The Fremantle Dockers will play four of their first six games at home at Perth Stadium next year, including hosting the first ever derby to be played at the new-world class venue in round six of the 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

Fremantle’s first home game at Perth Stadium in 2018 will be a round two blockbuster clash with Essendon on a Saturday night in the first ever AFL game under lights at the new venue.

The night-time home game in round two against the Bombers will also be the first nationally broadcast AFL game on free to air TV from Perth Stadium.

One of the four early games at home at Perth Stadium includes an historic “away” game against the Gold Coast Suns, meaning Freo will play a total of 13 games at the club’s home ground in 2018 compared to 12 in previous seasons at Domain Stadium.

Fremantle secured the rights to play an additional game at Perth Stadium in round three after negotiating with the AFL to pay an agreed fee to the Suns, who are unable to play early season home games at Metricon Stadium in 2018 due to Commonwealth Games commitments at the Gold Coast venue.

It is the first time either Fremantle or West Coast have played an “away” game at home for premiership points in an AFL season.

It also means the club will have one less long-haul travel game in 2018, with one of its 11 travelling away games now scheduled to be played at home at Perth Stadium.

Fremantle CEO Steve Rosich said in addition to successfully bidding for the Gold Coast “away” game the club had also lobbied the AFL long and hard to secure the right to play round one of the 2018 season at Perth Stadium.

“On behalf of our members and supporters, we mounted a strong and detailed business case to secure the round one game at Perth Stadium in 2018, and on this occasion the AFL has decided to stick with the regular cycle of round one being rotated between the two WA clubs on a year-by-year basis,” Rosich said.

“What it does mean in the longer-term is that on that basis we are due to play the round one season opener at Perth Stadium in 2019.

“In the shorter-term, our members and supporters can look forward to our first home game of the 2018 AFL season at Perth Stadium being a round two clash with Essendon on Saturday night in the first ever game under lights at Perth Stadium and what will also be the first nationally broadcast AFL game on free to air TV from the new stadium.

“The Essendon blockbuster will be followed a week later by our historic ‘away’ game against the Suns at our new home ground.

“We are also thrilled with the prospect of hosting our first ever annual Len Hall Game at Perth Stadium in round five and being able to incorporate the venue’s cutting edge lighting and audio facilities into our Anzac commemoration ceremony.

“The fourth of our first six games to be played at home at Perth Stadium next year is against West Coast in round six, which is an exciting opportunity for our members and supporters to be part of history and ensure we dominate crowd support at the first ever Fremantle home derby played at Perth Stadium.

“We are very happy to be playing four of our first six games at home, including our first ever home derby at the new venue, our first home game and blockbuster clash with Essendon under lights, and what will be the first ever Len Hall Game at the stadium.

“Given the club has only just been advised that we have secured the right to play our round three away game against Gold Coast at Perth Stadium, we will be working with the AFL, the stadium operator and our partners to ensure that we can provide an option for Fremantle members to attend this bonus game via a special and exclusive offer.

“We anticipate that details of the special and exclusive offer for members for the bonus game will be announced in the New Year.”

The AFL is due to release the full fixture for the 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership Season next week.