2009 Fixtures Revealed

Xavi6

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=12&ContentID=104360

Four games on Anzac Day

24th October 2008, 9:30 WST

Fremantle will begin the 2009 AFL season with a home clash with the Western Bulldogs, while West Coast will travel to the Brisbane Lions after the season’s fixtures were released today.

The season will feature a non-public holiday Monday night game and four matches played on Anzac Day.

Collingwood and St Kilda will play on Monday night in round seven because the AFL wanted to avoid scheduling too many games on the previous Sunday, which is Mother’s Day.

Two games will also be played on Thursday nights next year.

But AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan said the league was yet to finalise its preference on new timeslots for when two new clubs come in over the next four years.

Anzac Day next year falls on a Saturday which means four games will be played including the traditional Collingwood-Essendon clash at the MCG, along with a twilight game in Launceston between Hawthorn and West Coast.

As was the case in 2008, Carlton and Richmond will open the season on a Thursday night.

The season starts on March 26.

Reigning premiers Hawthorn will play Geelong in a rematch of the 2008 grand final the following night.

The Hawks will again host four games in Launceston, against the Eagles, the Brisbane Lions, North Melbourne and St Kilda.

McLachlan said the AFL was pleased with its draw and had satisfied most of the requests from clubs and venues for a fair and equitable fixture.

All teams travel interstate at least four times and all will host home games against either the high-drawing Magpies or Bombers.

But the AFL will continue with its controversial scheduling system of having some clubs play each other twice before they meet others for the first time.

McLachlan defended the system, as he said it gave the AFL most flexibility in scheduling.

No teams will play each other twice in the opening 10 rounds.

The schedule will also reward teams which improved in 2008, by giving more Friday night games to the likes of Hawthorn, Carlton and Richmond.

But in contrast teams on the slide, such as Melbourne and Essendon, have received fewer clashes in the desired timeslot.

Geelong were pleased to get two home games at the MCG against big-drawing Victorian opponents next year, after getting no home matches at the competition’s biggest venue as the reigning premiers in 2008.

“Overall we are comfortable with the draw, which is never an easy exercise for the AFL,” said Cats CEO Brian Cook.

“We are excited to have home games at the MCG against Collingwood and Hawthorn, as last year we did not have an opportunity to draw 60,000-plus in any of our 11 home matches.

“ ... the draw is fair in its spread of games and we are happy that there are minimal short recovery periods for us.

“The main down side is that we had asked for nine home games at Skilled Stadium.

“However given the capacity at Skilled Stadium reduces to 24,000 next year due the redevelopment we understand the AFL’s decision.

“We will continue to push for nine home games here.”

Every team will play at least once on a Thursday or Friday night, with the exception of Sydney, due to the preference of the Seven Network, which broadcasts on Friday.

The AFL has again decided against scheduling a match on Good Friday but Collingwood and Geelong will play the night before.

The AFL will release its draw for the pre-season competition in coming weeks.

Xavi6

AFL fixtures 2008-09

Round 1

Thursday, March 26
Richmond vs. Carlton (MCG)

Friday, March 27
Hawthorn vs. Geelong (MCG)

Saturday, March 28
Collingwood vs. Adelaide (MCG)
Brisbane Lions vs. West Coast Eagles (Gabba)
St Kilda vs. Sydney Swans (Telstra Dome)

Sunday, March 29
Melbourne vs. North Melbourne (MCG)
Port Adelaide vs. Essendon (AAMI Stadium)
Fremantle vs. Western Bulldogs (Subiaco Oval)


Round 2

Friday, April 3
Adelaide vs. St Kilda (AAMI Stadium)

Saturday, April 4
Geelong vs. Richmond (Skilled Stadium)
Collingwood vs. Melbourne (MCG)
Carlton vs. Brisbane Lions (Telstra Dome)
Sydney Swans vs. Hawthorn (ANZ Stadium)

Sunday, April 5
Essendon vs. Fremantle (Telstra Dome)
Western Bulldogs vs. North Melbourne (MCG)
West Coast Eagles vs. Port Adelaide (Subiaco Oval)


Round 3

Thursday, April 9
Geelong vs. Collingwood (MCG)

Saturday, April 11
St Kilda vs. West Coast Eagles (Telstra Dome)
Brisbane Lions vs. Sydney Swans (Gabba)
Carlton vs. Essendon (MCG)

Sunday, April 12
Port Adelaide vs. Melbourne (AAMI Stadium)
North Melbourne vs. Hawthorn (Tesltra Dome)
Fremantle vs. Adelaide (Subiaco Oval)

Monday, April 13
Western Bulldogs vs. Richmond (Telstra Dome)


Round 4

Friday, April 17
Brisbane Lions vs. Collingwood (Gabba)

Saturday, April 18
Sydney Swans vs. Carlton (SCG)
Hawthorn vs. Port Adelaide (MCG)
St Kilda vs. Fremantle (Telstra Dome)
Adelaide vs. Geelong (AAMI Stadium)

