LIVE: AFL reveals 2014 fixture

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AN ANZAC Day bonanza involving nine hours of football in two countries and three time zones will be unveiled by the AFL today.

The Herald Sun understands Fremantle has been awarded an Anzac Day clash which follows the traditional Collingwood-Essendon match and St Kilda's New Zealand game.

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It means fans will be able to enjoy an afternoon MCG blockbuster, the 5pm Wellington clash between the Saints and Brisbane, and then Patersons Stadium late show.

Anzac Day falls on a Friday, so the league has been able to accommodate Fremantle's request for its Len Hall game against North Melbourne.

The AFL will today release its full fixture for a record 25-week home-and-away season culminating in a September 27 day Grand Final.

But while a raft of premiership contenders means many blockbuster games, the season will kick off with a whimper because of the unavailability of the MCG and Adelaide Oval.

The Round 1 schedule will be split over two weeks and is short of exciting clashes.

Collingwood will open the season against Fremantle on Friday March 14, with Geelong v Adelaide and North Melbourne-Essendon other rare highlights.

It is understood Hawthorn will take on Fremantle for the first of two clashes in Round 3, when the Hawks will unfurl their premiership flag for the second time.

They show off the flag to their Tasmanian fans when they kick off their premiership defence against Brisbane in a twilight clash on Saturday March 22.

It is understood the AFL's push into Sunday night prime time could be greater than first thought, with North Melbourne also set to play a pair of Sunday night matches.

The Roos will face West Coast at Patersons Stadium in Round 11 at 5.40pm local time — meaning a 7.40pm start in Melbourne — and then take on Richmond at 7.40pm a week later.

Three Sunday night games have already been revealed — Essendon versus Carlton on April 6, Carlton-Collingwood on June 29, and Carlton's Round 1 game against Port Adelaide on the day of the Melbourne Grand Prix.

North Melbourne's disappointing 2013 season will have a silver lining in the shape of its 2014 fixture — made easier because North missed the finals this year.

While the Roos are again forced to travel twice for away games in Perth, they are set to enjoy a soft run into September with games against GWS, Adelaide in Hobart, the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne.

North, which plays sides including Geelong, Adelaide and the Bulldogs twice, has been rewarded for its attractive play with as many as five Friday night matches.

The league is again expected to shun 2013 battlers on Friday nights, with Carlton and the Pies also on show repeatedly in that prime timeslot. 

First Elimination Final Richmond v Carlton, Tiger cheers squad, Picture: Ludbey Wayne Source: HeraldSun

ROUND 1

FRIDAY MARCH 14
Collingwood v Fremantle, Etihad Stadium (night)

SATURDAY MARCH 15
Gold Coast v Richmond, Metricon Stadium (day)
GWS Giants v Sydney, Skoda Stadium (twilight)

SUNDAY MARCH 16
Carlton v Port Adelaide, Etihad Stadium (night)

THURSDAY MARCH 20
Geelong v Adelaide, Simonds Stadium (night)

FRIDAY MARCH 21
North Melbourne v Essendon, Etihad Stadium (night)

SATURDAY MARCH 22
Hawthorn v Brisbane, Launceston (twilight)
Melbourne v St Kilda, Etihad Stadium (night)

SUNDAY MARCH 23
West Coast v Western Bulldogs, Patersons Stadium (afternoon)

FIXTURE HIGHLIGHTS

- First round split over two weekends - March 14-16 and March 20-23

- A home-and-away season of 25 weeks, including the split round and two byes for each club

- Nicky Winmar tribute game between St Kilda and Collingwood on the first night of Indigenous Round

- A trial of Sunday night football, with at least five games to be shown at 7.40pm in a time-slot to be shunned by families

- A pre-season of just two NAB Cup practice matches and no NAB Cup final, with a representative game on March 7 or 8

- Carlton being hit with a tough draw given its unlikely finals win, playing twice against Collingwood, Geelong and Essendon

- James Podsiadly taking on his former side in Round 1 as Adelaide and Geelong face off at Simonds Stadium

- An AFL Grand Final expected to be 2.30pm on Saturday September 27

- Carlton and Collingwood facing off twice, but the Blues play Richmond only once

- Richmond and Carlton's traditional season opener pushed back to Round 2 given the MCG is unavailable in Round 1

- Port Adelaide hosting Adelaide in the Adelaide Oval grand opening in Round 2

- Melbourne playing two home-and-away matches in the Northern Territory, one in Darwin and one in Alice Springs

- Hawthorn unfurling its premiership flag twice - the first against Brisbane in Launceston in Round 1

- St Kilda to play against Brisbane in Wellington on Anzac Day after the traditional Essendon v Collingwood game

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