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Part of the pre-match entertainment at the 2006 AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Giant banners were unfurled featuring the colours and emblems of all 16 AFL clubs.

The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions. Image File history File links Afl_grand_final. ... Image File history File links Afl_grand_final. ... The 2006 AFL Grand Final was contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 30, 2006. ... “MCG” redirects here. ... This article is about the national league in Australian rules football. ... A Grand Final is the culmination of a series of final matches played between a number of sporting teams to decide the premier team. ... High marking is a key skill and spectacular attribute of Australian rules football Precise field and goal kicking using the oval shaped ball is the key skill in Australian rules football Australian rules football, also known as Australian football, Aussie rules, or simply football or footy is a code of... “MCG” redirects here. ... This article is about the national league in Australian rules football. ...

The game has become culturally significant to Australia, spawning a number of traditions and surrounding activities which have grown in popularity since the VFL/AFL went national in the 1980s. In 2006, the Sweeney Sports Report concluded that the AFL Grand Final became Australia's most important sporting event,^[1] with the largest attendance, television audience and overall interest of any annual Australian sporting event. VFL/AFL is the term used to refer to the competition established in 1897, which was originally known as the Victorian Football League. ...

With an official attendance of 97,302 at the 2007 AFL Grand Final,^[2] it is currently the best attended domestic club championship event in the world. An aerial view of the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the 1992 Cricket World Cup final packed with 90,000 people. ...

Audience

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The event has been sold out every year for decades, and once drew a crowd of over 120,000 spectators, primarily due to the presence of standing room (areas of the stadium without seats). However attendances have wavered due to re-development and reduced capacity of the main venue, the Melbourne Cricket Ground; being favoured by increased seating of approximately 100,000.^[3] AFL members and nominated members of the participating clubs are given first rights to tickets, as are Melbourne Cricket Club members. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... This article is about the building type. ... “MCG” redirects here. ... The Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) is a sporting club based in Melbourne, Australia. ...

The 2005 AFL Grand Final was watched by a television audience of more than 3.3 million people across five of Australia's most highly populated cities, including 1.2 million in Melbourne and 991,000 in Sydney.^[4] The worldwide audience has grown substantially to a potential 170 million viewers from 72 countries.^[5], although the actual audience is likely to be around 30 million. This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre (also known as The CBD). ... This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ...

The AFL Grand Final has been in the top 5 TV programmes across the five Australian mainland state capitals in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005, and was the top-rating sports programme in both 2004 and 2005 and in 2005, AFL Grand Final related shows (Final, wrap up and pre-match) were the top 3 rating television programmes for the year. As of October the program is second in the 2006 ratings after the coverage of the 2006 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony. The following is a list of Australian television ratings for the year 2002. ... The following is a list of Australian television ratings for the year 2003. ... The following is a list of Australian television ratings for the year 2004. ... The following is a list of Australian television ratings for the year 2005. ... The following is a list of Australian television ratings for the year 2004. ... The following is a list of Australian television ratings for the year 2005. ... The following is a list of Australian television ratings for the year 2006 (Metro Areas). ... Wikinews has news related to: 2006 Commonwealth Games open in Melbourne The Opening Ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games was held on March 15, 2006 at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ...

Qualification and Prize

The two Grand Finalists qualify via finals series play-offs at the end of the season. In the current system, the eight teams finishing highest on the ladder after all the home and away rounds qualify for the four-week long finals series culminating in the Grand Final. The team that finishes the regular season at the top of the ladder is said to have won the minor premiership and is awarded the McClelland Trophy. The winner is presented with the AFL premiership cup and each victorious player is presented with a premiership medallion. The premiers are also awarded the premiership flag, a large pennant which is unfurled at the premiers' first home game of the following season. Although the cup features much more prominently in celebrations immediately following the Grand Final, the flag has far greater symbolic significance. This is particularly reflected in football parlance, in which one always speaks of a team winning the flag, rather than the cup. This is possibly the result of history. The presentation of the flag first occurred in 1895, when the old VFA recognised Fitzroy's first premiership win. The cup was not instituted until 1959. The current AFL finals system was devised by the Australian Football League in 2000 as its end-of-season championship playoff tournament. ... The McClelland Trophy is an Australian rules football Trophy. ... The Victorian Football Association (1877-1995) or the VFA for short, was the first Australian Football body established in Australia, formed in 1877, almost 20 years before that of the Victorian Football League (VFL). ...

Rather than cash, the main incentive for winning the Grand Final is what is referred to rather vaguely in sporting terms as glory. As a result, the cash prize is probably not reflective of the magnitude of participating in the event. The current cash prize for the winning club is AUD$1 million. Before 2006, a cash prize to the winning club of AUD$250,000 was awarded (In contrast, the winner of the NAB Cup, the far less important pre-season competition, is currently awarded a similar amount, AUD$220,000). Following the Sydney Swans premiership in 2005, many clubs publicly questioned the prize money [1], which has not increased for many years and barely covers the cost of participation in the finals series. Au. ... Au. ... The NAB Cup is the pre-season/night series Australian rules football competition of the Australian Football League, sponsored by National Australia Bank. ... Au. ... Sydney Swans is an Australian Football League (AFL) club based in Sydney, New South Wales. ...

The winner of the premiership typically experiences an increase in membership and sale of merchandise.

The player judged by a panel of experts to be the best afield during the Grand Final is awarded the Norm Smith Medal, named after the great Melbourne Demons coach of the 50's and 60's and player of the 40's Norm Smith. The winning coach receives the Jock McHale Medal, named after the coach of Collingwood Magpies from 1912-1949. The Norm Smith Medal is the award given in AFL grand final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match. ... Melbourne Football Club logo The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons since 1933, known in their early days as The Redlegs, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League, based in Melbourne, Victoria. ... Norman Norm Smith (born November 21, 1915, died July 29, 1973) was a legendary Australian rules footballer and coach. ... James Jock McHale, (December 12, 1882 - 4 October 1953) was an Australian rules player and coach for the Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League. ... Collingwood Football Club logo The Collingwood Football Club (nicknamed The Magpies because of the black and white striped jerseys worn by the players) is an Australian rules football club, playing in the elite Australian Football League. ...

History

Early Experimentation

The concept of a "grand" final gradually evolved from experimentation by the Victorian Football League (VFL) in the initial years of competition following its inception in 1897. During the nineteenth century, Australian football competition adopted the approach used by the Football Association in England - that is, the team on top of the table (or "ladder" in the Australian vernacular) was declared the premiers. However, the fledgling VFL decided that a finals series played between the top four teams at the end of the season would generate more interest and gate money. For 1897, the VFL scheduled a round robin tournament whereby the top four played each other once and the team that won the most matches was declared the winner. The Football Association (The FA) is the governing body of football in England and the Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. ... Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1897. ...

However, this method had flaws, so the VFL continued to experiment, playing "section" matches after the regular season and then a finals series where first on the ladder played the third team and second met fourth. The winners of these "semi" finals then met in a final to decide the premiership. This system caused problems in 1901 when Geelong finished on top of the ladder but was immediately eliminated when defeated in the semi final. A "right of challenge" was introduced, giving the team that finished on top at the end of the regular season (the minor premier) the right to challenge if they lost the semi final or the final. This challenge match came to be called the "grand final". The early finals were scattered around various Melbourne venues: Albert Park, St Kilda's Junction Oval and the now defunct East Melbourne Cricket Ground. The selection of the venue could depend on the portion of the gate demanded by the ground's landlords. Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1901. ...

The Move To the MCG

The public remained ambivalent to the concept of finals football until the VFL pulled off a coup in 1902. Previously, the MCG was unavailable to football in the early spring months as it was being prepared for the coming cricket season. The VFL convinced the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) to rent the ground for the finals series and the first grand final at what is today considered the home of the game attracted more than 35,000 people to watch Collingwood down Essendon. The success of the finals at the MCG was proven with big attendances every year, and soon all the major competitions around Australia were employing what was known as the "amended Argus system" of finals. The "original Argus system" had been instituted by the VFL in 1901, the amended system was instituted by the VFL in 1902. The 1907 Grand Final attracted an Australian record sporting attendance of 45,477. The Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) is a sporting club based in Melbourne, Australia. ... Collingwood Football Club, officially nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club involved, and playing in the Australian Football League. ... Essendons Home and Clash Jumpers Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club that is part of the Australian Football League. ... Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1907. ...

By 1908, a new record attendance of 50,261 was set, on a day when the crowd was so huge that they broke through the fence and filed onto the ground, sitting around the boundary line to watch the action. This figure was beaten in 1912 when 54,463 saw Essendon defeat South Melbourne. The big finals crowds (and increasing cricket attendances) prompted the MCC to cut down the eleven fifty-year old elm trees inside the ground and turn the stadium into a concrete bowl, complete with extra stands and standing room. The record fell again in the last grand final before World War I, when the excitement of St Kilda's first premiership attempt drew 59,479 spectators. Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1908. ... Sydney Swans is an Australian Football League (AFL) club based in Sydney, New South Wales. ... The St. ...

