State of Play hosts Joe Pignataro and Gemma Bastiani preview the big items ahead of the Smithy’s VFL and VFLW Grand Finals.

What will the Kangaroos’ experience count for?
North Melbourne Werribee has already created history becoming the first side to reach three consecutive VFLW grand finals. They are box office when it comes to playing for keeps. Ten players from last week’s preliminary final team featured in the 2025 premiership, with five of those also members of the 2024 triumph. With all the additional nerves and excitement that come with playing a grand final, will that experience of being here before lend itself to the side that is four quarters away from a history making threepeat?

Is this the changing of the guard?
The 2026 VFL and VFLW Awards saw Emily Eaves claim the Lambert-Pearce Medal as the best player in the competition, Mia Zielinski the Rohenna Young Medal as leading goal kicker and Paul Groves named VFLW Coach of the Year. The star midfielder, power forward and coach have been the driving force in the advancement Williamstown has taken in 2026. The Seagulls' formline is strong, having won their past five matches which includes victories over the Kangaroos and preliminary finalists Port Melbourne and Collingwood. Groves has changed the way the Seagulls play, with more license to attack and play with flair, equally impressive is the defensive running that has strangled opposition sides all season long, a brand for long-term sustainable success.

Is the VFL premiership won in the coaches box?
2013 was the last time Geelong and Box Hill met in a Grand Final. On that day, Mark Corrigan and Dave Mirra were opponents, with Mirra’s Hawks taking home the premiership – his first of two as a player. Thirteen years on they meet again, this time as opponents in the coaches box. Can the first season coach deconstruct a Cats side that’s looked indestructible all year? Corrigan already has a premiership medallion as a player in 2012 and as coach in 2022, when he guided the all-conquering Casey Demons to glory. He understands better than anyone what it’s like to be the leader with everyone else chasing you.

The ultimate midfield battle
While it’s often said that games are won and lost ‘at the source’, have we got a better ‘source’ of midfielders than this weekend with the form these players have shown in 2026. Geelong’s George Stevens is now a J.J. Liston Trophy winner, who is regularly winning the ball at the source, alongside Mitch Knevitt and Jack Bowes. These next generation Cats midfielders have spent the season working alongside Joe Pike who’s developing his ruck craft nicely. He’ll have his work cut out matching up on Ned Reeves and Max Ramsden, who will be looking to palm it down to Henry Hustwaite, Oli Greeves, and Finn Maginness. Maginness has shown that not only can he win his own ball, he can play a shut-down tagging role. Could that be the ace up the sleeve of Dave Mirra?

TICKETING

Admission prices for the 2026 Smithy’s VFL and VFLW Grand Finals are adults $20, concession/pensioners $15 and children under 15 free, which includes entry to both matches.

Tickets can be purchased from midday Tuesday at www.intix.com.au/org/vfl

BROADCAST

The 2026 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final will be broadcast live and free by ABC TV VIC, the network’s main channel in Victoria, and ABC iview nationally, with a stream available on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App.

The 2026 VFLW Grand Final will be broadcast live and free on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App.