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The championship-winning Mariners will host Tony Popovic's side on Saturday, October 12, just 24 hours after Alessandro Del Piero's Sydney FC open the campaign with a clash against Newcastle Jets.

The Melbourne Derby is also a mouth-watering feature of the first round, while Adelaide take on Perth and Brisbane meet Wellington.
 
The entire season draw was unveiled in Sydney on Wednesday morning, with the FFA revealing the campaign will have its latest ever-finish.
 
A May grand final has been included in the draw to come closer in to line with major European leagues and also give A-League players a better chance to make the Socceroos' World Cup squad.
 
In another first for the A-League next season games will broadcast on free-to-air television when the first of the weekly Friday night matches is broadcast live into homes on SBS2 and Fox Sports.
 
FFA CEO David Gallop has praised the creation of the draw as an example of cooperation in building a dynamic draw for all fans of the game.
 
"This season’s draw has been crafted to ensure that whether you are an avid supporter of a team or the many new fans discovering the Hyundai A-League there is always something to look forward to in every round of the competition," Gallop said.
 
"For the first time we will have A-League action on both subscription and free-to-air television which can only be a good thing for the greater growth of the sport in Australia.
 
"Fox Sports and SBS coverage of the A-League will allow for football to continue its sharp growth trend. Reaching a wider audience meaning more fans can get closer to the action than ever before at our fantastic venues or via our television, radio and digital properties."
 
The first Sydney derby of the year will be played in round three at Allianz Stadium, with the Sky Blues to get two of the three clashes with the Wanderers on their home turf.
 
Sydney will also host a match on Boxing Day for the first time, taking on the two-time champions Roar.
 
"It's a draw that offers plenty of excitement for Sydney FC Members and fans," Sydney FC CEO Tony Pignata said.
 
"Two Sydney derbies at Allianz Stadium will certainly give our fans plenty to get excited about, especially the round 3 clash on 26 October.
 
"We open the A-League season by hosting Newcastle Jets, which will be a huge match as it was last year when more than 35,000 people saw Alessandro Del Piero make his home debut.
 
"Our Members and fans can also look forward to an action-packed start to the season with the Big Blue clash with Melbourne Victory following the opening match and the first Sydney Derby."
 
Other features of the draw include a repeat of the popular festive period fixtures, with 16 games to be played in just 18 days around the Christmas-New Year period.
 
There is more of the blockbuster fixtures to be played on Friday nights, with the Melbourne Heart the big winners with eight games to kick-off the weekend.
 
"We're delighted that we have three more Friday night games at home this season and importantly that our players have a good travel schedule to prepare for their matches on the road," Heart CEO Scott Munn said.
 
"With increased exposure on free to air TV this season, added to having two home games against both Sydney and Western Sydney, this is an exciting time for us.
 
"We also have the possibility of staging a regional match next February and are currently in advanced discussions with the FFA. We will hopefully make some announcements in the next couple of weeks on that."