Geelong great Jimmy Bartel has revealed the AFL's plan to "rob" the NRL during its Las Vegas sojourn to start next season.
The NRL will head to the United States in the first week of March to kick off the 2024 season with a double-header at Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium in a bid to promote the league to a global audience.
Bartel, who is a director at the GWS Giants, revealed that the AFL is planning to capitalise on the NRL's attention being away from Sydney by hosting a number of marquee home games for both the Giants and Swans in the Harbour City during the early rounds.
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"While you go on holidays, we'll rob your house," he told Nine's Yesterday's Heroes podcast.
"We might be starting a week earlier next year. I think the AFL have genuinely looked at how the Giants and the Dogs went with only one practice game, and both sides did OK in round one.
"They were concerned about injuries and things like that. I think they'll move it forward by a week because we've got the extra round."
Bartel suggested that an early season marquee match-up could be between the Swans and Demons at the SCG, which could potentially be star ruckman Brodie Grundy's first game against his old side, should he secure a move to the Swans as has been widely reported.
The Giants director's comments come after Swans CEO Tom Harley, a former Geelong teammate of Bartel's, also urged the AFL to take advantage of the NRL being overseas.
"The key part for us is that the other states get a leg up. It shouldn't come as a surprise to hear that we missed some opportunities when it came to fixturing games here this year, and we all acknowledge it was a big miss," he told The Age earlier this year.
"Whether we bring the season forward and kick it off in Sydney or look at other blockbusters, that move should come after a really strong campaign across the Sydney market starting off at the back end of summer."
The NRL's Vegas double-header will be the first time matches for premiership points are contested outside of Oceania.
NRL boss Andrew Abdo confirmed the Broncos, Rabbitohs, Sea Eagles and Roosters as the four teams who would take the field in Vegas in an announcement last month.
The Roosters will take on the Broncos, while the Sea Eagles will face the Rabbitohs in the two matches.
"The 2024 Las Vegas matches will form part of an exciting 'Australia Week' in Las Vegas where we will be showcasing rugby league and Australia to the US market," Abdo said.
"We are now working collaboratively with the four clubs to finalise arrangements for the proposed matches in Las Vegas and make this a blockbuster event for fans by maximising travel, attendance and enjoyment of a unique rugby league experience.
"Rugby league will be on a stage which the sport has simply never been on before and we look forward to giving all clubs the opportunity in coming years."
The NRL is expected to release its full fixture for the 2024 season in November, while the AFL traditionally releases its fixture for the early rounds in December.
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