The AFL has locked in the Round One fixture, with a Grand Final rematch set to break tradition kick off the season on a Wednesday night.
It will be the first time since 2014 that Richmond and Carlton wont open the season, although they will hold their regular Thursday night slot.
Those two games are among four that will be played at the MCG across the round, and including a Friday night game at Marvel Stadium between Collingwood and St Kilda, all Victorian teams will play in their home state.
Round 10 of the AFLW has also been confirmed to correspond with the start of the AFL season, although times for the games are yet to be locked in.
All Round 10 AFLW games will be played in Victoria, meaning there will be 12 games of football played in 10 days in Victoria all up, a phenomenon AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan described as a “footy festival”.
“The footy festival will bring people together and to be able to give all Victorians and footy fans from regional Victoria and interstate an opportunity to come to a game and see their AFLW and AFL teams across a 10-day period is a significant step bouncing back from a challenging year,” McLachlan said in an AFL statement.
“We want to get big crowds back to the footy, the weekly ritual of being able to go to a game and the sense of community it creates, connecting families and friends is something we have missed in the state. “We look forward to seeing fans return to our venues in huge numbers as well as to all the surrounding business and venues that rely on footy and big events being staged across the city.”
Check out the fixtures below, courtesy of the AFL
Round One of the 2022 AFL season
Wednesday, March 16
Melbourne vs. Western Bulldogs at the MCG (SEVEN), 7.10pm AEDT
Thursday, March 17
Carlton vs. Richmond at the MCG (SEVEN), 7.25pm AEDT
Friday, March 18
St Kilda vs. Collingwood at Marvel Stadium (SEVEN), 7.50pm AEDT
Saturday, March 19
Geelong Cats vs. Essendon at the MCG (FOX), 2.10pm AEDT
GWS GIANTS vs. Sydney Swans at Accor Stadium (FOX), 5.10pm AEDT
Brisbane Lions vs. Port Adelaide at the Gabba (SEVEN), 7.10pm AEST
Sunday, March 20
Hawthorn vs. North Melbourne at the MCG (FOX), 1.10pm AEDT
Adelaide Crows vs. Fremantle at Adelaide Oval (FOX), 3.40pm ACST
West Coast Eagles vs. Gold Coast SUNS (FOX), 4.40pm AWST
Round 10 of the 2022 AFLW season
March 11 - March 13
Collingwood vs. Gold Coast SUNS at Victoria Park (VIC), TBC
Geelong Cats vs. GWS GIANTS at GMHBA Stadium (VIC), TBC
Melbourne vs. Carlton at Casey Fields (VIC), TBC
Kangaroos vs. West Coast Eagles at Arden Street (VIC), TBC
Richmond vs. Brisbane Lions at Swinburne Centre (VIC), TBC
St. Kilda vs. Adelaide Crows at RSEA Park (VIC), TBC
Western Bulldogs vs. Fremantle at Mars Stadium (VIC), TBC