"The Fitzroy Football Club will consider legal action after a key plank of its merger with Brisbane was broken in match fixturing for next season.

When the Brisbane Lions were formed in the 1996 merger, it was stipulated the entity would play six matches in Melbourne each season, but only five have been scheduled for 2005.

Fitzroy Football Club chief executive Bill Atherton said last night club chairman Dyson Hore-Lacy would soon convene a meeting to discuss options of recourse.

"It is a very serious issue; we spoke to the AFL about it yesterday and we are not going to go off half-cocked about it," Atherton said. "There is an agreement which is legally enforceable, but I don't want to go into all of that until we have met."

The problem in the 2005 draw arose with a Lions "away" match against Melbourne being scheduled for the Gabba, leaving just five Lions matches in Melbourne.

AFL general manager broadcasting, strategy and major projects Ben Buckley said the matter was for Brisbane and Fitzroy to settle.

Brisbane Lions chief executive Michael Bowers said his club requested six games in Melbourne.

"However, when the club entered into its arrangement with Melbourne to play one of its home games at the Gabba each season, the AFL could not guarantee us six games in Victoria after the first two years of the arrangement," Bowers said.

"We were pleased that the AFL was able to accommodate the club over the past four years, but there was always a possibility that we would not get our six Melbourne games somewhere along the line.

"We remain committed to working closely with the AFL to try and ensure we receive the minimum quota of games in Victoria in the future."