2017 AFL finals series

2017 premiership season
Date	7–30 September 2017
Teams	8
Premiers	Richmond (11th premiership)
Runners-up	Adelaide (3rd grand final)
Minor premiers	Adelaide (2nd minor premiership)
Matches played	9
Attendance	553,818 (61,535 per match)
Highest attendance	100,021 (Grand Final, Adelaide vs. Richmond)
← 2016 2018 →

The 2017 Australian Football League finals series was the 121st annual edition of the VFL/AFL final series, the Australian rules football tournament staged to determine the winner of the 2017 AFL Premiership Season. The series ran over four weekends in September 2017, culminating with the 2017 AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 30 September 2017.

The top eight teams from the season qualified for the finals series. AFL finals series have been played under the current format since 2000. The qualifying teams were Adelaide, Greater Western Sydney, Geelong, Richmond, Port Adelaide, Sydney, Essendon and West Coast.

Qualification[]

Perennial finalists Sydney qualified for their eighth straight finals appearance, thus becoming the first team to reach the finals after starting a season with six straight losses. Adelaide qualified for the third straight year; Geelong qualified for the fourteenth time in the past sixteen years, Port Adelaide and Richmond both returned to the finals for the first time since 2014 and 2015 respectively, while Greater Western Sydney contested its second finals series since entering the AFL in 2012. Essendon returned to the finals for the first time since 2014 and became the first wooden spooner to play finals the following year since West Coast in 2011.

Venues[]

The matches of the 2017 AFL finals series will be contested at four venues around the country.

As was the case in 2015 and 2016, Melbourne will host only four finals matches, including the Grand Final, with all four played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The Adelaide Oval hosted three finals: Adelaide's first qualifying final against Greater Western Sydney, their home preliminary final against Geelong, and Port Adelaide's elimination final against West Coast, while the Sydney Cricket Ground hosted Sydney's elimination final against Essendon and Spotless Stadium hosted Greater Western Sydney's first semi-final against West Coast.

Melbourne	Sydney (two venues) Adelaide Melbourne	Sydney
Melbourne Cricket Ground		Sydney Cricket Ground
Capacity: 100,024		Capacity: 48,000
Adelaide		Sydney
Adelaide Oval		Spotless Stadium
Capacity: 53,583		Capacity: 24,000

Matches[]

The system used for the 2017 AFL finals series is a final eight system. The top four teams in the eight receive the "double chance" when they play in week-one qualifying finals, such that if a top-four team loses in the first week it still remains in the finals, playing a semi-final the next week against the winner of an elimination final. The bottom four of the eight play knock-out games – only the winners survive and move on to the next week. Home-state advantage goes to the team with the higher ladder position in the first two weeks, to the qualifying final winners in the third week.

In the second week, the winners of the qualifying finals receive a bye to the third week. The losers of the qualifying final plays the elimination finals winners in a semi-final. In the third week, the winners of the semi-finals from week two play the winners of the qualifying finals in the first week. The winners of those matches move on to the Grand Final at the MCG in Melbourne.^[1]

	Qualifying / Elimination finals					Semi-finals						Preliminary finals				Grand final
		QF1: 7 Sep, Adelaide Oval
	1	Adelaide	12.12 (84)
	4	Greater Western Sydney	6.12 (48)			SF1: 16 Sep, Spotless Stadium
						Greater Western Sydney	19.11 (125)
		EF1: 9 Sep, Adelaide Oval				West Coast	9.4 (58)					PF1: 22 Sep, Adelaide Oval
	5	Port Adelaide	10.16 (76) (a.e.t.)									Adelaide	21.10 (136)
	8	West Coast	12.6 (78) (a.e.t.)									Geelong	10.15 (75)			GF: 30 Sep, MCG
																Adelaide	8.12 (60)
		EF2: 9 Sep, SCG										PF2: 23 Sep, MCG				Richmond	16.12 (108)
	6	Sydney	19.7 (121)									Richmond	15.13 (103)
	7	Essendon	8.8 (56)			SF2: 15 Sep, MCG						Greater Western Sydney	9.13 (67)
						Geelong	15.8 (98)
		QF2: 8 Sep, MCG				Sydney	5.9 (39)
	2	Geelong	5.10 (40)
	3	Richmond	13.13 (91)

