The Brisbane Lions AFC believes their Season 2010 fixture - like every year - represents a great challenge for the players, but will be extremely exciting for members and supporters to get behind.

The Club has responded to the AFL's official release of next year's draw by noting the team is facing four of this year's fellow top eight finalists twice - including premiers Geelong, the Adelaide Crows and preliminary finalists the Western Bulldogs who ended the Lions' first AFL Finals run since 2004 at their MCG Semi-Final.

"Our other 2009 finalist 'double' and the Club's major drawcards are the two Thursday night blockbusters we have against Carlton," said Lions Chief Executive Michael Bowers.

"These games will see our high-profile Trade Week recruit Brendan Fevola up against his former Blues team-mates alongside our Captain and fellow goal-kicking powerhouse Jonathan Brown."

"Of course we last met the Blues in that thrilling Gabba Elimination Final victory, so both the Easter Thursday night and Split Round Thursday night clashes are sure to be among the hotter tickets in the 2010 AFL calendar."

Returning his stadium back to its once feared 'Gabba-toir' status will remain a priority for second-year Senior Coach Michael Voss who is keen to start the campaign strongly with three of the Lions' first four matches at home against West Coast in Round 1, Carlton in Round 2 and the Western Bulldogs in Round 4.

The big season Gabba opener against the Eagles will find another experienced Trade Week recruit in utility Brent Staker facing off against his old side from the West wearing the maroon, blue and gold.

Voss will also be striving for a strong run home to September with three of the Lions' last five matches also at the Gabba against Melbourne in Round 18, Adelaide in Round 20 and now familiar Round 22 opponents Sydney. This regular season finale will see another Trade Week recruit Amon Buchanan squaring off against his former Swans team-mates in his new Lions colours in the midfield.

"Our 2010 draw also includes a tough three-match assignment against 2009 Grand Finalists St Kilda at home, followed by Hawthorn down at Tasmania's Aurora Stadium, then modern heavyweights Geelong out at Skilled Stadium," Mr Bowers said.

"Lions fans should remember this St Kilda match here in Brisbane should feature yet another of our Trade Week signings in Xavier Clarke out on the wing or half-back turning the tables on his old Club after we battled out that thrilling nail-biter with the Saints down in Melbourne this year."

"From the Club's point of view, our only real disappointment is just playing five matches in Melbourne in front of our Victorian members with four games scheduled at Etihad Stadium and only one at the MCG against the Demons in Round 5. This compares to the six we played in Victoria's capital in 2009 not including the Geelong clash at Skilled Stadium which made seven for the state."

The other interstate clashes involve two trips to Adelaide to battle the Power and Crows respectively in Rounds 3 and 9, one trip to Sydney in Round 6 to meet the Swans plus one trip to Perth against West Coast in Round 19 at Subiaco Oval.

The Lions will continue as the 'Saturday night specialists' with 13 Saturday evening showdowns which could well become 14 with the new floating* final round scheduling introduced by the AFL this year. These timings are complemented by four Sunday afternoon clashes including the Round 20 Crows meeting on home soil. The remaining four games are the two Thursday night Carlton showpieces and two Saturday afternoon clashes in a row with the Hawthorn then Geelong 2008 Grand Finalists away double.

Brisbane-based Lions fans have two Gabba double headers in Rounds 1-2 (West Coast then Carlton) and Rounds 7-8 (Fremantle then Geelong) while its Melbourne-based followers have a Rounds 11-12 double header (North Melbourne then Western Bulldogs) at Etihad Stadium.

The Lions host Richmond on the first Saturday night of the Split Round (Round 13) before taking the next weekend off. This is sure to be a much anticipated match with the Tigers last appearing in Brisbane back in 2006 and the Lions recently acquiring Richmond's former caretaker coach Jade Rawlings, their development coach and former Lions triple premiership forward Craig McRae as well as their 2006 Rising Star runner-up Andrew Raines. In return Richmond will have former Lions Assistant Coach Justin Leppitsch in their brains trust corner.

At least seven of the Club's matches will be broadcast on free-to-air national television while all Lions home and away games will again be broadcast live into Queensland on free-to-air television.

Brisbane Lions Memberships for Season 2010 are now officially ON SALE
Lions Membership Dept:
Tel: 07 3335 1777 or 1800 216 885
Email: membership@lions.com.au

AFL MEDIA RELEASE STATEMENT:

*The AFL will introduce a floating fixture for Round 22 of the 2010 Toyota AFL Premiership Season to fully maximise for the first time the AFL's options for the opening week of the finals series.

AFL Chief Operating Officer Gillon McLachlan said the AFL had moved to break with its long-held tradition of a fixed fixture for one week only for Round 22, to ensure the leading teams in the competition were best advantaged for the finals series.

"We have determined that we will program the teams that will play each other and the venues they will play at for Round 22 next season, but we will not settle the dates for the games until we are close to the finals and know which teams are likely to progress deep into September," Mr McLachlan said.

"The intention will be to make a decision between four and six weeks out from the final round, to enable fans to make travel arrangements as required, unless we are able to make a decision earlier if there is a very clear indication on how that last round is panning out," he said.