Key events
Q2: 12 minutes remaining: Geelong 3.5.23 – 3.6.24 Brisbane
Brisbane really lifting, lots of pressure, not giving Geelong a route out of defence. A couple of good intercept marks from the Cats in the back 50, but the question is where to go next. And each time Geelong go forward, there’s not much precision in the entries. But eventually a high ball draws another free from Reville, who was shoving Dempsey out of a contest in the pocket. But Dempsey’s kick running around the mark is tugged to the near side from the left pocket.
Q2: 15 minutes remaining: Geelong 3.4.22 – 3.6.24 Brisbane
Fierce from the Lions! Ashcroft’s handball in the centre square, Rayner’s long all forward, Morris can’t hold the mark, but Charlie Cameron runs onto the loose ball in the pocket, turns towards goal, and snaps it true. What a kick. Brisbane in front.
Q2: 16 minutes remaining: Geelong 3.4.22 – 2.6.18 Brisbane
Goal for goal there, Logan Morris with the mark, after once again it’s McCluggage who gets involved from a stoppage at centre half forward, winning a contested ball and belting it on.
Q2: 18 minutes remaining: Geelong 3.3.21 – 1.6.12 Brisbane
Start of the second quarter, and an indiscretion costs Brisbane. Bailey Smith driving the ball into Geelong’s 50, Andrews and Neale contesting in the pocket, Stengle’s snap goes across the face of goal. Bowes is lurking under the drop on the far side of the goal face, and Bruce Reville grabs his arm and jumper trying to contest. Free kick paid, had to be, and from a tricky angle in the pocket, Bowes gets the drop punt on line. Goal.
QT: Geelong 2.3.15 – 1.6.12 Brisbane
It was what you would expect from a grand final’s first quarter: congested, intense, lots of tackling and attack on the football, and a lack of polish when the time came to show off skills. Geelong had plenty of time forward early without generating shots at goal, then Brisbane had a string of shots but missed them all bar one from Lohmann. It was frantic forward-line pressure plus Ollie Dempsey’s tendency to drift forward, then Mullin with a rare moment of poise, that got Geelong’s lead. But it’s not by much.
Q1: 0 minutes remaining: Geelong 2.3.15 – 1.6.12 Brisbane
Another miss in this quarter, this time for Geelong, as Stengle tries a banana kick from the boundary line under pressure. Cats get the ball moving forward against but Harris Andrews is able to spoil Neale’s attempted mark. Zac Guthrie has the ball at the front of the centre square, about to send it inside 50, when the siren sounds.
Q1: 2 minutes remaining: Geelong 2.2.14 – 1.6.12 Brisbane
Brisbane can’t get the radar working. Out of the centre bounce, holding the ball decision is paid advantage, they find Bailey on the lead, but his set shot misses. Four behinds for Bailey in the first quarter! Then trying again, Ashcroft’s snap from the pocket goes out on the full. So 12 points for Brisbane, but they’ve earned their second goal the hard way, via six behinds.
Q1: 4 minutes remaining: Geelong 2.2.14 – 1.5.11 Brisbane
Oisin Mullin on the counter! He was on the bench when McCluggage set up that previous goal, but was brought straight back on. Guthrie from the kick-in goes up the wing, Clark up to Stengle. Lester fumbles. Dempsey over the top at half forward, finds the runner, it’s the Irishman streaming forward, he runs inside 50 and nails the running shot for his second career goal!
Q1: 5 minutes remaining: Geelong 1.2.8 – 1.5.11 Brisbane
Huge chance for Bailey! Three Geelong defenders crash into each other, trying to spoil a ball into full forward, and Bailey emerges from the chaos with the ball. But misses his snap from 20 out. One goal five? Oof.
Q1: 5 minutes remaining: Geelong 1.2.8 – 1.4.10 Brisbane
First goal for Brisbane! Lohmann wasn’t likely to miss his set shot, after McCluggage loses Tom Atkins and gets the ball forward. Lions on the counter find the mark inside 50 and it’s finished well.
Q1: 6 minutes remaining: Geelong 1.2.8 – 0.4.4 Brisbane
A chance for Brisbane to answer quickly, but Ah Chee’s set shot goes to the right. Rayner gives away a free on the wing for high contact. Into the Geelong 50, Bailey Smith snaps towards goal but the ball tumbles along the ground and the Lions repel.
Q1: 9 minutes remaining: Geelong 1.2.8 – 0.3.3 Brisbane
Free kick for Blicavs, wrestled to the ground by McInerney in the ruck, then Stengle wins one on the wing for being held. Finds Cameron at half forward, to Miers 55 out, who squares up a kick to de Koning who has drifted forward to take a contested mark 35 metres out. But he misses his set shot. Still waiting for a goal here… but not any more!
