Essendon is happy with its ‘family-friendly’ 2016 fixture but would like more games in prime time next season.

The AFL released the 2016 fixture this morning.

The Bombers play nine day games, seven twilight matches and five night fixtures (including two on Friday night).

The Club also travels interstate six times.

“It’s a good fixture in terms of getting out to see all of the Essendon fans across the country,” Chief Executive Xavier Campbell said.

“We’ve got family friendly timeslots again - they are two positives.

“The third is probably from a football perspective, it’s a draw with the weighted rule where we’ll be playing teams that finished in a similar bracket to us.

“You also like to ensure you’re getting prime time slots and we’re lacking in that space in 2016 and I think we were a little below it in 2015.

“That’s a little bit disappointing.  You’d like to have a good balance between both, so it gives the opportunities to the fans to attend and also to watch in prime time.”

The Bombers will feature in several blockbuster matches throughout the season including the latest initiative – the “Country Game”.

Essendon will have ten matches broadcast on channel seven while 11 will be on Foxtel.

The time, date and broadcaster of the round 23 match against Carlton won’t be known until late in the season.

“We want to be playing in prime time slots,” Campbell said.

“Our form wasn’t great last year but I’d like to think there is a fair bit of hope now, there’s a new beginning.

“We have faced pretty unique challenges and I would like to think we’re coming out the back of that now.

“I’d like to think Essendon does provide a pretty attractive option for next year.

“We just have to prove that in our form on-field and hopefully we’ll be back to playing more prime-time regular slots in 2017 and beyond.”