Bulldogs fans - mark these dates in your diary.

The AFL has today revealed the 2019 season will begin on Thursday, March 21, and also confirmed key structural details of next year's fixture. 

The AFL announced it had written to each of the 18 AFL clubs, along with the AFL's broadcast partners, venues and other key partners, to outline the likely key dates for the 2019 Toyota AFL Premiership Season and to begin the work of the construction of the fixture.

It is expected the fixture will be completed in mid to late October 2018, as per the schedule of recent seasons.

The likely key dates for each part of the 2019 season have been advised at this stage to be as follows:

The 2019 Fixture will retain the current structure of a ‘regular round' of one Friday night match, two Saturday afternoon matches, one Saturday twilight match, two Saturday night matches, one early Sunday match, one Sunday afternoon match and one Sunday twilight match.

The AFL will again schedule a number of irregular rounds principally around key public holidays, bye weekends and/or matches scheduled in specific timeslots such as Thursday nights.

Other key considerations when developing the fixture for the 2019 Toyota AFL Premiership Season will be:

- AFL and AFL Club contractual obligations with broadcasters and venues
- Player welfare, including days' breaks
- Travel considerations for AFL Clubs
- Maximising attendances, tv audiences and general fan engagement
- Continuation of "blockbuster" matches and "themed" rounds
- Maintaining consistency of match start times where appropriate
- Balancing second round match-ups - the 'Weighted Rule" (as per recent seasons)
- Expansion market and related growth objectives
- Rewarding on-field performance

All parties have been asked to respond by Friday August 10.