SIMONDS Stadium will host two Friday night matches during next year’s home and away season.

The first of them will see the Cats hosting the Sydney Swans in round 16, while the second is against the Western Bulldogs in round 19.

The games in the marquee timeslot were revealed as part of the launch of the AFL’s 2016 fixture on Thursday morning.

View our updated 2016 fixture, ticketing and broadcast page

Geelong has received a great draw, according to chief executive Brian Cook, with the Cats fixtured to play eight home games at Simonds Stadium in all.

The first game at Simonds Stadium is a Sunday twilight clash with the Brisbane Lions in round three.

The other teams that will visit the Cattery are Gold Coast, West Coast, Greater Western Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne.

Geelong’s other home matches are against Hawthorn at the MCG in round one, North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium in round 12 and Essendon at Etihad Stadium in round 20.

The Cats will make five interstate trips.

The first will see them doing battle with Steve Johnson when they take on Greater Western Sydney in a Sunday afternoon game at StarTrack Oval in Canberra in round two.

The club’s other interstate game are against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba (when the Cats might come up against Josh Walker), Adelaide and Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval and Fremantle at Domain Stadium.

Patrick Dangerfield will get his first chance to line up against the Crows when the Cats travel west for a Friday night game in round eight.

Geelong has been fixtured to play four Friday night games in all.

The five teams that the club will meet twice are Adelaide, the Western Bulldogs, Greater Western Sydney, Essendon and the Brisbane Lions.

This means that for the first time in a number of years the Cats will play Hawthorn just once (at the MCG on Easter Monday in round one).

Like this season, each club has just one bye. The Cats’ bye is in round 15 (first weekend of July).

But the AFL has introduced a new general bye after round 23 in an attempt to ensure clubs do not feel the need to rest players in the lead-up to the finals.

GEELONG’S 2016 FIXTURE (TIMES ARE LOCAL TO HOST VENUE)

Round 1: v Hawthorn (home) – Monday, March 28, MCG, 3.20pm

Round 2: v Greater Western Sydney (away) – Sunday, April 3, StarTrack Oval Canberra, 1.10pm

Round 3: v Brisbane Lions (home) – Sunday, April 10, Simonds Stadium, 4.40pm

Round 4: v Essendon (away) – Saturday, April 16, MCG, 1.45pm

Round 5: v Port Adelaide (away) – Saturday, April 23, Adelaide Oval, 7.10pm

Round 6: v Gold Coast (home) – Saturday, April 30, Simonds Stadium, 7.25pm

Round 7: v West Coast (home) – Saturday, May 7, Simonds Stadium, 2.10pm

Round 8: v Adelaide (away) – Friday, May 13, Adelaide Oval, 7.20pm

Round 9: v Collingwood (away) – Saturday, May 21, MCG, 1.45pm

Round 10: v Carlton (away) – Sunday, May 29, Etihad Stadium, 1.10pm

Round 11: v Greater Western Sydney (home) – Saturday, June 4, Simonds Stadium, 4.35pm

Round 12: v North Melbourne (home) – Saturday, June 11, Etihad Stadium, 7.25pm

Round 13: v Western Bulldogs (away) – Saturday, June 18, Etihad Stadium, 7.25pm

Round 14: v St Kilda (away) – Saturday, June 25, Etihad Stadium, 7.25pm

Round 15: Bye

Round 16: v Sydney Swans (home) – Friday, July 8, Simonds Stadium, 7.50pm

Round 17: v Fremantle (away) – Friday, July 15, Domain Stadium, 6.10pm

Round 18: v Adelaide (home) – Saturday, July 23, Simonds Stadium, 7.25pm

Round 19: v Western Bulldogs (home) – Friday, July 29, Simonds Stadium, 7.50pm

Round 20: v Essendon (home) – Sunday, August 7, Etihad Stadium, 3.20pm

Round 21: v Richmond (away) – Sunday, August 14, MCG, 3.20pm

Round 22: v Brisbane Lions (away) – Sunday, August 21, Gabba, 3.20pm

Round 23: v Melbourne (home) - TBC