The AFL has released its official 2008 Season Fixture at Melbourne’s Telstra Dome with positive results for all Brisbane Lions members and supporters next year.

The Gabba will taste big-time Friday night premiership football for the first time since Round 13 of 2001, when the Lions play Collingwood in a Round 2 modern rivalry blockbuster.

The Lions’ mortgage on Saturday nights will also continue with 14 matches in this timeslot, as well as three Saturday afternoon clashes, four Sunday afternoon games and the Friday night drawcard.

The Lions’ Victorian-based members and supporters have a slow start to the season as they won’t see their team in the flesh until Round 7 against Geelong at Skilled Stadium on Saturday 3 May. However, their fixture quickly heats up from then on with another Victorian fixture in the very next round – a goal-scoring shootout set down again for Carlton at Telstra Dome on Saturday 17 May.

Better yet, Victorian followers have been given consecutive MCG and Telstra Dome clashes in Rounds 14 and 15 against the Demons who haven’t played in Melbourne since Round 10 of 2000, and the new-look Bombers respectively.

The delay between Rounds 7 and 8 highlights the AFL’s introduction of two bye rounds in 2008. The players will earn a weekend’s rest on May 10-11 between Rounds 7 and 8 and on July 5-6 between Rounds 14 and 15 to recuperate for the middle then latter sections of the season.

Coincidentally, the two byes happen to split the Lions’ two consecutive interstate trips to Victoria, while the team’s late season away trifecta is split by its annual ‘The Duel’ derby against part-time Queenslanders the Kangaroos at Carrara’s Gold Coast Stadium in Round 18.

Brisbane Lions CEO Michael Bowers commented that the draw held some solid rewards.

“We’ve gained a genuine Friday night blockbuster against Collingwood in Round 2 at the Gabba instead of our traditional Easter Thursday night match,” Mr Bowers said.

“We also face the big guns of Sydney, Hawthorn, St Kilda and West Coast at home plus a big Western Bulldogs and Carlton double at the Gabba in Rounds 20 and 21.

“So overall, we’ll be looking to generate some real TV audience and crowd attendance records for these matches with our excellent relationship with the AFL’s official broadcasters.

“Equally importantly, Saturday night continues to be our match-day domain. So when Saturday night arrives we hope all our members and supporters are either barracking for us live at the game or watching us on the TV.

“From a team travel fatigue point of view, it’s good to have just one trip to Perth and Adelaide next season which are both out of the way by the end of Round 4.”

The Chief Executive did have some criticisms of the draw.

“Like we did in ‘07, we also lobbied for seven Victorian games in 2008 – namely six in Melbourne – for our southern members and supporters which was again knocked back by the AFL.

“So in return I would ask that the AFL increases its free-to-air national coverage of our young and exciting team in action to compensate our very patient Melbourne followers.”

In 2008 the Lions will travel to Aurora Stadium to play Hawthorn in Round 19. This represents their first match for premiership points in Tasmania since the 1997 merger. The Lions did play a pre-season game at Aurora back in 2004 while Fitzroy were one of the earlier pioneers of football in Tasmania having played a number of home matches at North Hobart Oval in the early 1990s.

Also of note, is that the Lions have a tough ‘top and tail’ to the season facing 2006 premiers West Coast away in Round 1 and 2005 premiers Sydney away in Round 22.

The Lions will play four of last year’s finalists twice: West Coast, Kangaroos, Hawthorn and Sydney while the Western Bulldogs, Carlton and Melbourne comprise the other double encounters. The Lions will only meet Richmond once in Round 17 when teams are normally into the return leg.

In another break with fixture tradition, the Lions will not participate in the regular Easter Thursday night match for the first time in five years.

As for having two bye rounds, the Brisbane Lions will adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach.

“It’s a brand new concept so it’s hard to know the outcome of having two bye rounds next year. It certainly gives players another opportunity to freshen up their energy levels and performances on the field during what is a very tough season,” Mr Bowers said.

“But will the fans just be itching over another weekend thinking we should just get on with the footy. I honestly don’t have an opinion on the double bye yet, but I think a lot will depend on your team’s run with injuries and their playing maturity.”

Matches by venue: Gabba – 11; Telstra Dome – 3; MCG – 2; Subiaco Oval, AAMI Stadium, Skilled Stadium, Gold Coast Stadium (Carrara), Aurora Stadium, SCG – all 1 each.

Matches by timeslot: Night – 15; Day – 7.

Matches by day: Saturday – 17; Sunday – 4; Friday – 1.

Teams played twice: Melbourne, West Coast, Kangaroos, Hawthorn, Western Bulldogs, Carlton, Sydney.