A strong presence in prime-time highlights North Melbourne’s 2016 fixture released today.
North has been scheduled for 11 night games, including a return to its traditional time-slot, with five Friday night fixtures, plus a blockbuster Thursday night match in Round 14.
The Round 6 clash against the Bulldogs looms as an early-season blockbuster to open the round, with subsequent fixtures facing Sydney (Round 10), Hawthorn (Round 13) and Collingwood (Round 18) ensuring several high quality Friday night games.
But perhaps the mouth-watering clash of all looms in Hobart in Round 11; a Friday night game under lights at Blundstone Arena against Richmond the first of its kind in Tasmania.
The Roos start the season playing four of their first six games against interstate sides (Adelaide, Brisbane, Fremantle and Gold Coast), with games against the two Queensland teams away from home.
In total North will play eight matches outside Victoria, three of those in Hobart against Melbourne, Richmond and Sydney.
As well as travelling to Queensland to take on its respective sides, there are trips to the Harbour City to take on the Swans (Round 10), Adelaide (Round 14) to take on the Crows and Perth (Round 16) against the Eagles.
Perhaps the Roos’ toughest run comes in the middle part of the season; the Swans, Tigers, Cats, Hawks, Crows and Eagles and Power loom in a seven-week block.
The players will enjoy a significant break between the Adelaide and West Coast match-ups – 17 days in fact with a bye separating the two games.
North will again look to take advantage of its past success at Etihad Stadium, boasting 13 games at the venue, including runs of four matches in a row between rounds six and nine, and rounds 17 to 20.
The Round 23 floating fixture sees the Kangaroos pitted against the Giants at Etihad Stadium.
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2016 Fixture
RD | DATE | OPP | VENUE | H/A | TIME* | TV |
1 | Sat, Mar 26 | Adelaide | Etihad | H | 7.25pm | Fox |
2 | Sat, Apr 2 | Brisbane | Gabba | A | 3.35pm | Fox |
3 | Sun, Apr 10 | Melbourne | Blundstone | H | 1.10pm | Fox |
4 | Sun, Apr 17 | Fremantle | Etihad | H | 4.40pm | Fox |
5 | Sat, Apr 23 | Gold Coast | Metricon | A | 4.35pm | Fox |
6 | Fri, Apr 29 | Western Bull | Etihad | H | 7.50pm | 7 |
7 | Sun, May 8 | St Kilda | Etihad | A | 3.20pm | 7 |
8 | Sat, May 14 | Essendon | Etihad | A | 1.45pm | 7 |
9 | Sat, May 21 | Carlton | Etihad | H | 7.25pm | Fox |
10 | Fri, May 27 | Sydney | SCG | A | 7.50pm | 7 |
11 | Fri, Jun 3 | Richmond | Blundstone | H | 7.50pm | 7 |
12 | Sat, Jun 11 | Geelong | Etihad | A | 7.25pm | 7 |
13 | Fri, Jun 17 | Hawthorn | Etihad | H | 7.50pm | 7 |
14 | Thurs, Jun 23 | Adelaide | Adel Oval | A | 7.20pm | 7 |
15 | Bye | |||||
16 | Sun, Jul 10 | West Coast | Domain | A | 1.20pm | 7 |
17 | Sat, Jul 16 | Port Adelaide | Etihad | H | 4.35pm | Fox |
18 | Fri, Jul 22 | Collingwood | Etihad | A | 7.50pm | 7 |
19 | Sat, Jul 30 | St Kilda | Etihad | H | 7.25pm | 7 |
20 | Sat, Aug 6 | Western Bull | Etihad | A | 7.25pm | 7 |
21 | Sat, Aug 13 | Hawthorn | MCG | A | 2.10pm | Fox |
22 | Sat, Aug 20 | Sydney | Blundstone | H | 1.45pm | 7 |
23 | TBC | GWS Giants | Etihad | H | TBC | TBC |
* All times listed are local.
2016 Timeslots
TIMESLOT | HOME | AWAY | TOTAL |
Thurs night | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Fri night | 3 | 2 | 5 |
Sat afternoon | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Sat twilight | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Sat night | 3 | 2 | 5 |
Sun early | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Sun afternoon | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Sun twilight | 1 | 0 | 1 |
TBC | 1 | 1 | |
TOTAL | 11 | 11 | 22 |