The Opening Round of the 2019 Toyota AFL Premiership Season will see the GIANTS host Essendon in a Sunday afternoon blockbuster at Spotless Stadium on March 24.
It’ll be the first time the GIANTS open their season at Spotless Stadium since 2014 before the venue is converted for the Sydney Royal Easter Show early the following month.
The big season opener will also be the first Sunday afternoon game the GIANTS play in Sydney since 2016 with the 3.20pm match being broadcast on free to air television nationally by the Seven Network.
The GIANTS will be looking to get their season off on the right foot after bowing out to eventual Grand Finalists Collingwood in a tight Semi Final at the MCG last month.
After a slow start to 2018, the Bombers missed the finals but a strong finish to the year coupled with a trade period that saw them land former GIANT Dylan Shiel is set to see Essendon eyeing off a return to the top eight in 2019.
Shiel’s first game in his new colours will be in familiar territory at Spotless Stadium where the midfielder played 47 of his first 135 AFL games.
He won’t be the only former GIANT expected to don the sash with Devon Smith and James Stewart also likely to play for Essendon.
The Bombers got over the GIANTS in their only meeting in 2018 with a powerful final term seeing the visitors run away from the GIANTS by 35 points in round 10 at Spotless Stadium.
Before this, the GIANTS had strung together three consecutive victories against the Victorian club.
The news of the GIANTS’ Opening Round AFL fixture comes shortly after the 2019 NAB AFLW fixture was released with the GIANTS playing four home games in Sydney and Canberra early next year.
The full 2019 Toyota AFL Premiership Season fixture will be announced on Wednesday, October 31 at 12 noon AEDT.
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Opening Round
GIANTS v Essendon
Sunday, March 24 at 3.20pm
Spotless Stadium
Seven Network