Week one (qualifying and elimination finals)[]

First qualifying final (Adelaide vs. Greater Western Sydney)[]

The first qualifying final saw the minor premiership winning Adelaide hosting the fourth placing Giants at Adelaide Oval in the second-ever Thursday night final.^[2][3] This was the first time Adelaide and Greater Western Sydney had met in the AFL Finals. Adelaide player, Sam Jacobs' brother died a week before the game,^[4] he dedicated the game to his brother's memory and the Crows team wore black armbands in his honour.^[5]

Scorecard

	First qualifying final
Thursday, 7 September (7:20 pm)	Adelaide	def.	Greater Western Sydney	Adelaide Oval (crowd: 52,805)	Report
	3.4 (22) 8.7 (55) 12.8 (80)  12.12 (84)	Q1 Q2 Q3  Final	1.4 (10) 1.5 (11) 5.7 (37)  6.12 (48)	Umpires: Jeff Dalgleish, Brett Rosebury, Shaun Ryan Television broadcast: Seven Network, Fox Footy (simulcast)
3: Betts 2: Douglas 1: Smith, Seedsman, McGovern, Walker, Jenkins, Lynch, B. Crouch		Goals	2: Coniglio 1: Himmelberg, Ward, Greene, de Boer
Betts, M.Crouch, Lynch, B.Crouch, Jacobs, Brown, Greenwood		Best	Kelly, Coniglio, Scully, de Boer, Ward
Smith (knee)		Injuries	Cameron (hamstring), Coniglio (knee)
Nil		Reports	Nil

Second qualifying final (Geelong vs. Richmond)[]

The second qualifying final saw second placed Geelong host third placed Richmond at the MCG. Geelong leapfrogged Greater Western Sydney with a comprehensive 44-point win over them in Round 23 to finish in the top two for the seventh time in the last ten years and in the top eight for the ninth time in the same period. By contrast, Richmond had played in the finals between 2013-2015 without success but a rejuvenated game style saw them climb back up the ladder, with a win against St Kilda in the final round seeing them climb up to third spot and earn the double chance for the first time since 2001, the last time they won a final.

This was the tenth final between the two sides and first in twenty-two years, having previously met in the finals in 1921, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1967, 1969, 1980, and 1995, including grand finals in 1931 and 1967. Head to head in finals it was 7-2 in Richmond's favour, despite Geelong's more recent successes.

Scorecard

	Second qualifying final
Friday, 8 September (7:50 pm)	Geelong	def. by	Richmond	MCG (crowd: 95,028)	Report
	0.4 (4) 2.4 (16) 4.9 (33)  5.10 (40)	Q1 Q2 Q3  Final	2.4 (16) 3.7 (25) 6.10 (46)  13.13 (91)	Umpires: Matt Stevic, Matthew Nicholls, Shane McInerney Television broadcast: Seven Network, Fox Footy (simulcast)
1: Motlop, Dangerfield, Parsons, Hawkins, Taylor		Goals	2: Townsend, Caddy 1: Butler, Vlastuin, Edwards, Prestia, Grigg, Lambert, Castagna, Cotchin, Riewoldt
Duncan, Tuohy, Dangerfield, S.Selwood, Lonergan, Smith		Best	Martin, Prestia, Rance, Cotchin, Vlastuin, Lambert
C.Guthrie (calf)		Injuries	Nil
Nil		Reports	Nil
Richmond won their first final since 2001, ending the longest active winless streak in finals. The crowd of 95,028 was the highest crowd for a qualifying final in AFL/VFL history.

Second elimination final (Sydney vs. Essendon)[]

The second elimination final saw sixth placed Sydney host seventh placed Essendon at the SCG. Both sides had defied the odds to qualify for the finals, with Sydney losing their first six games but recovering to become the first team to make the finals from that position, while Essendon were wooden spooners the previous year but a win against Fremantle in the final round sealed a spot in the finals.

This marked the third final between the two sides, having previously contested a preliminary final in 1996 in which Tony Lockett famously kicked a behind after the siren to put the Swans into the 1996 AFL Grand Final and a Qualifying Final in 1999 which the Bombers won convincingly by 69 points.

