The highly-anticipated draw for the 2014 AFL season is out and there are some matches and special occasions that are worth not missing.

Each club has now received their draw for what is expected to be another blockbuster of a season, each varying in difficulty depending on how your team fared last year.

The fixture was given an overhaul this year, whereby the 18 teams are split into three groups, with a formula being developed from there to determine which teams meet twice during the year.

And of course, there will be big winners and losers from the 2014 fixture, which will introduce, for the first time in recent memory, Sunday night football and an unprecedented ANZAC Day triple header.

Let’s look at some of the matches or occasions that you must not miss in 2014.

1. The opening round
As is the case at the beginning of every season, the opening round of the season is one that must not be missed.

The 2014 edition of the opening round will once again be split across two weekends, and despite the MCG being unavailable due to the completion of the cricket season, it still promises to be a great opening to the season.

Collingwood and Fremantle will open the season at Etihad Stadium on Friday, 14 March – this will be the first of three matches the Dockers will play on the big Friday night stage in 2014.

Geelong will host the Adelaide Crows on Thursday, 20 March in the first of many matches they will play under the lights of their Simonds Stadium fortress, which will also serve as a homecoming for James Podsiadly, who was shipped off to West Lakes during the off-season.

Hawthorn, meanwhile, will unfurl its premiership flag in front of its Tasmanian fans in the second week of the opening round when they face up to the Brisbane Lions, who will be coached by its former triple-premiership defender Justin Leppitsch for the first time, at Aurora Stadium.

However, the pick of the round would no doubt have to be the fifth instalment of the Sydney Derby between the GWS Giants and the Sydney Swans.

The fifth instalment of the ‘Battle of the Bridge’, to be held at Giants Stadium for the first time, promises to be the most exciting and intriguing in its short history.

The Swans pulled off one of the biggest moves in recent AFL history by signing Hawthorn’s superstar full-forward Lance Franklin on a nine-year contract, when a deal with the GWS Giants seemed all but a formality.

His arrival in the Harbour city has cost them Jesse White (Collingwood), Andrejs Everitt (Carlton) and Shane Mumford, who will oppose his old club in the first Sydney Derby of the year.

The Giants have also made some significant off-season moves as well, signing veteran premiership players Heath Shaw and Josh Hunt from Collingwood and Geelong respectively, while also receiving Mumford from the red-and-whites.

The acquisition of Hunt and Shaw will add some badly-needed experience to the young club, which will want to quickly climb up the ladder after finishing with the wooden spoon in their first two seasons.

This showdown will also see the Shaw brothers opposed to each other, making for what could be the most intriguing Sydney Derby in recent history.

Given the activity both the Giants and the Swans have done in the past month, the match will be a must-attend for die-hard AFL fans in Sydney, regardless of which team you support.

2. Paul Chapman and Bomber Thompson vs Hawthorn
Paul Chapman will officially make his debut for Essendon when the club, to be coached by former club legend Mark Thompson this year while James Hird sits out the season due to suspension, faces North Melbourne in Round 1.

However, it’s set to get interesting when the pair face Hawthorn in Round 2.

Following Geelong’s 2008 grand final loss to Hawthorn, Paul Chapman made a pact that the Cats “should never lose to Hawthorn again”, a statement which, on the other side, initiated the so-called ‘Kennett curse’, which was broken in last year’s preliminary final.

Chapman was absent from the Cats side which had their eleven-match dominance of the Hawks ended on that fateful Friday night last September.

It could be argued that his careless bump on Port Adelaide’s Robbie Gray cost them any chance of continuing their odd-season dominance.

So, in effect, Chapman, and Thompson, who left the club in 2010 to take up an assistant coach position at the club he will now coach this season, are still unbeaten against Hawthorn since that 2008 grand final disaster.

The big question that will be asked is whether they can inspire Essendon to an upset victory over Hawthorn this early in the season, and in the process maintain their unbeaten ‘streak’ against the reigning premiers.

