v Hawthorn (Saturday \u2014 7.35pm)<\/p>\n Round 19: Richmond v Hawthorn (Sunday \u2014 1.10pm)<\/p>\n Round 20: Hawthorn v Essendon (Saturday \u2014 4.15pm)<\/p>\n Round 21: Hawthorn v North Melbourne (Saturday \u2014 1.35pm)<\/p>\n Nick Watson of the Hawks celebrates a goal. Picture: James Wiltshire\/AFL Photos via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n Their other two matches are prime time fixtures against the Giants (Friday night in Round 16) and Brisbane (Friday night in Round 22).<\/p>\n While you\u2019d expect the AFL\u2019s third-placed team to be handed more prime time exposure, the fact five of Hawthorn\u2019s seven games between Rounds 16 and 22 are against sides currently in the bottom eight meant the league was always less likely to schedule it on Thursday and Friday nights.<\/p>\n Nonetheless, it looms as an important stretch of games for Sam Mitchell\u2019s side to solidify a potential top-four spot.<\/p>\n FALLEN BLUES MISS OUT<\/p>\n Of the 18 clubs, only five missed prime-time games.<\/p>\n One of those teams was Carlton.<\/p>\n A perennial prime time team for years, the Blues weren\u2019t handed any Thursday or Friday night games as part of Thursday\u2019s seven-round fixture release.<\/p>\n When the Opening Round to Round 15 fixture was released in November last year, Carlton was handed seven prime time games (including the Good Friday match with North Melbourne).<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778328248_636_poster-fallback.png\"\/)
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