Adelaide
THE CROWS have been dealt a challenging fixture for 2009, with the club set to play grand finalists Hawthorn and Geelong twice, as well as top-eight teams St Kilda and Collingwood.

However, Adelaide will be buoyed by its travel schedule, which sees the club avoid consecutive weeks on the road for the first time in the club’s history.

Adelaide fans should also take heart in seeing that their team doesn’t face off with bogey side West Coast until round 21 and also that this particular fixture is set for AAMI Stadium.

Neil Craig’s men will play the standard 12 home games and will, again, travel to the home of football – the MCG – on three occasions.

The Crows play one game a-piece at Subiaco and the Gabba and will also travel to Gold Coast Stadium in round 14 to play Richmond in the Tigers' 'home' game.

Adelaide has the earliest-possible opportunity to avenge last season's elimination final loss to Collingwood with the first of two meetings between the sides set for Saturday night of round one at the MCG.

The Crows, who enjoyed a favourable start to the season in 2008, will then back up the clash against the Pies with tough games against St Kilda, Fremantle at Subiaco and Geelong at AAMI.

The first Showdown with cross-town rival Port Adelaide will be held on a Saturday night in round six with the second grudge match to take place in a Sunday twilight setting in round 17.

Adelaide, having finished the regular season at home in 2008, will travel in round 22 next year where a clash with Carlton awaits in the club’s one and only visit to Etihad Stadium (Telstra Dome).

Brisbane Lions
A TOUGH opening five rounds could set the tone for the Lions and new coach Michael Voss as the one-time power of the AFL competition looks to climb its way back into the top eight.

The Lions' draw has a similar look to the 2008 version, with 11 home matches scheduled at the Gabba.

Each of those home games will be played on a Saturday night, bar the Lions' only Friday night match of the year which is against Collingwood, as it was this year.

The round-four clash promises to be a blockbuster and comes amid a crucial early-season patch for Voss, whose team meets Carlton (away), the Sydney Swans (home), the Magpies and Geelong (away) between rounds two and five.

The Brisbane Lions, who play 18 Saturday games, make six trips to Melbourne – seven if one counts Skilled Stadium – for three games at the MCG and three at Telstra Dome.

Of last year’s finalists, the Lions play Adelaide, St Kilda, the Western Bulldogs and, importantly, Hawthorn, just once.

There are away trips to Adelaide, Launceston and Perth, while the Lions' season will conclude with a visit to the SCG – just as it did in 2008.

Carlton
BLUES officials would have liked what they saw when the AFL released next season's fixtures.

Despite having to travel interstate six times next year – up two from 2008 – the Blues look to have kicked a goal both on and off the field.

Carlton, with a list loaded with exciting youngsters, will be one of the prime-time teams of 2009.

Six Friday night matches, as well as the season's opening fixture on Thursday, March 26, will showcase the talent at Visy Park.

The Blues will play eight matches at both the MCG and Etihad Stadium (Telstra Dome), and Brett Ratten's men will be under the bright lights more than they have been accustomed to in recent years.

Three consecutive Friday night clashes – from rounds 17-19 – stand out on the draw as the Blues will be hoping to make their charge at the finals, with each match against teams that loom as high-quality opposition.

While it's difficult to predict what might happen in the 2009 season, the Blues appear to be well-placed when considering which clubs they are drawn to meet just once next season.

Of this year’s finalists, Carlton plays the eventual top four from 2008 – Hawthorn, Geelong, the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda – only once, while they also meet the ever-competitive North Melbourne on just one occasion.

They also have home games at the MCG against Essendon, Richmond, Collingwood and Geelong – which will please the club accountants.

Collingwood
THE MAGPIES have emerged as the AFL's most versatile side in next year's fixture, set to play games across five days of the week.

The Pies' fixture, while not differing too greatly from 2008 as far as venue ratio is concerned, will play matches on days ranging from Thursday to Monday in 2009.

The crowd-drawing side will face Geelong in an away game at the MCG on Easter Thursday, and will play two Monday matches throughout the season.

