ONE of the more unique SANFL seasons beckons Port Adelaide with the release of the 2016 SANFL IGA League Fixture.
Starting on the Easter long weekend, the season will see teams have four byes throughout the year, harking back to the days of the old nine-team competition.
Two bye weekends will see the entire league sit idle, while the others will feature four games with two teams resting.
Port Adelaide's season kicks off away - at Norwood - with the season-opener on Easter Thursday night.
The Magpies will play home in two marquee games at Alberton - ANZAC Round against Central District and Indigenous Round against the Eagles.
The finals will commence on the weekend of Saturday 3 September, affording the state league an AFL-free weekend to commence its finals series.
The Grand Final will be played on Sunday 25 September at the Adelaide Oval.
Key points
- The Magpies play just one night game for the season - the opening round away game against Norwood at the Parade.
- No more than three consecutive games will be played at Alberton (compared to a four-game sequence in 2015). It plays consecutive weeks at home three times: Rounds 3-5, 9-11, 16-18.
- Port Adelaide plays at one non-traditional venue - away to Adelaide in Round 2.
- Three games will be broadcast live on Seven: Round 12 against South, Round 15 against West and Round 18 against the Crows.
Alberton Oval
Port Adelaide plays nine home games at its traditional home ground of Alberton Oval.
Three games - against Glenelg in Round 10, Woodville-West Torrens in Round 16 and Adelaide in Round 18 will not clash with an AFL home game round.
The other six fall on weekends where the Power will play at home, but not on the same day.
Academy
Mark Clayton's Academy team will continue to play curtain raisers at each League game, excluding matches where the senior team plays the Crows.
It will play 'catch up' games twice throughout the year, including in Round 2 against Central District at Elizabeth (the League team will play Adelaide in Mannum), and on the July League bye weekend against Woodville-West Torrens at Woodville.
Port Adelaide's 2016 SANFL Fixture
Easter Thursday
Broadcaster: Community Radio
Academy: 4:55pm
AFL Fixture: v St Kilda, Adelaide Oval, Sunday 27 March
This Easter Thursday clash will be the first with Chad Cornes at the helm of the Magpies. The night game against traditional rival Norwood is always a popular fixture, and many will expect to see fireworks as these old enemies battle it out for the first time after respectively tough campaigns in 2015.
Broadcaster: Community Radio
Academy: Elizabeth Oval, Saturday 2 April v Central District at 11:25am
AFL Fixture: v Adelaide Crows, Adelaide Oval, Saturday 2 April, 1:15pm (away Showdown)
Oddly, the Adelaide Crows' home SANFL Showdown has been rostered on the same weekend as its AFL home Showdown. Two Showdowns in one weekend? That might exhaust a few too many vital organs. It takes 90 minutes to drive to Mannum from Alberton on the Torrens Valley scenic route. If it's a nice day, it would be perfect for a visit to the river region of South Australia.
First Home Game
Broadcaster: Community Radio
Academy: 11:25am
AFL Fixture: v Essendon, Adelaide Oval, Friday 8 April, 7:20pm
Port Adelaide hosts North in its first home game for the year. This will be the first time Josh Carr (new head coach of the Roosters) comes up against his old club as well as former 2004 AFL Premiership teammate Chad Cornes in the coaches' box. This game takes place the day after the Power's game against Essendon at the Adelaide Oval.
Round 4 - bye
ANZAC Round
Broadcaster: Community Radio
Academy: 11:25am
AFL Fixture: v Geelong, Adelaide Oval, Saturday 23 April, 7:10pm
After hosting Geelong the night before, ANZAC Round continues with Port Adelaide hosting Central District at Alberton Oval. This will be the first time the Magpies play Central District since 2015's disappointing exit from the finals at the hands of the Bulldogs. Steven Summerton and his men will be out for redemption.
Broadcaster: Community Radio
Academy: 11:25am
AFL Fixture: v Richmond, MCG, Saturday 30 April, 6:55pm
Port Adelaide travels to Unley to take on Sturt. The Double Blues have been a bogey side for the Magpies in recent times, with Port only narrowly winning at Alberton last year and then suffering a shock defeat at Peter Motley Oval later in the year.
Broadcaster: Community Radio
Academy: 11:25am
AFL Fixture: v Brisbane Lions, Adelaide Oval, Sunday 8 May, 4:10pm
The Magpies return home to play the Bloods in this early May encounter. Their first game against the reigning premiers and the first since their loss to them in the qualifying final last year, the Magpies will be out to make a point against Mark Mickan's West Adelaide.