Scorecard

	Second elimination final
Saturday, 9 September (4:20 pm)	Sydney	def.	Essendon	SCG (crowd: 46,323)	Report
	3.2 (20) 13.5 (83) 17.5 (107)  19.7 (121)	Q1 Q2 Q3  Final	1.3 (9) 3.4 (22) 5.8 (38)  8.8 (56)	Umpires: Brendan Hosking, Ray Chamberlain, Simon Meredith Television broadcast: Seven Network, Fox Footy (simulcast)
4: Franklin 3: Towers, Sinclair 2: Kennedy, Rohan, Heeney 1: Papley, Jack, Lloyd		Goals	3: Joe Daniher 2: Begley 1: Myers, Fantasia, Heppell
Kennedy, Sinclair, Parker, Grundy, Lloyd, Franklin, Jones		Best	Daniher, Heppell, Zaharakis, McGrath
Franklin (corked thigh), Heeney (nose)		Injuries	Nil
Nil		Reports	Nil
The crowd of 46,323 is the largest crowd for an AFL game at the SCG.[6]

First elimination final (Port Adelaide vs. West Coast)[]

The first elimination final was held between fifth placed Port Adelaide and eighth placed West Coast at the Adelaide Oval. Port Adelaide returned to the finals after a three year absence, finishing outside the top four and earning their first home final since 2014. West Coast entered the final round of the home and away season at the final AFL game at Domain Stadium needing to beat ladder leaders Adelaide by around four goals to leapfrog Melbourne into eighth spot. They achieved this, defeating the Crows by 29 points to earn their third finals appearance in as many years.

The two sides met in the finals once before, ten years previously in a qualifying final which Port Adelaide won by three points.

Scorecard

	First elimination final
Saturday, 9 September (7:20 pm)	Port Adelaide	def. by	West Coast	Adelaide Oval (crowd: 41,172)	Report
	1.0 (6) 5.5 (35) 6.8 (44) 8.12 (60) 10.16 (76)	Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final	4.2 (26) 7.4 (46) 7.5 (47) 9.6 (60) 12.6 (78) (a.e.t.)	Umpires: Chris Donlon, Curtis Deboy, Justin Schmitt Television broadcast: Seven Network, Fox Footy (simulcast)
3: Dixon 2: S.Gray, Wines 1: Ebert, Powell-Pepper		Goals	3: Darling, Kennedy 2: Shuey, Petrie 1: Cripps, Priddis
Dixon, Wines, Ebert, Powell-Pepper, Howard, R.Gray		Best	McGovern, Priddis, Petrie, Jetta, Shuey, Vardy
Nil		Injuries	Nil
Nil		Reports	Nil
Luke Shuey of West Coast kicked a goal after the final siren at the conclusion of extra time to win the game.

Week two (semi-finals)[]

Second semi-final (Geelong vs. Sydney)[]

Scorecard

	Second semi-final
Friday, 15 September (7:50 pm)	Geelong	def.	Sydney	MCG (crowd: 55,529)	Report
	3.1 (19) 9.4 (58) 13.4 (82)  15.8 (98)	Q1 Q2 Q3  Final	2.2 (14) 3.4 (22) 4.9 (33)  5.9 (39)	Umpires: Brett Rosebury, Matthew Nicholls, Simon Meredith Television broadcast: Seven Network, Fox Footy (simulcast)
4: Dangerfield 2: Menzel, Menegola, Duncan 1: Stanley, Smith, Motlop, Hawkins, Blicavs		Goals	1: Jack, McVeigh, Mills, Papley, Reid
Dangerfield, Henderson, Menegola, Duncan, Motlop, Blicavs, Taylor		Best	Hannebery, Grundy, Lloyd, Jack, McVeigh
Lonergan (food poisoning) replaced in selected side by Stanley, Stewart (hamstring)		Injuries	Nil
Nil		Reports	Nil

First semi-final (Greater Western Sydney vs. West Coast)[]

