The AFL has today confirmed the fixture for the 2025 Smithy’s VFL qualifying and elimination finals.
Saturday, August 30
Second Elimination Final: Brisbane Lions (6th) vs Richmond (7th)
Brighton Homes Arena, 12:05pm AEST
Broadcaster: AFL.com.au + AFL Live Official App
First Qualifying Final: Footscray Bulldogs (1st) vs Frankston (4th)
Mission Whitten Oval, 12:35pm AEST
Broadcaster: AFL.com.au + AFL Live Official App
Second Qualifying Final: Box Hill Hawks (2nd) vs Southport Sharks (3rd)
Box Hill City Oval, 12:35pm AEST
Broadcaster: AFL.com.au + AFL Live Official App
First Elimination Final: Casey Demons (5th) vs Williamstown (8th)
Casey Fields, 2:10pm AEST
Broadcaster: 7mate and 7plus
All qualifying and elimination finals will be played on Saturday, August 30.
Scheduling ensures clubs playing in next week’s semi finals have the same number of days break. It also allows for this week’s travelling clubs to return home on Saturday evening.
Footscray Bulldogs host Frankston in the first qualifying final at Mission Whitten Oval, while the Box Hill Hawks will take on the Southport Sharks at Box Hill City Oval in the second qualifying final.
The two winners of the qualifying finals will advance directly to the preliminary finals in a fortnight, while the losers will host semi finals next week.
The Brisbane Lions will host Richmond at Brighton Homes Arena in the second elimination final, while the Casey Demons will host Williamstown in the first elimination final at Casey Fields.
Richmond and Williamstown advanced to the elimination finals after winning last week’s wildcard finals over the GWS GIANTS and Collingwood respectively.
After finishing the home and away season in eighth place, Richmond has assumed the seventh-placed ranking following Collingwood’s defeat at the hands of Williamstown in their wildcard final. The Seagulls progress as the eight-placed team.
The top six teams on the ladder at the conclusion of the 2025 Smithy’s VFL home and away season had a bye during last week’s wildcard finals.
AFL Head of State League Competitions Jennie Loughnan said: “The Smithy’s VFL Finals Series kicked off with two great contests in the wildcard finals and we have another four great match-ups locked in for this week’s qualifying and elimination finals.
“It’s fantastic to have finals matches being played in Victoria and Queensland and makes for a huge weekend of finals action, alongside the rebel VFLW Grand Final which will be played between Collingwood and North Melbourne-Werribee at ETU Stadium.
“On behalf of the AFL, I would like to thank all clubs, players, umpires, venues and our broadcast and commercial partners for their outstanding support of the Smithy’s VFL in 2025.”
2025 SMITHY’S VFL FINALS SERIES STRUCTURE
Wildcard Finals
Saturday, August 23 and Sunday, August 24
First Wildcard Final: Collingwood 9.15 (69) def by Williamstown 11.15 (81)
Second Wildcard Final: Richmond 17.14 (116) def GWS GIANTS 14.14 (98)
Qualifying and Elimination Finals
Saturday, August 30
First Qualifying Final: Footscray Bulldogs (1st) vs Frankston (4th)
Second Qualifying Final: Box Hill Hawks (2nd) vs Southport Sharks (3rd)
First Elimination Final: Casey Demons (5th) vs Williamstown (8th)
Second Elimination Final: Brisbane Lions (6th) vs Richmond (7th)
Semi Finals
Weekend of September 6-7
First Semi Final: Loser of First Qualifying Final vs Winner of First Elimination Final
Second Semi Final: Loser of Second Qualifying Final vs Winner of Second Elimination Final
Preliminary Finals
Weekend of September 13-14
First Preliminary Final: Winner of First Qualifying Final vs Winner of Second Semi Final
Second Preliminary Final: Winner of Second Qualifying Final vs Winner of First Semi Final
Grand Final
Sunday, September 21
Grand Final: Winner of First Preliminary Final vs Winner of Second Preliminary Final
Please click here to view the 2025 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series graphic.
TICKETING
Admission prices for the 2025 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series are as follows:
For matches played in Victoria during Wildcard Finals through to the Preliminary Finals, admission prices will be adults $15, concession/pensioners $10 and children under 15 free.
Entry will be free for finals played in Queensland.
For the 2025 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final, admission prices will be adults $20, concession/pensioners $15 and children under 15 free.
Tickets can be purchased from midday Tuesday each week of the finals series via www.intix.com.au/org/vfl.
FINALS VENUES
For all matches from the Wildcard Finals through to the Preliminary Finals, the higher-placed team on the Smithy’s VFL ladder at the conclusion of the home and away season will have the option to host, subject to meeting venue infrastructure requirements.
The 2025 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final will be played at IKON Park on Sunday, September 21 unless two Queensland-based teams are competing.
In the event of two Queensland-based teams reaching the 2025 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final, the match will be played on Sunday, September 21 in Queensland.
BROADCAST
The AFL is pleased to confirm that one match each week of the 2025 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series will be broadcast live and free on the Seven Network via 7mate and 7plus, including the 2025 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final.
All matches, including the 2025 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final, will be streamed live and free on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App.