3. The first Showdown at Adelaide Oval
2014 will see Adelaide Oval make its full-time debut as an AFL ground, after it previously hosted a late-season match between Port Adelaide and Melbourne in 2011.

After more than two decades at AAMI Stadium, both Adelaide and Port Adelaide have relocated to the historic cricket ground, which is closer to the city and will save fans up to 20 minutes of having to travel from the city to West Lakes.

Port have won the rights to host the first Showdown at the Oval, a decision which upset the Crows’ football department and their fans, who believe that a Crows home Showdown would have sold out easily.

This will only add to the intrigue of what will be the second ever match to be played at the historic ground, but the first in a full season.

4. The Grand Final rematch
Although the Hawks will have already unfurled their premiership flag in Tasmania, this one will be for its Melbourne fans when they host Fremantle in the grand final rematch at the MCG in Round 3.

The Hawks will also have already played in Melbourne for the first time in Round 2, an away showdown against Essendon at Etihad Stadium.

It will be Fremantle’s first trip to the MCG, but second to Melbourne (after playing Collingwood at Etihad in Round 1) since last year’s grand final, where they struggled to handle the occasion of playing in their first ever premiership decider.

Any chance they will have of revenge could be all but distinguished already; not only will the Hawks officially unfurl their premiership flag in front of its Melbourne supporters, but also, the Dockers have not beaten Hawthorn since 2010 and not in Melbourne since 2001.

Fremantle will have to wait until Round 21 for their best shot at revenge, in which the Hawks will travel across the Nullarbor to meet not just the team, but also, the Purple Haze. Surprisingly, that match won’t be covered on Channel Seven.

Round 3 will also see Paul Roos return to Sydney when his new-look Melbourne Demons face the GWS Giants in what should be a good opportunity for an early season win for both clubs.

5. Geelong vs Hawthorn, Rounds 5 and 22
Fans of the Hawks and Cats will have to wait until round five to see two of the most successful clubs since 2007 go head-to-head on Easter Monday.

Hawthorn famously ended the so-called ‘Kennett curse’ when they defeated their long-time nemesis by five points in last year’s thrilling preliminary final, on their way to winning the premiership.

The victory did vindicate Jeff Kennett’s comment that “they’ve beaten Geelong when it matters”. Yes, it did matter, because it was this victory which not only knocked Geelong out of the finals, but also set Hawthorn up for premiership glory at the expense of their long-time rivals.

For the record, though, Hawthorn has not beaten Geelong in a regular season match at the MCG since 2002. The Hawks, however, do hold victories at Aurora Stadium (2007) and at Telstra Dome (as it was then known in 2006).

I have a feeling that whoever wins this match will set themselves up perfectly for a premiership assault in 2014.

The two teams will meet again two rounds out from the finals, by then which both teams are expected to be jostling for first and second place on the ladder.

6. ANZAC Day triple-header
As I boldly predicted in an article I wrote a few weeks ago, the AFL will stage its first ever ANZAC Day triple header in Round 6, with the day itself falling on a Friday this year.

Collingwood and Essendon will retain the exclusive rights to the MCG, as they have done since 1995, and for the second year in a row St Kilda will host the match that is held in Wellington, as part of a five-year contract.

The Saints’ opponents this year will be the Brisbane Lions, as the AFL look to alternate the opposition for the Saints during their foray into Wellington. The Sydney Swans were the Saints’ opponents last year; they were also the first team to leave New Zealand with premiership points, courtesy of a 16-point victory last year.

And if you thought that wasn’t enough, the ANZAC Day extravaganza will end at Patersons Stadium, when Fremantle play host to North Melbourne as part of their tribute to Len Hall.

A triple-header, nine hours straight from 2:30pm in the afternoon to 11:30pm at night, will see footy fans stuck on the couch behind the television set for nine hours straight.

7. Paul Roos vs the Sydney Swans, Round 6
In the same ANZAC Day round, Paul Roos and his Demons will host the team which he led to the 2005 premiership – its’ first in 72 years – the Sydney Swans, at the MCG.