Sunday, April 19
North Melbourne vs. Essendon (Telstra Dome)
Richmond vs. Melbourne (MCG)
West Coast Eagles vs. Western Bulldogs (Subiaco Oval)


Round 5

Friday, April 24
Port Adelaide vs. St Kilda (AAMI Stadium)

Saturday, April 25
Essendon vs. Collingwood (MCG)
Hawthorn vs. West Coast Eagles (Aurora Stadium)
North Melbourne vs. Richmond (Telstra Dome)
Fremantle vs. Sydney Swans (Subiaco Oval)

Sunday, April 26
Geelong vs. Brisbane Lions (Skilled Stadium)
Western Bulldogs vs. Carlton (Telstra Dome)
Melbourne vs. Adelaide (MCG)


Round 6

Friday, May 1
North Melbourne vs. Collingwood (Telstra Dome)

Saturday, May 2
Hawthorn vs. Carlton (MCG)
West Coast Eagles vs. Fremantle (Subiaco Oval)
Brisbane Lions vs. Essendon (Gabba)
Port Adelaide vs. Adelaide (AAMI Stadium)

Sunday, May 3
Sydney Swans vs. Richmond (SCG)
Melbourne vs. Geelong (MCG)
Western Bulldogs vs. St Kilda (Telstra Dome)


Round 7

Friday, May 8
Essendon vs. Hawthorn (Telstra Dome)

Saturday, May 9
Geelong vs. Sydney Swans (Skilled Stadium)
Richmond vs. Brisbane Lions (MCG)
North Melbourne vs. Port Adelaide (Telstra Dome)
Carlton vs. Fremantle (Gold Coast Stadium)

Sunday, May 10
Adelaide vs. Western Bulldogs (AAMI Stadium)
West Coast Eagles vs. Melbourne (Subiaco Oval)

Monday, May 11
Collingwood vs. St Kilda (Telstra Dome)


Round 8

Friday, May 15
Fremantle vs. Hawthorn (Subiaco Oval)

Saturday, May 16
Melbourne vs. Western Bulldogs (MCG)
Geelong vs. North Melbourne (Skilled Stadium)
Brisbane Lions vs. Adelaide (Gabba)
Sydney Swans vs. West Coast Eagles (ANZ Stadium)

Sunday, May 17
Port Adelaide vs. Richmond (AAMI Stadium)
Collingwood vs. Carlton (MCG)
St Kilda vs. Essendon (Telstra Dome)


Round 9

Friday, May 22
Geelong vs. Western Bulldogs (Telstra Dome)

Saturday, May 23
North Melbourne vs. Fremantle (Telstra Dome)
Adelaide vs. Carlton (AAMI Stadium)
West Coast Eagles vs. Collingwood (Subiaco Oval)
Richmond vs. Essendon (MCG)

Sunday, May 24
Sydney Swans vs. Port Adelaide (SCG)
St Kilda vs. Brisbane Lions (Telstra Dome)
Hawthorn vs. Melbourne (MCG)


Round 10

Friday, May 29
Carlton vs. West Coast Eagles (Telstra Dome)

Saturday, May 30
Western Bulldogs vs. Sydney Swans (Manuka Oval)
North Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions (Telstra Dome)
St Kilda vs. Melbourne (Gold Coast Stadium)
Fremantle vs. Richmond (Subiaco Oval)

Sunday, May 31
Adelaide vs. Hawthorn (AAMI Stadium)
Essendon vs. Geelong (Telstra Dome)
Collingwood vs. Port Adelaide (MCG)


Round 11

Friday, June 5
Richmond vs. Western Bulldogs (Telstra Dome)

Saturday, June 6
North Melbourne vs. St Kilda (Telstra Dome)
Brisbane Lions vs. Carlton (Gabba)
Port Adelaide vs. Fremantle (AAMI Stadium)

Sunday, June 7
Essendon vs. Adelaide (Telstra Dome)
Hawthorn vs. Sydney Swans (MCG)
West Coast Eagles vs. Geelong (Subiaco Oval)

Monday, June 8
Melbourne vs. Collingwood (MCG)


Round 12 (split round)

Friday, June 12
Carlton vs. St Kilda (Telstra Dome)

Saturday, June 13
Western Bulldogs vs. Port Adelaide (TIO Stadium)
Richmond vs. West Coast Eagles (Telstra Dome)

Sunday, June 14
Hawthorn vs. Brisbane Lions (Aurora Stadium)
Adelaide vs. North Melbourne (AAMI Stadium)

Friday, June 19
Essendon vs. Melbourne (Telstra Dome)

Saturday, June 20
Sydney Swans vs. Collingwood (ANZ Stadium)

Sunday, June 21
Fremantle vs. Geelong (Subiaco Oval)


Round 13

Friday, June 26
Essendon vs. Carlton (MCG)

Saturday, June 27
Collingwood vs. Fremantle (MCG)
Adelaide vs. Sydney Swans (AAMI Stadium)
Brisbane Lions vs. Melbourne (Gabba)
West Coast Eagles vs. Hawthorn (Subiaco Oval)

