A Grand Final is all that could follow a remarkable weekend of football that left Fremantle still dreaming of a first AFL premiership and Brisbane on track for a rare three-peat.

Fremantle is one win away from claiming its biggest slice of history as it hunts the club’s first AFL flag while playing in just its second Grand Final. The Dockers have spoken about their understanding that the players who break the premiership drought – the current second-longest in the competition – will be “immortal”. The minor premiers can take confidence from their win against Sydney being the eighth time this season they have overturned a deficit at the last change to surge to victory.

Brisbane has its own opportunity to make history on Saturday as it aims to join Melbourne as the only clubs to twice win three consecutive premierships. The Lions have endured a rollercoaster campaign with dominant displays mixed with lacklustre performances, but combined their best and worst into the one game against Hawthorn. The back-to-back reigning premiers had to draw on all their finals experience to get over the line in an all-time classic preliminary final and book their place in a fourth straight decider. 

The Dockers got through their rousing triumph over the Swans unscathed and again must weigh up whether to recall Brennan Cox. The defender injured a calf in their last home-and-away match but was overlooked for Luke Ryan and Oscar McDonald in the preliminary final. The Lions are sweating on the availability of Lachie Neale after the dual Brownlow medallist was offered a one-match ban for striking Jack Ginnivan early in their preliminary final. The outcome of the midfielder’s Tribunal appeal will be critical to their hopes, though Brisbane also hopes to have Noah Answerth ready to return. The defender missed the past two finals with an ankle injury but could be crucial in shutting down the Fremantle’s fleet of small forwards. If Neale is cleared and Answerth available, Ty Gallop and even recruit Oscar Allen will face a nervous wait.

Where and when: MCG, Saturday September 26, 2.30pm AEST

WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR?

Round 12: Fremantle 15.13 (103) defeated Brisbane 10.18 (78) at the Gabba

Fremantle took another step in proving its premiership credentials at the same time as it piled more misery on Brisbane. The Dockers opened up as much as a 51-point lead over the two-time reigning premiers before holding off a late rally to rubberstamp their status as the team to beat with an 11th consecutive victory. Freo’s three-pronged attack of Jye Amiss (four goals), Patrick Voss (four) and Josh Treacy (three) imposed themselves on the game from the start, while Andrew Brayshaw (24 disposals) and Shai Bolton (21) added a spark in the midfield. Zac Bailey (30, one goal) and Will Ashcroft (22, two) inspired the Lions’ belated fightback that fell short as their side slumped to a third straight defeat.

THE STATS THAT MATTER

Fremantle

Fremantle is edging towards its first AFL premiership even while winning only three quarters across its three finals this year. The Dockers showed they are almost unstoppable when they are up and running as they surged past the Swans in the final term with 24-6 inside-50s, 12-2 forward-half intercepts and when booting 5.4 to 0.1. The minor premiers have had few issues getting the ball forward this season and are ranked second for inside-50 differential at an average of +6.5 a game. Justin Longmuir’s side has maintained this strength across the three finals when +6, +13 and most recently +18 for inside-50s, though it has not always been able to take full advantage with cautious ball movement making it harder for its key forwards to fire. Josh Treacy (two goals), Jye Amiss (four) and Patrick Voss (five) have had minimal impact on the Dockers’ three finals, but have plenty of room for improvement in the Grand Final.

Brisbane

Brisbane's hopes of securing a premiership three-peat were quickly fading until its star-studded onball brigade took command against Hawthorn. The Lions have been an offensive powerhouse while averaging 118 points to claim 12 wins in their past 14 matches, with a strength at stoppage key to their success. The two-time reigning premiers are ranked a clear No.1 for clearance differential this season at an average of +5.3 a game, as well as being a leader in points scored from clearances. The Lions were particularly dominant at centre clearance in their preliminary final with eight goals scored from the source - the most in any final since 1999 - to help turn the tide against the Hawks. Chris Fagan's side has shown it has the firepower to win a shootout and can take extra confidence from seven of the past eight premiers outscoring the opposition from centre clearances on Grand Final day.

IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR ...

Fremantle

The luckless Hayden Young has too often been as notable by his absence as by the influence he can have on games, especially while playing only 26 of the Dockers’ 50 matches over the past two seasons. The powerful midfielder sent a reminder of just how important he remains to the Dockers as he gave the side a jolt with a clutch goal after the three-quarter time siren in the preliminary final. The 25-year-old then helped drag the minor premiers into the Grand Final as he gathered eight disposals with three score involvements in the final-term surge against Sydney. Fremantle has found a way to get the best out of Young as a high-impact burst player while he has averaged 67 percent game time in three finals. But the gun onballer is peaking at just the right time to have a huge say on their hopes of claiming a first premiership.

Brisbane

Hugh McCluggage has been unable to hit his usual heights during an injury-riddled campaign as a series of recurring calf issues have restricted him to 16 matches. But the 28-year-old could be saving his best for the pointy end of the season after he was crucial to the Lions’ fightback then laid a clever tackle in the dying stages of the preliminary final against Hawthorn. After being awarded a free kick that gave him a chance to claim back the lead for his side, McCluggage still had to have the class and composure to nail the nerve-wracking shot for his third second-half goal. The 2025 All-Australian finished with 23 disposals – the second-most he has gathered in a game since round nine – eight score involvements and six tackles in a timely return to form, and is primed to again be a key cog in Brisbane’s engine room.  

PREDICTION

Fremantle has ridden a wave of momentum into the club’s second Grand Final in its 32nd season to now be within reach of a breakthrough premiership. The minor premiers have relied on powerful bursts to win a pair of finals while only outscoring the opposition in three of their past 12 quarters. Brisbane has also blown hot and cold across the finals with much the same form as it showed early in the home-and-away season. But with a deep well of finals experience and match-winners across every line, the Lions have enough battle-hardened talent to cement their place as one of the best sides of the modern era. Brisbane by 11 points.