Problems With the System

Obviously, the war had a big effect on the impact of the grand final and attendances plummeted. One critic called for the Carlton team to receive the Iron Cross after they defeated Collingwood in the thrilling 1915 Grand Final, ironically dubbed a "glorious contest" by famous coach Jack Worrall. But many diggers supported the continuance of the game, and both the 1918 and 1919 Grand Finals were notable for the large number of Australian servicemen in attendance, many of whom wore uniform. During the 1920s, the VFL grappled with the problems associated with the "amended Argus system", specifically that a true "grand" final was not played if the minor premier won both the semi final and the final. Although new attendance records were set in 1920 and 1922, these were for the semi finals, which often drew bigger crowds than the Grand Final. The VFL reverted to the round robin system in 1924, which was a disaster, then went back to the "amended Argus system" for 1925, when the Grand Final attracted a new record crowd of 64,288. This bumper attendance was the result of Geelong's first VFL premiership win, when a huge contingent from Victoria's second city descended on the MCG to watch their team make history. A stylized version of the Iron Cross, the emblem of the Bundeswehr, Germanys Armed Forces. ... Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1924. ... Geelong Football Club (also known as Geelong, or The Cats) are an Australian professional Australian rules football club based in the city of Geelong, Victoria at Kardinia Park, known by its sponsored name Skilled Stadium. Playing in the Australian Football League (AFL), they are one of the most successful clubs...

Collingwood's famous four premierships in a row between 1927 and 1930 became the catalyst for change to the system. The other clubs felt that the Magpies had an unfair advantage from finishing all four seasons on top of the ladder when the right of challenge saved them on a number of occasions. In 1927, 1928 and 1930, the biggest crowd of the year was drawn to the semi final and not the Grand Final. The Page-McIntyre system (or 'final four") was introduced for 1931, whereby the semi finals (1 v 2 and 3 v 4) were followed by the preliminary final and then the grand final, with the right of challenge abolished. This proved satisfactory to all, and the new system ushered in a golden age for the Grand Final. The Page playoff system is a playoff format used primarily in curling at the championship level. ...

The Golden Age: the 1930s

New records were constantly set and when 75,754 attended the 1933 grand final between South Melbourne and Richmond, it started the MCC thinking of expansion again. Just months earlier, cricket attendance records were shattered during the "bodyline" series between Australia and England. The MCC decided to build the southern stand, which enclosed almost half the ground and was completed in 1937. That year, the Geelong-Collingwood grand final attracted 88,540 and the spectators were sitting five deep along the boundary line. Somehow, the following year, 96,834 people turned up and squashed in to watch the Magpies take on Carlton. At the time, Melbourne's population was about one million, which meant that on Grand Final day, almost one-tenth of the city were at the game. This page is about the Aussie rules club. ... Bill Woodfull evades a Bodyline ball. ... The English cricket team is a national cricket team which nominally represents England and Wales, but is a de facto United Kingdom team. ... Carlton Football Club, nicknamed The Blues, is the sixth oldest Australian rules football club and the third oldest club in the Australian Football League. ...

The War and After

Football served as a distraction for people on the homefront during the war, particularly during the darkest days between 1941 and 1943. The Australian government requisitioned a number of VFL grounds, including the MCG. Therefore, the Grand Final was staged at Princes Park (Carlton) in 1942, 1943 and 1945, and at St Kilda's Junction Oval in 1944 when Fitzroy won its last premiership on the hottest Grand Final day on record. The 1943 clash was a thrilling contest, Richmond defeating Essendon by five points. The 1942 and 1945 matches were marred by violence, and the latter game has gone down in history as the "Bloodbath". An amazing crowd of 62,986 crammed into the Carlton ground for this game, which was played just weeks after the armistice with Japan was declared. Clearly, the people of Melbourne were keen to normalise their lives again and football was central to this desire.

So when the MCG was finally relinquished by the government in August 1946, there was great expectation in the build up to the Grand Final, where Essendon booted a record score to defeat Melbourne. Attendances were back to 1930s levels by 1947 and 85,815 turned up to see Carlton beat Essendon by a solitary point; a similar crowd a year later watched the Bombers play the first draw in Grand Final history. However, they lost a replay with Melbourne the following week. The sight of thousands sitting between the fence and the boundary line, first seen in the late 1930s, was now usual at the Grand Final. Spectators were admitted on a first-come basis, and thousands took to lining up outside the stadium in the days before the match to gain the best vantage point when the gates opened on the morning of the match. Some reservations were raised about spectator safety as the MCG was clearly being filled above its capacity.

The Olympic Year and Ticketing

As the MCG would be used as the main stadium for the 1956 Olympic Games, the ground was upgraded again with a new stand and extra capacity. Construction work restricted the crowd at the 1954 Grand Final when 80,897 people saw Footscray win their historic first (and only) flag. Eight thousand more witnessed the Grand Final the following year, before the stand was fully completed. The 1956 Grand Final was seen as a dry run for the opening ceremony of the games two months later, but no one was prepared for the outcome. Officially, 115,802 fans turned out to see Melbourne take on Collingwood for the second year in a row, but contemporary reports state that anywhere between twenty and thirty thousand people were turned away. Some gained admittance by storming the gates, while others perched precariously on the roof of the southern stand. The old record had been shattered by almost 19,000 but the chaos outside the ground prompted the VFL to introduce a ticketing system for the first time. The 1956 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were held in 1956 in Melbourne, Australia, although the equestrian events could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations. ...

Attendances now hovered around the 100,000 mark during the coming years. Melbourne dominated the era with seven straight Grand Final appearances (for five flags), playing Collingwood three times and Essendon twice. The 1958 Grand Final, when Collingwood upset a Melbourne team attempting to equal the Magpies' proud record of four consecutive premierships, was arguably the greatest upset recorded in the biggest game of all. The Demons made amends by winning the next year, when the premiership cup was presented for the first time. Previously, the crowd descended on the arena at the end of the game, and the players were variously chaired off the ground or walked to the dressing room. The presentation of the cup gave the after-match a ceremonial focus and allowed the attention to settle on the premier team.

Following the 1956 introduction of television to Australia, there were repeated calls for the Grand Final to be telecast live, but the VFL refused on the basis that the crowd numbers might be affected. A delayed telecast was allowed for 1961, when Hawthorn won for the first time, but thereafter only a videotaped replay was shown.

Second Golden Era: the 1960s and 1970s

In contrast to the 1950s when a few teams were monopolising Grand Final places, the 1960s were a decade of variety. Between 1961 and 1968, seven teams won the flag and a number of classic encounters were played. In 1964, a thrilling finish enabled Melbourne to win their last premiership by four points. Two years later, in arguably the most famous Grand Final of them all, St Kilda won their only premiership by one point, and their players went for an impromptu lap of honour with the cup, a tradition that endures. In 1967, Geelong and Richmond played a match of the highest standard, with the Tigers winning in the last minutes to end a long premiership drought. The next season, Carlton also ended a long run without success and set a record as the only winning team to score less goals than the opposition as they defeated Essendon by three points.

By now, the MCG had been expanded again so that record crowds were set in 1968, 1969 and 1970. The epic Grand Final of 1970, when Carlton came back from a 44-point half time deficit to beat Collingwood, was watched by an all-time record crowd of 121,696 people. Most of the matches during this period had something to remember: Hawthorn's comeback to win in 1971, Carlton's record score in the highest scoring game ever played in 1972, Richmond's two wins over Carlton in 1969 and 1973 in very physical encounters, and North Melbourne's first Grand Final victory in 1975. The 1970 Australian Football League Grand Final was held on 26 September 1970 between Carlton and Collingwood. ...

The Modern Era: 1990-2007

Since Collingwood's drought breaking 41-point triumph over Essendon in the 1990 Grand Final, interstate clubs have won the ultimate prize on 10 occasions, with Fremantle the only club not to achieve this feat. West Coast and North Melbourne vied for the unofficial title of Team of the Decade, winning two flags apiece, as well as stumbling at the final hurdle, in 1991 and 1998 respectively.

