The biggest day on the AFL calendar is here, with the Richmond Tigers set to take on the GWS Giants in their first ever grand final appearance. While that game headlines the day, AFL grand final day has plenty else on, and with The Roar’s full guide, you won’t miss a thing.
The AFL grand final itself is set to get underway with the first bounce on the Melbourne Cricket Ground in front of almost 100,000 fans at 2:30pm (AEST), however, there is plenty happening on what will be a long day for AFL fans.
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The first gates (being the MCC reserve) to the MCG open at 8am (AEST), six and a half hours before the game gets underway.
The remainder of gates will open at 9:30am (AEST), with a curtain-raiser match – the under 18 all-stars game – to get underway at 10am (AEST) as the crowd builds.
That game is scheduled to conclude at around 11:55am (AEST), with the AFL grand final team sheets then to be confirmed 90 minutes before the match starts, and the teams to enter the MCG just a handful of minute later.
Just over an hour before the first bounce, the pre-match entertainment, featuring Paul Kelly, Dean Lewis and Tones and I, will begin just over an hour before the first bounce, concluding shortly after 2pm (AEST).
The teams will then enter the ground for their final warm-up at 2:13pm (AEST), pausing for the national anthem four minutes before the bounce, and the coin toss two minutes before the bounce.
Should the game go more or less as expected, halftime will be at around 3:35pm (AEST), and the decider should finish at around 5pm (AEST), with the post-match presentation to follow shortly afterwards.
8am – MCC reserve gates open
9:30am – AFL reserve and public gates open
10am – Under 18s all-star match begins
11:55am – Under 18s all-star match presentation
12:15pm – Sprint heats
1pm – AFL grand final team sheets to be confirmed
1:02pm – Teams enter MCG for first warm-up
1:26pm – Pre-match entertainment and motorcade commences
2:13pm – Official team entry ahead of grand final
2:15pm – Final warm-ups begin
2:26pm – National anthem
2:28pm – Coin toss
2:30pm – AFL grand final, first bounce
3pm – AFL grand final, quarter time
3:06pm – AFL grand final, second quarter commences
3:35pm – AFL grand final, halftime
3:55pm – AFL grand final, second half commences
4:25pm – AFL grand final, three quarter time
4:31pm – AFL grand final, fourth quarter commences
5pm – AFL grand final, fulltime
5:10pm – Post-match presentation.
All times AEST
Note – all times are subject to change. Times in game will depend on actual quarter length and any possible extra time required should scores be level at fulltime. The quarter-time and three quarter time breaks will both be six minutes, and halftime 20, regardless of game length..
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