Fans celebrate during the 2022 Toyota AFL Grand Final between Geelong and Sydney at the MCG on September 24, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

THE 2023 Toyota AFL Grand Final between Collingwood and Brisbane starts at 2.30pm AEST on Saturday, September 30.

This will be the third time the sides have faced each other for a premiership since the competition became national - an AFL record - and the seventh time overall.

It's the first time since 2014 that the decider will be played between the top two sides after the home and away season, and Chris Fagan will become just the second person to coach in a VFL/AFL Grand Final without having played at the highest level.

The Magpies will be seeking their first premiership since 2010, after losing at the final hurdle in 2011 to Geelong and 2018 to West Coast. The Lions are chasing their first taste of silverware since 2003 when they beat the Pies to complete their famous three-peat.

How to watch the Grand Final

Fans in Australia can watch the game on TV on Channel 7 and 7Plus in 1080p HD. The game will also be streamed live on the AFL Live Official App on mobile and tablet devices. Download from the App Store or Google Play.

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

What's happening in Brisbane?

From Thursday to Saturday, fans can head down to South Bank’s Riverside Green in the Parklands for school holiday fun including AFL clinics, inflatable AFL handball targets, face painting, and an AFL public activation. The Lions are hosting a free live event at the South Bank Piazza and Streets Beach on Grand Final day, where fans will be able to watch the Grand Final on the big screen. You can also find a list of Lions Grand Final activities HERE

Collingwood fans can visit the club's finals hub HERE.

Starting times for those watching around Australia

AEST (local): 2.30pm – ACT, NSW, QLD, TAS, VIC
ACST: 2pm - SA, NT
AWST: 12.30pm – WA

Starting times for those watching around the world

United Kingdom: 5.30am, Saturday
Europe: 6.30am, Saturday 
USA: 9.30pm, Friday (west coast); 12.30am, Saturday (east coast)
Dubai: 8.30am, Saturday
New Zealand: 5.30pm, Saturday
Thailand: 11.30am, Saturday
Japan: 1.30pm, Saturday
Bali: 12.30pm, Saturday

What international Grand Final parties are being held? 

Check out the AFL's affiliate organisations for details of Grand Final functions around the world: 

  • AFL Asia: Functions in Phnom Penh, Hong Kong, Bali, Jakarta, Tokyo, Vientiane, Macau, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Seoul, Singapore, Bangkok, Hanoi and Saigon
  • AFL Middle East: Dubai 
  • AFL Canada: Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver
  • AFL Colombia: Bogota and Medellin
  • USAFL: Austin, Baltimore, Baton Rouge, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Des Moines, Houston, Huntington Beach, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St Paul, Montreal, Nashville, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St Louis, Tampa, Washington  

Who is performing at the Grand Final?

The Telstra AFL Pre-Match Entertainment will be headlined by international rock 'n' roll juggernaut KISS, who will be supported by a host of Australian artists for the Pre-Match and Half-Time Entertainment, including homegrown legend Mark Seymour & the Undertow, didgeridoo player William Barton, Indigenous artist Jess Hitchcock and traditional favourite Mike Brady AM

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Award-winning singer-songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke will perform the Australian national anthem during the pre-match entertainment. 

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The umpires revealed

Veteran whistleblower Matt Stevic will umpire his 11th AFL Grand Final, alongside fellow field umpires Simon Meredith (seven GFs), Grand Final debutant Hayden Gavine and 2023 All-Australian umpire Robert FindlayAndrew Stephens is the emergency field umpire. 

Ian Burrows (10th Grand Final), Christopher Gordon (seventh), Matt Tomkins (fifth) and Michael Barlow (second) will run the boundary. Matthew Konetschka is the emergency boundary umpire.

The goal umpires on Grand Final day will be Adam Wojcik (fifth GF) and Angus Mckenzie-Wills (debut), while Brodie Kenny-Bell will be the emergency.

2023 Grand Final umpires (back L-R): Angus McKenzie-Wills, Matthew Tomkins, Matt Stevic, Christopher Gordon; (front L-R): Michael Barlow, Simon Meredith, Hayden Gavine, Robert Findlay, Ian Burrows and Adam Wojcik. Picture: AFL Photos

Medal and Cup presenters

After winning the 2005 Norm Smith Medal, former Carlton and West Coast champion Chris Judd will hand over the 2023 edition of the medal given to the player judged best on ground. 

The Norm Smith Medal is traditionally presented by a previous winner, with Nathan Buckley doing the honours last year. 

Former Sydney premiership player and captain Josh Kennedy is the Premiership Cup Ambassador. 

If Collingwood wins, former captain and Brownlow medallist Peter Moore will present the cup to his son Darcy Moore and coach Craig McRae. If the Lions triumph, Brisbane's triple-premiership coach Leigh Matthews will hand the cup to co-captains Lachie Neale and Harris Andrews and coach Chris Fagan. Read the full story here.

Three-time Essendon premiership player and dual flag-winning coach of Geelong, Mark Thompson, will present the Jock McHale Medal to the winning coach. 

Josh Kennedy with the 2023 premiership cup. Picture: AFL Photos

What's the weather going to be like?

The forecast for Saturday is sunny and a top of 29 degrees. So pack your sunscreen!

How to follow the Grand Final on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App

- Live coverage throughout the day including full match centre with all the stats and video highlights
- The latest weather information straight from the Bureau of Meteorology
- Latest pictures from our photographers
- All the news from the game including comprehensive match report, player ratings and in-depth post-match interviews with players and coaches

When does everything happen?

9.35am - AFL Futures match
12.15pm-
Coles Grand Final Sprint Heats
12.38pm - Coles Grand Final Sprint Final
1:31pm - Grand Final Motorcade in Toyota HiLux vehicles
1.36pm - Mike Brady performance
1.42pm - Telstra Pre-Game Entertainment – KISS performance
2.11pm - Umpire entry and Toyota match ball delivery
2.13pm to 2.16pm - Teams enter
2.24pm - Delivery of the 2023 Premiership Cup by Josh Kennedy, Premiership Cup Ambassador
2.25pm - MC Hamish McLachlan – Intro Welcome to Country
2.25pm - Welcome to Country by Uncle Colin Hunter Jnr.
2.26pm - National anthem performed by Kate Miller-Heidke
2.28pm - Coin toss
2.30pm - 2023 Toyota AFL Grand Final commences

What happens if scores are level at full-time?

1. Goal umpires confirm scores are identical;
2. There is a six-minute break;
3. Teams change ends;
4. Three minutes of Additional Time shall be played, plus time-on;
5. At the end of the first Additional Time period, the siren will sound and teams will immediately change ends without a break;
6. The ball will be bounced (or thrown up) in the centre and a further three minutes of play (plus time-on) will commence;
7. At the conclusion of this period, the siren will sound and the team with the highest score is declared the winner;
8. If scores are still tied, steps three to eight are repeated until a result is determined.

The following shall also apply for Additional Time periods:

Interchange cap
Clubs shall receive 10 interchanges for the total two x three-minute period (excluding Medical Substitute). Any leftover interchanges from each period of Additional Time do not carry over into a subsequent period.
 
Runners
Runners may access the playing arena after a goal or a significant stoppage in play (eg. a stretcher is called).
Runners are also permitted to access the playing arena at the conclusion of each three-minute (plus time-on) period of Additional Time as players are changing ends.

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