A strong presence in prime-time highlights North Melbourne’s 2016 fixture released today.

North has been scheduled for 11 night games, including a return to its traditional time-slot, with five Friday night fixtures, plus a blockbuster Thursday night match in Round 14.

The Round 6 clash against the Bulldogs looms as an early-season blockbuster to open the round, with subsequent fixtures facing Sydney (Round 10), Hawthorn (Round 13) and Collingwood (Round 18) ensuring several high quality Friday night games.

But perhaps the mouth-watering clash of all looms in Hobart in Round 11; a Friday night game under lights at Blundstone Arena against Richmond the first of its kind in Tasmania.

The Roos start the season playing four of their first six games against interstate sides (Adelaide, Brisbane, Fremantle and Gold Coast), with games against the two Queensland teams away from home.

In total North will play eight matches outside Victoria, three of those in Hobart against Melbourne, Richmond and Sydney.

As well as travelling to Queensland to take on its respective sides, there are trips to the Harbour City to take on the Swans (Round 10), Adelaide (Round 14) to take on the Crows and Perth (Round 16) against the Eagles.

Perhaps the Roos’ toughest run comes in the middle part of the season; the Swans, Tigers, Cats, Hawks, Crows and Eagles and Power loom in a seven-week block.

The players will enjoy a significant break between the Adelaide and West Coast match-ups – 17 days in fact with a bye separating the two games.

North will again look to take advantage of its past success at Etihad Stadium, boasting 13 games at the venue, including runs of four matches in a row between rounds six and nine, and rounds 17 to 20.

The Round 23 floating fixture sees the Kangaroos pitted against the Giants at Etihad Stadium.

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2016 Fixture

RDDATEOPPVENUEH/ATIME*TV
1Sat, Mar 26AdelaideEtihadH7.25pmFox
2Sat, Apr 2BrisbaneGabbaA3.35pmFox
3Sun, Apr 10MelbourneBlundstoneH1.10pmFox
4Sun, Apr 17FremantleEtihadH4.40pmFox
5Sat, Apr 23Gold CoastMetriconA4.35pmFox
6Fri, Apr 29Western BullEtihadH7.50pm7
7Sun, May 8St KildaEtihadA3.20pm7
8Sat, May 14EssendonEtihadA1.45pm7
9Sat, May 21CarltonEtihadH7.25pmFox
10Fri, May 27SydneySCGA7.50pm7
11Fri, Jun 3RichmondBlundstoneH7.50pm7
12Sat, Jun 11GeelongEtihadA7.25pm7
13Fri, Jun 17HawthornEtihadH7.50pm7
14Thurs, Jun 23AdelaideAdel OvalA7.20pm7
15Bye     
16Sun, Jul 10West CoastDomainA1.20pm7
17Sat, Jul 16Port AdelaideEtihadH4.35pmFox
18Fri, Jul 22CollingwoodEtihadA7.50pm7
19Sat, Jul 30St KildaEtihadH7.25pm7
20Sat, Aug 6Western BullEtihadA7.25pm7
21Sat, Aug 13HawthornMCGA2.10pmFox
22Sat, Aug 20SydneyBlundstoneH1.45pm7
23 TBCGWS GiantsEtihadHTBCTBC

* All times listed are local.

2016 Timeslots

TIMESLOTHOMEAWAYTOTAL
Thurs night011
Fri night325
Sat afternoon123
Sat twilight123
Sat night325
Sun early101
Sun afternoon022
Sun twilight101
TBC1 1
TOTAL111122