The greatest day on the footballing calendar is nearly upon us, the 2025 Toyota AFL Grand Final is right around the corner and Geelong are set to do battle with Brisbane.

A long and brutal season has boiled down to this, the two top teams across the course of the year will square off for the ultimate prize, with the winner to take home the premiership cup on Saturday night. 

Geelong are into their third Grand Final in the last six years, searching for the 11th V/AFL premiership in the club's history if they can triumph at the MCG. 

It will also be the second time that the Cats and Lions have faced each in this year's Finals series, with Geelong triumphing by 38 points in the Qualifying Final three weeks ago.

In the build up to the big dance, get one final look at everything you need to know ahead of Saturday's Grand Final. 

KEY DETAILS  

2025 AFL Season - Grand Final

Geelong Cats v Brisbane

MCG, Melbourne

Saturday September 27th, 2.30pm (AEST)

TEAM SELECTION

KEY PLAYER TO WATCH

Patrick Dangerfield

There is not much left that Patrick Dangerfield has not already accomplished, but becoming a premiership captain could be the cherry on top of one of the greatest resumes the game has ever seen. 

Dangerfield will lead Geelong into Saturday's Grand Final, the third appearance on the last Saturday in September and the first as captain in his storied career. 

He could not be in better form either, putting together an incredible performance last Friday in the Preliminary Final, collecting 31 disposals and kicking three goals against Hawthorn. 

Dangerfield always goes to another level in the big games, so expect to see his absolute maximum effort right from the first bounce on Saturday. 

RECENT HISTORY - Geelong v Brisbane

This has been a fascinating battle in recent times, Geelong snapping a three game losing streak against the Lions with their dominant victory in the Qualifying Final. 

Across the last 10 meetings between the two teams, both sides have won five times with five of those games decided by 11 points or less. 

Geelong and Brisbane have also met in Finals four times in the past six seasons, with Geelong prevailing on three occasions.  

VENUE HISTORY - MCG

Geelong continued their strong form at the MCG in Friday's Preliminary Final, now on a five game win streak at the venue dating back to the Round 8 clash with Collingwood. 

The Cats have also won five of their past six Finals at the MCG, with those wins coming by an average margin of 45 points. 

The trend also continues in regards to Geelong's dominance at the MCG in Premiership winning seasons. In the Cats four most recent premiership years (2007, 2009, 2011, 2022) they have a 28-2 record, but in all other years across that span they have a 49-40 record. 

Geelong are 6-1 at the venue this year, and can take the record to 35-3 in Premiership winning seasons if they can beat the Lions on Saturday. 

GETTING TO THE GROUND

As they have done all Finals Series, V/Line will be providing extra services on Friday and Saturday to make it easier for Cats fans to travel to and from Melbourne. 

Check travel times and plan your journey by using the V/Line journey planner.

Check out Geelong's Finals Hub for all key timings and information.

MARCH TO THE 'G

One of the great Finals traditions will return for the Grand Final, with Geelong's March to the 'G all set for Saturday, proudly presented by Gatorade. 

Led by the Cats marching band, the march will depart Federation Square at 11.30am and make its way along the Yarra River, arriving at the MCG in time for all of Saturday's festivities. 

WHERE TO WATCH 

Fans in Australia can watch the game on TV exclusively LIVE on Channel Seven and 7plus in 1080p HD. Match coverage begins at 2pm AEST, ahead of the first bounce at 2.30pm AEST. 

Fans outside Australia can catch the game via Watch AFL. Check out the full broadcast guide here.

Broadcast Details: 2025 AFL Broadcast Guide

Geelong's incredible run in the 2025 season has come to a heartbreaking end, with the Cats going down by 47 points to Brisbane in the Toyota AFL Grand Final. 

It was a brutal and hard fought match for much of the afternoon, but a quick burst from Brisbane at the end of the third quarter proved to be decisive, the Cats unable to wrestle back the ascendancy as the Lions kicked away. 

A telling factor in the contest was Brisbane's dominance around stoppages, Geelong unable to win the crucial clearances when it mattered most. 

Lawson Humphries was among Geelong's best in a backline under siege for most of the afternoon, collecting 23 disposals, five score involvements and five intercept possessions. 

It will be a bitter pill to swallow for the Cats after a terrific season full of growth, but it will also be a valuable learning experience for plenty of young players who got their first taste of an AFL Grand Final. 

The start of the game was everything a fan could hope; brutal, contested and uncompromising. It took over 15 minutes for either team to break the deadlock and it was none other than Ollie Dempsey, who found space in the goal square and got on the end of a brilliant chain, kicking the opening goal of the game. 

Brisbane answered shortly after, but Oisin Mullin would then set the MCG alight with a dashing goal, taking a bounce and slotting it on the run to give the Cats the lead. 

Inaccuracy from the Lions would help Geelong maintain that lead, taking a three point advantage into quarter time. 

Max Holmes was everywhere early collecting 11 touches and over 300 metres gained in the first quarter, while Jack Bowes was important with seven disposals (five contested) and a goal assist. 

Bowes continued his hot start immediately after the first break, working hard inside 50 and kicking the opening goal just two minutes into the second quarter. 

Brisbane then flexed their muscle and wrestled back the ascendancy in a hurry, kicking four of the next five goals to kick away and put the Cats on the back foot. 

But as they have done all year, Geelong were able to answer the challenge with Shannon Neale and Brad Close nailing a pair of brilliant set shot finishes, leaving scores level at the end of the first half.

It marked the first time since 1909 that scores have been level at half time of a V/AFL Grand Final, setting the stage for a monumental conclusion to the season. 

Lawson Humphries was brilliant in the opening half collecting 12 disposals, three score involvements and three intercept possessions while going at 100% efficiency, along with Bowes (10 disposals, one goal) and Max Holmes (17 disposals, three clearances) who continued to be heavily influential. 

The intensity lifted to a new level after half time, Brisbane snatched the lead back before Max Holmes answered with a brilliant finish of his own, launching home a mammoth set shot from outside 50. 

But in a decisive five minutes to end the third quarter, the Lions broke the game open with three quick goals to take a game-high 19 point lead into the final break. 

Another flurry of goals from Brisbane after three quarter time sealed the deal, Geelong falling by 47 points in front of 100,022 spectators at the MCG. 

2025 Toyota AFL Grand Final

GEELONG     2.3     5.6    6.8     11.9     (75)  
BRISBANE      1.6     5.6    9.9   18.14    (122)  

GOALS
Geelong: Dempsey 4, Neale, Mullin, Mannagh, Holmes, Close, Bowes, Blicavs 1
Brisbane: McCluggage, Cameron 4, Bailey 3, Lohmann 2, Rayner, Neale, Morris, W.Ashcroft, L.Ashcroft 1

BEST
Geelong: Dempsey, Holmes, Humphries, Atkins, Smith
Brisbane: McCluggage, Andrews, Bailey, Cameron, W.Ashcroft, Gardiner

INJURIES
Geelong: Jeremy Cameron (arm)
Brisbane: Brandon Starcevich (head)

SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Jack Martin (replaced Rhys Stanley at three quarter time)
Brisbane: Lachie Neale (replaced Sam Marshall at half time)

CROWD: 100,022 @ MCG