The biggest game of the AFL season has arrived, with nearly 100,000 fans expected to flood the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday.
The Sydney Swans are now locked in to face the Brisbane Lions, with the two teams hoping to redeem themselves after both losing in their last grand final appearances.
Here are all the details about the grand final, the pre-show entertainment and how to watch it all live.
What time does the AFL grand final start?
The first bounce will be at 2:30pm AEST on September 28, for those in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Hobart.
If you are in Perth, the game starts at 12:30pm AWST. And if you are in Adelaide or Darwin, the action gets underway at 2pm ACST.
How can I watch the AFL grand final?
The game will be broadcast live on Channel Seven across the country on free-to-air television.
You can also tune in to ABC Sport’s live radio call via the AFL website and the ABC Listen App, or follow the action with our live blog at abc.net.au/sport.
For those who want to stream it, the grand final will be live streamed for free on the 7Plus app, and will available to be replayed on Kayo after the game.
You can stream through a smart television, mobile phone, tablet or computer.
Those outside Australia who want to watch the game can do so via the Watch AFL service for a fee.
Where can I watch the AFL grand final in-person?
For fans in NSW and Queensland who can’t make the trip down to the MCG, live sites will be set up in Sydney and Brisbane for the grand final.
Footy fans in Sydney can join a watch party at the SCG, either from the Ladies Stand or by staking out a spot on the field. Gates open from 1:30pm.
Brisbane footy fans can head to South Bank Parklands, where screens at South Bank Cultural Forecourt and South Bank Streets Beach will be showing the game from 1pm.
For fans in Melbourne who weren’t able to snag a ticket, the grand final will be screened at Fed Square in the CBD from 12pm.
Who is playing in the AFL grand final?
The Sydney Swans will take on the Brisbane Lions in what will be a chance at redemption for both teams, who were runners-up in the previous two grand finals.
The Swans were flattened during their last grand final appearance in 2022, going down to Geelong by 81 points.
Meanwhile, Brisbane will hope to bounce back after losing a heartbreaking grand final last year to Collingwood by just 4 points.
Sydney and Brisbane have faced each other just once this season, with the Lions eking out a two-point victory in a thriller at the Gabba in Round 19.
The Sydney Swans have lost their last three regular season games against Brisbane. (AAP: Darren England)
The two sides have never faced each other in a grand final in the modern AFL era, but their precursor clubs — South Melbourne and Fitzroy — did face off in the 1899 VFL final.
That match, played under torrential rain in front of just under 5,000 spectators, saw Fitzroy come out on top 27-26.
Who is the entertainment at the grand final?
Pop star Katy Perry will be headlining the pre-game entertainment, in what will be her second show at the MCG.
Perry previously headlined the entertainment at the Women’s T20 World Cup in March 2020.
Katy Perry will provide the pre-show entertainment. (Supplied)
The multi-platinum selling songstress will be performing just a week after the release of her latest album, 143.
Perry, who previously performed at the 2015 Super Bowl half-time show, told the ABC she couldn’t wait to hear “100,000 people singing all the songs at the top of their lungs”.
“I’m really excited to take it up a notch,” she said.
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Australian singer and swimmer Cody Simpson will perform the Australian national anthem, while Christine Anu and her daughter Zipporah Corser-Anu will performer for the First Nations ceremony.
And, as is tradition, Mike Brady will be on hand to perform ‘Up There Cazaly’ during the AFL retiree motorcade.
Who will present the awards?
Either three-time Lions premiership coach Leigh Matthews or former Sydney captain Stuart Maxwell will present the Premiership Cup, depending on which team is victorious.
Three-time Geelong premiership winner Steve Johnson will present the Norm Smith Medal for the player judged to be best-on-ground on grand final day.
David Parkin, who coached four premiership sides across three decades, will present the Jock McHale medal to the premiership winning coach.
In addition, this year will see the first ever Ron Barassi medal presented to the captain of the winning side, memorialising the 10-time premiership winning coach and player.
Former Geelong captain and 1963 premiership winner Fred Wooller will present the new medal.
The AFL will honour Ron Barassi on grand final day, naming a new medal after the legendary player and coach. (AAP: Julian Smith)
Who are in the grand final teams?
There are no changes for the Swans, with skipper Callum Mills remaining out of the side after injuring his hamstring at training on September 10.
Midfielder Taylor Adams will also miss out on his second grand final in a row, one year on from being dropped from Collingwood’s premiership winning team due to injury.
Just one change for the Lions, with Darcy Fort replacing Oscar McInerney in the ruck, after McInerney dislocated his shoulder twice during their preliminary-final win over Geelong.
Fort has played just two AFL matches this season, and hasn’t lined up for the Lions since Round 7.
What is the weather forecast?
Pleasant, sunny conditions are forecast for Saturday despite a spell of cold weather during the week in Melbourne.
“Warmer weather is expected in Melbourne on Saturday, with temperatures reaching the low to mid 20s for the opening bounce,” senior BoM meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said.
“These fine match-day conditions are a result of a high pressure system moving across Victoria, bringing clear skies and moderate northerly winds.”
The BoM said if the temperature reaches the forecast 23 degrees on Saturday, this year’s grand final would rank in the top 20 warmest grand finals ever.
This year’s forecast temperature falls well short of last year’s clash between Collingwood and Brisbane, where temperatures hit 29.7 degrees at the MCG.