The AFLW grand final is locked in with the two best teams of season seven to go head-to-head.
Minor premiers Brisbane secured the right to host this season’s decider with victory over Adelaide, while Melbourne are through to their second straight grand final.
The Demons overcame a spirited North Melbourne in their preliminary final, and are hoping to go one better in their second grand final of 2022.
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HOW CAN I WATCH THE AFLW GRAND FINAL?
The 2022 AFLW grand final will be broadcast live on Fox Footy (Channel 504) and Kayo sports, with the TV start time of 2pm (AEST).
Fox Footy will show the match in HD with no ads siren-to-siren.
Watch the 2022 NAB AFLW Grand Final Live on Kayo. Brisbane v Melbourne Sunday November 27 from 2:30PM AEDT. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >
Fox Footy will also have the best pre-game, half-time and post-game coverage of the match, led by host and commentator Kelli Underwood, as well as Carlton AFLW coach Daniel Harford, Bulldogs premiership skipper Ellie Blackburn, Collingwood star Chloe Molloy and Megan Waters.
If you’re outside of Australia, you can watch the Grand Final as well as Fox Footy coverage and TV shows on WatchAFL.
WHICH TEAMS ARE PLAYING IN THE AFLW GRAND FINAL?
The Brisbane Lions head into the AFLW Grand Final suffering just one loss this season. But they’ll face a fired up Melbourne Demons outfit who have reached their second straight decider.
Both Brisbane and Melbourne were the team to beat this year, as the Demons finished just 0.3 per cent behind the Lions in incredible final round scenes.
Brisbane, the 2021 premiers, are into their third decider in just five years, while Melbourne are yet to win the AFLW crown.
Here is how the teams will line-up – both unchanged from the preliminary finals:
Brisbane Lions (Coach: Craig Starcevich)
B: S.Campbell, P.Monahan
HB: B.Koenen (c), N.Grider, J.Ellenger
C: O.O’Dwyer, E.Bates, S.Conway
HF: C.Hodder, D.Davidson, I.Dawes
F: J.Wardlaw, G.Bodey
Foll: T.Hickie, C.Svarc, A.Anderson
I/C: K.Lutkins, D.Heslop, T.Smith, M.Pauga, R.Svarc
Emg: L.Pullar, Z.Farquharson, S.Webb
Lions first team into AFLW Grand Final! | 02:05
Melbourne Demons (Coach: Mick Stinear)
B: L.Birch, T.Gillard
HB: S.Heath, M.Gay, S.Goldrick
C: S.Lampard, T.Hanks, B.Mackin
HF: A.Bannan, K.Paxman, K.Hore
F: D.Pearce (c), T.Harris
Foll: L.Pearce, O.Purcell, E.West
I/C: M.Chaplin, C.Sherriff, L.Mithen, E.Zanker, M.Fitzsimon
Emg: C.Wilson, J.Ivey, M.Caris
HOW CAN I GET TICKETS TO THE AFLW GRAND FINAL?
The AFLW was sold out in a matter of minutes after tickets went on sale this week.
Fans snapped up the 6500 tickets on offer, before a second batch was released on Thursday – and once again quickly sold.
The AFL had confirmed a price freeze on tickets, with adults $10 while children could enter for free.
Dees beat Kangas to reach GF! | 02:08
AFLW GRAND FINAL ENTERTAINMENT
Award-winning Australian singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem headlines the AFLW season seven grand final.
Goodrem, who has nine #1 singles, five #1 albums and 12 ARIA Awards, will perform a series of her greatest hits for the pre-match entertainment.
“Delta’s performance will be the perfect beginning to what’s sure to be an amazing showdown on field,” AFL executive general manager Kylie Rogers said.
“Delta’s talent in connecting with her audience and the energy she brings will be an exciting addition to the day as we celebrate the end of the 2022 NAB AFLW Season Seven and look forward to this year’s premiers. Her skill at connecting with those around her will be on full display with thousands forecasted to be attending the 2022 Telstra Pre-Match Entertainment.”
Goodrem is no stranger to the big sporting stage, after joining Robbie Williams for this year’s AFL Grand Final pre-game entertainment.
Picture: NIGEL HALLETTSource: News Corp Australia
AFLW GRAND FINAL WEATHER
Wet weather could play a part in the AFLW decider, with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting a 30 per cent chance of rain.
The threat of a thunderstorm looms but according to the weather forecast, that is more likely after 4pm local time after the match is over.
The forecast has a top of 32C with light winds becoming northerly 15 to 25 km/h in the middle of the day.
AFLW GRAND FINAL UMPIRES
FIELD UMPIRES: Thomas Chrystie Joel Clamp Nick Jankovskis – Emergency: James Strybos
BOUNDARY UMPIRES: Trent Bowes Will Morris Blake Anderson Dominic Schiliro
GOAL UMPIRES: Adam Steger Tayla Manning – Emergency: Taylor Mattioli
AFLW GRAND FINAL MEDAL PRESENTERS
AFL Commissioner Simone Wilkie will present the Best on Ground Medal.
AFL Commission Chair Richard Goyder AO will present the Coaches Medal to the Premiership Coach.
AFL Commissioner Gab Trainor will present the umpires’ medals
AFLW premiership player Abbey Holmes will present the premiership cup to the winning team.
