CARLTON'S 2019 season will continue to take shape on Thursday, with the AFL to announce the home-and-away fixture at midday.
It’s one of the most highly anticipated days on the football calendar, with every AFL club learning its fate for the upcoming year.
The Blues already know who their first opponent will be, with the traditional season opener against Richmond returning on Thursday 21 March.
Carlton will host the opening game of the year, in what will be the 12th instalment of the Blues-Tigers Round 1 battle. It will have extra significance for Carlton, with Marc Murphy poised to play his 250th game.
AFL.com.au also reported earlier today that the Blues will return to Tasmania for the third time in four years.
After venturing to Hobart to take on North Melbourne in the season just gone, Carlton will return to Launceston in Round 6 against the Hawks.
Sync Carlton's 2019 fixtures to your calendar
The Blues played their first game in Tasmania against the Hawks in 2016, going down narrowly at the University of Tasmania Stadium.
Carlton will face teams who finished on the lower rungs of the ladder in the upcoming campaign, in line with the AFL’s fixture weighting.
Separated in thirds, here’s how the 2019 season will take shape for the Blues:
- Against 2018 top six sides: Maximum of one return meeting, minimum of zero return meetings
- Against 2018 middle six sides: Maximum of two return meetings, minimum of one return meeting
- Against 2018 bottom six sides: Maximum of three return meetings, minimum of two return meetings
The JLT fixture was announced earlier in the week. Carlton will take on traditional rivals Essendon and Collingwood at Ikon Park and Morwell Recreation Reserve respectively.