The match will see Roos oppose John Longmire for the first time, and fans will also get to see the full-on effect of the coaching handover he pulled off in 2010, whereby he stepped down as Swans coach in 2010 with the plan set of Longmire replacing him.

Longmire has since taken the Swans to greater heights, none more so than the 2012 premiership, while Roos will coach a side which has severely struggled for any ounce of confidence in the last seven years.

It’s master versus apprentice, but it’ll be obvious who comes out on top here – and that’s the Swans, given the great success they have enjoyed in the last few years compared to the Dees’ tough times at the bottom.

8. Dale Thomas and Mick Malthouse vs Collingwood, Rounds 7 and 15
One of the biggest stories over the AFL off-season was Carlton’s acquisition of former Collingwood midfielder Dale Thomas.

Thomas, picked up by the Magpies in the 2005 draft, struggled severely with an ankle injury in 2013 and was on the outer for most of the season. Seeking to restart his 157-game career, Daisy packed his bags and headed off to Carlton, where he will be reunited with Mick Malthouse.

Malthouse opposing the team he coached to the 2010 premiership will also make this round seven showdown very spicy.

Pies fans will be out in force to boo and jeer Thomas as loudly as possible, making this showdown a must-not-miss for AFL fans around the country.

This is only the first showdown, the second will take place on Sunday night in Round 15. Again, it’s a match that will be a must-not-miss for supporters of either club.

Also in this round, the first Western Derby will be held between the West Coast Eagles and Fremantle.

9. Buddy vs Hawthorn, Rounds 8 and 18
Hawthorn fans, make sure that Friday, May 9 is available in your diary, and ensure that you try to book your plane tickets to Sydney by then.

Why? That’s because Lance “Buddy” Franklin will face up to the team which he won two premierships with for the first time since his well-documented departure from the Hawks last October.

His signing with the Sydney Swans will add to the growing rivalry between the two clubs, which contested the grand final in 2012, won by the Swans over the Hawks and Franklin.

So intriguing that this match will be, that the match has been allocated to Sydney’s ANZ Stadium, and given the big Friday night stage. This will almost certainly deliver the AFL an instant knock-out victory over the NRL, which is still in the process of finalising its 2014 draw.

Hawks fans who cannot make the trip north will have to wait until Saturday, 26 July for their chance to make their feelings towards Buddy felt, when the two teams go at it again at the MCG in Round 18.

10. Fremantle vs Geelong, Rounds 9 and 20
In recent times, clashes between Fremantle and Geelong have been so spiteful and notable that they have now become must-watch matches on the AFL calendar.

At Patersons Stadium in round one of 2012, Matthew Scarlett earned the ire of the Dockers players and crowds when he hooked Hayden Ballantyne behind the play in the third quarter of the match.

Earlier in the same game, Ballantyne fell Geelong’s Paul Chapman (now a Bomber) behind the play – an incident which earned him a suspension.

And in this year’s qualifying final, tensions once again boiled over as Steve Johnson and Ryan Crowley took on each other in a match which the Dockers ended up winning by 15 points en route to reaching the premiership decider.

The Cats will have the chance to avenge that defeat when they host the Dockers in Round 20. That, and the round nine showdown at Patersons, will be covered by Channel Seven.

Such has the recent rivalry been between the two clubs that the two meetings scheduled for next year should not be missed.

11. Carlton vs Eddie Betts, Round 10
Carlton fans, mark down Sunday, May 25 into your diary right now.

This is your chance to unleash your anger on Eddie Betts, whose Crows will descend onto Etihad Stadium on the last Sunday of May with the mission of showing Blues fans (possibly) how better his form will get at West Lakes.

Betts’ departure from Carlton was one of the biggest stories of the off-season, as he sought to return home and join a club which struggled in 2013 as a result of Kurt Tippett’s departure and Taylor Walker’s season-ending knee injury.

With Betts on board, the Crows’ attack will be alleviated by his presence, with Tex Walker not expected to return until at least five or six rounds into the season.

This will be the second time in five years the Blues will have to confront one of their departed – in 2010, they opposed Brendan Fevola and the Brisbane Lions, and it was the two-time Coleman Medallist who had the last laugh on the club that sacked him at the end of 2009 on that balmy night at the Gabba.

