Essendon will play its first eight games of the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Season in Melbourne, following the AFL's release of the fixture today.
It's welcome news for Victorian members with game access, who after missing out on relocated matches in the second half of the 2021 season, will be able to attend all of the club's home and away matches in Melbourne next season and fill the stands with red and black.
>>SEE FULL FIXTURE AND BREAKDOWN BELOW
For the first time since 2019, all three of the Bombers' marquee games - Powercor Country Festival (round one), Anzac Day (six) and Dreamtime (10) - will be played at the MCG, while a 150-year celebration game against Carlton in round 13 has been added to a blockbuster line-up at the home of footy.
Seven of the club's 11 home games will be played at Marvel Stadium, including two in the lead-up to Anzac Day against Adelaide and Fremantle.
While Essendon will have the least interstate games (five) in a home and away season since 2015, it will play in front of the Bomber faithful in South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, with national memberships now including access to discounted tickets to matches in members' home states.
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CEO Xavier Campbell said there was plenty to look forward to in a momentous year for the club.
“We are thrilled to be reconnecting with our Victorian-based members and supporters so prominently in the first half of next season, with the first eight games all played at Melbourne venues. After a trying two years due to the pandemic, we are confident our loyal members and supporters will turn out in droves to see their Bombers back in action at the football,” Campbell said.
“We are privileged to feature in the annual blockbusters of Anzac Day, Dreamtime - which returns to the MCG this year- and the annual Powercor Country Festival game against Geelong for our season opener.
"Specifically, we know our members and supporters will look forward to our 150-year celebration game to be played against our traditional rival Carlton. We anticipate this will be a Friday night marquee game in June, as we celebrate what will be a truly momentous occasion for our football club in 2022.
“We saw the reach of the club at a national level with various games interstate in 2021 having a home-game feel wherever we travelled. We will again have the opportunity to play in front of our fans in Western Australia, Queensland, South Australia and twice in New South Wales next year.
"Our national memberships now include access to a discounted ticket to games in members’ home states, giving all our members across the country the chance to cheer on the red and black live in stadium.
“Again, we understand the AFL’s need for the floating fixture from round 10 onwards, and we will continue to provide our members the required communication relating to these games as information comes to hand next year."
2022 HOME AND AWAY FIXTURE
| ROUND | OPPONENT | VENUE | TIME & DATE | BROADCAST |
| 1 | Geelong (A) | MCG | 2:10pm, Saturday, March 19 | Fox Footy, Kayo |
| 2 | Brisbane (H) | Marvel Stadium | 4:35pm, Saturday, March 26 | Fox Footy, Kayo |
| 3 | Melbourne (A) | MCG | 7:20pm, Friday, April 1 | Seven |
| 4 | Adelaide (H) | Marvel Stadium | 1:10pm, Sunday, April 10 | Fox Footy, Kayo |
| 5 | Fremantle (H) | Marvel Stadium | 4:40pm, Sunday, April 17 | Fox Footy, Kayo |
| 6 | Collingwood (H) | MCG | 3:20pm, Monday, April 25 | Seven |
| 7 | Western Bulldogs (A) | Marvel Stadium | 3:20pm, Sunday, May 1 | Seven |
| 8 | Hawthorn (H) | Marvel Stadium | 7:25pm, Saturday, May 7 | Seven |
| 9 | Sydney (A) | SCG | 7:25pm, Saturday, May 14 | Seven |
| 10 | Richmond (A) | MCG | TBC | TBC |
| 11 | Port Adelaide (A) | Adelaide Oval | TBC | TBC |
| 12 | BYE | |||
| 13 | Carlton (H) | MCG | TBC | TBC |
| 14 | St Kilda (A) | Marvel Stadium | TBC | TBC |
| 15 | West Coast (A) | Optus Stadium | TBC | TBC |
| 16 | Sydney (H) | MCG | TBC | TBC |
| 17 | Brisbane (A) | Gabba | TBC | TBC |
| 18 | Gold Coast (H) | Marvel Stadium | TBC | TBC |
| 19 | Collingwood (A) | MCG | TBC | TBC |
| 20 | North Melbourne (H) | Marvel Stadium | TBC | TBC |
| 21 | GWS Giants (A) | GIANTS Stadium | TBC | TBC |
| 22 | Port Adelaide (H) | Marvel Stadium | TBC | TBC |
| 23 | Richmond (H) | MCG | TBC | TBC |
2022 FIXTURE BREAKDOWN
MCG home games: Carlton, Collingwood, Richmond, Sydney
Marvel Stadium home games: Adelaide, Brisbane, Fremantle, Gold Coast, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide, North Melbourne
Marquee games: Powercor Country Festival (round one), Anzac Day (six), Dreamtime at the 'G (10), 150-year celebration game (13)
Teams played twice: Brisbane, Collingwood, Port Adelaide, Richmond, Sydney
Interstate venues: Adelaide Oval, Gabba, GIANTS Stadium, Optus Stadium, SCG