The Lions get cut off on their way out of defence. Holmes spoils on the wing, Bowes links up at half forward, into the pocket, Cameron contests. Mannagh grabs the loose ball, finds Bowes, raking handball finds Dempsey near the goal post, and he runs around a defender to snap the goal.
Q1: 12 minutes remaining: Geelong 0.1.1 – 0.3.3 Brisbane
A set shot from Bailey for the Lions after high contact in a tackle, but he misses from the forward pocket. Geelong’s exit ends badly with a kick out of bounds on the full at half back, but the ball ends up locked under several stoppages. Eventually Jhye Clark coughs up possession with a desperate kick, but Wilmot’s snap for Brisbane misses.
Q1: 13 minutes remaining: Geelong 0.1.1 – 0.1.1 Brisbane
Kai Lohamnn has his scalp split open by a teammate’s knee and is on the bench getting some blood cleaned up. Brisbane now getting some time forward, Rayner circling each pack with a few stoppages in a row.
Q1: 14 minutes remaining: Geelong 0.1.1 – 0.1.1 Brisbane The ball has been locked in Geelong’s forward half for the first few minutes, but nothing to show for it. They’ve shut down every Brisbane foray down the wing, but haven’t had a clean possession themselves within the arcs. Finally Brisbane break free and reach their forward line, though Humphries repels them after a nervous moment under pressure by the boundary line. The ball comes back, Rayner attempts a mark but drops it. Finally Bailey has a snap after a stoppage but misses, first point for Brisbane.
Q1: 17 minutes remaining: Geelong 0.1.1 – 0.0.0 Brisbane
First score of the afternoon as Dempsey for the Lions punches through a long ball forward from Dangerfield, who marked strongly about 60 out from goal on the lead.
Q1: 18 minutes remaining: Geelong 0.0.0 – 0.0.0 Brisbane
First burst forward is for the Lions, but Jack Henry marks strongly on the last line. Up the wing to Bailey Smith who finds Stengle lace out at half forward, but his kick is too far wide of Jeremy Cameron in the pocket.
Oisin Mullin starting on the bench, after having tagged Hugh McCluggage out of the game in the previous meeting between these teams a couple of weeks back.
Mark Blicavs at the opening bounce as the Cats ruck rather than Rhys Stanley. Darcy Fort is in the middle for the Lions.
Under way at the MCG
Geoff Lemon
Hello all. There goes the cheer after the national anthem, the moment that tingles all of the spines in the MCG. It never fails. The captains go out for the toss, Patrick Dangerfield and Harris Andrews. Both go back into their huddles and address their teams, one final exhortation before the game begins. And we’re on.
Grab a cuppa, or perhaps a glass of something stiffer, as Uncle Colin Hunter Jnr delivers the Welcome to Country and hands over to Vera Blue to perform the national anthem.
Thanks a lot for following along today. The build up to the AFL grand final is almost as fun as the game itself, especially when Snoop Dogg steals the show.
Here is Geoff Lemon to guide you through what I expect and hope will be an absolute cracker.
One of these teams will become the first to win a pair of premierships this decade – and five flags this century. Brisbane can draw on their kicking strength, while Geelong have the edge in midfield – but can the perennial contenders upset the reigning premiers?
Here is where the 2025 AFL grand final will be won – and lost – and the key players to watch …
Here … come … the Lions. Lachie Neale looks subdued knowing that he won’t be called into action from the first bounce. His co-captain Harris Andrews leads Brisbane out to a mix of cheers and boos that suggest the crowd might be leaning toward the Victorian side rather than the reigning premiers. “We are the pride of Brisbane town … ”
The umpires make their way onto the MCG with the Cats players coming out next as captain Patrick Dangerfield leads the way. “We are Geelong … ”
If you’ve come for the pre-game party – and I hope you haven’t arrived late, because Snoop Dogg and co were fantastic – then make sure you stay for the main event.
Not sure which of our feline friends to support in the AFL grand final? Alex McKinnon is here to help …
So how does an AFL bandwagoner pick a band to wagon? It might come down to regional parochialism, to recognition of dominance, or to simple vibes.
Only a joint-question left to ponder as Snoop wraps up his set … Who Am I? (What’s My Name)?
A change of pace as Australian singer Jessica Mauboy joins Snoop on stage for Beautiful.
But here it is, the one we (I) have been waiting for – a hint of Still DRE, then straight into Gin and Juice. Tunes!
A fast start from the DO Double G and he’s finding plenty of space on the outer wing. Drop It Like It’s Hot gets an early run.
Snoop strolls onto the hallowed turf dressed in all white and starts with a bang. It’s the Dr Dre classic The Next Episode.
“One, two, three and to the fo …” and the hip-hop star is into Nuthin’ but a G Thang.
