MELBOURNE is set to play an intra-club match on Friday, February 4, although a venue and time is still to be confirmed.

The intra-club clash will be played in the lead-up to Melbourne’s first encounter against Adelaide Crows at AAMI Stadium - the opening NAB Cup game for 2011.

The Demons will also be involved in the first match under the new NAB Cup format, which will see 18 teams (including Greater Western Sydney) divided into six pools of three for the opening round.

Each club will play two opposing teams from their pool once, in three shortened matches comprising two 20-minute halves. These will be played consecutively across a three-hour timeslot.

After playing the Crows, the Demons will immediately play Port Adelaide in another two by 20-minute contest.

A third match between the Crows and Power will round out the trio of matches played on the same night.

Six winners from each pool, plus the two sides with the best records among the remaining clubs will advance to round two.

The NAB Cup will then return to its traditional quarter-final set-up of eight teams, with two semi-final matches and the grand final to follow.

Teams knocked out of the NAB Cup will then play in the NAB Challenge during weeks two, three and four.