The inspiration for today’s game is persistence and dedication.

100 games to Max Gawn - a terrific achievement after undergoing so much hardship with injury in his early years at the club.

Debut matches at the club for Marty Hore and Corey Wagner who had to do it the hard way to get their chances today.

Bring it on!

.Countdown

Round One
Melbourne v Port Adelaide
Saturday, March 23, 1.45pm AEDT
MCG

11.30am: MCC Reserve

12.00pm: AFL Reserve

12.00pm: General public

This week's match will be Melbourne's annual Welcome Game - an inclusive event that promotes a message of welcoming everyone to Australian Rules football, the MCG and the Melbourne Football Club.

Here's what will be happening around the MCG and nearby during the day:

Scarf drive

Following the success of the Melbourne Scarf Drive at the 2018 Welcome Game, Melbourne is pleased to be bringing back the initiative for this year’s game. By donating old membership scarves, existing fans can play a key role in welcoming new audiences to the club.

Members and supporters can donate pre-loved scarves to new fans on the day by dropping them in the donation box located in Yarra Park, outside Gate 3.

Victorian Multicultural Festival at Federation Square

Experience the Victorian Multicultural Festival at Fed Square pre-game from 12.00pm before heading to the MCG.

The festival is a vibrant and joyous showcase of Victoria's rich cultural traditions in a free one-day program featuring music, performance, food and art for all ages!

Read more about the Multicultural Festival and Culture Waves here.

Culture Waves 2019

Post-match, make sure to visit Culture Waves 2019 which will be held at Federation Square after the Multicultural Festival.

Culture Waves is a special music event planned featuring some of Victoria’s most acclaimed young artists.

This free evening of incredible music celebrates how cultural diversity is influencing Victoria’s local music scene.

Members

You can use your Memberships to gain access to the game.

If you’re an unrenewed member who received their card in the mail, visit a membership tent to activate the card.

If you’re a new member and sign up at the ground, you will receive a ticket to gain entry.

General Public

Tickets to the game can be purchased via Ticketek.

General admission seating

Ponsford Stand	Level 1 M28-M32 M33 rows DD-NN M34-M36 Level 4 Q29-Q36
Olympic Stand	Level 1 M53 & M54 rows A-W M55-M57 Level 4 Q49-Q57
Southern Stand	Level 1 M1 rows A-Y M2 (Demon Heartland – DRY) M3-M12 M13 rows A-Z (DRY) Level 4 Q1-Q15½

Cheer squad allocations

Melbourne: M3 Rows A–T
Port Adelaide: M33 Rows A-S

Public reserved seating

Public reserved seat sales available at all Public Gates, as well as at the Ticketek box office at Gate 3.

Arrive early

Security measures such as bag checks and patron scanning will again be in place as fans make their way into the stadium.

This process will take time, so please be patient - and limit the number of bags you bring. Each bag will be inspected, so the more bags you bring the longer it will take.

It is recommended that fans arrive early, as those who arrive later may miss the teams run out and/or the start of the match.

Public transport

Buses will be replacing trains on the Mernda, Frankston, Sandringham, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines this Saturday. See more info on travel disruptions on Victoria's Big Build website. 

Use the MCG Journey Planner to find your best way to get to the game.

The MCG is serviced by multiple tram lines from the city and is in close proximity to Richmond and Jolimont Stations. 

Car parking

Car parking capacity in Yarra Park will be limited. We encourage fans to take public transport to the match or park in the CBD.

Gate 3: 9.00am
Gate 5: 11.30am
Gate 6: 10.30am
Gate 7: CLOSED

For the latest parking information, please visit the MCG website.

Rod Laver Arena footbridge closure

The footbridge linking Rod Laver Arena and the MCG will be closed for development until 2023.

Fans are encouraged to use alternative pathways such as the Edwin Flack Bridge and William Barak Bridge to get to the MCG.

Our Membership team will be set up around the ground on Saturday from 11.00am for Membership purchases queries and scarf collections. 

