Canberra has been wiped off the AFL's pre-season schedule as the code's powerbrokers look to avoid interstate travel ahead of the 2021 campaign's opening bounce.
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The GWS Giants were slated to play the Brisbane Lions at Manuka Oval on March 7 but all interstate games have been scrapped from the league's community series.
All clubs will now play one pre-season game in their home cities, with the Giants to face the Sydney Swans at the Sydney Showground Stadium on March 7.
It marks another upheaval of the AFL's plans for Canberra this year, with the pre-season fixture initially supposed to include the Giants and the Essendon Bombers.
But Canberra fans will still get to see the Giants in action during the regular season as the club enters the final year of a 10-year deal with the ACT government, with talks underway in the hope of striking another long-term agreement to play at Manuka Oval.
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The Giants will play the Melbourne Demons in round three on Sunday, April 4, with the opening bounce scheduled for 6.10pm.
They will return three weeks later for a Friday night blockbuster in round six against the Western Bulldogs on April 23 from 7.50pm.
The club's final outing in Canberra for the season comes against premiership contenders Port Adelaide in round 20 on Saturday, July 31.
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports journalist for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports journalist for The Canberra Times.
