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Sport / Brisbane, QLD

Brisbane lions win AFL Grand Final in nail-biting finish against Fremantle Dockers

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Changed after publishing · 3 edits
  • the headline was changed: Brisbane wins lions win AFL Grand Final in nail-biting finish against Fremantle Dockers
  • the headline was changed: A Brisbane wins AFL Grand Final wedding: in nail-biting finish against Fremantlesuperfans combine their two loves at the MCG
  • the headline was changed: What to know as Brisbane and Fremantle prepare to face off in the 2026 AFL A Grand Final wedding: Fremantle superfans combine their two loves at the MCG

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  • The Brisbane Lions and Fremantle Dockers are vying for different places in the history books on Saturday as they face off in the 2026 AFL Grand Final.
  • In contrast, only two Lions have not won a flag: Recruits Sam Draper and Oscar Allen.
  • If more than 3mm falls, it will be the wettest grand final day in nearly 25 years.
  • Fremantle beat Brisbane 103-78 when the sides last met at the Gabba in May, at one stage leading by 51 points.
  • Brisbane lost its qualifying final to the Sydney Swans by 53 points, then recovered with victories over the Adelaide Crows and Hawthorn Hawks to reach their fourth consecutive grand final.

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The Brisbane Lions and Fremantle Dockers are vying for different places in the history books on Saturday as they face off in the 2026 AFL Grand Final.

The Lions are chasing their second three-peat this century, while the Dockers are hoping to claim their first-ever premiership.

Fremantle have just three players — former Richmond Tiger Shai Bolton, ex-Melbourne Demon Luke Jackson and former Collingwood player Mason Cox — who have tasted premiership glory.

In contrast, only two Lions have not won a flag: Recruits Sam Draper and Oscar Allen.

Up to 8mm of rain has been forecast for Melbourne on Saturday, with a high chance of showers.

If more than 3mm falls, it will be the wettest grand final day in nearly 25 years.

A crowd of 100,000 is expected at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

"If we can beat them, it will be the best day of my life," one Dockers fan in a sea of purple in Melbourne told SBS News.

A Brisbane fan, meanwhile, predicted a "three-peat for sure".

Here's everything you need to know ahead of the match-up.

The match kicks off at 2:30pm AEST. That's 2pm in the Northern Territory and South Australia, and 12:30pm in Western Australia.

The game will be shown exclusively on Channel 7 and its streaming platform, 7Plus.

Subscription-based broadcasters such as Kayo Sports, which showed the rest of the finals, will not show the match.

If you're planning to watch Kylie Minogue perform, you'll need to tune in earlier.

The official pre-game show begins half an hour earlier, at 2pm AEST. The pop superstar is expected on stage at around 1:40pm AEST.

Australian music stars G Flip, Michael Paynter and Mike Brady are also scheduled to perform.

Fremantle beat Brisbane 103-78 when the sides last met at the Gabba in May, at one stage leading by 51 points.

Dockers Jye Amiss and Patrick Voss kicked four goals each, while Josh Treacy added three.

Freemantle finished the home-and-away season as premiers, while Brisbane secured a top-four finish.

Neither side took the direct route to the grand final, with both losing their qualifying finals before fighting their way back.

Brisbane lost its qualifying final to the Sydney Swans by 53 points, then recovered with victories over the Adelaide Crows and Hawthorn Hawks to reach their fourth consecutive grand final.

Fremantle suffered a 72-40 loss to Hawthorn before bouncing back with wins over the Geelong Cats and Sydney to book a place in the final.

Brisbane won three consecutive premierships from 2001 to 2003, while the Dockers have never taken home the cup since entering the league in 1995.

Brisbane's 22-year-old Will Ashcroft will be chasing a third consecutive Norm Smith Medal, awarded to the best player on the ground in the grand final. If successful, he'd be the second player ever to do so.

Former Docker Lachie Neale, a Brisbane midfielder, was only cleared to play in the final on Thursday after successfully appealing a one-match suspension.

For Fremantle, midfielder Caleb Serong enters the final in strong form after starring in the Dockers' win over Sydney.

Luke Jackson will also be one to watch, having already tasted premiership success with Melbourne in 2021.

— With additional reporting by Australian Associated Press

You are reading our version, not theirs. This is SBS News's report with its verdicts and loaded words taken out. Plain description stays, and so do adjectives that carry a fact, such as "former" or "federal". The reporting, the facts and the quotations are theirs — quotations are never edited — and the indicators beside it measure this version. Hover or tap Adjectives to see every one left in the text.

How outlets headlined it

Each outlet's own headline. Struck through: the loaded words our version leaves out. Plainest first.

  • SBS News Brisbane lions win AFL Grand Final in nail-biting finish against Fremantle Dockers plain
  • The West Australian Fremantle Dockers arrive in Melbourne for AFL grand final as Brennan Cox and Oscar McDonald await selection plain
  • The West Australian AFL grand final teams: Fremantle Dockers make call on Brennan Cox, Oscar McDonald against Brisbane Lions plain
  • The West Australian Fremantle Dockers arrive in Melbourne two days out from grand final against Brisbane on Saturday plain
  • The West Australian 2026 AFL Grand Final: The match-ups that are crucial to Fremantle Dockers and Brisbane Lions’ hopes plain
  • The West Australian Fremantle Dockers lead with the head in call not to play Brennan Cox on Grand Final day plain
  • The West Australian Paul Hasleby: Where Fremantle Dockers could win or lose AFL Grand Final against Brisbane plain
  • The West Australian Geraldton fans are supporting the Dockers all the way to Melbourne for this year's 2026 AFL grand final plain
  • The West Australian Fremantle College gets behind Fremantle Dockers in iconic way a day before the 2026 AFL Grand Final 1 change

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Also covered by The West Australian. We hold only their summary of it, not the report, so there is nothing of theirs to measure here.

Outlet Niral ScoreAdjectivesSourcingSentimentHappiness
SBS Newsas they published this story 13.3 10 1 0.1 57.5
Mundane Readneutralized from SBS News 11.2 8 1 0.1 57.5

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