Throughout the 90s, the standards of the Grand Finals never reached sensational heights, or concluded with nailbiting finishes. Collingwood walked over the Bombers in the '90 decider (which was played in October, due to the Magpies draw with the Eagles in the Qualifying Final, extending the finals series by a week), an aging Hawthorn unit was too classy for the Eagles, who got their revenge the following season with a come-from-behind victory over Geelong, before going on to record their second flag under coach Mick Malthouse and captain John Worsfold two years later over the same opponent. Wedged in between was Essendon's 'Baby Bombers', Kevin Sheedy molding a group of talented youngsters, including James Hird, Dustin Fletcher, Mark Mercuri, Joe Misiti, Ricky Olarenshaw, David Calthorpe and Paul Hills into a premiership winning combination, overrunning their older Carlton counterparts. The Blues, though, were not yet a spent forced, trouncing the hapless Cats by 61-points in 1995. Greg Williams starred, winning the Norm Smith Medal with his 32-disposals and five goals. Michael Mick Malthouse (born 17 September 1953) is a legendary Australian rules footballer and current coach of Collingwood // Michael started his football career with St Kilda in 1972 playing 53 senior games, including three finals but his career with the club ended after being told by coach Allan Jeans that... John Worsfold as WCE Captain John Worsfold, known affectionately as Woosha, is the current Coach and former Premiership captain of the West Coast Eagles who played in the Australian Rules Football competition. ... Kevin John Sheedy AM (born December 24, 1947) was the coach of AFL club Essendon, and a former player for Richmond. ... James Alan Hird (born February 4, 1973) is an Australian former Australian rules footballer and captain of the Essendon Football Club. ... Dustin Fletcher (born May 7, 1975) is an Australian rules footballer with the Essendon Football Club. ... Mark Mercuri is a professional Australian rules football player for Essendon FC he played in the 1993 Grand final winning team which defeated Carlton. ... Smokin Joe Misiti was an Australian Rules Football player for the Essendon Bombers. ... Ricky (Rick) Olarenshaw (born 1 February 1973) is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League. ... David Calthorpe (born August 17, 1973) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon, the Brisbane Lions and the Kangaroos in the AFL. Calthorpe was an on-baller and in his first ever State of Origin game for Victoria won the E.J. Whitten Medal. ... Paul Hills (born September 20, 1972) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the AFL during the 1990s. ... Greg Diesel Williams (born September 30, 1963) was a former champion Australian rules footballer with the Sydney Swans, Geelong Football Club and the Carlton Football Club. ...

1996 saw North Melbourne make up for their many years of near misses, downing Sydney with ease, to take home the only golden premiership cup yet to be used. Adelaide, under new coach Malcolm Blight, stunned the football world with two premierships in succession, defeating St Kilda in 1997, and the Kangaroos in 1998. On both occasions, Andrew McLeod did as he pleased at halfback to take home the Norm Smith Medal, whilst forward pocket Darren Jarman was a match winner in attack. The Kangaroos should arguably have been more than four goals ahead at the halftime break, an inaccurate 8.22 puncturing any hopes of a second flag in three years. Sydney Swans is an Australian Football League (AFL) club based in Sydney, New South Wales. ... The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed the Crows, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League, based in Adelaide, South Australia. ... Malcolm Jack Blight AM (born 16 February 1950) is a former Australian rules football player who had a Hall of Fame career with the Woodville Football Club and the North Melbourne Football Club and coached the Adelaide Crows to two Premierships in 1997 & 1998. ... The St. ... Andrew Luke McLeod (born August 4, 1976) is an Australian rules football player in the Australian Football League of Aboriginal descent, and is number 23 of the Adelaide Football Club. ... Darren Jarman (born January 28, 1967) is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League. ...

It was achieved, however, a year later, when Wayne Carey's Kangaroos were premiers for the fourth time in the final year of the century. The Roos were fortunate to meet Carlton on the day, for the Blues, whilst honest and disciplined, were never going to be any match for the silk of the Kangaroos. Carlton only reached the Grand Final on the back of one of the biggest upsets in league history, toppling flag favourites Essendon by a point in the Preliminary Final. Wayne Carey (born May 27, 1971), is regarded as one of the greatest Australian rules football players of all time. ... Carlton Football Club, nicknamed The Blues, is the sixth oldest Australian rules football club and the third oldest club in the Australian Football League. ...

The new millennium was ushered in under a reign of Essendon domination, the Bombers winning all bar one of their home and away matches, before pummelling the Kangaroos by a record 125-points in the Qualifying Final, demoralising Carlton, their enemy of the previous season, by 45-points, before wiping a valiant Melbourne off the park to the tune of 10 goals. There has been no other season like Essendon's in 2000, the club, led brilliantly by Norm Smith Medal winning skipper James Hird and master coach Kevin Sheedy, reaching heights never before, nor since scaled. Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League, based in Melbourne, Victoria. ... James Alan Hird (born February 4, 1973) is an Australian former Australian rules footballer and captain of the Essendon Football Club. ... Kevin John Sheedy AM (born December 24, 1947) was the coach of AFL club Essendon, and a former player for Richmond. ...

The following season, 2001, saw the Brisbane Lions win the first of their three premierships in succession. The Lions overran a tiring Bomber outfit in the second half of the 2001 decider, underrated rover Shaun Hart a surprise yet deserving recipient of the Norm Smith Medal. The following season saw Collingwood, vast underdogs, push the Lions to the limit in the 2002 decider, the Lions pipping the Magpies at the post by a mere nine points. Collingwood skipper Nathan Buckley was exceptional in winning the Norm Smith Medal, while his Lion counterpart Michael Voss was all but his equal. Brisbane Lions Australian Football Club (the trading name for the Brisbane Bears-Fitzroy Football Club) is an Australian Football League club based in Brisbane, Queensland. ... Shaun Hart (born 17 May 1971) is a three-time Australian Football League premiership-winning utility player for the Brisbane Lions. ... Collingwood Football Club, officially nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club involved, and playing in the Australian Football League. ... Nathan Buckley (born July 26, 1972) is a former Australian rules football player and captain of the Collingwood Football Club. ... Michael Voss (born July 7, 1975) is an Australian rules footballer, usually playing midfield or in the forward line for Australian Football League team the Brisbane Lions. ...

Brisbane's third and final premiership in their historic run of success came in 2003, again accounting for Collingwood, though on this occasion by a whopping 50-points, crushing the spirit of the Magpies, who had been favourites going into the match. Simon Black led the romp with a Grand Final record 39-possessions, while Jason Akermanis booted five majors. Simon Black (born April 3, 1979) is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League. ... Jason Aka Akermanis (born February 24, 1977) is an Australian rules footballer for the Western Bulldogs Football Club. ...

The Lions' castle finally came tumbling down in 2004, when Port Adelaide rolled them in the second half, running out 40-point victors. Byron Pickett, a premiership winning defender with the Kangaroos in 1999, turned into a match winning onballer for the Power, and capped his day with the Norm Smith Medal. The fairytale of the afternoon was the story behind Josh Mahoney, the until then little-known Port forward pocket had been cast aside by Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs in the seven years prior, trying his luck with Essendon's VFL squad in 2001 before switching to Williamstown. He belatedly received a third chance at the highest level, and made every post a winner, instrumental in the Power's third quarter charge. This article is about the Australian Football League club. ... Byron Pickett (born August 11, 1977) is an indigenous Australian rules footballer known for his strength, hard bumps and tough approach to the game. ... Josh Mahoney (born October 31, 1977), is an Australian rules footballer in the AFL. Pre-AFL career After beginning his career in the TAC Cup with the Western Jets, Mahoney moved to the Williamstown Seagulls in the VFL, playing 19 games with them in 1996. ... The Western Bulldogs, formerly referred to as the Footscray Football Club, is an Australian Football League (AFL) club based at the Whitten Oval in Footscray, an inner western suburb of Melbourne. ... Williamstown is the name of several places in the Australia: Williamtown, New South Wales Williamstown, South Australia Williamstown, Victoria, which gives its name to the Williamstown railway line, Melbourne, and Williamstown railway station, Melbourne Williamstown is the name of a village in Canada: Williamstown, Ontario Williamstown is the name of...

Seasons 2005 and 2006 are best remembered for the classic rivalry forged between Sydney and the West Coast Eagles. The Swans clung on grimly to win the 2005 decider by four points, Leo Barry's epic mark in the dying seconds an image to resound throughout the ages. The following year, the same two clubs were at it again, only this time the tables were turned, but only just - the Eagles only one point ahead of the Swans when the final siren blew, the first time only a point had separated two clubs in a Grand Final since St Kilda's nailbiting victory over Collingwood in 1966. Sydney Swans is an Australian Football League (AFL) club based in Sydney, New South Wales. ... West Coast Eagles Football Club is an Australian rules football club competing in the Australian Football League. ... Leo Barry (born May 19, 1977) is an Australian rules footballer in the AFL with the Sydney Swans. ... The St. ... Collingwood Football Club, officially nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club involved, and playing in the Australian Football League. ...

2007 belonged to Geelong, who, after 44 years of torment and close finishes, stamped their authority on the competition, losing only one match after round five, and trouncing Port Adelaide in the decider by a record 119-points. Mercurial forward Steve Johnson took home the Norm Smith Medal, completing one of the most dominant seasons by one club on record. Steve Johnson is the name of: Steve Johnson (AFL) is an Australian Football League player. ...

