I heard something about our Hawthorn Friday night match this year that after half time the audience dropped by like 30%, Seven paid a lot for the rights so I don't blame them not giving us one. It sucks but we need to start showing we're worth it.

Putting Melbourne up against Hawthorn on a Friday night was just idiotic. What did the AFL expect was going to happen? They have been flogging us for the past 5 years. I think every club should get at least ONE Friday night game each year. They should have put us up against a team that was likely to be on an even level with us. Then the game becomes interesting.

Friday nights are a bit overrated, I'd rather have more saturday afternoon matches than 7 friday nights like the Pies have. But 1-2 a year would be perfect. I agree that every club should have at least one friday night game, except Gold Coast and GWS because they aren't clubs with real supporters who care about the game and have a culture. And I'm really not fussed about who sees us on tv or not, unless the game's interstate and I can't go.

Footy isn't about TV anyway, let those morons in suits play their games while some of us enjoy the footy. Footy isn't played to impress the public so if 30% of people press buttons on their TV's halfway through a game to watch a rerun or an infomerical then it's their problem or they just don't like footy that much.

There are people O/S who watch thru the Aust Network/

The Dees any where over the week end are a maybe to be televised here but on a friday nite it is a guarantee.

If we get 4 Saturday night games instead, that would be ok.

Win some games, get more members - have some clout.

Otherwise the AFL will treat us as what we have been serving up lately - [censored]!

Would have thought we had EARNT a friday night game against the bomberd

Any ideas who we're playing in Darwin considering we play Port at the MCG.

Also if it's true we're 'hosting' North at Etihad, then that's disappointing.

Putting Melbourne up against Hawthorn on a Friday night was just idiotic. What did the AFL expect was going to happen? They have been flogging us for the past 5 years. I think every club should get at least ONE Friday night game each year. They should have put us up against a team that was likely to be on an even level with us. Then the game becomes interesting.

I think this is an area where NRL have it over the AFL. They realease the season fixture with the first 6 rounds (I think) locked in to day/time, then week by week allocate what games will be played on what days/times, generally based on ladder positions. So bascially, they look in to a 6-week crystal ball and predict what will be the higer viewing matches for that round.

I think we have bigger problems than the draw.....

I think this is an area where NRL have it over the AFL. They realease the season fixture with the first 6 rounds (I think) locked in to day/time, then week by week allocate what games will be played on what days/times, generally based on ladder positions. So bascially, they look in to a 6-week crystal ball and predict what will be the higer viewing matches for that round.

I heard an NRL pundit on SEN the other day saying they are going to change this for next year and make the first 20 rounds date/times locked in, thus providing an element of certainty for fans to organise around. And the last 4 rounds will be floating I believe. I actually quite liked the rolling fixture.

As for our fixture, given the muck we served up last year I guess we get what we deserve. Roll on more Sunday twilight games I guess. The worst timeslot of all.

Im sick of playing north at etihad. Why cant we play them on our ground. The past couple of season they get to play us on there ground.

The 2012 fixture will be announced tomorrow at 10am. Hopefully not to many long trips for the boys.

The 2012 fixture will be announced tomorrow at 10am. Hopefully not to many long trips for the boys.

I guarantee you that we get a hard draw that only nets 4 wins.

The 2012 fixture will be announced tomorrow at 10am. Hopefully not to many long trips for the boys.

I can see a 100+ point loss to West Coast at Patterson's and have no doubt our break through win will be against Essendon.

Port MCG

Ess MCG

WCE MCG

GWS MCG

Bris A

Carl MCG

GC MCG

Rich MCG

Freo A

Haw MCG

Coll MCG

STK MCG

Dogs MCG

Swans MCG

Cats A

Bris Darwin

NM Etihad (Home game WTF???)

GWS A

GC A

Freo MCG

Adel A

Dogs Etihad

7 finalists once, freo twice

13 games MCG

10 Sunday games

Rds 16-20 tough travel Simonds, TIO, Etihad, Skoda, Metricon

PLay Gianst and GC twice

12 of first 15 rounds at MCG. Good chance to get off to a flyer

VERDICT

The fixture will offer Mark Neeld's re-shaped team a golden chance to climb the ladder, if it's good enough. The Demons play the Brisbane Lions, Greater Western Sydney, Gold Coast, Fremantle and the Western Bulldogs twice, and leave the MCG only twice in the opening 14 rounds. They play 14 games on Saturday or Sunday afternoon, but won't appear at all on Friday night. The Demons have only three six-day breaks but, due to their home game in Darwin, six interstate trips.

CLUB HIGHLIGHTS

• Season opener to be played at home against Port Adelaide on Easter Sunday at the MCG.
  
• 12 of the first 14 matches scheduled at the MCG, including home games against fellow Victorian clubs Hawthorn (round 10), Collingwood (round 11) and the Western Bulldogs (round 14).
  
• Will again host the traditional Queen's Birthday holiday match against Collingwood at the MCG in round 11.
  
• Home match to again be played at TIO Stadium in Darwin, against the Brisbane Lions in round 17.
  
• Will play the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne for the final round of 2013, after travelling interstate in round 23, 2012.
  
• Must face only one of the 2012 finalists twice - Fremantle.
  

Look if we're good enough we'll win games next year. It's not a tough draw, all in all it's actually pretty easy. We play both GWS and GC twice- (4 wins).

It's not great for money but it should be great for the W-L and the start of the Mark Neeld regime beginning!

That said 1 game at the MCG in the last 8 is quite brutal. All the time we keep selling games that will always be the case though.

All in all, I'd say it's a good result for the MFC and after 2013, I'd see us starting to get more and more Friday night slots.

As long as I see a lot of MCG, I am happy

Another away game v essendon

Furthermore we have 8 yes 8 out 23 games on Free to air TV. Inbetween round 12-21 you will see Melbourne feature once on Ch.7 quite extraordinary.

The final 5 games of GC, GWS, Ade, Freo & WB will be great IMO to show us where we are for next year. Winning 4 of those 5 would be a pleasant change for us actually having some hype going into 2014.

And apologies all can view here:

http://www.afl.com.au/fixture/tabid/10586/default.aspx

A good draw with winnable home games in the first half of the season, when we'll need them.

Why oh why are we down at geelong again. I know why but can we please play them at the G int he nest 5 years. At least the home game at etihad isnt against a freo or gws.

The first few weeks look ok. Anyway I just hope we get off to a better start.

5-8 wins should be the minimum.