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The 2024 AFL finals are upon us.
Starting times and dates have been confirmed for Week 3 of the finals series.
Win a Ziggy BBQ for Grand Final day, thanks to Barbeques Galore! Enter Here.
(all dates/times AEST)
Second qualifying final: Port Adelaide 7.12 (54) def. by Geelong 20.18 (138) by 84 points at the Adelaide Oval
In one of the most remarkable September demolition jobs in recent memory, Geelong began the 2024 finals series in emphatic fashion, booking a home preliminary final with an utter rout over a pathetic Power outfit.
Despite losing Tom Stewart to illness at the eleventh hour, the Cats were utterly dominant, a five-goal burst midway through the second quarter breaking the match open and putting the Power to the sword in the second half.
With four goals apiece, Jeremy Cameron and Tyson Stengle were unstoppable, while Max Holmes, the heartbreak story of the 2022 premiership run, starred with 28 disposals.
Making matters worse for the Power, star midfielder Zak Butters was subbed off at half time with a rib issue, while captain Connor Rozee was hobbled late.
In the most-hyped elimination final in recent memory, Hawthorn dazzled their way to a semi-final in front of more than 97,000 at the MCG, continuing their fairytale rise from a 0-5 start to the year.
With Lloyd Meek dominating Tim English in the ruck with 46 hitouts, 23 disposals and a goal, and first-year rising stars Nick Watson (four goals) and Calsher Dear (three) electrifying in attack, the raw pace, power and ferocity of ‘Hokball’ steamrolled the Dogs after quarter time.
So emphatic was the result, the Hawks’ fourteenth win from their past 16 matches, that they will undoubtedly head to the Adelaide Oval to face Port Adelaide as red hot semi-final favourites.
First qualifying final: Sydney 13.10 (88) def. GWS 12.10 (82) by 6 points at the SCG
The Swans secured a home preliminary final with an heroic comeback, coming from 21 points down at three quarter time to overrun GWS by six points.
Isaac Heeney was the hero with 30 disposals, three goals – including the match-tying major deep into the final term – and a classic speccy; while having been barely sighted all day, key forward Joel Amartey popped up for the winning goal with under two minutes remaining.
The result leaves the minor premiers just one win away from a grand final, despite their late-season jitters; the Giants, meanwhile, must do it the hard way.
First elimination final: Brisbane 14.15 (99) def. Carlton 11.5 (71) by 28 points at the Gabba
It wasn’t always easy, but Brisbane booked a date with GWS by dispatching a wearied Blues courtesy of a dominant first half.
The Lions led 60-0 at one point midway through the second quarter, and while the Blues fought back to draw the margin to as low as 28 points by the final siren, the home side were never truly threatened.
With 29 disposals, veteran Dayne Zorko was everywhere across half-back, while Cam Rayner was a menace in attack with three goals.
Compounding the Blues’ woes was a late report on Nic Newman for a high elbow on Lachie Neale, that could see the defender face a suspension and a delayed start to 2024.
Second semi final: Port Adelaide 11.9 (75) def. Hawthorn 11.6 (72) by 3 points at the Adelaide Oval
In a classic final, the Power redeemed their horror qualifying final loss – and ended the Hawks’ Cinderella run – with a thrilling triumph to move through to a preliminary final.
Three goals from Mitch Georgiades, as well as two and three goal assists from Willie Rioli, proved the key as the Power took a match-winning lead with the first three goals of the final quarter, with a last-minute James Sicily shot for the winning goal hitting the post.
The match had a spicy postscript, with Power coach Ken Hinkley dishing out a verbal spray at the Hawks, and in particular Jack Ginnivan, in response to his cheeky ‘see u in 14 days’ Instagram taunt in the lead-up to the game.
First semi final: GWS 15.10 (100) def. by Brisbane 15.15 (105) by 5 points at ENGIE Stadium
In one of the most extraordinary finals ever played, the Lions overturned a 44-point deficit midway through the third quarter to storm home and hand the Giants their second consecutive heartbreaking loss.
Two clutch goals from Joe Daniher in the dying minutes gave Brisbane the lead, with the Giants left to rue letting another match slip, having for the second final in a row been overrun in the final quarter.
Daniher finished with four goals to lead the way for the Lions, along with an outstanding 27-disposal performance from young star Will Ashcroft; for the Giants, five goals from Coleman Medallist Jesse Hogan completed an outstanding individual season, but weren’t enough to drag his team home.
The Swans booked a second grand final berth in three years on the back of a comprehensive dismantling of the Power in front of a packed house at the SCG.
The Swans scored 12 goals from turnovers in the first three quarters, the most by any team all season, as their array of devastating kicks put Port to the sword.
Isaac Heeney (24 disposals, two goals) was once again the standout, but Errol Gulden (27 disposals) and Joel Amartey (three goals) were also critical, with the Power made to rue waywardness going inside 50 in the first half.
The only concerns were a late ankle injury to key forward Logan McDonald that saw him subbed out early in the last quarter, and potential MRO hot water for vice-captain Dane Rampe after a high hit on Zak Butters.
The win was Sydney’s first over Port Adelaide since 2016, breaking an eight-mtch losing streak that included a 112-point shellacking in Round 21.
Second preliminary final: Geelong 12.13 (85) def. by Brisbane 14.11 (95) by 10 points at the MCG
In one of the great preliminary finals, the Lions produced their second Herculean finals comeback in a row to reach a second straight grand final and stun the Cats.
Down by 25 points early in the third quarter, the Lions fought back to take the lead late in the term, but looked like getting their hearts broken when an Ollie Henry goal gave the Cats a one-point lead deep into the final term.
Enter Callum Ah Chee and Cam Rayner, with a pair of clutch, stunning goals turning the tables on the Cats, with victory secured when ruckman Rhys Stanley hit the post from just metres out in the final minute.
The Lions will have to sweat on the fitness of star ruckman Oscar McInerney, who dislocated his shoulder in the first quarter; though he tried to battle through the pain, he was subbed out shortly after.
Grand final: Sydney 9.6 (60) def. by Brisbane 18.12 (120) at the MCG
After a tight first quarter, it was all Brisbane in a dominant grand final masterclass, kicking seven unanswered goals in the second term to break the game open and not relenting from there.
At 20 years old, Will Ashcroft became the second-youngest ever Norm Smith Medallist with a 30-disposal performance, while with four goals, Callum Ah Chee and Kai Lohmann starred up forward.
For the Swans, it was a fourth consecutive grand final defeat, with three of them thrashings, as a star-studded team again failed to fire.