After their drought-breaking grand final win over the Western Bulldogs on September 25, the Demons will return to competitive action in a Thursday night contest on March 3.

The Bulldogs will host Brisbane at Marvel Stadium on March 4, while derbies in South Australia (March 5) and Western Australia (March 6) could add some spice to the pre-season schedule.

The Crows-Power match will be played at Richmond Oval, while the Dockers-Eagles meeting will take place at Fremantle Oval.

March 6 will feature a double-header at Giants Stadium, with GWS to host Collingwood and Sydney to take on North Melbourne.

Gold Coast and Geelong will wrap up the pre-season schedule at Metricon Stadium on March 7, nine days before the Melbourne-Bulldogs home-and-away season opener at the MCG.

As previously announced, the Hawthorn-Richmond pre-season match in north-west Tasmania on March 5 will be a fundraiser for victims of Devonport's Hillcrest Primary School tragedy.

Co-tenants Essendon and St Kilda will meet at Marvel Stadium on the same day.

Each club will also play one unofficial practice match before the annual pre-season series runs over five days in March.

The practice matches will be held over the last two weekends of February, with clubs to decide the venue, time, date and the format of each game between themselves.

All clubs will play practice matches in their home states, except for the two SA clubs, who will travel to WA.

"The decision to proceed with this model was made in consultation with clubs as we look to safeguard the health and safety of the competition and the community by minimising travel prior to the (home and away) season," AFL fixtures boss Marcus King said.

"Equally, this arrangement provides clubs with the ability to determine individual requirements to best prepare for the season ahead."

2022 AFL PRE-SEASON MATCHES:

Carlton v Melbourne, March 3, Marvel Stadium

Western Bulldogs v Brisbane, March 4, Marvel Stadium

Hawthorn v Richmond, March 5, venue TBC

Adelaide v Port Adelaide, March 5, Richmond Oval

Essendon v St Kilda, March 5, Marvel Stadium

GWS v Collingwood, March 6, Giants Stadium

Sydney v North Melbourne, March 6, Giants Stadium

Fremantle v West Coast, March 6, Fremantle Oval

Gold Coast v Geelong, March 7, Metricon Stadium

PRACTICE MATCHES:

To be held over the last two weekends in February.

Essendon v Western Bulldogs

North Melbourne v Melbourne

Sydney v GWS

Carlton v St Kilda

Collingwood v Hawthorn

Geelong v Richmond

Brisbane v Gold Coast

West Coast v Adelaide

Fremantle v Port Adelaide

Australian Associated Press