You can find them at:

• Gate 2 - inside and outside
• Gate 3 - outside
• Gate 5 - outside

To find out which Membership is best for you, view our packages HERE.

The Demon Shop will be open from 10.30am until half an after the game and is located on Brunton Avenue next to carpark Entrance E.

All 2019 Members will receive 10% off full priced merchandise on presentation of their Membership card.

Can't make it to the store? Browse the whole range online HERE.

If you're at the game early, make sure to take part in our Match Predictor competition, exclusively in the Melbourne FC mobile app.

At each MCG home game, we'll pit you with five questions - such as how many goals Melbourne will score, which players will get the most touches and how many hit-outs Max Gawn could rack up. 

Your challenge will be to select the most correct outcomes before the bounce, with a $75 New Balance voucher on offer for the person who guesses the most correct outcomes first.

To take part make sure you're at the MCG between 1.05pm - 1.35pm, with location settings enabled in your copy of the app.

To play:

1. Download the Melbourne FC app to your iOS or Android device.
2. Ensure your location services are turned on to take part - if you have them turned off, head to the Settings section to enable location settings.
3. Open up the Match Predictor on the main menu.
4. Enter your details and make your predictions for the match ahead.

TV times

Melbourne: Fox Footy - 1.30pm
Sydney: Fox Footy - 1.30pm
Brisbane: Fox Footy - 12.30pm
Adelaide: Channel 7 + Fox Footy - 1.00pm
Perth: Fox Footy - 10.30am
Tasmania: Fox Footy - 1.30pm
Darwin: Fox Footy - 12.00pm

For all other regions and radio info, refer to the AFL Broadcast Guide.

Mobile app

Live scores, stats and match highlights are available at the tap of a finger in the club's mobile app.

Download it for iOS or Android.

Social media

Match hashtag: #AFLDeesPower

Follow the club on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for live match coverage and a behind-the-scenes insight into match day.

Pumped!

Top 8 spot on the line. 

Edited March 22, 20196 yr by Ethan Tremblay

Can't believe this is really happening. 2019!

I'll be comfortable with a 35 point win considering we're underdone. Otherwise I'm tearing up the joint.

Also, can someone help me with the time difference - do I really have to wake up at/not go till bed till 4am to watch from Europe?

Edited March 22, 20196 yr by Skuit

Here we go again. Very excited for the upcoming season. For the first time in a long time I have genuine expectations for us. Even last year I still felt was apart of the growing process.

 

Growing is done. Let's make teams afraid to play us, the same way we used to dread coming up against highly skilled and ruthless men like Hawthorn, Geelong and recently Richmond.

Let's take anyone, anywhere, anytime. One man falls? Another steps into his place. Every game is earnt, every inch is fought for.

We are all proud now of our club, let's make others envy us.

Nathan Jones and Jack Viney.

 

Go Dee's.

2019, come at me! 

Go Dees! 

Season defining game.

(Just wanted to get in first)

Go Dees

Please please come out and crunch these mother-[censored] with the same intent we showed in the early rounds of the finals.

That is all I ask.

This should really be re-posted here.

 

I may be a little bit excitable right now.

I’m ready to head off to Melbourne  lol, is it too much to ask for a 10 goal win 

1 hour ago, Skuit said:

Can't believe this is really happening. 2019!

I'll be comfortable with a 35 point win considering we're underdone. Otherwise I'm tearing up the joint.

Also, can someone help me with the time difference - do I really have to wake up at/not go till bed till 4am to watch from Europe?

At 1:45pm AEDT today in Melbourne it will be 2:45am GMT in London.

Bring it on. 

Viney to win the first clearance, T Mac crashes the pack, Melk roves... Goal! 

Can't wait! 

 

Let me be the first to say it in 2019.....

 

Relax, we've got this.

4 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

Bring it on. 

Viney to win the first clearance, T Mac crashes the pack, Melk roves... Goal! 

Can't wait! 

