Lions recruit Brendan Fevola's round two clash with Carlton will be the first of five AFL Easter Thursday blockbusters set down for the Gabba until 2014.

Brisbane will host high-rating Easter Thursday matches for the next five seasons under a deal struck by the AFL and the Queensland Government.

Sports minister Phil Reeves confirmed the deal on Thursday, 24 hours before the 2010 season fixture list is due to be officially released in Melbourne.

The Lions will host Carlton in round two on April 1, pitting controversial former Blues full-forward Fevola against his old club.

Mr Reeves labelled the agreement - struck after the Gabba Trust relented on a deal that would have forced expansion club Gold Coast to play out of the venue until 2015 - a tremendous coup for football in Queensland.

"This guarantees a big-drawing early match at the Gabba every season for the next five years, with likes of Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon or the Geelong Cats to be among the teams who are likely to visit the Gabba to take on the Lions," he said.

"This is part of an agreement negotiated to bring a 17th team to the AFL competition, a second team to Queensland on the Gold Coast and the redevelopment of Gold Coast Stadium."

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