The Port Adelaide Football Club has welcomed the 2009 AFL draw as an opportunity to further the club’s on and off field ambitions.

The Power will start and finish the home and away season at AAMI Stadium next year.

Chief Executive, Mark Haysman said the draw represented some good opportunities for Port Adelaide to maximise match-day attendances at AAMI and win games of football.

“Our research suggests our supporters want to see us play on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons and seven of eleven home games are in those timeslots,” Haysman said.

“While we do have a couple of trips to Perth along with games in Sydney, Brisbane and Darwin, these fixtures do give us the chance to get national exposure for our club.”

“From a football point of view we’re also relatively comfortable with a draw that sees us start and finish at home and play only three top eight sides from last season twice.”

The key features of Port Adelaide’s draw are:

  • Rounds 1 & 22 at AAMI Stadium v Essendon and North Melbourne respectively
  • 5 of first 8 games at AAMI Stadium
  • 5 of last 8 games at AAMI Stadium
  • 3 games at the MCG v Hawthorn (R4), Collingwood (R10), Melbourne (R15)
  • Home & Away fixtures v West Coast, Melbourne, Hawthorn, Adelaide, Fremantle, North Melbourne and Brisbane.

    Breakdown of Port Adelaide home games:

  • 1 Friday night
  • 1 Saturday afternoon
  • 3 Saturday night
  • 3 Sunday 12.40pm
  • 3 Sunday 2.40pm
  • 0 Sunday 4.10pm