 

Might chuck a sneaky $5 on that Melksham 1st goal $13

McQueen is in the big smoke and he is pumped. 

Pow pow ? ????  

Edited March 22, 20196 yr by McQueen
And a bit dusty I should add.

Nervous about this game.

Geelong had 4 debutants last night and yet they still bullied Collingwood physically.

Collingwood had a fair few players who had interrupted pre seasons and last night it showed as a few of them were quite rusty and needed the run in thr legs.

I hope that is jit the case today for us...

 

despite the opportunity for a sleep in after a [censored] of a week - no chance. Up with the kids at 5.45 , butterflies, excitement. 

Domestic distractions/duties this morning. We just moved house and as such, our local big shopping centre is Norflands . Gonna rock my 1994 Dees jumper down to Bunnings and KMart. It seems Filth/Bummers/Carlscum territory round these parts, but IDGAF , MFC REPRESENT!! 

Then hop a Mernda train down to Jolimont to our hallowed turf..

So freakin pumped LETS DO THIS ✊???

21 minutes ago, brendan said:

Might chuck a sneaky $5 on that Melksham 1st goal $13

You owe me half if it happens! ?

7 minutes ago, Deemented Are Go! said:

despite the opportunity for a sleep in after a [censored] of a week - no chance. Up with the kids at 5.45 , butterflies, excitement. 

Domestic distractions/duties this morning. We just moved house and as such, our local big shopping centre is Norflands . Gonna rock my 1994 Dees jumper down to Bunnings and KMart. It seems Filth/Bummers/Carlscum territory round these parts, but IDGAF , MFC REPRESENT!! 

Then hop a Mernda train down to Jolimont to our hallowed turf..

So freakin pumped LETS DO THIS ✊???

You better check Deemented - might be buses today!

5 minutes ago, Deemented Are Go! said:

despite the opportunity for a sleep in after a [censored] of a week - no chance. Up with the kids at 5.45 , butterflies, excitement. 

Domestic distractions/duties this morning. We just moved house and as such, our local big shopping centre is Norflands . Gonna rock my 1994 Dees jumper down to Bunnings and KMart. It seems Filth/Bummers/Carlscum territory round these parts, but IDGAF , MFC REPRESENT!! 

Then hop a Mernda train down to Jolimont to our hallowed turf..

So freakin pumped LETS DO THIS ✊???

I think your out of luck with the Merna train I think it will be a bus. So excited that I can't sleep, looking forward to getting my yearly scarf and accessing my reserved for the year seat for the first time?

Looking forward to our mids smashing there's and Weid to announce himself to the football world with a big game.

Just now, Bitter but optimistic said:

You better check Deemented - might be buses today!

Indeed Bitters, just had a look- bus replacement from Bell station. I’ll allow and extra 30/40 mins I think. 

Thats all assuming I make it out of Norflands alive!

I think Frankston, Cranbourne, Pakenham, Sandringham and Glen Waverly lines (might be others so check) are also running buses from some stations. 

Please check and if so give yourself a lot of extra time. 

I took a bus from Malvern to Etihad last year and it took ages. 

19 minutes ago, Deemented Are Go! said:

Indeed Bitters, just had a look- bus replacement from Bell station. I’ll allow and extra 30/40 mins I think. 

Thats all assuming I make it out of Norflands alive!

The Upfield line could be an option for Mernda line users. There doesn’t seem to be any disruptions to that line on the schedule. Depending which side of the Mernda line you reside you could get to an Upfield line station in 15 mins or so.  Replacement buses can be a pain in the backside. 

Hope Norfies treats you well. 

Edited March 22, 20196 yr by Dee Zephyr

45 minutes ago, Demonland said:

I think Frankston, Cranbourne, Pakenham, Sandringham and Glen Waverly lines (might be others so check) are also running buses from some stations. 

Please check and if so give yourself a lot of extra time. 

I took a bus from Malvern to Etihad last year and it took ages. 

Yes, but wasn't that a bucks night bus? No wonder!