AFLW GRAND FINAL ODDS
The Brisbane Lions are a $1.40 favourite to claim their second AFLW flag.
Melbourne are the outsiders at $2.95.
Lions will not fear GF venue drama | 00:44
AFLW GRAND FINAL BURNING QUESTIONS
Will the Lions get any home ground advantage?
The AFLW grand final venue debacle has been well-documented, with the season seven decider to be held at a ground neither side has ever played on. It was a controversial call by the AFL to give Brisbane’s $80m brand new training ground Brighton Homes Arena the green light to host the grand final – given it won’t hold more than 8000 fans.
Already the move to play finals at a smaller home venue has backfired in season seven, with Richmond eliminated from the premiership race at their “spiritual home” Punt Road. The Tigers drew plenty of criticism for locking fans out of their semi final – which they ended up losing to North Melbourne. Whether or not the Lions will suffer the same fate remains to be seen.
Melbourne’s Maddison Gay says despite the controversy surrounding the venue decision, the Demons were focused on trying to create history for their club.
“We haven’t obviously been out there – no one’s played at that ground. We’re making history as we go,” she said on SEN. “It would be nice even to just see the ground, but if not that’s OK as well. We’ve played home and away games and not been on the field before the game day anyway so it won’t be too different.”
Bulldogs skipper Ellie Blackburn wasn’t sure the right call was made for Brisbane’s best chance of success.
“You almost lose the advantage a little bit when you’re playing a ground you’ve never played at before,” she said on Fox Footy.
Tigers stand by home final decision | 01:15
Did the AFLW make the right call moving the season?
While the grand final venue debacle has been an embarrassment the league didn’t need, questions over whether the AFLW should sit in the calendar remain unanswered.
After a summer 2022 season which ended in April, AFLW players were forced to back up for another 2022 season which started in late August. While starting the seventh season of the competition allowed games to coincide with AFL clashes, now at the pointy end there’s been several big clashes and demand for the game has fallen away.
Crowd numbers are down, while the grand final expected to draw its second lowest attendance in AFLW history. But AFLW CEO Nicole Livingstone remains adamant late in the year is the best spot on the calendar for the sport.
“It’s been a pretty extraordinary year to run into cricket pitches with the World Cup being held in Australia,” she said on SEN.
“We do still think it’s the right window for AFLW to be held.
“We really cherished the ability to be able to showcase AFLW alongside AFL in the men’s final.
“We think it’s the right window – it’s been lumpy and bumpy but we are in a really good position.”
Can the Demons break through?
It’s no easy feat to reach a grand final – but to do it twice in the same year is an extraordinary outcome for the Demons.
Melbourne were the unlucky runners up in the season six AFLW grand final, held back in April – beaten by Adelaide by 13 points. Now the Demons are back in another decider, only this time they take on the competition’s highest scoring team in a match that will pit the AFLW’s best attack against the best defence.
Inspirational Demon Daisy Pearce could bow out a winner if Melbourne can cause the upset, with the 34-year-old still undecided on her future in the game. Pearce says she won’t be rushed into making a call, and says her side are better prepared heading into Sunday’s grand final after that season six loss.
“If anything, it makes you realise that losing them isn’t the end of the world,” she said this week.
“We lost one not even 12 months ago, and the sun came up, and we all turned up at pre-season training with the attitude of wanting to get better, and that’s landed us here. It’s one of those things, if you want to win you, you have to be prepared to feel the hurt and disappointment of losing one. We’ve done that now.”
The grand final will be a remarkable fourth for Demon Tayla Harris – but she is yet to win one.
Harris heads into the contest under an injury cloud after injuring her shoulder in the win over the Roos. Despite the concern, Harris says she’s determined to get a win over her former side.
“Grand finals are hard enough to get in, let alone win them. So I think I’m fortunate to have been in them in the first place, and we’ll take the experience for sure,” Harris said. “But I think anyone would agree that it’s the hardest thing in footy to win and only one team wins.”
Conti gets her due with MVP Award | 00:32
AFLW GRAND FINAL TIPS
Here is who the experts are predicting:
Alex Saundry — Melbourne by 1 point: “They’ll need to be on top early to stem Brisbane’s momentum, but the Dees will rise to the occasion.”
Kelli Underwood — Brisbane Lions by 18 points: “They will thrive in the heat and run all day long.”
Ben Waterworth — Brisbane Lions by 15 points: “The best team all year with the most potent attack in the competition will be too strong. The Lions will also thrive in the conditions and in front of their home fans.”
Jess Webster — Brisbane Lions by 6 points: “Pressure, finals experience and a home ground advantage work in their favour.”
Daniel Harford — Brisbane by 16 points: “They will win the outside battle.”
BEST ON GROUND
Alex Saundry — Tyla Hanks (Melbourne)
Kelli Underwood — Cathy Svarc (Brisbane Lions)
Ben Waterworth — Cathy Svarc (Brisbane Lions)
Jess Webster — Emily Bates (Brisbane Lions)
Daniel Harford — Belle Dawes (Brisbane Lions)
FIRST GOAL
Alex Saundry — Greta Bodey (Brisbane Lions)
Kelli Underwood — Greta Bodey (Brisbane Lions)
Ben Waterworth — Sophie Conway (Brisbane Lions)
Jess Webster — Kate Hore (Melbourne)
Daniel Harford — Greta Bodey (Brisbane Lions)
