Melbourne vs. Collingwood round 1? That would be as big a test as this club has probably seen ever in its history.

1. Club recently out of debt. New rebranding.

2. Playing against easily the biggest sports club in the Australia - maximum exposure on the big stage.

The big test would come in that this would be a Collingwood home game (because Queen's Birthday is ours) and so the Pies brand will be spread everywhere. The only way we'd at least make some ground is if we win and win well, which we could. But the flag unveiling would be quite the intimidation factor, especially with the crowd.

It's a brilliant opportunity, but oh so tragically the big test we might not be ready for just yet. Our brand can either benefit more from a single game of football than we ever have in our history, or fail miserably and the current brand remains intact anyway, as a new brand with minimum exposure.

But it won't happen. I think they'll put the Pies against a weaker club. The AFL wants this to be an all-Pies affair. There's no way the Eagles would upstage Collingwood at the MCG on a Saturday night. Brand Collingwood and the AFL would benefit most from a Pies win, and the AFL considers this when making the fixture, especially for round 1. They want Collingwood to be the LA Lakers of AFL. I don't imagine they'd put us up against them. If it would be a Melbourne team, it would be more of a modern day rival, like Bulldogs, or even Geelong.

i just wish theyd put all the clubs a hat and have an actual draw ffs

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/collingwood-flies-flag-in-season-opener/story-e6frf9jf-1225944407348

According to this link we will play sydney away round 1. Also can someone explain why we are playing port in darwin as the away team. Didnt we sign up to play a home game in darwin for some years?

think we are home team 2012 in darwin

Could have sworn Port signed up to play more games in Darwin, but always be the away team, with us and the doggies taking turns being the home team.

Not sure how Richmond became involved.

Could have sworn Port signed up to play more games in Darwin, but always be the away team, with us and the doggies taking turns being the home team.

Not sure how Richmond became involved.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/melbourne-demons-richmond-tigers-join-western-bulldogs-in-darwin/story-e6freck3-1225788361079

The Northern Territory government announced Darwin would host 10 AFL matches over the next five years as part of an $8 million deal.

The Bulldogs, Melbourne and Richmond will rotate as the home side, with each club to host two matches over the three-year period.

Port Adelaide will be the away side in both Top End matches for the next three years, with the club aiming to make Darwin its "home away from home".

The Hun confirms today that we play Sydney in Round 1 but that the game's in Sydney. Collingwood takes on Port Adelaide at the G and the paper says the Pies play more games there than any other club. What a surprise?

It's comforting to know that by round 1 we will probably have played away to more interstate teams than Collingwood does all year round.

The Hun confirms today that we play Sydney in Round 1 but that the game's in Sydney. Collingwood takes on Port Adelaide at the G and the paper says the Pies play more games there than any other club. What a surprise?

It's comforting to know that by round 1 we will probably have played away to more interstate teams than Collingwood does all year round.

From the point of view of a Sydney based supporter, that is good news as we haven't had the Dees play here for the past two years; can't wait!

The Hun confirms today that we play Sydney in Round 1 but that the game's in Sydney. Collingwood takes on Port Adelaide at the G and the paper says the Pies play more games there than any other club. What a surprise?

It's comforting to know that by round 1 we will probably have played away to more interstate teams than Collingwood does all year round.

I wouldn't say it's confirmed yet. Kinda disappointing if true though, I've been looking forward to that being a home game since I read it a couple of days ago.

Having said that I heard months ago that we were down for travel in Round 1 so it's not the biggest surprise.

The Hun confirms today that we play Sydney in Round 1 but that the game's in Sydney. Collingwood takes on Port Adelaide at the G and the paper says the Pies play more games there than any other club. What a surprise?

It's comforting to know that by round 1 we will probably have played away to more interstate teams than Collingwood does all year round.

Damn fixtures.

I suppose we had a nice start last year. but do we have to get lumped with interstate trips for the NAB Crap and Round 1?

Nothing legible I can add here except biased frustration.

have we ever had a round 1 home game?

Damn fixtures.

I suppose we had a nice start last year. but do we have to get lumped with interstate trips for the NAB Crap and Round 1?

Nothing legible I can add here except biased frustration.

Well, consider what it's like for us Sydney based Dees supporters... we have not had a game here since (I think it is) April 27th 2007. That is over 80 regular home and away games between drinks!! I wouldn't be complaining if I were you :-)

have we ever had a round 1 home game?

Yes, 2010 Rd 1 versus Hawthorn was our home game and 2009 Rd 1 versus North was our home game

Opening round against Sydney at the G, 2 friday nights, a Thursday and QB.

A Thursday, must be Easter Thursday, that would be great if true, with no game on good Friday.

