2008 AFL Fixture: Club reaction

training program the fixture will now allow our members to have a bit more clarity of what to expect for the year."

Essendon:
"It's not a bad draw for the club and we are happy with it," said Bombers managing director Peter Jackson. "It would have been nice to have a game in Brisbane for the sake of our supporters there but, overall, we are happy."

Fremantle:
"I think the fixture is very positive on a whole lot of levels," said Dockers CEO Cameron Schwab. "We look at the fixtures obviously in regards to what gives us the best chance from a playing perspective, particularly as a travelling team but also what it means from a commercial point of view too, in particular the types of games we get to play at home and this coming year we've got some fantastic home fixtures against big clubs which is great for our members and supporters. "I think it's a great fixture for our members and supporters with the number of great games that we have got at Subiaco, especially two big Friday night games. Our supporters will see bigger matches against big oppositions including Geelong, Essendon, St Kilda and Collingwood all at home which means that people are going to get great value."

Geelong:
"From a football perspective we are mostly comfortable with the 2008 fixture," said Cats CEO Brian Cook. "Our main issue is that both trips to Perth are played with only a six-day turnaround which is not ideal preparation. From a commercial point of view the club has some concerns. As the premiership club we are disappointed that we do not have the opportunity to play a home game in front of a 50,000-plus crowd. This is because all of our three home games in Melbourne are at Telstra Dome. Our two matches against Collingwood in 2007 were amongst the most exciting and best attended matches of the season. We are perplexed as to why we face Essendon and Collingwood only once in 2008. A positive aspect of our draw is that it will attract up to 18 national free to air games which should mean around 15 million viewers throughout the home-and-away rounds."

Hawthorn:
"We're pleased that we have further entrenched our position with regard to our seven home games at the MCG and these have been supplemented by a further three away games at the MCG," said Hawks CEO Ian