The first will come in round seven against St Kilda at Telstra Dome, in a new innovation introduced by the AFL that will see the two sides face off in a Monday night game the day after Mothers' Day.

The second Monday match will be the Pies' traditional Queen's Birthday clash with Melbourne, which is an away game for the club.

In addition, the Magpies have five Friday night games (down from seven), 10 Saturday games and four Sunday matches.

They play 14 games at the MCG and four at Telstra Dome, while supporters will be required to travel interstate just four times – as was the case in 2008.

Trips will include one to the Gabba (round four), one to Subiaco (round nine v West Coast), one to ANZ Stadium (round 12 – second week of split round blockbuster with the Sydney Swans), and one to AAMI Stadium (round 19 v Adelaide).

The Pies retain their blockbuster Anzac Day clash with Essendon, which is the Bombers' home game and on a Saturday. The AFL has ensured it will hold its marquee status by scheduling it as the only 2.10pm start.

Collingwood will play fellow 2008 top eight sides Adelaide, the Swans and the Bulldogs twice, while it will face Geelong, Hawthorn, North Melbourne and St Kilda once.

Fans will also have to wait until round 20 for the Pies' only clash with Richmond.

Essendon
THE DONS have fared reasonably well from the 2009 fixture, not appearing to suffer greatly from a couple of seasons at the lower end of the AFL ladder.

Matthew Knights' team will make one less appearance in Melbourne next year, with the Bombers to play 17 games in Victoria – nine at Telstra Dome and eight at the MCG.

Among scheduled blockbuster clashes are home matches against Hawthorn and Geelong – both at Telstra Dome – while Carlton and the annual Dreamtime match with Richmond will be showcase matches at the MCG.

The Anzac Day clash will again be a feature of Essendon’s season.

April 25 falls on a Saturday next year, however, the AFL has scheduled the annual Essendon-Collingwood as the only match of the afternoon to allow for maximum exposure.

The Bombers will get a chance to earn more frequent flyer points in 2009, with five interstate trips booked as opposed to four this year.

After kicking off the season with an away journey to Port Adelaide, two trips to Subiaco late in the season will ensure a tough closing for the men in red and black.

A few more Sunday matches are also a feature, that number rising to 10 (from seven) in 2009.

However, from a football perspective, Dons fans should be relatively pleased. Of this year's finalists only Hawthorn, Collingwood and St Kilda loom twice.

Fremantle
FOR THE second straight season Fremantle fans will get to see their side at least every second week, with 12 games at Subiaco Oval in 2009.

Fremantle gets the chance to open its season in style when it plays at home against preliminary finalist the Western Bulldogs.

The following week it travels to Etihad Stadium, formerly Telstra Dome, to take on Essendon – one of four trips there – and Mark Harvey’s side will be out to vastly improve on its recent record at the Docklands venue.

The headline matches of any Fremantle season – the two derbies against West Coast – will be in rounds six and 17, with Freo to host the return bout.

Fremantle is also one of six clubs to play at Gold Coast Stadium next year. Carlton will host the clash at Carrara in round seven in what is likely to be neutral territory.

Harvey's team will also see more on Saturdays, taking the field for 13 as opposed to the nine they played last year.

A disappointing 2008 season is perhaps reflected by one Friday night match, however, that will be against reigning premier Hawthorn (round eight).

The traditional Anzac Day clash – the Len Hall Match – will be retained, with the Sydney Swans the opponents following a footy-filled Saturday in round five.

Of this year's finalists, Fremantle plays the Western Bulldogs, Adelaide and Geelong twice – including a trip to the Cattery to round off their home and away season.

Geelong
A SLICE of the blockbuster pie is perhaps Geelong’s biggest win from the 2009 AFL fixture, while the Cats will also be part of Easter Thursday footy for the first time.

Mark Thompson and his men will play Collingwood the night before Good Friday in a match certain to have the MCG rocking, with the Cats getting to host the only game between the two clubs next season.