Opening round against Sydney at the G, 2 friday nights, a Thursday and QB.

Not happy!! Yes, it appears to be a pretty good draw in 2011, but I am extremely disappointed that yet again we have no game against Sydney in Sydney... that makes almost 4 whole seasons without a game here... over 124 games since the last time I could travel down the road to see them!!!!!

Port Adelaide at AAMI in the last round

On first glance I think our draw is absolutely brilliant, when you consider which teams we play twice...

home game at Etihad stadium?

Round 1 is at home, not in Sydney.

From the afl website:

Melbourne will begin its campaign with a home game against the Sydney Swans at the MCG. The Demons have trips to play Gold Coast at the Gabba in round four and another trek to Perth to play West Coast in round six. But between these two games they have a bye.

As has been the case for a number of years, Melbourne will take on Collingwood on the Queen's Birthday holiday at the MCG. A month later, the Dees head north for a home game against Port Adelaide in Darwin.

Melbourne is fixtured to play in two Friday night games and one on a Thursday night, meaning the club has more free-to-air television exposure than in recent seasons.

Round 1

Sunday 27/3

Melbourne vs. Sydney Swans MCG 2:10pm 2:10pm SEVEN

Round 2

Sun 3/4

Hawthorn vs. Melbourne MCG 4:40pm 4:40pm FOX

Round 3

Sun 10/4

Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions MCG 1:10pm 1:10pm FOX

Round 4

Sun 17/4

Gold Coast Suns vs. Melbourne Gabba 2:10pm 2:10pm SEVEN

Round 5

BYE

Round 6

Thu 28/4

West Coast Eagles vs. Melbourne Patersons Stadium 8:40pm 6:40pm TEN

Round 7

Sun 8/5

Melbourne vs. Adelaide Crows MCG 2:10pm 2:10pm SEVEN

Round 8

Sat 14/5

North Melbourne vs. Melbourne Etihad Stadium 2:10pm 2:10pm TEN

Round 9

Sat 21/5

St. Kilda vs. Melbourne Etihad Stadium 2:10pm 2:10pm TEN

Round 10

Fri 27/5

Melbourne vs. Carlton MCG 7:40pm 7:40pm SEVEN

Round 11

Fri 3/6

Essendon vs. Melbourne MCG 7:40pm 7:40pm SEVEN

Round 12

Mon 13/6

Melbourne vs. Collingwood MCG 2:10pm 2:10pm TEN

Round 13

Sun 19/6

Melbourne vs. Fremantle MCG 1:10pm 1:10pm FOX

Round 14

Sat 25/6

Richmond vs. Melbourne MCG 2:10pm 2:10pm FOX

Round 15

Fri 1/7

Western Bulldogs vs. Melbourne Etihad Stadium 7:40pm 7:40pm SEVEN

Round 16

BYE

Round 17

Sat 16/7

Melbourne vs. Port Adelaide TIO Stadium 8:40pm 8:10pm TEN

Round 18

Sun 24/7

Melbourne vs. Hawthorn MCG 2:10pm 2:10pm SEVEN

Round 19

Sat 30/7

Geelong Cats vs. Melbourne Skilled Stadium 2:10pm 2:10pm FOX

Round 20

Sat 6/8

Carlton vs. Melbourne MCG 2:10pm 2:10pm TEN

Round 21

Sun 14/8

Melbourne vs. West Coast Eagles Etihad Stadium 1:10pm 1:10pm FOX

Round 22

Sun 21/8

Melbourne vs. Richmond MCG 4:40pm 4:40pm FOX

Round 23

Sun 28/8

Melbourne vs. Gold Coast Suns MCG 2:10pm 2:10pm SEVEN

Round 24

TBC

Port Adelaide vs. Melbourne AAMI Stadium TBC TBC TBC

Consecutive Friday nights against Carlton (home) and Essendon (away) and the MCG. Rounds 10 and 11.

Home game at Etihad!?!?!?!?

I thought we were past this crap.

Why so many home games against low drawing non-Victorian sides?

First reaction: this draw is terrible. Home games against Fremantle, Brisbane, Sydney, West Coast (at Etihad) and Gold Coast, down to 13 MCG games too.

At least we've only got 4 interstate games, one of which is Darwin, and the Geelong game. And the Gold Coast and West Coast away games are on FTA.

First reaction: this draw is terrible. Home games against Fremantle, Brisbane, Sydney, West Coast (at Etihad) and Gold Coast, down to 13 MCG games too.

From a crowd/club perspective maybe - but I prefer to think of these as highly-winnable games - far more interested in having more of those in our draw, which seems to be the case.