Famous Incidents

• 1897 - The VFL's first season did not include a Grand Final. Instead, a round robin series was played, with Essendon becoming the first VFL premiers and Geelong the runner-up.
• 1903 - Late in the last quarter, Fitzroy skipper Gerald Brosnan marked a pass from teammate Percy Trotter about thirty metres from goal with his team three points behind Collingwood. As he went back to line up his kick, the final bell rang. Brosnan's shot missed, but was so close that a Collingwood defender later claimed that he could hear the ball's lace brush the goal post.
• 1910 - A massive brawl broke out between Collingwood and Carlton players during the last quarter. A number of players were felled and four players were reported (the first in Grand Final history), yet the fight kept going. Umpire Jack Elder settled matters by blowing his whistle and bouncing the ball. Most of the combatants looked on, stunned, as the game recommenced without them, so they had no option but to forget about the fight.
• 1913 - Playing in their first Grand Final, St Kilda struggled to boot just one goal in the first three quarters against Fitzroy. But they came charging home in the last by closing a 25-point gap to one point with a few minutes remaining. A St Kilda player marked very close to goal on an angle and made a bad mistake by following a pre-game tactic of handballing. His intended target was covered, the Saints lost the ball and Fitzroy booted two goals to seal the match.
• 1914 - With South Melbourne making a late charge at Carlton, the Blues led by six points when a long kick into South's goal square was contested by a pack of players. Just metres from the goal mouth, Ern Jamieson, Carlton's full back leaped straight into Tom Bollard's back, but Umpire Harry Rawle called play on and the ball was cleared. Moments later, the final bell rang. Had Bollard received a free and kicked it from point-blank range, the game would have ended in the first finals' tie.
• 1918 - Collingwood had hit the front by a single point. In the final minute of play, South Melbourne went forward and a long kick into the teeth of goal by Gerald Ryan of South spilled from a pack of players. South Melbourne rover Chris Laird came rushing through and rather than attempt to pick the ball up, soccered it off the ground for a goal that won the game.
• 1921 - Richmond led Carlton by four points in a low scoring game played on a very wet day. Both teams were covered in mud as Carlton mounted a series of attacks in an attempt to get a winning goal. In the dying minute, a Carlton player passed toward teammate Alec Duncan, who was close to goal. Somehow, Richmond's Max Hislop hurtled across to Duncan and punched the ball from his grasp to save the premiership for the Tigers.
• 1924 - Like in 1897, there was a round robin series played instead of a Grand Final. Once again, Essendon became the premiership team for this season with Richmond this time being the runner-up.
• 1930 - Collingwood won it's record fourth consecutive VFL Grand Final in succession, the 'Machine Team', under the tutelage of the legendary Jock McHale, creating a record which has not been matched in ensuing seasons.
• 1935 - Star full forward Bob Pratt was forced to withdraw from the Grand Final after he was hit by a truck in trying to cross the road the day before the game. Pratt had booted 362 in three seasons. Without him the Swans lost to Collingwood by 20 points, despite having as many scoring shots as the Magpies.
• 1948 - In the first drawn grand final, Essendon's inaccurate kicking led them to draw 7.27.69 to Melbourne's 10.9.69. Melbourne easily won the replay 13.11.89 to Essendon's 7.8.50.
• 1958 - A Collingwood outfit hold sway in an 18-point victory over Melbourne, denying the Demons a fourth consecutive victory, successfully defending their club's record.
• 1964 - Collingwood looked set for a victory last in the last quarter after Ray Gabelich's goal put them up by two points. Back pocket Neil Crompton kicked his first goal in 5 years to steal the match by 4 points, just moments from the final siren.
• 1966 - 'Underperformers,' St Kilda won their first premiership in 69 years of competition, defeating Collingwood in a one point encounter.
• 1970 - Carlton make history in coming from 44-points down at halftime to defeat Collingwood and Alex Jesalenko takes the Mark of the Century late in the second quarter.
• 1977 - The Grand final resulted in a tie between North Melbourne and Collingwood. In a Grand Final replay the following week, North Melbourne were victorious.
• 1979 - Wayne Harmes (Carlton) is awarded the inaugural Norm Smith Medal as best afield.
• 1982 - Maurice Rioli (Richmond) becomes the first player to win the Norm Smith Medal despite being on the losing team.
• 1987 - Carlton reversed the previous year's result in overcoming Hawthorn on the hottest Grand Final day (31 degrees) in the game's history, prompting Hawk veteran Michael Tuck, renowned for his penchant for long sleeves, to revert to a short sleeve jumper.
• 1988 - Champion Hawthorn defender Gary Ayres becomes the first footballer to win duel Norm Smith Medals in Hawthorn's 96-point demolition of Melbourne.
• 1989 - The Grand final was one of the closest and hardest fought in years, and nicknamed the "Battle of '89". The game was notable as one of the toughest in the history of the game, with injuries and incidents involving Dermott Brereton (famously knocked out by a solid Mark Yeates shirtfront but courageously returned to play) and Robert Dipierdemenico (played three quarters with a punctured lung) many players were hospitalised after the game. Gary Ablett was Norm Smith Medallist in a losing side.
• 1990 - Collingwood broke a 32 year drought and ended the famous "Colliwobbles".
• 1991 - Due to the major construction of the Southern Stand at the MCG, the Grand Final was played at Waverley Park between Hawthorn and the West Coast Eagles. Hawthorn defeated West Coast by 53 points.
• 1992 - West Coast becomes the first non-Victorian team to win a premiership, downing Geelong.
• 1996 - North Melbourne defeated Sydney in the Grand Final of the Centenary season.
• 1998 - In defeating North Melbourne, Adelaide win back-to-back premierships in their second year under Malcolm Blight, in doing so becoming the first team in the game's history to win a Grand Final from outside the top four (fifth), notwithstanding the fact that the Crows lost to Melbourne in the first week of September, and spent their final five matches (including their round 22 encounter with West Coast) on the road.
• 2000 - Essendon defeat Melbourne by 60 points to win the Premiership, only losing one match in the entire AFL Season.
• 2001 - The Brisbane Lions become the first team to win a premiership north of the Murray River, defeating reining premiers Essendon.
• 2002 - Brisbane win their second premiership in succession, despite a brave effort from rank underdogs, Collingwood, winning in wet conditions by a mere nine points, the smallest margin since 1989. Nathan Buckley became only the third player to win the Norm Smith Medal despite being on the losing team.
• 2003 - Brisbane complete their hattrick of premierships, again accounting for Collingwood, though on this occasion by a thumping 50 points. Lion Simon Black collected a Norm Smith Medal after gathering a record 39-possessions.
• 2004 - In the first all non-Victorian Grand Final, Port Adelaide won it's first premiership, ending Brisbane's attempt at equalling Collingwood's record of four premierships in succession (1927-1930).
• 2005 - Sydney (formerly South Melbourne) ended the longest premiership drought in AFL history (72 years), by defeating the West Coast Eagles by four points. Swans defender Leo Barry took a spectacular mark in the last seconds, one that will be remembered for years to come. West Coast's Chris Judd becomes the fourth player to win the Norm Smith Medal despite being on the losing team.
• 2006 - West Coast defeated Sydney by 1 point in a re-match, the smallest margin in 40 years. It was the first Grand Final to be played in front of a complete MCG since 2002, for in the years between redevelopment dedicated to the 2006 Commonwealth Games had reduced capacity.
• 2007 - Geelong end a 44 year premiership drought, winning the match by the greatest ever Grand Final margin; 119 points, against Port Adelaide Power.

Gerald Brosnan (August 14, 1877) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the VFL. He played as a key position forward and had an accurate left foot kick. ... Percy Trotter (born September 1, 1883) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the early days of the VFL. Trotter played as a rover and was versatile in that he could kick well with both feet. ... Jack Elder was a former Australian Rules football umpire who in 1996 was named as the VFL/AFLs Umpire of the Century. ... James Jock McHale, (December 12, 1882 - 4 October 1953) was an Australian rules player and coach for the Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League. ... Bob Pratt (August 31, 1912–January 6, 2001) is a former Australian rules footballer. ... Ray Gabelich (born July 3, 1933) is a former Australian rules footballer of Croatian heritage who played with Collingwood in the VFL. A solidly built ruckman from West Australia, Gabelich was a premiership player with Collingwood in 1958. ... Colin Neil Crompton (August 16, 1937 - December 11, 2003) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne in the VFL. Crompton usually played in the back pocket and thus didnt kick many goals however it is for a goal he kicked in Melbournes 1964 Grand Final win... The 1970 Australian Football League Grand Final was held on 26 September 1970 between Carlton and Collingwood. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... The Norm Smith Medal is the award given in AFL grand final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match. ... Michael Tuck (born June 24, 1953) is a former Australian rules footballer in the VFL/AFL with the Hawthorn Football Club. ... Gary Ayres (born September 28, 1960) is a former Australian rules footballer and coach. ... A memorable moment from the game as depicted on the cover of the Inside the Battle of 89 DVD showing Dermott Brereton recovering from a solid Mark Yeates shirtfront The 1989 Victorian Football League Grand Final was held on 30 September 1989 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. ... The 1990 AFL Grand Final was played between Collingwood and Essendon at the MCG. Collingwood won the match by 48 points, winning their 14th premiership and ending a 32 year drought. ... Collingwood Football Club, officially nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club involved, and playing in the Australian Football League. ... Joseph McG McGinty Nichol (born August 9, 1968) is an American film and television producer and director. ... Waverley Park (formerly VFL Park and then AFL Park) was an often controversial Australian rules football stadium in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ... West Coast Eagles Football Club is an Australian rules football club competing in the Australian Football League. ... The 1998 AFL Grand Final was the 102nd Grand Final in VFL/AFL history. ... Malcolm Jack Blight AM (born 16 February 1950) is a former Australian rules football player who had a Hall of Fame career with the Woodville Football Club and the North Melbourne Football Club and coached the Adelaide Crows to two Premierships in 1997 & 1998. ... The 2000 AFL Grand Final was played on the 2nd of September, 2000 between the Essendon and Melbourne Football clubs in the Australian Football League. ... Essendon Football Club logo Essendon Football Club is an Australian Rules Football club that is part of the Australian Football League. ... Melbourne Football Club logo The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons since 1933, known in their early days as The Redlegs, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League, based in Melbourne, Victoria. ... Brisbane Lions Essendon The 2001 AFL Grand Final was contested between Essendon and the Brisbane Lions. ... Essendon Football Club logo Essendon Football Club is an Australian Rules Football club that is part of the Australian Football League. ... v Image:2006 AFL Collingwood. ... Nathan Buckley (born July 26, 1972) is a former Australian rules football player and captain of the Collingwood Football Club. ... The 2003 AFL Grand Final was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in front of 79,451 (a smaller crowd than previous years due to the construction of the ground for the 2006 Commonwealth Games). ... The 2004 AFL Grand Final was the first ever AFL Grand Final where both competing teams were not Victorian. ... The Australian Football Leagues 2005 Finals Series began on the weekend of September 2, 2005 and ended with the 109th AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 24 September 2005, won by the Sydney Swans. ... The 2006 AFL Grand Final was contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 30, 2006. ... Further information: 2007 AFL Finals Series The 2007 AFL Grand Final was the 111th VFL/AFL Grand Final and was contested between the Geelong Football Club and the Port Adelaide Football Club on September 29, 2007 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. ... Port Adelaide Football Club logo Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club, nicknamed The Power in the Australian Football League (AFL), and nicknamed The Magpies in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). ...

