The AFL grand final is upon us, with the big game to feature a host of pre-match entertainment before the Collingwood Magpies and Brisbane Lions square off.
Check out The Roar’s full guide to ensure you don’t miss any of the action.
The grand final itself will see the first bounce once again at its traditional time of 2:30pm (AEST); but the day’s many festivities will get going long before the Magpies and Lions begin to slug it out.
For Melbourne fans with tickets to the game, the gates will open at 9am (AEST), so get there early and enjoy all the action in the lead-up to the actual game.
The first item on the agenda is the grand final curtain-raiser between ‘Team Selwood’ and ‘Team Naitanui’; however, the two retired AFL greats will not be involved in the game.
Instead, Team Selwood will be coached by Sydney Academy coach and former Essendon player Mark McVeigh, while Team Naitanui is headed up by Vic Metro U16 coach Andrew Sturgess.
The match will be broadcast exclusively on the AFL’s official website and the AFL app, while being free to watch.
The grand final sprint heats are up next; unlike last year, the pre-match will only see the heats take place, with the final to be run before the half time entertainment.
The heats will take place from 12:30pm (AEST); It is expected the heats will be divided into three lots of six, with the first three from each heat progressing to the final.
Kicking off the pre-match entertainment will be the Welcome to Country, followed by the traditional retiring players’ motorcade around the boundary, with the iconic Mike Brady to perform during the ceremony.
Following that is the main act of the pre-match entertainment. Beginning at 1:40pm (AEST), rock group KISS will take to the MCG, with support from Indigenous singer-songwriter Jess Hitchcock and didgeridoo player William Barton.
From there, the teams will make their way on the field, the match ball and premiership cup will be delivered – the latter by cup ambassador and former Sydney champion Josh Kennedy – and an acknowledgement of country will be performed by master of ceremonies Hamish McLachlan.
The national anthem will be performed at 2:25pm by Kate Miller-Heidke, followed by the toss of the coin and then, at 2:30pm (AEST)… first bounce.
Should the game go according to schedule, the half time siren will sound at roughly 3:36pm (AEST). Then it’s time for the half time entertainment, featuring Mark Seymour & The Undertow as well as Miller-Heidke.
The half-time break is expected to go for 24 minutes, four minutes longer than usual, to accommodate the entertainment, setting the start to the second half at a little later than 4pm (AEST).
Assuming there is no extra time required, the final siren will sound at roughly 5:06pm (AEST), followed by the post-match presentation. That will see the Norm Smith Medal awarded to the best player afield – presented by 2005 winner Chris Judd – the Jock McHale Medal to the winning coach – presented by 2007 and 2009 Geelong premiership boss Mark Thompson – and of course, the lifting of the premiership cup.
Unlike in previous years, there will be no post-match show.
8am – Melbourne Cricket Club gates open
9am – Seven Network pre-match coverage begins
9:30am – General and AFL Reserve gates open
9:35am – Grand final curtain-raiser begins: AFL Futures match – Team Selwood vs. Team Naitanui
12:30pm – Grand final sprint – heats
12:40pm – Grand final sprint – final
1pm – Teams warm up on the MCG
1:25pm – Welcome to Country
1:25pm – Retiring players motorcade (with performance from Mike Brady)
1:40pm – Pre-match entertainment: KISS, William Barton and Jess Hitchcock
2:11pm – Umpires enter field, match ball is delivered
2:15pm – Brisbane players enter field
2:18pm – Collingwood players enter field
2:23pm – Acknowledgement of Country
2:24pm – Premiership Cup delivered by ambassador Bachar Houli
2:25pm – National anthem performed by Kate Miller-Heidke
2:28pm – Coin toss
2:30pm – AFL grand final starts
3pm* – Quarter time
3:06pm* – Second quarter starts
3:36pm* – Half time
3:45pm* – Half time entertainment: Mark Seymour & The Undertow with Kate Miller-Heidke
4pm* – Third quarter starts
4:30pm* – Three-quarter time
4:36pm* – Fourth quarter starts
5:06pm* – Final siren
5:20pm* – Post-match presentation
All times AEST (Sydney/Melbourne time).
* Denotes approximate time only
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 full-time. The quarter time and three-quarter time breaks will both be six minutes, and half time 20, regardless of game length..
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