The Cats will help kick-off the opening round when they take on Hawthorn at the MCG on the Friday night of round one, while they get to host the Hawks at the same venue in round 17 – another match likely to draw a huge crowd.

Geelong still has eight matches at its home fortress of Skilled Stadium, while it plays five games at the MCG and four at Telstra Dome. Just one of its matches at the Docklands venue is a home game – that being the round nine clash with the Western Bulldogs on a Friday night.

Cat fans taking a quick glimpse at the draw may be alarmed to see back-to-back matches at Subiaco – two of Geelong’s five interstate travels for the season – however they are broken up by the split round.

Other interstate trips include AAMI Stadium (Adelaide), the Gabba (Brisbane Lions) and ANZ Stadium (Sydney Swans).

The Cats have a reduced number of Friday night and Saturday games and after playing just four Sunday matches in 2008, will have seven next season.

Like 2008, the Cats finish their home-and-away campaign with a Skilled Stadium outing.

Hawthorn
THE PREMIER has been rewarded for its superb rise to the top of the tree with what looks to be a nice draw from a football and financial perspective.

The Hawks will again have 11 home matches with four of those at Launceston's Aurora Stadium.

However, they kick off their season with a grand final replay under lights at the MCG, the scene of their 2008 triumph against Geelong.

Other home game blockbusters include MCG clashes with Carlton in round six and a round 22 showdown with Essendon.

Perhaps the most intriguing of their Tasmanian schedule is the Anzac Day clash with the West Coast Eagles, with the League giving it a 5.10pm twilight timeslot.

Other Aurora Stadium matches are against the Brisbane Lions (round 12), North Melbourne (round 15) and St Kilda (round 19).

Apart from its ventures over Bass Strait, Hawthorn travels interstate five times, making two trips to both Subiaco and Adelaide, while Alastair Clarkson and his men will also make a rare appearance at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium in round two.

Of 2008's top eight sides, Hawthorn meets Geelong, the Swans, North Melbourne and Adelaide twice, but finishes with their final three games of the year on home turf at the MCG.

Melbourne
THE DEMONS would no doubt have liked more Saturday home matches in its 2009 premiership campaign, but perhaps their recent disappointing run didn't help their cause.

From a purely football perspective, Melbourne looks to have fared OK with the League's release of the official fixture.

The Demons will kick off their season with a home clash against North Melbourne on the first Sunday of the season.

The draw has Melbourne playing plenty of daytime football, with just one Friday night appearance and two other night games, and 17 of its matches will be played in Victoria.

The Dees will play interstate five times in 2009 with one of those matches a home game against the Sydney Swans at Manuka Oval in round 17.

The remaining road trips see them visit Queensland twice – to play the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba and the Saints at Gold Coast Stadium – as well as Adelaide for a clash with the Power and Subiaco where the Eagles will host a round seven match-up.

Of this year's finalists Melbourne will play the Kangaroos, Collingwood, Geelong and the Saints twice, with the second clash with St Kilda a Sunday home fixture to finish the regular season.

In a quirk of the fixture the Demons will not meet Carlton until round 21 next season after having only played the Blues once in 2008 – that being back in round five.

The Queen's Birthday blockbuster against Collingwood remains (and is a home match for Melbourne) with the Dees' only Friday night appearance coming in the second week of the split round in June against Essendon at Telstra Dome – one of just three games that weekend.

In addition to the Friday night and Queen's Birthday Monday matches, Melbourne plays on Saturday seven times and on Sunday for the remaining 13, with two twilight games scheduled.

North Melbourne
THE ROOS travel interstate six times in 2009 but don't leave Victoria until round 12.

They play 11 matches at Etihad Stadium, formerly Telstra Dome, and four at the MCG, and should look to capitalise on their Melbourne-weighted start to next season if they hope to be a major contender come the finals.

North Melbourne opens its season with two matches at the home of football, against Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs.

Then comes five straight home matches at Telstra Dome – four against some of Melbourne's biggest clubs – in what looms as a crucial period of their season.

In fact, eight of the Roos' nine matches between rounds three and 11 are at Etihad, giving them a great chance establish themselves in the top eight ahead of the halfway mark of the year.

