WHAT’S GOOD AND WHAT’S BAD IN YOUR CLUB’S 2018 AFL DRAW
The AFL has released the much-anticipated 2018 fixtures. Here are some of the positives and negatives for each club:
ADELAIDE
Good: Seven of first 11 games at Adelaide Oval, including the grand final rematch against Richmond.
Bad: Consecutive six-day breaks ahead of crunch midyear games against Richmond and Geelong.
Teams played twice: Richmond, Greater Western Sydney, Port Adelaide, Melbourne, Carlton.
BRISBANE
Good: A good stretch of home games either side of the bye.
Bad: No Friday night games and just one game broadcast nationally on free-to-air TV.
Teams played twice: Gold Coast, Greater Western Sydney, Collingwood, North Melbourne, Hawthorn.
CARLTON
Good: A remarkable four Friday night games, despite finishing 15th last season and being unlikely to make significant gains next year.
Bad: Seven six-day breaks, including two in a row before their midyear bye.
Teams played twice: Gold Coast, Collingwood, Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, Fremantle.
COLLINGWOOD
Good: Should beat all of Fremantle, Carlton and Brisbane twice, plus lucrative MCG games against Victorian rivals.
Bad: Just four days to recover from their Anzac Day clash with Essendon before facing premiers Richmond.
Teams played twice: Richmond, Essendon, Fremantle, Carlton, Brisbane.
ESSENDON
Good: A relatively easy end to the season should help their finals chances.
Bad: Like Collingwood, the Bombers face a four-day break after the Anzac Day game.
Teams played twice: Richmond, Port Adelaide, Hawthorn, Collingwood, Fremantle.
FREMANTLE
Good: Four of their first six games at the new Perth Stadium after buying the rights to a Gold Coast ‘home’ game.
Bad: Very much off-Broadway with no Friday night games and just three broadcast nationally on free-to-air TV.
Teams played twice: West Coast, Port Adelaide, Essendon, Collingwood, Carlton.
GEELONG
Good: Nine games at the redeveloped Kardinia Park and no games outside of Victoria for the final six weeks of the season.
Bad: Consecutive away games against Adelaide and Sydney will test them.
Teams played twice: Melbourne, Hawthorn, Gold Coast, Sydney, Richmond.
GOLD COAST
Good: Limited travel after the midyear bye. Just three six-day breaks.
Bad: Plenty of travel in the first two months, including trips to Shanghai and Perth, with Metricon Stadium unavailable.
Teams played twice: North Melbourne, Carlton, Brisbane, Melbourne, Geelong.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
Good: A soft start with Sydney their only top-eight opponent in the first six weeks.
Bad: Pretty unlucky to have just one Friday night game in the schedule.
Teams played twice: Sydney, St Kilda, Brisbane, West Coast, Adelaide.
HAWTHORN
Good: A good chance to bank points early with four straight games at the MCG.
Bad: Some tough double-ups, including a trip to the SCG to face Sydney in round 23.
Teams played twice: Geelong, Sydney, Essendon, St Kilda, Brisbane.
MELBOURNE
Good: Should get a big commercial boost from their Anzac Day eve clash against premiers Richmond.
Bad: Just one Friday night game despite continued improvement and star power.
Teams played twice: Adelaide, Geelong, Gold Coast, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs.
NORTH MELBOURNE
Good: Kept their prized Good Friday game, albeit against a different opponent.
Bad: Not much exposure with no Friday night games.
Teams played twice: Brisbane, Gold Coast, St Kilda, Sydney, Western Bulldogs
PORT ADELAIDE
Good: Plenty of night games at Adelaide Oval and another trip to Shanghai to face Gold Coast.
Bad: A potentially tricky final month with game against Adelaide, West Coast and Essendon.
Teams played twice: Adelaide, Essendon, Fremantle, Western Bulldogs, West Coast.
RICHMOND
Good: Back in prime time with five Friday night games after being granted none during their premiership year.
Bad: A five-day break after their Anzac Day eve clash with Melbourne.
Teams played twice: Adelaide, Geelong, Essendon, St Kilda, Collingwood.
ST KILDA
Good: Will cash in on a Good Friday game for the first time after being picked ahead of the Western Bulldogs to face North Melbourne.
Bad: Two consecutive six-day breaks after the bye, with six in total.
Teams played twice: Greater Western Sydney, Hawthorn, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Richmond.
SYDNEY
Good: A combined seven Thursday and Friday night games, including marquee clashes with Richmond and Hawthorn.
Bad: A whopping eight six-day breaks will test their fitness department.
Teams played twice: West Coast, Greater Western Sydney, Geelong, North Melbourne, Hawthorn.
WEST COAST
Good: Twelve games at the new Perth Stadium, including the season-opener against Sydney.
Bad: They would have liked more than two games at the MCG.
Teams played twice: Fremantle, Greater Western Sydney, Port Adelaide, Sydney, Western Bulldogs.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Good: Six of their first eight games at home and plenty of prime time clashes.
Bad: A huge snub to be replaced by St Kilda for the lucrative Good Friday game against North Melbourne.
Teams played twice: West Coast, Port Adelaide, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Carlton.