THE MELBOURNE Cricket Club has identified the five home and away games at which it expects the members reserve to be close to capacity in 2018.

In an email to members, the club divided all 45 games into four crowd categories, with provisional members – the new membership category introduced in 2015 – unable to use their cards to enter the MCC Reserve for the five anticipated top-drawing games this year.

They are:

1. Thursday March 22 - Richmond v Carlton (AFL season opener)

2. Tuesday April 24 - Melbourne v Richmond (Anzac Eve)

3. Wednesday April 25 - Collingwood v Essendon (Anzac Day)

4. Saturday June 2 - Essendon v Richmond (Dreamtime at the 'G)

5. Monday June 11 - Melbourne v Collingwood (Queen's Birthday)

History would suggest that the first four games listed will attract more than 80,000 to the ground, while crowds for the Queen’s Birthday game are trending upwards as the Demons continue to improve.

MCC full and restricted members have unfettered access to the MCC members reserve during home and away games and the first three weeks of the finals, while only full members can use their cards for the Grand Final, subject to capacity.

Reserved seats and guest passes for the MCC reserve go on sale from February 28.

In addition to the Richmond-Carlton season opener, the MCG will also host the Hawthorn-Collingwood and Melbourne-Geelong games on the opening weekend of the season, from March 22.