Will Betts have the last laugh or can Carlton move on?

12. Indigenous Round
This is the time of the year when the AFL celebrates the Indigenous contribution towards the game.

It kicks off with a Thursday night showdown between the Sydney Swans and Geelong Cats, and it’s a match in which Adam Goodes will be the prominent feature.

In the corresponding round last year, Goodes delivered a masterclass as the Swans thrashed Collingwood by 47 points at the MCG on the Friday night stage. However, the match was marred by a young Collingwood supporter calling the two-time Brownlow Medallist an “ape” – which she claims she didn’t know was not acceptable.

It will be the Swans’ second Thursday night match in two seasons, after becoming the first team to win a premiership match outside of Australia on ANZAC Day this year.

Then, on the Saturday night, it’s the traditional match between Richmond and Essendon, which promises to be another cracker of a match.

Before that, though, Melbourne and Port Adelaide will contest the first ever match to be played for premiership points right in the heart of Australia – Alice Springs. It could also be an indicator as to how Paul Roos and the Demons have come.

13. Paul Chapman and Bomber Thompson vs Geelong, Round 15
This is the showdown that all Cats fans will want to look forward to.

The Cats will not only face Mark Thompson, the mastermind behind two of the club’s three most recent premierships, but also the man who helped land the Cats the latter of those two flags with a desperate goal in the dying minutes.

The future of Paul Chapman was one of the big talking points over the off-season after it was announced that he would not be offered a new contract at the Cattery.

Keen to continue his career for at least another year or so, he was picked up by Essendon and as such will continue his career under the tutelage of Thompson, who will serve as the club’s coach this year while James Hird serves his suspension for his role in the club’s supplements scandal.

Just how the Cats fans will react to seeing the 2009 Norm Smith Medallist in red and black will itself be a talking point when June 27 rolls around.

14. Gold Coast Suns vs Collingwood, Round 16
Another match that must not be missed as Gary Ablett looks to replicate the dominant match he produced in the corresponding match last season, which proved to be the biggest catalyst towards his winning the Brownlow Medal.

The Pies will still probably remember the match and still have nightmares about how unstoppable he was, as his performance inspired the Suns to one of the biggest upsets of the season.

Nathan Buckley may have already started plotting Ablett’s downfall, but we will have to wait until Round 16 to see that take some effect.

15. Josh Hunt vs Geelong Cats, Round 18
The first half of this split round (a reminiscence of the 2005-2010 era) will see Josh Hunt come up against the club which delisted him at the end of this year.

Like Paul Chapman, Hunt was also keen to continue his career and he should be thankful that GWS have given him a lifeline, as the club seeks some experience in an attempt to finally climb off the foot of the ladder.

That said, the Giants should aim for at least two-to-four victories entering this match, which has been held later in the season for the club’s convenience.

This showdown will come three rounds after the Cats confront Paul Chapman and Bomber Thompson, and again it will be interesting to see how the Geelong fans react to Josh Hunt donning the charcoal and orange.

16. Heath Shaw vs Collingwood, Round 22
Another big story to come out of the AFL off-season was the departure of Heath Shaw from Collingwood, meaning for the first time in four decades, no-one with the surname Shaw was to be associated at the club.

Following his ill-disciplined display in the club’s elimination final exit to Port Adelaide, Collingwood announced their intentions to trade him at the end of the season.

At the same time, GWS announced their interest in the veteran defender, who will add some much needed experience and stability to the club’s backline, which in 2013 conceded a load of scores for the second year running.

Although Shaw will have to wait until this late in the season to make his feelings towards the Pies felt, it will be worth the wait, as the Giants play their final home game for the season in front of what is expected to be a large crowd, regardless of where they sit at the ladder at the time of the match.

Those are some of the matches and grudge showdowns that you will not want to miss in 2014.

For many AFL fans, the countdown has already begun to Friday, 14 March, when the season will open between Collingwood and Fremantle.