AFL grand final: Thousands of supporters flock to parade ahead of Geelong Cats, Brisbane Lions decider

Geelong and Brisbane will fight it out for more than premiership glory as the two powerhouse clubs meet in the AFL grand final on Saturday.

The winner can claim the title as the most successful club this century, with a fifth flag up for grabs for both the Lions and Cats.

Both currently sit equal with Hawthorn on four premierships each. Brisbane will attempt to go back-to-back after a three-peat in the early 2000s and Geelong hoping to add to silverware from 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2022.

Legendary caller Bruce McAvaney, who will return for Seven’s grand final coverage, declared the biggest storyline of this year’s decider is exactly that — “the sustained success of both clubs”.

“Brisbane into a third consecutive grand final and now with a seventh consecutive final series,” McAvaney told The West Australian.

“When Chris Fagan went there (to the Lions), they were struggling. He’s done an incredible job. He’s the oldest grand final coach by that far, it doesn’t matter.

“It’s that sustained excellence by Brisbane, matched by something similar Geelong. Now Chris Scott’s been there for 15 years running, only missed finals a couple of times.

“He’s into his fourth grand final. He’s been beaten in a lot of prelim finals, but again, it’s that stability and sustained excellence of these two clubs. I think that’s the big picture for me.”

While their was no sign of rap superstar and pre-game performer Snoop Dogg, the Cats and Lions put away their claws for the traditional grand final parade on Friday.

After being named for the Lions following his miracle injury recovery, co-captain Lachie Neale took centre stage as he lifted the cup alongside Cats counterpart Patrick Dangerfield.

Both shrugged off the theory that the skipper who last touched the cup when presented to the crowd would be the one who lifts it again a day later in front of more than 100,000 at a sold-out MCG.

But Neale held on a millisecond longer, prompting cheers from those clad in maroon at Melbourne Park.

Neale talked down his calf concern, while coach Chris Fagan declared there was “no risk” in playing the two-time Brownlow Medallist.

“We wouldn’t play him if there was a risk,” he said. “He trained heavily on the weekend and he’s done both training sessions this week. If you watched him train, you’d be mad not to pick him.”

Dangerfield, 35, exchanged barbs with Fagan, 64, about their age, comparing grey hairs as the pair joined Geelong coach Chris Scott and Lions co-captain Harris Andrews for the pre-grand final press conference.

As the parade got underway under cloudy skies, star recruit Bailey Smith sat next to the skipper in the back of the Toyota, helping with “babysitting duties” for Dangerfield’s three kids, George, Flic and Winnie.

Smith, or ‘Uncle Baz’, kept it family-friendly during proceedings, only making one cheeky mention of Mad Monday.

For Brisbane, the Ashcroft brothers were all smiles as they look to win a premiership together in Levi’s first season, one year after Will claimed the Norm Smith and pulled his younger sibling over the fence of the MCG.

“To play alongside him in a grand final is something we’ve always dreamed of and spoken about. To be playing on the big stage is super exciting for both of us,” Will said.

West Australians Charlie Cameron and Callum Ah Chee sat side-by-side, as did Lawson Humphries and Jack Martin.

Fresh off being named the AFL’s Rising Star, Murphy Reid represented for Fremantle alongside fellow award winners including Brownlow Medallist Matt Rowell, 2024 AFLW best and fairest Ebony Marinoff and rising star Matilda Scholz.

After the parade, both grand finalists completed their preparations by holding their Captain’s Runs in front of tens of thousands of adoring fans.

Dangerfield was one of the first players onto the MCG, while Wickham’s Lawson Humphries was training in front of more people than live in his home town.

“It’s amazing. I love you guys. All week there has been so much support and love,” Humphries said as he addressed the crowd ahead of his first grand final.

Tom Stewart was on the MCG during Geelong’s session despite being ruled out of the grand final due to concussion. Midway through the session he paused for an emotional embrace with his replacement Rhys Stanley.

Stewart is the heartbreak story for the Cats, while Jarrod Berry in the same position for the Lions after a shoulder injury in the preliminary final.

And for Brisbane’s Oscar McInerney and Geelong’s Max Holmes, who both missed out on glory the last time their clubs lifted the cup, one will end the week as a premiership player.