The 2022 AFL play is acceptable to get underway with a Victorian 'Footy Festival' that volition spot each 10 Victorian teams playing astatine location successful Round 1.
Reigning premiers Melbourne volition unfastened the play with a expansive last rematch against the Western Bulldogs, with the AFL breaking distant from the accepted Carlton-Richmond curtain raiser astatine the MCG.
It volition beryllium the archetypal clip since Round 20 of the 2016 play wherever each 10 Victorian AFL clubs volition play matches successful their location authorities successful the aforesaid round.
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The Victorian 'Footy Festival' volition commence connected March 11, erstwhile each 14 AFLW sides play their matches successful the authorities until March 13, earlier the AFL play opener connected March 16.
"The footy festival volition bring radical unneurotic and to beryllium capable to springiness each Victorians and footy fans from determination Victoria and interstate an accidental to travel to a crippled and spot their AFLW and AFL teams crossed a 10-day play is simply a important measurement bouncing backmost from a challenging year," AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said successful a statement.
"We privation to get large crowds backmost to the footy, the play ritual of being capable to spell to a crippled and the consciousness of assemblage it creates, connecting families and friends is thing we person missed successful the state.
"We look guardant to seeing fans instrumentality to our venues successful immense numbers arsenic good arsenic to each the surrounding concern and venues that trust connected footy and large events being staged crossed the city.
"To decorativeness our NAB AFLW play successful Victoria and person these matches perchance find last placings is huge, and past motorboat the biggest commencement to an AFL play ever, including our archetypal ever Wednesday nighttime play opener is going to springiness america a batch of momentum for the play ahead.
"Footy tin hopefully assistance bring the heartbeat of the metropolis backmost to Melbourne and backmost to the authorities of Victoria."
PARTIAL ROUND ONE AFL FIXTURE FOR 2022
Wednesday, March 16
Melbourne v Western Bulldogs, MCG, 7.10 p.m. AEST
Thursday, March 17
Carlton v Richmond, MCG, 7.25pm AEST
Friday, March 18
St Kilda v Collingwood, Marvel Stadium, 7.50pm AEST
Saturday, March 19
Geelong v Essendon, MCG, 2.10pm AEST
Sunday, March 20
Hawthorn v North Melbourne, MCG, 1.10pm AEST
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