North had its woes on the road in 2008 but won’t have to worry about boarding a flight until it takes on Adelaide at AAMI Stadium in round 12.

From there the Roos can leave their suitcases half-packed, given their busy schedule in the second half of the year.

Trips to the SCG (round 14), Aurora Stadium (round 15), the Gabba (round 17), Subiaco Oval (round 20) and AAMI Stadium again (round 22) make for a challenging run home.

Dean Laidley won't mind his draw against 2008's other top eight sides, with the Roos to square off twice against St Kilda, Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs – quality sides but ones they have a decent record against.

Port Adelaide
THE POWER, having slipped to 0-4 after a tough start last season, should be more optimistic about their opening few weeks in the 2009 fixture.

The Power will take on fellow 2008 bottom-eight sides Essendon, West Coast and Melbourne in their first three games, with two of the three to be played at AAMI Stadium.

Choco's charges will play the standard 12 home games next season, but will go cross-country in their remaining away games. Port Adelaide, again, faces two trips across the Nullarbor and will also journey to the SCG, TIO Stadium (Darwin), the Gabba and Skilled Stadium in Geelong.

The Power's marketing department won't be impressed with the rise in Sunday games from 10 last year to 13 in 2009, or the drop in the number of Thursday/Friday night games from two to just one next year (against St Kilda at AAMI Stadium in round five).

But Port Adelaide fans should enjoy the fact their side will tackle just three of last year's top-eight sides –Hawthorn, Adelaide and North Melbourne – twice, while also playing two matches against cellar dwellers Melbourne, Fremantle and West Coast twice.

The Power will also get the chance to become reacquainted with the MCG, where they will play three games in 2009, after venturing there just once last year.

Port Adelaide will host the first Showdown next season – a Saturday night blockbuster in round six – with the re-match in round 17.

The Power will round out the regular season against North Melbourne at home in round 22 and, travel and Sunday issues aside, should feel reasonably confident in their fixture.

Richmond
THE TIGERS look to have kicked a goal, scoring some blockbuster matches and faring reasonably when looking at who they play how many times in 2009.

While the past counts for little heading into a new season, Richmond only faces three finalists twice – those three clubs being the Western Bulldogs, North Melbourne and the Sydney Swans.

The Tigers again kick off the new season against Carlton at the MCG – that match being one of four high-profile encounters on their calendar.

Richmond will also host Essendon in the annual Dreamtime at the 'G game (round nine), as well as Collingwood (20) and Hawthorn (21).

All four matches will help the Tigers' bottom line, while those two late-season clashes are the only times Terry Wallace's men have to face both the Magpies and Hawks during the home and away season.

Richmond plays 11 games at the MCG, with seven straight between rounds 15 and 21, which could encourage a run close to the finals.

There are also five games at Etihad Stadium, formerly Telstra Dome, and five interstate.

One of those road trips is a 'home' match at Gold Coast Stadium, hosting Adelaide in round 14.

An early-season highlight is an Easter Monday clash with the Bulldogs, however, the majority of the club's clashes are on Saturday.

Ten games are on Saturday and eight on Sunday, while the Tigers will feature in Friday night football twice – including the final round of the year when they must travel to Subiaco to take on the West Coast Eagles.

St Kilda
THE SAINTS have done well out of the 2009 fixture, with 15 games at the soon-to-be Etihad Stadium, (Telstra Dome).

The side should expect a strong start to the season with 11 of their first 14 games at their home ground, including two blocks of four games in a row.

But on the flip side, Ross Lyon's team does have six trips interstate, including a home game against Melbourne at the Gold Coast in round 10.

The Saints will play four Sunday twilight games and will also take on Collingwood in a Monday night game on the Mother's Day weekend.

The Saints play Geelong, Hawthorn and Collingwood just once each, with the Hawks clash coming in round 19 in what is sure to be one of the biggest games held at Aurora Stadium.

As in 2008, the Sydney Swans will take on the Saints in the season opener in a Saturday night clash at Etihad Stadium.

