THE TWO Opening Round matches scheduled for Queensland this weekend have been postponed due to the tropical cyclone that is set to hit the state's south coast.

Brisbane's match against Geelong at the Gabba on Thursday night and Gold Coast's game against Essendon at People First Stadium on Saturday afternoon will now be played later in the season, with those details yet to be determined by the AFL.

It means the League's Opening Round this weekend will consist of just two matches; Sydney and Hawthorn will open the season at the SCG on Friday night before Greater Western Sydney will host Collingwood on Sunday.

The decision was confirmed by the AFL on Tuesday afternoon.

Suns, Bombers ready for postponement, Fagan calls for safety first

BRISBANE coach Chris Fagan has urged the AFL to postpone Thursday night's Opening Round against Geelong, saying the safety of people must come before a game of football.

The Lions are due to unfurl their 2024 premiership flag at a sold-out Gabba this week, but with Tropical Cyclone Alfred expected to batter south east Queensland in coming days, the contest is in grave doubt.

AFL.com.au's Cal Twomey is reporting Gold Coast and Essendon are preparing for their match at People First Stadium on Saturday afternoon to be postponed.

The AFL is expected to make a statement about both games this afternoon.

Speaking before his side's main training session on Tuesday morning, Fagan said the match should be pushed to round three, when both teams currently have a bye.

"I'm a people first person," Fagan said.

"It's not a tropical thunderstorm, it's a cyclone. I have never been in one, so I don't know what to expect. But I've seen the carnage they've caused at different periods in Australian history.

"I'm not too keen on the idea of things going ahead if it's going to be like that. It can't, can it?

"The sooner the decision’s made the better."

With Brisbane players and staff preparing to bunker down on the home front with sandbags and other preparations, Fagan said "it's just a game of football".

"The safety of family and friends and staff and fans is the priority, so that's why common sense has to prevail and we look after that group of people.

"We've got some staff that live on the coastline, which is always a bit more of a worry.

"Boys with young families ... we've just got to look after the welfare of people first and foremost."

Fagan said Brisbane was preparing "as usual" to face the Cats until it heard otherwise.

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said on Monday that the League was waiting for more certainty about the cyclone's movements before making a decision on the scheduling of matches, noting that health and safety was the AFL's No.1 consideration. 

"The deadline will be when we know actually what is going to happen. At the moment, there are forecasts and those forecasts have changed. When we're absolutely 100 per cent confident about what's going to happen, we'll make a call then," he said at the launch of Opening Round in Sydney

"Weather patterns are unpredictable. The health and safety of our players and fans will be the number one priority in every decision we make."

Geelong coach Chris Scott also wanted a decision from the AFL ahead of some Cats players due to fly to Queensland later on Tuesday.

"We do need to know," Scott told SEN radio on Tuesday morning.

"Even in principle, the idea of getting on a plane and flying into the eye of a cyclone doesn’t sound like a great idea."