Sunday, June 28
Geelong vs. Port Adelaide (Skilled Stadium)
North Melbourne vs. Western Bulldogs (MCG)
St Kilda vs. Richmond (Telstra Dome)


Round 14

Friday, July 3
Collingwood vs. Essendon (MCG)

Saturday, July 4
Melbourne vs. West Coast Eagles (MCG)
Port Adelaide vs. Brisbane Lions (AAMI Stadium)
Richmond vs. Adelaide (Gold Coast Stadium)
Western Bulldogs vs. Hawthorn (Telstra Dome)

Sunday, July 5
Sydney Swans vs. North Melbourne (SCG)
St Kilda vs. Geelong (Telstra Dome)
Fremantle vs. Carlton (Subiaco Oval)


Round 15

Friday, July 10
Western Bulldogs vs. Collingwood (Telstra Dome)

Saturday, July 11
Sydney Swans vs. Essendon (SCG)
Carlton vs. Richmond (MCG)
Brisbane Lions vs. Geelong (Gabba)
Adelaide vs. Fremantle (AAMI Stadium)

Sunday, July 12
Hawthorn vs. North Melbourne (Aurora Stadium)
Melbourne vs. Port Adelaide (MCG)
West Coast Eagles vs. St Kilda (Subiaco Oval)


Round 16

Friday, July 17
Essendon vs. Western Bulldogs (Telstra Dome)

Saturday, July 18
Carlton vs. Sydney Swans (Telstra Dome)
Geelong vs. Melbourne (Skilled Stadium)
Collingwood vs. Hawthorn (MCG)
Fremantle vs. Brisbane Lions (Subiaco Oval)

Sunday, July 19
Port Adelaide vs. West Coast Eagles (AAMI Stadium)
Richmond vs. North Melbourne (MCG)
St Kilda vs. Adelaide (Telstra Dome)


Round 17

Friday, July 24
Carlton vs. Collingwood (MCG)

Saturday, July 25
Geelong vs. Hawthorn (MCG)
Fremantle vs. West Coast Eagles (Subiaco Oval)
Brisbane Lions vs. North Melbourne (Gabba)
St Kilda vs. Western Bulldogs (Telstra Dome)

Sunday, July 26
Melbourne vs. Sydney Swans (Manuka Oval)
Essendon vs. Richmond (MCG)
Adelaide vs. Port Adelaide (AAMI Stadium)


Round 18

Friday, July 31
North Melbourne vs. Carlton (Telstra Dome)

Saturday, August 1
Western Bulldogs vs. Fremantle (Telstra Dome)
Geelong vs. Adelaide (Skilled Stadium)
Sydney Swans vs. St Kilda (SCG)
Collingwood vs. Brisbane Lions (MCG)

Sunday, August 2
Melbourne vs. Richmond (MCG)
Port Adelaide vs. Hawthorn (AAMI Stadium)
West Coast Eagles vs. Essendon (Subiaco Oval)


Round 19

Friday, August 7
Carlton vs. Geelong (MCG)

Saturday, August 8
Western Bulldogs vs. West Coast Eagles (Telstra Dome)
Hawthorn vs. St Kilda (Aurora Stadium)
Essendon vs. Brisbane Lions (MCG)
Adelaide vs. Collingwood (AAMI Stadium)

Sunday, August 9
North Melbourne vs. Melbourne (Telstra Dome)
Richmond vs. Sydney Swans (MCG)
Fremantle vs. Port Adelaide (Subiaco Oval)


Round 20

Friday, August 14
Hawthorn vs. Adelaide (MCG)

Saturday, August 15
Richmond vs. Collingwood (MCG)
West Coast Eagles vs. North Melbourne (Subiaco Oval)
Brisbane Lions vs. Western Bulldogs (Gabba)
Sydney Swans vs. Geelong (ANZ Stadium)

Sunday, August 16
Melbourne vs. Fremantle (MCG)
Port Adelaide vs. Carlton (AAMI Stadium)
Essendon vs. St Kilda (Telstra Dome)


Round 21

Friday, August 21
Western Bulldogs vs. Geelong (Telstra Dome)

Saturday, August 22
Carlton vs. Melbourne (Telstra Dome)
Adelaide vs. West Coast Eagles (AAMI Stadium)
Brisbane Lions vs. Port Adelaide (Gabba)
Richmond vs. Hawthorn (MCG)

Sunday, August 23
St Kilda vs. North Melbourne (Telstra Dome)
Collingwood vs. Sydney Swans (MCG)
Fremantle vs. Essendon (Subiaco Oval)

Round 22

Friday, August 28
West Coast Eagles vs. Richmond (Subiaco Oval)

Saturday, August 29
Geelong vs. Fremantle (Skilled Stadium)
Hawthorn vs. Essendon (MCG)
Carlton vs. Adelaide (Telstra Dome)
Sydney Swans vs. Brisbane Lions (SCG)
Port Adelaide vs. North Melbourne (AAMI Stadium)

Sunday, August 30
Melbourne vs. St Kilda (MCG)
Collingwood vs. Western Bulldogs (Telstra Dome)