Welcome to the live coverage of the AFL preliminary final featuring the Hawthorn Hawks and the Brisbane Lions at the MCG. The victor of this matchup will advance to meet Fremantle in the AFL grand final at the MCG next Saturday.
Hawthorn’s Journey to the Preliminary Final
Having enjoyed a period of relative calm, Hawthorn has observed the exit of all but two teams since their thrilling qualifying final win against the Dockers. As the final whistle confirmed that impressive away victory, many believed Sam Mitchell’s squad would not encounter Brisbane until a potential grand final clash. However, the unpredictable nature of finals football has brought the two teams together a week earlier than anticipated, with the Hawks now vying for a place in the championship.
Brisbane’s Resurgence
The Hawks have emerged as one of the competition’s top teams, boasting just one loss and a draw in their last eight outings. That sole defeat, however, was particularly painful, as it came from a team hailing from Queensland.
Brisbane revitalized their campaign with a dominant semi-final victory against Adelaide, bouncing back from a lackluster performance against an injury-depleted Sydney just a week prior. Over the years, the Lions have demonstrated a tendency to underperform occasionally, but they consistently rise to the occasion when the stakes are high. Their current trajectory mirrors that of the previous two years, during which they triumphed in Saturday twilight preliminary finals at the MCG, ultimately securing back-to-back premierships.
Chasing History
Now just two victories away from achieving a rare premiership three-peat, the Lions aim to join an elite group of just three teams in nearly seventy years to claim consecutive championships. The last two teams to accomplish this feat were the Hawks from 2013 to 2015 and the Lions themselves between 2001 and 2003.
Historical Context
This contest marks the first final between the Hawks and the Lions since 1986, when the latter competed under the Fitzroy name before merging with the Brisbane Bears. The opening bounce is scheduled for 5:15 PM Melbourne time (AEST). I will provide team news shortly. In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts and predictions via email. Let’s dive right in!