Alright party people, it’s time to cut loose as Snoop Dogg turns hype-man and pits Geelong and Brisbane fans against each other before stepping out onto the MCG.
Geelong and Brisbane players have already been and gone from the MCG turf as they complete their warm ups and make way for the pre-game entertainment.
The pre-game entertainment begins with Baker Boy kicking goals from the opening bars. The Australian hip-hop gun takes a back seat for the retiring players motorcade.
Final teams
Teams are in with no further changes.
But the huge news is that Lachie Neale will start the AFL grand final as Brisbane’s sub. The dual Brownlow medallist evidently is not quite ready to return in full, but as we saw in the Lions’ win over the Magpies last weekend, a sub may well be called into the game just moments after it begins.
Geelong also spring a surprise with Jack Martin named as their sub after 21-year-old Jhye Clark had taken on the role throughout their finals campaign but is promoted into the starting 22.
Berry is the unlucky Lion to miss the grand final after dislocating a shoulder last week, with Neale returning from a calf injury sustained 21 days ago that was initially expected to end his season. Cats ruck Rhys Stanley has also been recalled with the ever-versatile Mark Blicavs likely needed back in defence after Tom Stewart sustained a concussion in the preliminary final.
Brisbane’s Jarrod Berry and Geelong’s Tom Stewart are both at the MCG for the AFL grand final. But neither will be playing today. Berry is out due to a shoulder injury, while Stewart sustained a concussion in the preliminary final.
The traditional half-time sprint will feature teenage sensation Gout Gout … on the starting gun.
The 100m dash across the MCG will see seven footballers and one Olympic medallist in boxer Harry Garside. Lining up alongside Garside will be last year’s grand final print winner Beau McCreery (Collingwood), this year’s Rising Star winner Murphy Reid (Fremantle), Sydney’s Nick Blakey, GWS Giants’ Toby Greene, Gold Coast’s Jed Walter, Richmond’s Maurice Rioli and St Kilda’s Jack Higgins. Quite a few speedsters in the pack. But I’m not sure Greene is quite in the same class.
Geelong’s Max Holmes won the grand final sprint back in 2023 – but has more important matters to tend to today.
Chris Scott took over a two-time premiership team but has since guided Geelong to new heights. The stats for remaining in contention in all but two seasons since 2011 speak for themselves. Jonathan Horn writes more about the way Scott handles himself in a job he does as well as anyone has before him …
He doesn’t speak the language of Harvard leadership courses. He speaks the language of Leigh Matthews. He has a way of structuring his answers to make the questioner and the viewer come away thinking they have no idea whatsoever. “I could understand why you would think that but …” Or, “I could be wrong, but …” Or “I’m not going to explain that to you right now.”
Football fan podcasts have become a critical means for supporters around the country – and even around the globe – to stay connected to their clubs. That counts for even more when they are going through hard times.
I really enjoyed writing this tale – and speaking with Roar Deal co-host Dom Fay – about taking the journey with the Lions from absolute bottom to the very top.
Brisbane were not just off-Broadway. They were out of sight, and out of mind. Playing away from the intense glare of the football media in the heartland states proved a blessing in disguise as the club reached the finals only once in 14 seasons from 2005.
The Roar Deal is now the centrepiece of a community that stretches far beyond the Lions’ home base and roots in Fitzroy, as Dom Fay and AFL reporter Michael Whiting spend several hours each week on “talking all things Brisbane Lions”.
While we wait for confirmation from Brisbane over whether or not Lachie Neale will start the AFL grand final as the sub, more verifiable reports are filtering of today’s pre-game headliner – Snoop Dogg – still out on the town and spitting bars at 3.49am.
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Hosting an AFL grand final watch party? Let us know where you are.
And I wholeheartedly recommend any or all of Georgia Levy’s mac ’n’ cheese canapés, Rukmini Iyer’s halloumi, zucchini and chickpea fritters, or Alice Zaslavsky’s fish finger tacos – all the grand final day recipes here …
It is being reported that Brisbane’s Lachie Neale will start the 2025 AFL grand final as the sub.
The dual Brownlow medallist is on the comeback trail from a calf injury sustained late in the qualifying final defeat to Geelong. That was 21 days ago and he has been named in the Lions’ 23, but Neale was initially ruled out for the rest of the season and it remains to be seen just how much he can offer – and play – today at the MCG.
Patrick Dangerfield turned on one of the all-time great finals performances in Geelong’s preliminary final triumph over Hawthorn. The Cats skipper’s legacy is already cemented, but as Jonathan Horn writes, Dangerfield is making the most of being managed through a season as a power player.
