A near-capacity crowd is expected to pack into University of Tasmania Stadium for the pre-season practice match between Hawthorn and Collingwood next week.
The Thursday, March 2 clash between the Hawks and Magpies will be the first time the two teams have played on Tasmanian soil since their 2015 game at the same venue, which Collingwood won by 44 points.
That game - a NAB Cup clash - set a pre-season crowd record for the Stadium of just under 15,500 people.
Launceston Mayor Danny Gibson said he was expecting a huge turnout for the match between the two Victorian power clubs.
"Launceston hasn't hosted Collingwood since 2015 and it's going to be an absolute thrill to see them taking on the Hawks at UTAS Stadium in March," Mayor Gibson said.
"I have no doubt that Collingwood fans from across Tasmania will flock to see their beloved Magpies, and with free entry, I have no doubt the match will be a huge success in terms of turn-out.
"It's a wonderful time of year to visit Launceston and UTAS Stadium is one of the nation's best AFL grounds."
With the AFL announcing there will be no ticket redemption available for the game, gates will open at 3.30pm and it will be a matter of first in, best dressed for footy fans.
"Staff will be keeping a close eye on the attendance and will only close the gates if and when we start to get close to a capacity crowd, so I encourage anyone wanting to attend to get to the ground as early as possible to secure a seat," Mayor Gibson said.
With a large crowd expected, Mayor Gibson encouraged those planning on attending to use the new Northern Car Park off Churchill Park Drive on the northern side of UTAS Stadium, with free parking available.
"There are almost 900 spaces available for event parking in the Northern Car Park, and being just a few minutes' walk from the ground, is the perfect place to park your car while attending the big game," Mayor Gibson said.
Digital message boards will be in place to direct motorists.
The match will kick off at 5.10pm.
Tasmania Police will have lane closures in place along the south-bound lane of Invermay Road outside the Stadium.
The old bike track next to the Stadium will not be open, while the half-circle the Inveresk Car park is not part of event parking and will be charged at the normal hourly rate during business hours.
Council officers will be patrolling the area around the stadium with a reminder for those attending the game to not to park in front of businesses on Invermay Road, particularly earlier in the day during regular opening hours.
