While North will be delighted to have landed five Friday night games upon the release of the 2016 fixture, another challenge looms as a result – recovery.
The Roos play consecutive games in their traditional timeslot just once next season, with the remaining four fixtures coming off six-day breaks.
But that becomes an even greater factor when you consider they have three Saturday games following six-day breaks, and even a Thursday night game with limited rest.
In all, North has eight matches coming off just a six-day rest period, the equal-most in the AFL alongside Hawthorn.
Taking things to another level, Brad Scott’s team has back-to-back six-day breaks on three occasions, the most of any team.
At the elite level, where every second of recovery counts in a long season, it’s a quirk in the fixture that could perhaps be the Roos’ greatest challenge in 2016.
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Six-day breaks
Rounds 4-6
Round 4 v Fremantle – Sunday, April 17 – 4.40pm at Etihad Stadium
Round 5 v Gold Coast – Saturday, April 23 – 4.35pm at Metricon Stadium
Round 6 v Western Bulldogs – Friday, April 29 – 7.50pm at Etihad Stadium
Rounds 7-8
Round 7 v St Kilda – Sunday, May 8 – 3.20pm at Etihad Stadium
Round 8 v Essendon – Saturday, May 14 – 1.45pm at Etihad Stadium
Rounds 9-10
Round 9 v Carlton – Saturday, May 21 – 7.25pm at Etihad Stadium
Round 10 v Sydney – Friday, May 27 – 7.50pm at SCG
Rounds 12-14
Round 12 v Geelong – Saturday, June 11 – 7.25pm at Etihad Stadium
Round 13 v Hawthorn – Friday, June 17 – 7.50pm at Etihad Stadium
Round 14 v Adelaide – Thursday, June 23 – 7.20pm at Adelaide Oval
Rounds 16-18
Round 16 v West Coast – Sunday, July 10 – 1.20pm at Domain Stadium
Round 17 v Port Adelaide – Saturday, July 16 – 4.35pm at Etihad Stadium
Round 18 v Collingwood – Friday, July 22 – 7.50pm at Etihad Stadium
* All times listed are local.
