VERDICT
Despite missing the finals this year, Carlton is still a prime time club in 2013, playing five Friday night and six Saturday night matches, plus standalone Thursday night and Monday night games. From a football perspective, it's a dream fixture, with the Blues playing only one 2012 finals team (Collingwood) twice. The other return clashes are against St Kilda, Richmond, Essendon and Port Adelaide. New coach Mick Malthouse will face his old team the Magpies for the first time in round two.

CLUB REACTION
"We certainly have some challenges in the first four or five weeks, but you have to play every team once anyway, so it is great we will be able to get them out the way early. We also travel five times and to each state, which is certainly great for our interstate supporters, especially the prime time Friday night game against Sydney at the SCG in round 14." Carlton CEO Greg Swann.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Will start the season with Thursday night clash against Richmond at the MCG, which this year falls on Easter Thursday.
  • Scheduled to meet Collingwood in a Sunday afternoon blockbuster at the MCG in round two.
  • Once again will feature in the Monday night match against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium, in round seven post-Mother's Day.
  • Will play under lights on Friday night on five occasions, including a run of four consecutive Friday night matches mid-season (excluding the bye in round 13).
  • To play only one of the 2012 finalists twice - Collingwood.
  • Will not travel in consecutive weeks at any stage of the season, but will venture interstate for the final round to meet Port Adelaide in the last match for premiership points at AAMI Stadium.

To download a pdf version of the 2013 fixture, click here.

RDDATEOPPONENTVENUEH/A LOCAL TIME
1Thursday, March 28 RichmondMCGHome7.40pm
2Sunday, April 7 CollingwoodMCGAway3.15pm
3Saturday, April 13 Geelong CatsEtihad StadiumAway7.40pm
4Saturday, April 20 West Coast EaglesPatersons StadiumAway5.40pm
5Saturday, April 27 Adelaide CrowsMCGHome4.40pm
6Sunday, May 5 MelbourneMCGHome3.15pm
7Monday, May 13St KildaEtihad StadiumAway7.40pm
8Sunday, May 19 Port AdelaideEtihad StadiumHome1.10pm
9Saturday, May 25 Brisbane LionsGabbaAway7.40pm
10Saturday, June 1 GWS GIANTSEtihad StadiumHome1.45pm
11Friday, June 7 EssendonMCGAway7.50pm
12Friday, June 14 HawthornEtihad StadiumHome7.50pm
13Bye    
14Friday, June 28 Sydney SwansSCGAway7.50pm
15Friday, July 5 CollingwoodMCGHome7.50pm
16Saturday, July 13 St KildaEtihad StadiumHome7.40pm
17Friday, July 19 North MelbourneEtihad StadiumAway7.50pm
18Saturday, July 27 Gold Coast SUNSMetricon StadiumAway1.45pm
19Saturday, August 3 FremantleEtihad StadiumHome7.40pm
20Saturday, August 10 Western BulldogsEtihad StadiumHome4.40pm
21Saturday, August 17 RichmondMCGAway1.45pm
22Saturday, August 24 EssendonMCGHome7.40pm
23TBCPort AdelaideAAMI StadiumAwayTBC