Traditions

Many events happen during the week of the Grand Final.

Brownlow Medal

Main article: Brownlow Medal

The Charles Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal, is the medal awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season (ie not including finals matches) as decided upon by umpires. It was named after a Geelong player and long-serving administrator who was the main advocate in establishing the Victorian Football League, Charles Brownlow. It is awarded on the Monday night before the Grand Final, recently at the Crown Casino in Melbourne. The Charles Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal, is the medal awarded to the best and fairest player in the Australian Football League during the regular season (ie not including finals matches) as decided upon by umpires. ... A medal is a small metal object, usually engraved with insignia, that is awarded to a person for athletic, military, scientific, academic or some other kind of achievement. ... Best and Fairest (also known as Fairest and Best in some competitions, notably the Australian Football League) is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player(s) adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or... Geelong Football Club (also known as Geelong, or The Cats) are an Australian professional Australian rules football club based in the city of Geelong, Victoria at Kardinia Park, known by its sponsored name Skilled Stadium. Playing in the Australian Football League (AFL), they are one of the most successful clubs... This article is about the present day Victorian state football league. ... Charles Brownlow was a champion player, and later administrator, for the Geelong Football Club in the Victorian Football League. ...

Grand Final Parade

A traditional parade is held in Melbourne city, usually along one of the main thoroughfares such as Collins Street, Swanston Street or Bourke Street ending at the steps outside the Victorian Parliament. The parade, held on the Friday before the Grand Final, features the players from the competing sides and regularly attracts crowds estimated to be over 300,000 people. Collins Street is a major street in the Melbourne Central Business District and runs from east to west. ... Swanston Street, looking north from the corner of Bourke Street Swanston Street is a major thoroughfare in the centre of Melbourne, Australia. ... Bourke Street Mall Bourke Street is a major street in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia. ...

Some of the estimated fifty thousand people who lined the streets of Melbourne for the 2006 AFL Grand Final parade

Image File history File linksMetadata Crowds_at_afl_grand_final_parade. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Crowds_at_afl_grand_final_parade. ...

Grand Final Parties

Grand Final parties are held in Australia and even in remote cities around the world. They typically involve watching the game on television in a group, a barbecue, and a game of kick-to-kick at half-time. A barbecue on a trailer at a block party in Kansas City. ... Kick-to-kick is a pastime and well-known tradition of Australian rules football fans, and a recognised Australian slang term for kick and catch type games. ...

Venues

The Grand Final is traditionally played in Melbourne at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It has been played elsewhere only on a few occasions, being held at Lake Oval and the Junction Oval early in the league's history and Princes Park (Optus Oval) during World War II when the MCG was being used as barracks to house US Troops. When the MCG was being redeveloped in 1991, the Grand Final was contested at the AFL-owned Waverley Park. This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre (also known as The CBD). ... “MCG” redirects here. ... The Lake Oval is a football stadium used primarily for Australian rules football. ... The Junction Oval is a sports ground in Melbourne, Australia. ... Princes Park, Carlton is a park in Carlton, Melbourne, Australia. ... Waverley Park (formerly VFL Park and then AFL Park) was an often controversial Australian rules football stadium in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ...

The Grand Final has traditionally been played on the final Saturday in September each year and is referred to in popular Australian culture as the One day in September. The only notable exception was during 2000, when the Sydney Olympics forced the season to be played early; in this season, the One day in September was the first Saturday, instead of the last. The 2000 Summer Olympics or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were the Summer Olympic Games celebrated in 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. ...

Of the current clubs, only Fremantle has never (as of the 2007 finals) made a Grand Final appearance. Defunct clubs which never made it include University and the Brisbane Bears (although their successor, the Brisbane Lions have won three Grand Finals and lost a fourth.) Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers and known informally as Freo, is one of 16 teams in the Australian Football League (AFL). ... Melbourne University Football Club – often known simply as University – is an Australian rules football club. ... Brisbane Bears were an Australian rules football Club and was the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League. ... Brisbane Lions Australian Football Club (the trading name for the Brisbane Bears-Fitzroy Football Club) is an Australian Football League club based in Brisbane, Queensland. ...

The first interstate (non-Victorian) team to play in the Grand Final was the West Coast Eagles, who lost in 1991 but came back to win their first Premiership in 1992. (The Swans had been in several Grand Finals before their move to Sydney in 1982, but always as South Melbourne: their first Grand Final appearance after their move to Sydney didn't come until 1996.) The first Grand Final matching two interstate teams was the 2004 contest where the Port Adelaide Power beat the Brisbane Lions 113-73. VIC redirects here. ... West Coast Eagles Football Club is an Australian rules football club competing in the Australian Football League. ... Sydney Swans is an Australian Football League (AFL) club based in Sydney, New South Wales. ... Port Adelaide Football Club logo Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club, nicknamed The Power in the Australian Football League (AFL), and nicknamed The Magpies in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). ... Brisbane Lions Australian Football Club (the trading name for the Brisbane Bears-Fitzroy Football Club) is an Australian Football League club based in Brisbane, Queensland. ...

Since the expansion of the league, the AFL Grand Final has become a truly national event. For six years in a row (2001-2006) the premiership had been won by teams outside of Victoria (where the AFL's precursor competition, the Victorian Football League (VFL) had originated). An original VFL side, Geelong Football Club won the 2007 grand final by 119 points. As a result there have been calls for hosting Grand Finals on a national stage, similar to the Super Bowl in the USA. Since the construction of Stadium Australia, Sydney has expressed interest in hosting the final on several occasions. So far, the AFL has resisted the temptation of doing so. Another challenge to tradition has been the proposal of a night grand final with anticipated increased television audience. Motto: Peace and Prosperity Other Australian states and territories Capital Melbourne Governor HE Mr John Landy Premier Steve Bracks (ALP) Area 237,629 km² (6th)  - Land 227,416 km²  - Water 10,213 km² (4. ... This article is about the present day Victorian state football league. ... - - Nickname: City by the Bay Geography Area: 1,240 km² Coordinates: Time Zone UTC +10:00 Population (2003) 200,067 Among Australian cities: Density: persons/km² Political Mayor: Shane Dowling Governing body: City of Greater Geelong Geelong is a port city of 200,067 people (2003 census) located on Corio... This page is for Telstra Stadium, Sydney. ... This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ...

The 2006 Grand Final was officially regarded as the 110th Grand Final. Throughout history, Grand Finals were not staged in either of 1897 or 1924, with the premiership instead being awarded after a round robin amongst the top four teams; this accounts for 107 Grand Finals. An additional Grand Final was played in 1948 and 1977, each of which was necessitated by a tied Grand Final. These are generally referred to as Grand Final Replays or "Extra Finals", but count in the official tally of Grand Finals. Furthermore, under the "amended Argus finals system" which operated from 1902 until 1930, a "Grand Final" match depended upon the minor premiers having not won the previous week's game, known as the Final:^[6] each final which decided the premiership had hence been reclassified a Grand Final retrospectively. Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the rap album, see 1924 (album). ... The term round-robin describes correspondence authored or signed by numerous individuals to a single addressee. ... In Australian rules football, a Grand Final Replay is necessitated when the Grand Final is drawn. ...

