The 2024 AFL finals get underway with a home preliminary final up for grabs – and coming into the year, few would have tipped Port Adelaide or Geelong to earn it.
The Power (2nd, 16-7, 114.8%) are sneakily the AFL’s hottest team heading into September, having won six straight matches and eight of their last nine to record a fourth top-four finish in five seasons. But they’re coming off a straight sets exit in 2023.
The Cats (3rd, 15-8, 112.2%) disappointed as reigning premiers last year by missing the finals, but a brilliant 7-0 start to this campaign set them up for a fifth top-four finish in six seasons.
In a major pre-game blow, Geelong’s Tom Stewart is set to be a late omission due to a hamstring injury.
The superstar defender was subbed out of the Round 24 win over West Coast with the Cats declaring he was fine, but Stewart has not been passed fit for tonight’s final.
He will be replaced by one of the Cats’ emergencies – Sam De Koning, Gary Rohan or Oisin Mullin.
In these sides’ only meeting this season, Port Adelaide won by six points at GMHBA Stadium, though Geelong came back from 49 points down to get within a goal in the final minutes.
Tonight’s winner will host one of Sydney Swans, GWS, Brisbane or Carlton in the Second Preliminary Final in two weeks’ time (likely Saturday September 21).
Tonight’s loser will host the winner of Western Bulldogs vs Hawthorn in the Second Semi Final next week (likely Friday September 13).
The Second Qualifying Final gets underway at 7:40pm AEST/7:10pm ACST from Adelaide Oval.
Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504), streaming on Kayo or via Hubbl from 6:30pm AEST/6pm ACST.
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