2026 AFL Grand Final: Fremantle Dockers vs Brisbane Lions (11:30 PM on FS1)

G'Day mates. It's the last Saturday in September, and that means the end of the Australian Rules Football season is once again upon us. This year, the wire to wire top team in the league, the Fremantle Dockers (21-5) are taking on the juggernaut Brisbane Lions (18-8) in what promises to be smashing affair at a maximum capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground. The much embattled Dockers are looking to claim their first ever flag after 31 years of aches and pains, while the Lions are rolling into their fourth straight grand final, looking for a threepeat in 24/25/26 to match their previous feat of 01/02/03.



Pregame entertainment starring Kylie Minogue: 1:25 PM AEST (10:25 PM God's Time)
Centre Bounce: 2:30 PM AEST (11:30 PM God's Time)
Forecast: 62F/17C and Rainy

How they got here:


Prediction: While it would be nice to see the loveable underdog Dockers finally get the postseason monkey off their back, I believe the circumstances favor Brisbane. Freo only has 3 players with Grand Final experience (notably, one of which is former Oklahoma State basketball player Mason Cox), while Brisbane only has two players who DON'T have Grand Final experience. While Fremantle has weathered storms in this finals series against Geelong and Sydney, the Lions are a different beast altogether. I predict that a starstruck Dockers squad will take a moment to get rolling, while the Lions come out hot from the get go. Brisbane's offensive avalanche is too much to overcome, and the Lions will threepeat by a score of 119 (18.11) to 81 (11.15).