Dangerfield could easily have seen out his final years mainly as a forward, as a bit of a pinch hitter, a player reliant on craft and guile. But he’s become more of a power athlete, and more of a manic player, if that was possible. If you compare him to the tapes of his Brownlow year, he’s bigger through the chest and glutes. He generates as much torque as he ever has. It’s just that he’s utilised a bit more judiciously.
Fans from both sides – as well as the usual smattering of neutrals and corporate types – are starting to make their way into the MCG – or just enjoying the build up from outside the ground.
Brisbane – and their fans – endured a dismal stretch between their three-peat of premierships in 2001-03 and their rebirth in 2019. But that has made the current period of success all the sweeter, as our reporter in Queensland, Joe Hinchliffe, writes …
From Chris Fagan’s first season as coach in 2017, we – or at least I – had invested increasingly messianic faith in the former school teacher from Tasmania’s ability to resurrect our beloved Lions. Yes, we finished bottom of the ladder in that first year and would win just five games in each of those first two seasons.
But, under Fagan, watching the Lions play went from excruciating to exciting. After years in the doldrums, a whisper of hope began to flutter the sails of our once mighty football club.
The Norm Smith medal voting panel is studded with big names including a pair of two-time winners in chairperson and former Crows great, Andrew McLeod, as well as former Hawks and Lions star, Luke Hodge. Kate McCarthy, Jack Riewoldt and Adam Simpson will also be taking on the high-pressure task of voting for the best afield.
Who is your tip? I’m all in on Max Holmes, that that assumes Geelong are going to win.
AFL is still edging its way around the world. And I can confirm, from personal experience, that a watch party in a foreign land alongside like-minded early birds (or larks, depending on where you are) is one of the great occasions.
Jack Snape is at the MCG today, but has looked at the fans watching from much, much further away …
The AFL grand final at the MCG will attract a crowd more than 30,000 fans larger than that of the next Super Bowl.
But while there may be more than 50 watch parties for this weekend’s match scheduled across the globe, including five in China and six in Germany, the sport’s international growth remains a work in progress.
Let us know where you’re watching from as we try to find the fans furthest from the MCG?
Geelong have set the highest of standards in the modern era with four premierships since 2007 while being in contention to add to that haul almost every season.
Geoff Lemon, who will be taking you through the big game, understands better than most that Cats fans hope for the sustained success to continue as much for the club to get its adequate reward as for the joy of victory.
One premiership in the last 13 years could feel pretty good if your team had jagged one in a period of mostly being ordinary. But one premiership in 13 years when 11 of them were spent as contenders, that feels underweight.
The weather in Melbourne is looking ideal for the 46 players stepping onto the MCG in a few hours and the 100,000+ watching from the stands. But it’s not quite the scorcher fans following from homes and backyards are as likely to enjoy.
The forecast is for a top of 19C and sunny skies with a bit of cloud around.
Geelong v Brisbane is the AFL grand final we had to have. The modern-day powerhouses have won two of the past three premierships, and are the only sides to win more than two-thirds of their games over the past six seasons.
Here is where the game will be won – and lost – as well as the matchups to keep an eye on and the players set to shape the decider. And a prediction for how it will all play out – send us your tips on email.
Preamble
Martin Pegan
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the 2025 AFL grand final between Geelong and Brisbane at the MCG. A decider between the Cats and Lions has been brewing for a while. Yes, for the 126 years that both clubs have been in the league, as they meet for the first time on the biggest stage. And especially over the past seven seasons since Brisbane took a huge leap toward joining Geelong among the perennial contenders.
Brisbane are in a third consecutive grand final and out to become the first team since Richmond in 2019-20 to go back-to-back, while Geelong won a premiership three years ago. The Cats began this season’s finals campaign with a statement win over the reigning premiers though the Lions have responded with a pair of their own resounding victories.
A widely held view is that we have landed on the two best sides this year, as the Cats are on an eight-match winning streak, while the Lions at the top of their game are arguably still the team to beat. With stars on both sides, as well as emerging and unlucky players that missed the recent premiership for each club, this has all the makings for a cracker.
I’ll be seeing us through to just before the first bounce, when Geoff Lemon will take the reins. There is more than enough action to keep us busy until then. Snoop Dogg headlines the pre-match entertainment and will be joined on stage by Tash Sultana and Baker Boy. Emma Donovan and Kee’ahn will help us get warmed up and, of course, Mike Brady will be playing his usual part and belting out the classics of the genre.
First bounce will be at the traditional grand final start time of 2.30pm local time / AEST. Let us know whether your preference is for an afternoon, twilight or night-time start for the decider in the future?
Team news will be coming in an hour or so. Meanwhile, let us know your tips and predictions, and any other thoughts on how the game will play out – shoot me an email or find me @martinpegan on Bluesky or X. Let’s get into it!