Recent History of the AFL Grand Final

(* Capacity of ground reduced due to redevelopment for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games)
For all Grand Final winners in the VFL/AFL, see List of Australian Football League premiers. The Norm Smith Medal is the award given in AFL grand final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match. ... The 2000 AFL Grand Final was played on the 2nd of September, 2000 between the Essendon and Melbourne Football clubs in the Australian Football League. ... Essendons Home and Clash Jumpers Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club that is part of the Australian Football League. ... Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League, based in Melbourne, Victoria. ... James Alan Hird (born February 4, 1973) is an Australian former Australian rules footballer and captain of the Essendon Football Club. ... Brisbane Lions Essendon The 2001 AFL Grand Final was contested between Essendon and the Brisbane Lions. ... Brisbane Lions Australian Football Club (the trading name for the Brisbane Bears-Fitzroy Football Club) is an Australian Football League club based in Brisbane, Queensland. ... Essendons Home and Clash Jumpers Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club that is part of the Australian Football League. ... Shaun Hart (born 17 May 1971) is a three-time Australian Football League premiership-winning utility player for the Brisbane Lions. ... v Image:2006 AFL Collingwood. ... Brisbane Lions Australian Football Club (the trading name for the Brisbane Bears-Fitzroy Football Club) is an Australian Football League club based in Brisbane, Queensland. ... Collingwood Football Club, officially nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club involved, and playing in the Australian Football League. ... Nathan Buckley (born July 26, 1972) is a former Australian rules football player and captain of the Collingwood Football Club. ... The 2003 AFL Grand Final was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in front of 79,451 (a smaller crowd than previous years due to the construction of the ground for the 2006 Commonwealth Games). ... Brisbane Lions Australian Football Club (the trading name for the Brisbane Bears-Fitzroy Football Club) is an Australian Football League club based in Brisbane, Queensland. ... Collingwood Football Club, officially nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club involved, and playing in the Australian Football League. ... Simon Black (born April 3, 1979) is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League. ... The 2004 AFL Grand Final was the first ever AFL Grand Final where both competing teams were not Victorian. ... This article is about the Australian Football League club. ... Brisbane Lions Australian Football Club (the trading name for the Brisbane Bears-Fitzroy Football Club) is an Australian Football League club based in Brisbane, Queensland. ... Byron Pickett (born August 11, 1977) is an indigenous Australian rules footballer known for his strength, hard bumps and tough approach to the game. ... The Australian Football Leagues 2005 Finals Series began on the weekend of September 2, 2005 and ended with the 109th AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 24 September 2005, won by the Sydney Swans. ... Sydney Swans is an Australian Football League (AFL) club based in Sydney, New South Wales. ... West Coast Eagles Football Club is an Australian rules football club competing in the Australian Football League. ... Christopher Dylan Judd (born 8 September 1983) is an Australian professional Australian rules footballer for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). ... The 2006 AFL Grand Final was contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 30, 2006. ... West Coast Eagles Football Club is an Australian rules football club competing in the Australian Football League. ... Sydney Swans is an Australian Football League (AFL) club based in Sydney, New South Wales. ... Andrew Embley (born 27 June 1981) is an Australian rules football player for AFL team the West Coast Eagles. ... Further information: 2007 AFL Finals Series The 2007 AFL Grand Final was the 111th VFL/AFL Grand Final and was contested between the Geelong Football Club and the Port Adelaide Football Club on September 29, 2007 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. ... Geelong Football Club (also known as Geelong, or The Cats) are an Australian professional Australian rules football club based in the city of Geelong, Victoria at Kardinia Park, known by its sponsored name Skilled Stadium. Playing in the Australian Football League (AFL), they are one of the most successful clubs... This article is about the Australian Football League club. ... Steve Willy Johnson (born July 4, 1983) is an Australian rules footballer, in the Australian Football League For the Geelong Football Club. ... The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Australia between March 15 and March 26, 2006. ... AFL Logo This page is a chronological listing of Australian Football League premiers. ...

Grand Final Records

• Two grand finals have been drawn: Essendon v Melbourne in 1948 and Collingwood v North Melbourne in 1977. Both times, the match went to a replay the following week, where the victors were Melbourne and North Melbourne, respectively.
• Four grand finals have been decided by a single point: Fitzroy v Essendon in 1898, Carlton v Essendon in 1947, St.Kilda v Collingwood in 1966 (St.Kilda's only premiership) and West Coast v Sydney in 2006.
• The highest attendance was 121,696 in the 1970 grand final between traditional rivals Carlton and Collingwood. Due to changes to the stadium, such as the removal of standing areas, this record remains unbeaten and is likely to hold for a very long time (See also Melbourne Cricket Ground).
• The 1972 grand final between Carlton and Richmond was a record high-scoring affair, 28.9.177-22.18.150. This represents the highest score in a grand final, the highest losing score, and the highest aggregate score (327). At the time, it had the highest aggregate score of any game, grand final or otherwise, and still ranks #8 on that list.
• The 1927 grand final Collingwood and Richmond was a record low-scoring affair, 2.13 (25) - 1.7 (13). In similar vein to the previous point, this represents the lowest score in a grand final, the lowest winning score, and the lowest aggregate score.
• Gordon Coventry (Collingwood) in 1928 and Gary Ablett (Geelong) in 1989 jointly hold the record for the most goals (9) in a grand final.
• The largest winning margin to date was set in 2007 when Geelong beat Port Adelaide by 119 points, smashing the previous record of 96 points.

This section refers to individual grand finals. For VFL/AFL premiership trivia, see AFL Premiers - Trivia. Carlton Football Club, nicknamed The Blues, is the sixth oldest Australian rules football club and the third oldest club in the Australian Football League. ... Collingwood Football Club, officially nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club involved, and playing in the Australian Football League. ... “MCG” redirects here. ... Carlton Football Club, nicknamed The Blues, is the sixth oldest Australian rules football club and the third oldest club in the Australian Football League. ... This page is about the Aussie rules club. ... Collingwood Football Club, officially nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club involved, and playing in the Australian Football League. ... This page is about the Aussie rules club. ... Gordon Coventry was an Australian Rules Football player who played the full-forward position for the Collingwood Football Club in the great Collingwood teams of the 1920s and 1930s. ... Collingwood Football Club, officially nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club involved, and playing in the Australian Football League. ... For his son of the same name, see Gary Ablett, Jr. ... Geelong Football Club (also known as Geelong, or The Cats) are an Australian professional Australian rules football club based in the city of Geelong, Victoria at Kardinia Park, known by its sponsored name Skilled Stadium. Playing in the Australian Football League (AFL), they are one of the most successful clubs... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Geelong Football Club (also known as Geelong, or The Cats) are an Australian professional Australian rules football club based in the city of Geelong, Victoria at Kardinia Park, known by its sponsored name Skilled Stadium. Playing in the Australian Football League (AFL), they are one of the most successful clubs... This article is about the Australian Football League club. ... AFL Logo This page is a chronological listing of Australian Football League premiers. ...

AFL Grand Final Sprint

A running race takes place on the day of the Grand Final, between players that are not taking part in the Grand Final. It is conducted over several heats run before the game and a final run at half time. In recent years, a handicapping system has been introduced. The traditional sprint was revived in 2002 (along with a short-lived goal kicking competition) after years in the wilderness. Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. ...

Jared Crouch (born 5 March 1978) is a South Australian Australian football player with the Sydney Swans of the AFL, who is colloquially known as “Crouchie” to Swans fans and media. ... Sydney Swans logo The Sydney Swans are an Australian Football League (AFL) club based in Sydney. ... James Walker (born 15 January 1979) is a Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League, playing for the Fremantle Football Club. ... Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers and known informally as Freo, is one of 16 teams in the Australian Football League (AFL). ... James Walker (born 15 January 1979) is a Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League, playing for the Fremantle Football Club. ... Brett Deledio (born April 18, 1987 in Kyabram, Victoria) is an Australian rules football player currently playing for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League. ... This page is about the Aussie rules club. ... Brendan Fev Fevola (born January 20, 1981) is an Australian rules footballer, currently playing with the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League. ... Carlton Football Club, nicknamed The Blues, is the sixth oldest Australian rules football club and the third oldest club in the Australian Football League. ... Jacob Jake King (born March 26, 1984) is an Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club. ...

Norm Smith Medallist

The medal, given to the player judged as best on the ground during the match, was named after famed Melbourne premiership player and coach Norman Smith, who died in 1973. It was first awarded in 1979 when the winner was Wayne Harmes, a great nephew of Smith. In time the award has come to be seen as second only to the Brownlow medal as an individual prize and carries great prestige. There has been some minor criticism that the judging panel (appointed by the AFL and comprising ex-players and media people) must make its decision during the last quarter, before the game has ended, to fit into the post-game ceremonies. Therefore, the last minutes of the game are not taken into consideration when voting takes place.