Broadcaster: Community Radio
Academy: 11:25am
AFL Fixture: v Carlton, Etihad Stadium Sunday 15 May, 12:40pm
The local derby between Port and the Eagles will be played earlier than usual - 1:40pm - as the Magpies seek to capitalise on the end of its longest sequence of games between bye rounds for the year.
Broadcaster: Community Radio
Academy: 11:25am
AFL Fixture: v West Coast, Adelaide Oval, Saturday 21 May, 4:05pm
Port Adelaide has enjoyed the advantage over South for a while, especially at Alberton where the Panthers have experienced little success for over half-a-century. This is the final game before the league bye for the state game between the SANFL and VFL the following week.
Broadcaster: Community Radio
Academy: 11:25am
AFL Fixture: v Collingwood, MCG, Sunday 5 June, 12:40pm
With the Power travelling interstate this weekend, it's the perfect opportunity to get out and see the Magpies take on traditional rivals Glenelg. There will be added interest in this game, as it will be the first time Chad Cornes has coached Port Adelaide against his family's club. There might also be a former Port legend-turned-Bays assistant in Kane Cornes sitting inside the Glenelg box as well.
Broadcaster: Community Radio
Academy: 11:25am
AFL Fixture: v Western Bulldogs, Adelaide Oval, Saturday 11 June, 1:10pm
The Magpies host the Double Blues in the first game after the halfway point of the season. With just four home games to go, this will be a must-watch fixture as these two old rivals clash at Alberton Oval for the first and only time this year.
Broadcaster: Seven
Academy: 10:25am
AFL Fixture: v Fremantle, Domain Stadium, Saturday 18 June 4:05pm
While the Power will play away against Fremantle on this day, there is an opportunity for Port fans to get their fill of live Port Adelaide footy by making the roadtrip down to Noarlunga to see the Maggies play the Panthers in an early game at Hickinbotham Oval.
Round 13 - bye
Broadcaster: Community Radio
Academy: 11:25am
AFL Fixture: v Richmond, Adelaide Oval, Friday 1 July, 7:20pm
If you've bounced back from Friday night's AFL blockbuster against Richmond, you might want to swing up Main North Road to see the Magpies take on Central District on the wide plain that is the Ponderosa. This game is the first of three before the Magpies' final in-season bye.
Broadcaster: Seven
Academy: 11:25am
AFL Fixture: v Hawthorn, Adelaide Oval, Thursday 7 July, 7:20pm
The Magpies play West at Richmond in what promises to be an intriguing encounter, especially if both sides are in good form. Port Adelaide played its best game for the year at the home of the Bloods, and will be hunting a strong end to the season with just six games to play as of this weekend.
SANFL Indigenous Round
Broadcaster: Community Radio
Academy: 11:25am
AFL Fixture: v North Melbourne, Etihad Stadium, Saturday 16 July, 4:05pm
With the Power travelling to Melbourne to play the Kangaroos, Port fans can turn out in droves to watch the second local derby between the Magpies and the Eagles. This is also SANFL Indigenous Round, so both teams will both wear special guernsey designs in celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
Round 17 - bye
Broadcaster: Seven
Academy: no game
AFL Fixture: v Brisbane Lions, Gabba, Saturday 30 July, 6:55pm
This game is one of the biggest on Port Adelaide's SANFL calendar, and after last year's shock loss to the Crows at Alberton, the Port Adelaide faithful will be demanding a significant turnaround from the performance delivered by the Magpies that day. With no AFL home game this weekend, this is a must-see game for Port fans.
Broadcaster: Community Radio
Academy: 11:25am
AFL Fixture: v Sydney Swans, SCG, Saturday 6 August, 1:15pm
Prospect Oval has been a happy hunting ground for Port Adelaide in the last two seasons - 2015 particularly saw the Magpies come out with a barnstorming performance that set up its charge for the finals. It will be a different story this time around, however, with the Magpies coming up against a Roosters outfit coached by Josh Carr on their home turf.
Broadcaster: Community Radio
Academy: 10:55am
AFL Fixture: v Melbourne, Adelaide Oval, Saturday 13 August, 7:10pm
A clash with Port Adelaide's home AFL match later this night will make for a super Saturday of footy for the faithful. Travel down to the Bay to see the Magpies take on Glenelg and then head back up Anzac Highway to see the Power host the Dees that night.
Broadcaster: Community Radio
Academy: 11:25am
AFL Fixture: v Adelaide Crows, Adelaide Oval, Saturday 20 August, 7:10pm
This traditional grudge match against the Redlegs closes Port Adelaide's SANFL on the club's biggest weekend of footy. After watching Port host the Crows in Showdown XLI, true believers can rock up at Norwood the day after to see their club host their traditional state league rival at Alberton.