Scorecard

	First semi-final
Saturday, 16 September (7:25 pm)	Greater Western Sydney	def.	West Coast	Spotless Stadium (crowd: 14,865)	Report
	5.4 (34) 9.7 (61) 15.10 (100)  19.11 (125)	Q1 Q2 Q3  Final	3.0 (18) 4.2 (26) 5.2 (32)  9.4 (58)	Umpires: Matt Stevic, Justin Schmitt, Shaun Ryan Television broadcast: Seven Network, Fox Footy (simulcast)
6: Johnson 3: Greene 2:Patton 1: Shiel, Scully, Taranto, Ward, de Boer, Himmelberg, Deledio, Coniglio		Goals	2: LeCras, Mitchell 1: Vardy, Kennedy, Shuey, Petrie, Darling
Coniglio, Whitfield, Johnson, Ward, Corr, Kelly, Shiel, Wilson		Best	Priddis, Shuey, Mitchell, Hurn, Redden
Nil		Injuries	Nil
Nil		Reports	Nil
The crowd of 14,865 between Greater Western Sydney and West Coast was the lowest crowd for a final since the 1916 semi-final.[7]

Week three[]

First preliminary final (Adelaide vs. Geelong)[]

	First preliminary final
Friday, 22 September (7:20 pm)	Adelaide	def.	Geelong	Adelaide Oval (crowd: 53,817)	Report
	6.3 (39) 11.7 (73) 14.10 (94)  21.10 (136)	Q1 Q2 Q3  Final	1.2 (8) 5.8 (38) 8.11 (59)  10.15 (75)	Umpires: Brett Rosebury, Matt Stevic, Justin Schmitt Television broadcast: Seven Network, Fox Footy (simulcast)
5: Cameron 4: Jenkins 2: Walker, Betts, Lynch, Seedsman 1: Jacobs, Otten, M.Crouch, Knight		Goals	2: Dangerfield 1: Cockatoo, Duncan, J. Selwood, Lang, Hawkins, Motlop, Henderson, Menegola
Laird, Cameron, M.Crouch, Seedsman, B.Crouch, Talia		Best	J.Selwood, Motlop, Taylor, Mackie, Dangerfield
Nil		Injuries	S.Selwood (hamstring), Lonergan (corked quad), J.Selwood (groin)
Nil		Reports	Nil
The crowd of 53,817 is the highest for an AFL match at the Adelaide Oval.[8]

Second preliminary final (Richmond vs. Greater Western Sydney)[]

	Second preliminary final
Saturday, 23 September (4:45 pm)	Richmond	def.	Greater Western Sydney	MCG (crowd: 94,258)	Report
	4.3 (27) 5.7 (37) 11.11 (77)  15.13 (103)	Q1 Q2 Q3  Final	3.3 (21) 5.6 (36) 6.10 (46)  9.13 (67)	Umpires: Matthew Nicholls, Simon Meredith, Shaun Ryan Television broadcast: Seven Network, Fox Footy (simulcast)
4: Rioli 3: Martin 2: Butler 1: Lambert, Caddy, Castagna, Townsend, Edwards, Riewoldt		Goals	4: Himmelberg 3: Ward 1: Kelly, Patton
Cotchin, Rioli, Martin, Grimes, Rance, Lambert, Prestia		Best	Ward, Kelly, Tomlinson, Scully, Davis, Himmelberg
Nil		Injuries	Shiel (concussion)
Nil		Reports	Nil

Week four (Grand Final)[]

	Grand Final
Saturday, 30 September (2:30 pm)	Adelaide	def. by	Richmond	MCG (crowd: 100,021)	Report
	4.2 (26) 4.7 (31) 5.10 (40)  8.12 (60)	Q1 Q2 Q3  Final	2.3 (15) 6.4 (40) 11.8 (74)  16.12 (108)	Umpires: Simon Meredith, Shaun Ryan, Matt Stevic Norm Smith Medal: Dustin Martin Television broadcast: Seven Network National anthem: Dami Im
2: Sloane, Walker 1: Betts, Greenwood, B. Crouch, Cameron		Goals	3: Graham 2: Townsend, Martin, Riewoldt 1: Caddy, Houli, Grigg, Lambert, Castagna, Prestia, Butler
M. Crouch, Jacobs, B. Crouch, Sloane, Laird		Best	Martin, Rance, Houli, Astbury, Prestia, Edwards, Graham, Grimes
Nil		Injuries	Rioli (ankle)
Nil		Reports	Nil

References[]

External links[]

• AFL finals series official website