Footscray Bulldogs and Southport Sharks will meet in the 2025 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final at IKON Park on Sunday, September 21.
2025 Smithy's VFL Grand Final
Footscray Bulldogs (1st) vs Southport Sharks (3rd)
Sunday, September 21
2:15pm AEST
IKON Park (entry via Gate 5 and 6)
Broadcast: The 2025 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final will be broadcast live and free on the Seven Network via 7mate in Victoria and 7plus nationally. The match will also be streamed live and free on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App.
Ticketing: Admission prices will be adults $20, concession/pensioners $15 and children under 15 free. Tickets can be purchased at www.intix.com.au/org/vfl from midday on Tuesday, September 16. Patrons purchasing at the gate are advised the payment method is card only. Entry will be via Gate 5 and 6.
The 2025 Smithy's VFL Grand Final will be contested by this year’s minor premiers the Footscray Bulldogs and last year’s beaten grand finalists the Southport Sharks.
The Bulldogs last reached the VFL Grand Final in 2016 when they claimed their second premiership in three years by defeating the Casey Demons by 31 points. It followed a 22-point win over the Box Hill Hawks in the 2014 decider.
Footscray enters the Smithy’s VFL Grand Final on a 13-match winning streak. After finishing the home and away season in first spot with a 15-3 record, they accounted for Frankston by 80 points in the qualifying final before beating the Box Hill Hawks by 31 points in the preliminary final.
Southport will play in the Smithy’s VFL Grand Final for the third time in four seasons as it continues its chase for its first VFL premiership.
The Sharks went down to Werribee by six points in a classic last year, having been beaten by the Casey Demons by 32 points in the 2022 decider.
Southport finished the 2025 home and away season in third spot on the ladder with a 13-4-1 record. They defeated the Box Hill Hawks by 21 points at Box Hill City Oval in the qualifying final, before smashing Frankston by 88 points at Fankhauser Reserve in the preliminary final.
Footscray and Southport haven’t met during the 2025 season, with their last meeting coming in last year’s preliminary final when the Sharks claimed an upset 10-point win at Mission Whitten Oval.
AFL Head of State League Competitions Jennie Loughnan congratulated both clubs on making it through to the 2025 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final.
“Both the Footscray Bulldogs and Southport Sharks have proven themselves to be the two outstanding teams in the competition across the Smithy’s VFL home and away season and the finals series,” Loughnan said.
“It has been a terrific effort by Footscray to win 13 matches in a row to reach the Grand Final as they chase their third flag since 2014.
“Southport has been brilliant again this year to reach a third Grand Final in four seasons, which is a remarkable achievement by a standalone club.
“On behalf of the AFL, I would like to thank all clubs, players, umpires, venues and our broadcast and commercial partners for their fantastic support of the Smithy’s VFL in 2025 and wish the Footscray Bulldogs and Southport Sharks the best of luck for the Grand Final.”
The 2025 Smithy’s VFL season featured 21 teams who each played 18 matches across a 21-round fixture. The finals series ran across five weeks, commencing with the wildcard finals featuring the teams who finished seventh to 10th on the ladder.
SELECTED TEAMS: Selected teams for the 2025 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final will be announced on Friday, September 19.
NORM GOSS MEDAL: The Norm Goss Medal will be awarded to the best player on the ground, with 2016 Norm Goss medallist Lin Jong to present the medal.
2025 SMITHY’S VFL FINALS SERIES RESULTS
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 15.15 (105) def Frankston 3.7 (25)
Second Qualifying Final: Box Hill Hawks 13.16 (94) def by Southport Sharks 18.7 (115)
First Elimination Final: Casey Demons 20.12 (132) def Williamstown 8.8 (56)
Second Elimination Final: Brisbane Lions 12.15 (87) def Richmond 10.7 (67)
Semi Finals
Saturday, September 6
First Semi Final: Frankston 16.5 (101) def Casey Demons 13.12 (90)
Second Semi Final: Box Hill Hawks 18.7 (115) def Brisbane Lions 16.16 (112)
Preliminary Finals
Saturday, September 13
First Preliminary Final: Footscray Bulldogs 16.12 (108) def Box Hill Hawks 11.11 (77)
Second Preliminary Final: 21.17 (143) def Frankston 8.7 (55)
Grand Final
Sunday, September 21
Grand Final: Footscray Bulldogs vs Southport Sharks
IKON Park, 2:15pm