AFL pre-season fixture 2017: Who will your team play in the lead up to Round 1?

THE AFL pre-season competition has been revamped with a new name as football will be taken back to its suburban roots. SEE THE FULL FIXTURE HERE.

North Melbourne will play a pre-season match at Arden Street. Picture: Michael Klein

A REFURBISHED Essendon will open a revamped pre-season competition against nemesis Collingwood.

The JLT Community Series will kick off with the Bombers-Magpies clash at Etihad Stadium on February 16, and modern-day rivals Hawthorn and Geelong will meet the next day in Launceston.

The AFL has released the fixture for the pre-season series, during which each club again will play three games in four weeks.

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While some matches will be played at regional venues, football also will be taken back to its suburban roots with games at Arden St, Whitten Oval and Ikon Park.

The AFL’s general manager of clubs and operations, Travis Auld, said the Essendon-Collingwood game was the perfect way lift the curtain on 2017.

“There’s going to be more excitement, more so than normal with Essendon rolling out their full squad,” Auld said.

“It will be a big game for us and a great way to kick it off.”

Collingwood will open the pre-season against Essendon. Picture: Getty Images

The Western Bulldogs will return to Whitten Oval to face Melbourne on February 18; North Melbourne will host Hawthorn at Arden St on February 26, the first official game there in more than 30 years; and Carlton will play St Kilda at Ikon Park on March 4.

Away from the capital cities, the NSW Riverina town of Narrendera (Greater Western Sydney-West Coast), Mount Gambier, South Australia (Port Adelaide-Richmond) and Geraldton, WA (West Coast-Fremantle) will play host to games.

SUBURBAN GROUND: WHAT MADE ARDEN ST SO SPECIAL?

Geelong and Essendon will play at the Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo and Albury’s Lavington Sports Ground has been allocated the St Kilda-Sydney, both on March 12.

Hickinbotham Oval, in the Adelaide suburb of Noarlunga, will host back-to-back matches on the weekend of March 11 and 12. Adelaide will face Brisbane on the Saturday and Port Adelaide will meet Hawthorn on the Sunday.

“These towns look forward to the games,” Auld said.

“We work with cricket and local councils to create great legacy outcomes in terms of facilities. Towns like Moe, which have done it tough in recent times, get to host Richmond and Collingwood (March 11) in what will be a great game.”

All 27 matches will be broadcast live on Fox Footy.

AFL PRE-SEASON FULL FIXTURE - All times local

WEEK 1

Thursday February 16

Collingwood v Essendon at Etihad Stadium (7.40pm)

Friday February 17

Hawthorn v Geelong at University of Tasmania Stadium (7.40pm)

Saturday February 18

GWS Giants v West Coast at Narrandera Sports Stadium (2.05pm)

Western Bulldogs v Melbourne at Whitten Oval (4.40pm)

Sunday February 19

Sydney v North Melbourne at Coffs Harbour International Stadium (2.05pm)

Gold Coast v Brisbane at Kombumerri Park (Merrimac, QLD) (3.40pm)

WEEK 2

Thursday February 23

St Kilda v Port Adelaide at Etihad Stadium (7.40pm)

Friday February 24

Richmond v Adelaide at Etihad Stadium (7.40pm)

Saturday February 25

Melbourne v Carlton at Casey Fields (2.05pm)

West Coast v Fremantle at Wonthella Oval (Wonthella, WA) (3.40pm)

Sunday February 26

North Melbourne v Hawthorn at Arden Street (2.05pm)

Gold Coast v Essendon at Harrup Park Country Club (Mackay, QLD) (3.40pm)

Melbourne will take on the Western Bulldogs. Picture: Getty Images.

WEEK 3

Thursday March 2

Western Bulldogs v Brisbane at Etihad Stadium (7.40pm)

Friday March 3

GWS Giants v Sydney at Blacktown International Sportspark (7.40pm)

Saturday March 4

Carlton v St Kilda at Ikon Park (2.05pm)

Fremantle v Collingwood at Rushton Park (Mandurah, WA) (1.40pm)

Sunday March 5

Adelaide v Geelong at Richmond Oval (Adelaide, SA) (1.35pm)

Port Adelaide v Richmond at Malseed Park (Mount Gambier, SA) (4.10pm)

WEEK 4

Thursday March 9

Gold Coast v Western Bulldogs at Metricon Stadium (4.50pm)

West Coast v Melbourne at Subiaco Oval (5.40pm)

Friday March 10

GWS Giants v North Melbourne at Manuka Oval (5.50pm)

Fremantle v Carlton at Subiaco Oval (5.40pm)

Saturday March 11

Richmond v Collingwood at Ted Summerton Reserve (Moe, VIC) (1.10pm)

Adelaide v Brisbane at Hickinbotham Oval (Noarlunga, SA) (3.40pm)

Sunday March 12

Port Adelaide v Hawthorn at Hickinbothom Oval (Noarlunga, SA) (12.40pm)

Geelong v Essendon at Queen Elizabeth Oval (Bendigo, VIC) (4.10pm)

St Kilda v Sydney at Lavington Sports Ground (Albury, NSW) (7.10pm)