THE AFL today confirmed Port Adelaide’s opening six home-and-away games by venue and timeslot for season 2021 with the club’s opponents for its remaining 16 games locked in but the timeslot to remain as a floating fixture.
Port Adelaide will open its 2021 campaign at Marvel Stadium away to North Melbourne on Sunday 21 March and will host its first home game in Round 2 against Essendon on Saturday 27 March.
The highlights of the Power’s blockbuster opening six Rounds include a Round 4 Adelaide Oval preliminary final rematch against Richmond on Friday 9 April followed by an Anzac Day night game at Adelaide Oval against 2020 finalists St Kilda.
The AFL also confirmed that Port Adelaide would host a Showdown in Round 8 against rivals the Adelaide Crows, and host Victorian clubs the Western Bulldogs, Geelong, Collingwood and Carlton later in the season.
In summary, Port Adelaide will travel to Perth once, in Round 3 vs West Coast, twice to Queensland, once to Canberra and six times to Melbourne, including two games at the MCG.
The Power will play St Kilda, Collingwood, Western Bulldogs, Carlton and Adelaide twice.
Port Adelaide chief executive Matthew Richardson anticipates the entire Port Adelaide community of members, supporters and commercial partners will be thrilled by the 2021 fixture.
“If you look at our first six Rounds in isolation, it’s very easy to get excited about our 2021 campaign,” Mr Richardson said.
“From a home game perspective there are many standouts for our members and supporters including hosting powerhouse Victorian clubs in Essendon, Richmond, Geelong, Collingwood and Carlton.
“If our two games against Richmond in 2020 are anything to go by, I imagine our Round 4 Friday night game against the Tigers would be one the most keenly anticipated games of the season.
“And then of course we have the ultimate honour of hosting a game against St Kilda on Anzac Day night which will be a very special occasion.
“This is the 18th 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.
“We are very grateful to the AFL for our club to again be granted hosting rights of this game in Adelaide and it 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.
“The overall balance of our fixture is a great outcome for both our members and corporate partners. The timeslots in the early rounds are in the most popular for our members and supporters, whilst from a corporate partner perspective we have some big games in feature timeslots which will draw significant broadcast audiences.”
2021 FIXTURE | VIEW THE FULL FIXTURE HERE
The AFL also confirmed that Port Adelaide’s annual game in Shanghai would be postponed due to COVID-19.
Mr Richardson said the club understands and supports the AFL’s decision not to stage a match in Shanghai next year.
“We maintain that our China strategy is not dependent on playing an annual game in Shanghai,” Mr Richardson said.
“Our China-based partners remain committed to us, and we are committed to them. Our vision of using Australian football to create a cultural bridge between Australia and China has not changed and we always said this was a long term strategy.”
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Port Adelaide 2021 AFL fixture: Summary of highlights
- Port Adelaide season opener – Round 1 v North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium (1.10pm Sunday 21 March)
- Port Adelaide first home game – Round 2 v Essendon at Adelaide Oval (4.05pm Saturday 27 March)
- Friday night football – Round 4 v Richmond at Adelaide Oval (7.20pm Friday 9 April)
- AFL Anzac Round at Adelaide Oval – Round 6 v St Kilda (6.10pm Sunday 25 April)
- Port Adelaide home Showdown – Round 8 v Adelaide Crows (Time and day TBC)
