Exactly one week after the AFL confirmed Port Adelaide will clash with the Gold Coast Suns in Shanghai next year, the full AFL fixture for 2018 was today announced with Adelaide Oval set to host a blockbuster series of Port Adelaide home games in June.

Three consecutive Port Adelaide home games kick off on 8 June when the Power hosts reigning premiers Richmond on a Friday night in Round 12.

This is immediately followed by a Thursday night clash against the Western Bulldogs in Round 13 and then a Friday night meeting with Melbourne the following week, when new Port Adelaide recruit Jack Watts could potentially face up against his former club for the first time. 

Significantly, all three of these home games will be broadcast standalone and free-to-air nationally on the Seven Network. 

Besides the blockbuster month of June, Port Adelaide has a number of other highlights as part of its home fixture. 

The Power will launch its 2018 campaign when it takes on Fremantle at Adelaide in Round 1 on Saturday 24 March.

Among its other home games, Port Adelaide will host Geelong on the Saturday night of Anzac Round, Adelaide in the first Showdown of 2018 in Round 8, West Coast in Round 21 in a rematch of this year’s dramatic elimination final and Essendon in the final Round of the home-and-away season. 

Port Adelaide chief executive Keith Thomas anticipates the entire Port Adelaide community of Members, supporters and corporate partners will be enthused by the 2018 fixture. 

“Port Adelaide has so much to look forward to in 2018, highlighted again by our follow-up game in Shanghai,” Mr Thomas said. 

“As we said at last week’s announcement our Shanghai game in May next year will continue to be a game changer for Port Adelaide and the AFL and to have the opportunity to underpin our China engagement strategy with a second game in China is a big win for our club. 

“From a home game perspective there are many standouts within our fixture including hosting Geelong on the Saturday night of Anzac Round. 

“This is the 15th consecutive time Port Adelaide has hosted an Anzac Round game in Adelaide and we continue to enjoy a great partnership with the RSL and defence community. 

“For us to again be given the opportunity to host this game in Adelaide is an enormous privilege and one that we will never take for granted. In honour of the occasion the Peter Badcoe VC Medal will again be presented to the player that best exemplifies the Anzac spirit. 

“And of course, we are also very much looking forward to June when Adelaide Oval will come alive as it hosts three consecutive Port Adelaide home games against reigning premiers Richmond, the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne.” 

Mr Thomas was also pleased with the timeslots of Port Adelaide home games in 2018. 

“We are excited to be playing the majority of our 11 home games at night. We host one game in the Thursday night timeslot, two on a Friday night, four as a twilight Saturday fixture and one on a Saturday night,” Mr Thomas said. 

“From our Member feedback and attendances over the last four seasons at Adelaide Oval the night and Saturday twilight fixtures are by far the most popular.” 

As well as again taking AFL to Shanghai, Port Adelaide will play in Tasmania for the first time since 2013 when it takes on Hawthorn in Launceston as part of Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round on Saturday 2 June. 

Port Adelaide also plays two games at the MCG – the first against Carlton in Round 15 and the second against Collingwood in Round 22. 

The Power will play the Adelaide Crows twice in 2018 along with Fremantle, the West Coast Eagles, Essendon and the Western Bulldogs.

Port Adelaide closes the 2018 home-and-away season against Essendon at Adelaide Oval as part of the AFL’s floating fixture with the day and time to be confirmed later next season. 

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