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AFL ROUND 1 | HAWTHORN v ESSENDON

📅 Fri 14 Mar 2025  🕐 7.40pm AEDT 📍 MCG, Melbourne, VIC

The stage is set as Hawthorn hosts old rivals Essendon at the MCG under Friday night lights.

Hawks members and footy fans alike won't want to miss this one!

Our Round 1 match against Essendon is a Hawthorn home game. Tickets for this match are available through Ticketek.

Member access

Using your membership card

Members with Melbourne home match entitlements can scan their physical or digital membership card to gain General Admission access to the ground. General admission is subject to capacity and is not guaranteed; see below for info on securing a ticket with your membership.

🟡 Read more on Round 1 access for members

🟡 Find out how to access your digital membership card

Securing a seated ticket with your membership

Dunstall Club and Ponsford members are encouraged to redeem a ticket using their membership barcode to secure a seat to this blockbuster match.

General Admission members have the option to upgrade to a reserved seat using their membership barcode.

🟡 Redeem your tickets via Ticketek

🟡 Login here to view your membership barcodes

General public access

Match tickets are available for purchase by the general public via Ticketek.

MCG seating map

Locating your Gate for entry

Your match ticket will identify which Gate to head to for match entry.

🟡 Be prepared, locate your Gate using this Yarra Park map

There are plenty of public transport options to get to Hawthorn's home ground, the MCG.

By train

There are two train stations close to the MCG - Jolimont and Richmond.

Jolimont Station is north of the ground and offers a five-minute stroll through Yarra Park to the gates to the ground. View 

Richmond Station is on the south-eastern side of the MCG. It's a slightly longer walk to the ground, past the Punt Road Oval to the Shane Warne Stand side.

By tram

Three tram routes provide access to the MCG.

The No. 70 tram (Docklands/City-Wattle Park) is the closest tram stop to the ground, traveling from Flinders Street and detouring via Melbourne Park. The tram stop is a short walk across the footbridge to the ground.

Stopping on Wellngton Road just north of the MCG, the No. 75 tram (City-Vermont South) travels from Flinders St, and the No. 48 (Docklands/City-North Balwyn) travels from Collins Street, both connecting the city and eastern suburbs.

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