2016 AFL fixture: How each club fared

HOW EACH CLUB FARED IN THE 2016 AFL FIXTURE

ADELAIDE

Features

* Three games at the MCG

* Travel restricted to three states

* Only top six team to play no bottom six team twice

Comment

New Crows coach Don Pyke has been dealt a tough hand to start the season, with six of Adelaide’s first seven games against finalists.

BRISBANE

Features

* Host Collingwood and Hawthorn at the Gabba

* No Friday night matches

* Play 15 of 22 games on Saturday

Comment

The Lions have the benefit of no back-to-back six-day breaks and don’t travel interstate in successive weeks either.

CARLTON

Features

* No Friday night games

* Play at ANZ Stadium for the first time in the home and away season since 2003

* Play first premiership match in Tasmania

Comment

The Brendon Bolton era gets off to a tough start with matches against four finalists and two interstate trips in the first five rounds.

COLLINGWOOD

Features

* Play Essendon just once

* Don’t play outside Victoria in last six rounds

* Five Friday night matches

Comment

Collingwood travel interstate just five times and enjoy a six-game stretch at the MCG from round 9 to 15.

ESSENDON

Features

* Play no top six team twice

* Play Geelong in the inaugural Country Game

* Travel to South Australia and Western Australia twice

Comment

John Worsfold has been handed a reasonably friendly fixture, with the Dons are the only team not to play any of last year’s top six sides twice.

FREMANTLE

Features

* Visit the MCG just once

* Play Melbourne in Darwin in round 16

* Four home matches in last five rounds

Comment

The Dockers won’t find their 2016 flight schedule too taxing, with no back-to-back six-day breaks.

GEELONG

Features

* Blockbuster against Hawthorn on Easter Monday

* Play inaugural Country Game against Essendon

* Play six games under lights at Simonds Stadium

Comment

Geelong landed one of the better draws. They play 17 games in Victoria next year and only play one top six side twice.

GOLD COAST

Features

* Play one top six team (Fremantle)

* Play Western Bulldogs in Cairns

* No Friday night games

Comment

The Suns head to Launceston to face Hawthorn and travel to Simonds Stadium to take on the Cats. But they only play two teams from the top 12 twice.

GWS GIANTS

Features

* Host three matches in Canberra

* Steve Johnson to play against Geelong in round two

* Host Collingwood at Spotless Stadium

Comment

The Giants were much-improved last season and the down side of that is that they have a tougher draw next year as a result.

HAWTHORN

Features

* Easter Monday clash against Geelong

* Grand final rematch at the MCG in round two

* Only club to play two Thursday night matches

Comment

The reigning premiers take centre stage with six Friday night matches and two Thursday night clashes.

MELBOURNE

Features

* Play in Tasmania for the first time

* No Friday night games

* Play eight of the first 12 games at the MCG

Comment

The Demons can establish a solid foundation with plenty of matches at the MCG in the first half of the season.

NORTH MELBOURNE

Features

* Host first-ever Friday night AFL match in Tasmania

* Brent Harvey due to break Michael Tuck’s games record in round 19

* Play five Friday night games

Comment

North will be delighted with five Friday night games but their draw is right up there with Adelaide’s as one of the more demanding.

PORT ADELAIDE

Features

* Play just one top six team twice

* Start with three games at Adelaide Oval

* Travel to every state and territory in the country, except Tasmania

Comment

Port Adelaide have been given every chance to bounce back up the ladder. They only play this year’s top four teams once.

RICHMOND

Features

* Play Carlton once

* Play in Canberra – against GWS – for the first time

* Play first-ever Friday night game in Tasmania

Comment

Getting off to a decent start has been an issue for Damien Hardwick’s men but they only leave Victoria once in the first eight rounds.

ST KILDA

Features

* Celebrate 50th anniversary of 1966 premiership win in round three

* Pride Match against Sydney at Etihad Stadium

* No Friday night matches

Comment

Nick Riewoldt should play his 300th match in round two, which could prove a springboard into the season.

SYDNEY

Features

* Nine night matches

* Host Collingwood in round one

* First Pride Match for premiership points against St Kilda

Comment

Bit of a mixed bag for the Swans, who face some tricky road trips against Geelong at Simonds Stadium and North Melbourne in Hobart.

WEST COAST

Features

* Grand final rematch at the MCG in round two

* Three games at the MCG

* Three home matches in the first month of the season

Comment

The Eagles have a challenging travel schedule that includes an equal-high eight six-day breaks.

WESTERN BULLDOGS

Features

* Three Friday night games

* Play first seven games at Etihad Stadium

* Host Gold Coast in Cairns

Comment

The Bulldogs can get off to a flyer with their first seven games on the slick deck at Etihad Stadium.

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