Don’t you love AFL football?
What a weekend – quality games, mostly expected wins, and now the stage is set for September. Here’s my view on the up-and-coming final series.
The lay of the land (before Suns–Essendon play Wednesday) (subheading)
Qualifying Finals locked: Adelaide (1) v Collingwood (4); Geelong (2) v Brisbane (3).
Freo surge, Dogs wobble: Fremantle’s must-win over the Bulldogs flipped momentum heading into finals.
Crows curveball: Izak Rankine’s four-game ban forces Adelaide to re-shape their forward mix – he will only be back if they reach the grand final.
Dimma’s challenge – accountability or bust (sub heading)
Gold Coast Suns’ coach Damien Hardwick nailed the message: own the moment. He framed the run-in as a two-game season and hammered home the need to lift their standards. If you can’t get yourself up this week, the leadership group must set the tone, or history will simply pass you by. That’s the Suns’ mindset going into Wednesday night and, if they get the job done, their into their first elimination final.
Form heading into finals (sub heading)
Collingwood, despite losing five of their last six before beating Melbourne, remain finals-hardened but must sharpen late-game execution and cut turnovers. Adelaide’s ball movement has been elite, but without Izak Rankine (suspended) they’ll need scoreboard impact from their mids and smalls.
Geelong v Brisbane shapes as a heavyweight qualifying final – the Cats’ system against the Lions’ stoppage power.
Fremantle arrive with real momentum after toppling the Dogs, with contest strength and Jye Amiss’ timing crucial. GWS’ pressure has consistently stood up, though Hawthorn remains a threat if their mark-and-control game gets rolling.
Bulldogs or Suns? (sub heading)
Dogs in: Talent is there, but defensive is the big question at finals level.
Suns in: Hardwick’s accountability mantra meets finals heat – a first-ever finals berth would mark a cultural turning point.
Match lenses I’d use in the box (sub heading)
Adelaide v Collingwood (QF)
Keys: Crows’ ground-ball strike vs Pies’ intercepts.
Watch: Adelaide’s forward-half time — Collingwood must keep it under 50 per cent.
Geelong v Brisbane (QF)
Keys: Clearance differential v territory control.
Watch: Lions’ inside-50 depth v Cats’ intercept denial.
GWS v Hawthorn (EF)
Keys: Giants’ pressure v Hawks’ mark game.
Watch: GWS tackles + turnover scores; Hawks must break clean.
Fremantle v Bulldogs/Suns (EF)
If Dogs: Freo test the Dogs’ corridor defence.
If Suns: Hardwick’s responsibility mantra collides with finals heat.
What wins September (2025 edition) (subheading)
Front-half footy: Time in forward half and repeat entries — critical when games get strangled.
Pressure that sticks: Turnover goals are gold when stoppages stalemate.
Leaders who absorb heat: Standards matter more than slogans.
Final Word (sub heading)
I love Damien Hardwick’s message – it’s about owning the moment. If you need a coach to motivate you in finals, you’re already in trouble. This is when accountability and leadership matter most.
From my view as a past player, footy is 90 per cent above the shoulders. Finals are won on mindset and resilience – finding that extra effort when the contest is at its fiercest. This is when leaders earn their stripes, and when mental toughness decides who moves on and who bows out.