St Kilda has three Friday night games, two of which are in Adelaide.

One odd feature of the St Kilda fixture is its sole home and away appearance at the MCG – against Melbourne in round 22.

Sydney Swans
THE SWANS' 2009 premiership campaign will start the same way 2008 did, with a clash against St Kilda at Telstra Dome in Melbourne.

The difference is the arena will be known as Etihad Stadium by then after a new sponsorship deal was announced on Thursday, but the Swans will also be keen to make sure the result is different as well after suffering a two-point loss in last year's opening round.

The finale of the Swans' 2009 season is also eerily similar to 2008, with the Brisbane Lions again set down to visit the SCG in round 22.

Paul Roos' side is the only team in the league that doesn't play on a Thursday or Friday, with the Swans locked in for 15 Saturday matches and seven Sundays.

The Swans face a tough task in playing 2008 top-four sides Hawthorn, Geelong and St Kilda twice while also meeting fellow finalists and apparent bogey side Collingwood on two occasions.

The Swans again meet the Magpies during the split round, with the round 12 clash likely to be played in front of a bumper crowd at ANZ Stadium.

Four home games will be played at the larger venue, with the Hawks, Eagles and Cats all set to visit, with the remaining seven at the SCG.

Like all non-Victorian sides, the Swans will travel extensively next season.

Of their 11 away fixtures three are at the MCG, but two are relatively short hops to Canberra where they play the Demons and the Bulldogs at Manuka Oval.

West Coast
THE EAGLES have avoided one of the AFL’s toughest assignments by not having to play Geelong at Skilled Stadium in 2009.

It will be the first time since 2004 that the Eagles will not have to make the laborious plane/bus trip to take on the rampaging Cats.

The Eagles have four games at Etihad Stadium (formerly Telstra Dome) and one at the MCG. They will also be on the road for two games in Adelaide, one in Sydney, one in Launceston and one in Brisbane.

But the huge trip to Queensland, the longest in the AFL, will be over and done with in the first round, with the Eagles taking on the Brisbane Lions on a Saturday night in the season opener.

The match against Hawthorn at Aurora Stadium looks set to be the first blockbuster match Tasmania has hosted.

The two will meet at the twilight time of 5.10pm on Anzac Day, which is sure to attract a full house.

West Coast’s two derby matches against Fremantle are in round six and 17, while Carlton’s Chris Judd takes on his former side under the Friday night lights at Etihad Stadium in round 10.

Of the 2008 finalists only the Hawks, St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs play the Eagles twice.

West Coast doesn’t play North Melbourne or Adelaide until round 20 and 21 respectively.

Western Bulldogs
THE BULLDOGS have been given every opportunity by the AFL to avoid a third-straight end of season fade out, with a favourable fixture running into the 2009 finals.

The Bulldogs have eight of their final nine games scheduled at Telstra Dome next year, and will have the brunt of their interstate travel done before the season's split round.

Again, the Doggies will rack up plenty of frequent flyer miles with six interstate trips (down from seven in 2008), but will have five of them out of the way by round 12.

They kick off their season on the road, meeting Fremantle at Subiaco. Three weeks later, the Dogs will return to Perth to face West Coast before travelling to Adelaide in round seven to play the Crows.

Then, they will play two home games against the Sydney Swans (at Manuka Oval) and Port Adelaide (at TIO Stadium) in rounds 10 and 12, before their final trip comes in round 20 against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba.

It is a nice change for the Dogs, who were on the road three times in the final five rounds this year.

In addition, the Bulldogs will play 13 Telstra Dome games (up from 12 in 2008) and three at the MCG (also up by one).

Their strong showing this season has also increased their Friday night games from three to five, while they'll play eight on Saturdays, eight on Sundays, and an Easter Monday blockbuster with Richmond at Etihad Stadium (Telstra Dome).

From this year's finalists, the Dogs will play North Melbourne, St Kilda, Geelong and Collingwood twice, while they'll face Adelaide, the Sydney Swans and Hawthorn once.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.