Semi-final weekend has been run and won, and now we know exactly who will be in the preliminary finals next weekend. We’ve got all the details on the fixtures right here.
Geelong Cats vs Sydney Swans
Second preliminary final
Time: 7:50pm (AEST)
Date: Friday, September 23
Venue: MCG
GWS Giants vs Western Bulldogs
First preliminary final
Time: 5:15pm (AEST)
Date: Friday, September 24
Venue: Spotless Stadium
The Cats and the Swans will play off what looks to be a classic match after the Cats booked a home prelim final with a win over the Hawthorn Hawks in the first week of finals.
The Swans lost their first final to the GWS Giants but bounced back to claim a win in the semi-finals against the Adelaide Crows on Saturday night.
That means to win the flag they now need to win two straight games at the MCG – against the Cats on Friday night and, if they make it through that, against the winner of the other prelim in the grand final.
It’s that other prelim that is arguably more exciting however with one of either the GWS Giants or the Western Bulldogs now guaranteed to make it through to this year’s decider.
The Giants have never played in the grand final, obviously – this is their first ever finals appearance, in their fifth year in the competition.
The Bulldogs have played in just two grand finals in club history – in 1954 when they won their first and to date only premiership, and most recently in 1961.
By comparison, eight of the last eleven grand finals have featured either the Swans or the Cats. They are teams that know that territory pretty well.
The Giants got through to the prelim after beating the Sydney Swans in the first week of finals at ANZ Stadium.
The Western Bulldogs are through after consecutive wins over the West Coast Eagles and the Hawthorn Hawks, despite finishing seventh after the home-and-away season.
Former Adelaide captain Rory Sloane has been forced into immediate retirement by the threat of further eye damage. Sloane, 34, had a second bout…
"You can't push forward with Zac Williams in the short-term... you've got to set standards."
Kane Cornes has hit back at suggestions Aliir Aliir had some responsibility in being concussed in Jack Higgins' dangerous tackle, which saw the Saint…
The MRO handed the Bulldogs player a one-game suspension for rough conduct after his shepherd on Fremantle opponent Brandon Walker.
With the national competition, the premiership-winning coach says some games it was hard to feel the occasion such as ANZAC Round - and it's…
Eight weeks is usually the point where the AFL ladder has taken its shape for the season - and thanks to Opening Round, that's…