This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... // See also Carleton Carlton, New South Wales Carlton, Victoria Carlton, a neighbourhood in Edmonton Carlton Hotel, Cannes Carlton, Bedfordshire Carlton, Cambridgeshire Carlton, County Durham Carlton, Leicestershire Carlton, North Yorkshire Carlton, Hambleton or Carlton-in-Cleveland Carlton, Richmondshire or Carlton Town Carlton, Selby (and Carlton Towers) Carlton, Nottinghamshire Carlton, South Yorkshire... For the Australian touring car racing driver, see Kevin Bartlett (race driver). ... Richmond is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ... Bruce Doull (born September 11, 1950 in Victoria, Australia) is a former Australian rules football player who played for the Carlton Football Club. ... // See also Carleton Carlton, New South Wales Carlton, Victoria Carlton, a neighbourhood in Edmonton Carlton Hotel, Cannes Carlton, Bedfordshire Carlton, Cambridgeshire Carlton, County Durham Carlton, Leicestershire Carlton, North Yorkshire Carlton, Hambleton or Carlton-in-Cleveland Carlton, Richmondshire or Carlton Town Carlton, Selby (and Carlton Towers) Carlton, Nottinghamshire Carlton, South Yorkshire... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Richmond is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ... Colin Robertson (born June 19, 1957) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Hawthorn in the VFL from 1980 until 1986. ... Bill Duckworth (born February 21, 1959) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the AFL. He is best known for winning the 1984 Norm Smith Medal. ... Simon Madden (born December 30, 1957) was an Australian Rules footballer for the Essendon Bombers from 1974 until 1992. ... Gary Ayres (born September 28, 1960) is a former Australian rules footballer and coach. ... David Rhys-Jones (born June 16, 1962) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Carlton Football Club and the Sydney Swans. ... Gary Ayres (born September 28, 1960) is a former Australian rules footballer and coach. ... For his son of the same name, see Gary Ablett, Jr. ... Tony Shaw (born July 23, 1960) is a former Australian rules footballer and media personality. ... Collingwood Football Club, officially nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club involved, and playing in the Australian Football League. ... Paul Dear (born December 28, 1966) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Hawthorn. ... Peter Matera (born April 3, 1969) is a former Australian rules footballer for the West Coast Eagles in the AFL. Matera is widely regarded as the finest wingman of his generation and one of the best wingmen of all time. ... Michael Long (born October 1, 1969 in Darwin, Northern Territory) is a former Australian rules footballer and spokesperson against racism in sport. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... Greg Diesel Williams (born September 30, 1963) was a former champion Australian rules footballer with the Sydney Swans, Geelong Football Club and the Carlton Football Club. ... Glenn Archer (born March 24, 1973) is an Australian rules footballer with the North Melbourne Football Club. ... Andrew Luke McLeod (born August 4, 1976) is an Australian rules football player in the Australian Football League of Aboriginal descent, and is number 23 of the Adelaide Football Club. ... Andrew Luke McLeod (born August 4, 1976) is an Australian rules football player in the Australian Football League of Aboriginal descent, and is number 23 of the Adelaide Football Club. ... Shannon Grant (born April 19, 1977) is an Australian rules footballer who is known as one of the premier midfielders in the AFL. He began his career at the Sydney Swans in 1995 before moving to the Kangaroos in 1998 and being a part of their 1999 premiership side. ... James Alan Hird (born February 4, 1973) is an Australian former Australian rules footballer and captain of the Essendon Football Club. ... Shaun Hart (born 17 May 1971) is a three-time Australian Football League premiership-winning utility player for the Brisbane Lions. ... Nathan Buckley (born July 26, 1972) is a former Australian rules football player and captain of the Collingwood Football Club. ... Collingwood may refer to: Collingwood, Victoria The Collingwood Football Club of the Australian Football League Collingwood, Ontario Collingwood, New Zealand Collingwood, Northumberland HMS Collingwood, four ships of the Royal Navy Collingwood 50005, a British Rail Class 50 locomotive Collingwood School, a university-preparatory school in West Vancouver, British Columbia Collingwood... Simon Black (born April 3, 1979) is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League. ... Brisbane Lions Australian Football Club (the trading name for the Brisbane Bears-Fitzroy Football Club) is an Australian Football League club based in Brisbane, Queensland. ... Byron Pickett (born August 11, 1977) is an indigenous Australian rules footballer known for his strength, hard bumps and tough approach to the game. ... Port Adelaide Football Club logo Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club, nicknamed The Power in the Australian Football League (AFL), and nicknamed The Magpies in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). ... Christopher Dylan Judd (born 8 September 1983) is an Australian professional Australian rules footballer for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). ... West Coast Eagles Football Club is an Australian rules football club competing in the Australian Football League. ... Andrew Embley (born 27 June 1981) is an Australian rules football player for AFL team the West Coast Eagles. ... West Coast Eagles Football Club is an Australian rules football club competing in the Australian Football League. ... Steve Willy Johnson (born July 4, 1983) is an Australian rules footballer, in the Australian Football League For the Geelong Football Club. ... Geelong Football Club (also known as Geelong, or The Cats) are an Australian professional Australian rules football club based in the city of Geelong, Victoria at Kardinia Park, known by its sponsored name Skilled Stadium. Playing in the Australian Football League (AFL), they are one of the most successful clubs...

VFL/AFL Grand Final Records

Entertainment

Over the years many big Australian and international stars have performed or appeared at the Grand Final, although it has been consistently criticized for poor pre-game entertainment.^[7][8] Notable entertainment includes:

Barry Crocker is an Australian singer who has been performing for decades. ... Mike Brady (April 15, 1887 - December 3, 1972) was a professional golfer. ... John Peter Farnham (born July 1, 1949) is an English-born Australian pop singer. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Jon English. ... Rolf Harris, MBE (1968), OBE (1977), CBE (2006), AM (1989) (born 30 March 1930), is an Australian musician, composer, painter, and television host. ... Little River Band on stage, 1979 Glenn Barrie Shorrock (born on June 30, 1944, in Chatham, Kent, UK) is an Australian singer and songwriter, best known as a founding member and lead singer of rock band, The Little River Band. ... David Gordon Slim Dusty Kirkpatrick, AO, OBE (June 13, 1927—September 19, 2003) was an iconic Australian country music singer-songwriter. ... Diana Trask is an Australian and American country and pop singer born on June 23, 1940 in Melbourne, Australia. ... Olivia Newton-John AO OBE (born 26 September 1948) is a Grammy Award-winning and Golden Globe-nominated English-born Australian pop singer, songwriter and actress. ... Daryl Paul Somers OAM (born Daryl Schultz August 6, 1951 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia), sometimes referred to as Dazza or Dags, is an Australian television personality. ... John Peter Farnham (born July 1, 1949) is an English-born Australian pop singer. ... Normie Rowe AM (born Norman John Rowe on 1 February 1947 in Melbourne, Australia) was the preeminent male solo star of Australian pop music in the 1960s. ... Daryl Braithwaite (born January 11, 1949) is an Australian singer who rose to fame as the lead singer of successful band Sherbet in the 1970s, and went on to have a number of solo hits in the 80s and 90s. ... Archie Roach (born 1956, Mooroopna, Victoria) is an Australian musician. ... Yothu Yindi (Yolngu for child and mother. ... This article is about the Australian music group. ... Debra Byrne, born in Melbourne, Australia on 30 March, 1957, is an Australian entertainer. ... Filippina Lydia Arena (born 1 November 1967) is an Australian singer, songwriter and musical theatre actress. ... For other persons named Muhammad Ali, see Muhammad Ali (disambiguation). ... Mark Seymour (born 1957 in Benalla, Victoria) is an Australian musician and singer best known for his work as the frontman and songwriter of rock band Hunters & Collectors, but also with a solo career. ... Holy Grail is a song performed by the Australian band Hunters & Collectors on their 1992 album Cut. ... The National Anthem booth at the 2005 Floriade, Canberra - on the J. Verbeeck fairground organ. ... Waltzing Matilda is usually sung in informal settings, but it was played with a 90 piece orchestra and the 100 voice Melbourne Chorale at the 2005 Classical Spectacular Waltzing Matilda is Australias most widely known folk song, and one that has been popularly suggested as a potential national anthem. ... Human Nature is an Australian pop vocal group. ... Vanessa Joy Amorosi (born 8 August 1981) is an Australian singer and recording artist. ... Killing Heidi is an Australian rock band from Violet Town, Victoria. ... The Whitlams is an Australian band famous for songs such as No Aphrodisiacand Blow up the Pokies. The Whitlams sound can best be described as Piano rock founded in lyrics of charming cynicism. The bands name is a tribute to former Australian Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam. ... Kate Ceberano, born 17 November 1966, is an award winning Australian pop vocalist entertainer, and Scientologist. ... Mark Seymour (born 1957 in Benalla, Victoria) is an Australian musician and singer best known for his work as the frontman and songwriter of rock band Hunters & Collectors, but also with a solo career. ... Holy Grail is a song performed by the Australian band Hunters & Collectors on their 1992 album Cut. ... Christine Anu (born 1970) is an Australian pop singer from Cairns, Queensland. ... The 2004 AFL Grand Final was the first ever AFL Grand Final where both competing teams were not Victorian. ... Guy Theodore Sebastian (born October 26, 1981) is an Australian singer-songwriter and winner of the first Australian Idol TV talent competition quest in 2003. ... Waltzing Matilda is usually sung in informal settings, but it was played with a 90 piece orchestra and the 100 voice Melbourne Chorale at the 2005 Classical Spectacular Waltzing Matilda is Australias most widely known folk song, and one that has been popularly suggested as a potential national anthem. ... The National Anthem booth at the 2005 Floriade, Canberra - on the J. Verbeeck fairground organ. ... album cover of their latest CD Heres To The Heroes The Ten Tenors (also known as TTT) are an Australian musical ensemble, with a strong live touring profile in Europe, Canada and the United States and a burgeoning recording career. ... The Australian Football Leagues 2005 Finals Series began on the weekend of September 2, 2005 and ended with the 109th AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 24 September 2005, won by the Sydney Swans. ... Silvie Paladino (born 21 January 1945) is a renowned Australian songstress. ... The National Anthem booth at the 2005 Floriade, Canberra - on the J. Verbeeck fairground organ. ... Delta Lea Goodrem (born 9 November 1984) is a multi ARIA Award winning Australian singer-songwriter, pianist and Logie Award winning actress. ... I Am/We are Australian is a popular Australian song written in 1987 by Bruce Woodley of The Seekers and Dobe Newton of The Bushwackers. ... Michael Bublé Michael Bublé (born 9 September 1975) is a Canadian crooner jazz singer and actor. ... Dame Edna Everage featuring on a billboard at the Myer department store in Melbourne. ... I Still Call Australia Home is a song written and performed by Peter Allen in 1980. ... The Whitlams is an Australian band famous for songs such as No Aphrodisiacand Blow up the Pokies. The Whitlams sound can best be described as Piano rock founded in lyrics of charming cynicism. The bands name is a tribute to former Australian Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam. ... No Aphrodisiac is the third single on The Whitlams third album Eternal Nightcap. ... Jane Turner and Gina Riley as Kath & Kim Kath and Kim is a satirical Australian television series shown on the ABC network. ... The 2006 AFL Grand Final was contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 30, 2006. ... Brian Mannix (born 7 October 1961 in Melbourne) is an Australian rock music singer. ... John Paul Young John Paul Young (June 21, 1950–) is an Australian singer. ... Sean Kelly is the name of: Seán Kelly (cyclist) (born 1956) Sean Kelly (Singer and guitarist of The Samples) Seán Kelly (GAA President) (born 1952), former president of the Gaelic Athletic Association (2003-2006) Sean Kelly (Australian musician) Sean Kelly (Canadian musician) Sean Kelly (philosopher), professor Sean Kelly... Daryl Braithwaite (born January 11, 1949) is an Australian singer who rose to fame as the lead singer of successful band Sherbet in the 1970s, and went on to have a number of solo hits in the 80s and 90s. ... The National Anthem booth at the 2005 Floriade, Canberra - on the J. Verbeeck fairground organ. ... Irene Cara (born Irene Escalera on March 18, 1959, in The Bronx, New York City) is an American singer of African, Cuban and Puerto Rican descent. ... Flashdance. ... Brian Mannix (born 7 October 1961 in Melbourne) is an Australian rock music singer. ... John Paul Young John Paul Young (June 21, 1950–) is an Australian singer. ... Sean Kelly is the name of: Seán Kelly (cyclist) (born 1956) Sean Kelly (Singer and guitarist of The Samples) Seán Kelly (GAA President) (born 1952), former president of the Gaelic Athletic Association (2003-2006) Sean Kelly (Australian musician) Sean Kelly (Canadian musician) Sean Kelly (philosopher), professor Sean Kelly... Daryl Braithwaite (born January 11, 1949) is an Australian singer who rose to fame as the lead singer of successful band Sherbet in the 1970s, and went on to have a number of solo hits in the 80s and 90s. ... A medley is a collection of related but different things, served as one. ... Up There Cazaly is a song recorded and composed by Mike Brady. ... One Day in September is a 1999 documentary film directed by Kevin Macdonald examining the September 5, 1972 murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany. ... For the lizards of the same name, see Goanna Goanna is an Australian band, notable in integrating social protest with popular music. ... Yesterdays Hero was a 1979 film starring Ian McShane, Suzanne Somers, Adam Faith and Paul Nicholas. ... Young Divas are an Australian girl group consisting of former Australian Idol contestants Paulini Curuenavuli, Emily Williams, and Season 3 winner Kate DeAraugo. ... Youre the Inspiration is a song written by Peter Cetera and David Foster for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago 17 (1984), with Cetera singing lead vocals. ... Further information: 2007 AFL Finals Series The 2007 AFL Grand Final was the 111th VFL/AFL Grand Final and was contested between the Geelong Football Club and the Port Adelaide Football Club on September 29, 2007 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. ... Natalie Bassingthwaighte (born 1 September 1975) is a Gold Logie-nominated Australian actress, lead vocalist of electro-pop band Rogue Traders and host of So You Think You Can Dance Australia. ... The National Anthem booth at the 2005 Floriade, Canberra - on the J. Verbeeck fairground organ. ... For other uses, see Jet. ... Are You Gonna Be My Girl is a song by the Australian rock band Jet, featured on their 2003 album Get Born. ... Rollover DJ is the second single (except in the US, as it was not released there) by the Australian rock band Jet, from their 2003 album Get Born. ...

Traditional songs

Tradition dictates that at every, or almost every, Grand Final, most of the following songs are performed, either by celebrity singers or choirs:

• Waltzing Matilda
• One or more of the following football songs, often in a medley:
  • Up There Cazaly
  • One Day in September
  • That's The Thing About Football
  • Holy Grail
• Each team's club song (which is performed live, with the recorded version then played as the team enters the field, in the traditional fashion)
• Advance Australia Fair is sung once the two teams and the umpires are on the field, and lined up on the wing.

Waltzing Matilda is usually sung in informal settings, but it was played with a 90 piece orchestra and the 100 voice Melbourne Chorale at the 2005 Classical Spectacular Waltzing Matilda is Australias most widely known folk song, and one that has been popularly suggested as a potential national anthem. ... Up There Cazaly is a song recorded and composed by Mike Brady. ... One Day in September is a song written and performed by Australian musician Mike Brady. ... Holy Grail is a song performed by the Australian band Hunters & Collectors on their 1992 album Cut. ... The National Anthem booth at the 2005 Floriade, Canberra - on the J. Verbeeck fairground organ. ...

International telecasts

The AFL Grand Final is televised into many countries and grand final parties are held around the world. The following are television details for the 2006 AFL Grand Final. The 2006 AFL Grand Final was contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 30, 2006. ...

• Papua New Guinea - EM TV, Australia Network (live)
• New Zealand - SKY Sport 1 (NZ) (live)
• South East Asia - Australia Network (live)
• Middle East - Australia Network. Israel - Fox Sports Israel
• Indian subcontinent - Australia Network
• North America - United States - Setanta Sports North America (live), MHz Worldview (delayed). Canada - Fox Sports World Canada (live). See also AFANA.
• United Kingdom - British Sky Broadcasting (live)
• Ireland - Setanta Sports (delayed)
• Spain - Canal+ Spain

EM TV is a commercial television station in Papua New Guinea. ... Australia Network (formerly ABC Asia Pacific TV, and Australia Television) is an Australian free-to-air international satellite television service operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ... SKY Sport 1 is one of the SKY Network Televisions sport channels in New Zealand. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... Australia Network (formerly ABC Asia Pacific TV, and Australia Television) is an Australian free-to-air international satellite television service operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... Australia Network (formerly ABC Asia Pacific TV, and Australia Television) is an Australian free-to-air international satellite television service operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ... For Fox Sports in Australia see Fox Sports (Australia). ... Map of South Asia (see note) This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia. ... Australia Network (formerly ABC Asia Pacific TV, and Australia Television) is an Australian free-to-air international satellite television service operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ... Setanta Sports North America is a television channel launched in 2005 by the Irish sports broadcaster Setanta Sports. ... The MHz WorldView is an independant, non-commercial television channel that captures where the world is going. ... Fox Sports World Canada is a Canadian category 2 digital cable specialty channel owned by CanWest MediaWorks Inc. ... AFANA is the organization that formed out of the campaign to save TV coverage of Australian Rules Football on USA and Canadian TV in 1996. ... British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB — formerly two companies, Sky Television and BSB) is a company that operates Sky Digital, a subscription television service in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. ... Setanta Sports (pronounced ) is an international sports broadcaster, operating 12 channels in 24 countries. ... Canal+ is a Spanish pay television channel, launched in September 1990 on terrestrial television frequencies. ...

See also

• Grand Final
• Australian Football League
• Early VFL Final systems
• McIntyre System
• AFL finals system
• List of Australian Football League premiers
• One Day in September (song)

A Grand Final is the culmination of a series of final matches played between a number of sporting teams to decide the premier team. ... This article is about the national league in Australian rules football. ... The McIntyre System, or systems because there have been five of them, is a playoff system that gives an advantage to teams or competitors qualifying higher. ... The current AFL finals system was devised by the Australian Football League in 2000 as its end-of-season championship playoff tournament. ... AFL Logo This page is a chronological listing of Australian Football League premiers. ... One Day in September is a song written and performed by Australian musician Mike Brady. ...

References