MELBOURNE will play its final home-and-away match of the season against North Melbourne in a 4.40pm Sunday twilight match on August 29.
 
The AFL confirmed round 22 on Monday, after it entered the 2010 season with a ‘floating round’ for the last round before September. The Melbourne clash will also be the last home-and-away clash of the season.
 
AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan said the AFL’s primary aim of the ‘floating round’ was to maximise fixture options for the first week of this year’s finals series.
 
“As per recent years, the AFL scheduled five games for Saturday, so that the majority of games can be completed by Saturday night, and enable us to consider the widest possible options for scheduling for week one of the finals,” McLachlan said in a statement.
 
The AFL has predicted the high-ranking teams to have played by Saturday August 28 and, preferably, to be in a position to return to their home state by that night - if required to travel for round 22.
 
The AFL broadcast contract also requires commitments on the number of free to air matches involving the SA and WA-based sides over the premiership season.
 
It was determined that Fremantle and Carlton should be played on Friday night, to enable Carlton to return to Melbourne as early as possible. A mid-afternoon match at AAMI Stadium on Saturday August 28 would also enable St Kilda to return to Melbourne that day.
 
Only Port Adelaide was scheduled to travel on the final day of the premiership season, on Sunday August 29, with the trip to Melbourne for its game being the shortest possible flight of all teams scheduled to travel in round 22.
 
The schedule for week one of the 2010 finals will be announced on the evening of Sunday August 29.
 
Round 22
 
Friday August 27
Fremantle v Carlton at Subiaco Oval, 6.40pm (Channel 7)
 
Saturday August 28
Geelong Cats v West Coast at Skilled Stadium, 1.10pm (Fox Sports)
Hawthorn v Collingwood at the MCG, 2.10pm (Network Ten)
Adelaide Crows v St Kilda at AAMI Stadium, 3.40pm (Fox Sports)
Western Bulldogs v Essendon at Etihad Stadium, 7.10pm (Network Ten)
Brisbane Lions v Sydney Swans at the Gabba 7.10pm (Fox Sports)
 
Sunday August 29
Richmond v Port Adelaide at Etihad Stadium, 2.10pm (Channel 7)
Melbourne v North Melbourne at the MCG, 4.40pm (Fox Sports)