Friday September 9

Second Qualifying Final, Geelong Cats v Hawthorn at the MCG, 7.45pm

Saturday September 10

First Qualifying Final, Collingwood v West Coast at the MCG, 2.20pm

Second Elimination Final, St Kilda v Sydney Swans at Etihad Stadium, 7.20pm OR Sydney Swans v St Kilda at ANZ Stadium / the SCG, 7.20pm

Sunday September 11

First Elimination Final, Carlton v Essendon at the MCG, 2.40pm

AFL Chief Operating Officer Gillon McLachlan said the AFL had determined the match schedule on the basis that it was preferable for each of the four teams involved in the double-chance qualifying finals to have a longer preparation time going into the second week of the finals series, against those sides that win through from the two elimination final matches.

Further, the match-ups of Geelong Cats/Hawthorn, Collingwood/West Coast and Carlton/Essendon required each of these three games to be played at the MCG, due to the expected attendance at each match, and this required the Geelong Cats v Hawthorn game to be slotted into Friday night.

“The Geelong Cats / Hawthorn and St Kilda / Sydney Swans matches are on the same side of the finals draw, as are the Collingwood / West Coast and Carlton / Essendon games, meaning it is preferable for those pairs of matches to be played on consecutive days, to ensure similar preparation times for week two of the finals.

“If the AFL had scheduled the Collingwood / West Coast match for Friday night, we would have been required to either play Geelong v Hawthorn on Sunday, leaving the losing side from that match with a shorter break into week two against its next opponent, or had the situation where the loser of the First Qualifying Final had a significantly longer lead time before playing the winner of Carlton / Essendon,” he said.

“Under the scenario we have outlined, in each case the loser of the qualifying final match will have one day longer than its opponent to prepare for the semi-final match in week two, to ensure that any advantage through the finals should rest with higher-placed teams on the ladder where possible.

“We congratulate all the teams that have made the eight and look forward to an exciting finals series,” he said.

Geelong and Hawthorn were scheduled into Friday night in the knowledge that Hawthorn’s match against Gold Coast in round 24 is being played as an early game on Saturday September 3, allowing the club to return to Melbourne by Saturday night and enabling them to prepare for week one of the finals.

The match between St Kilda and the Sydney Swans will be played on Saturday night regardless, with this weekend’s results to determine whether this match will be scheduled at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne or one of ANZ Stadium or the SCG in Sydney.

If the match is to be played in Sydney, the AFL will await the week one finals schedule of the National Rugby League (NRL) as the NRL has first rights on the use of ANZ Stadium. The AFL will use ANZ Stadium in there is no NRL final scheduled on the night of Friday September 9, or will use the SCG for this final if ANZ Stadium hosts an NRL final the night before the prospective AFL match.

“It was the AFL’s view that playing the match involving the Sydney Swans on Saturday night would maximise both the match attendance, as well as providing a strong mix of big games across the weekend for our television viewing audiences,” Mr McLachlan said.

“If the match is to be played in Sydney, the AFL will play at ANZ Stadium if there is no NRL match scheduled on the night before our preferred date, which they do have the right to use that date as the major tenant. ANZ Stadium finals matches have averaged more than 46,000 fans per game over the last decade and is our venue of choice if the ground is available to us.

Mr McLachlan said the fixture for the coming weeks of the finals would see the Second Semi Final involving the Geelong Cats / Hawthorn and St Kilda / Sydney Swans matches played on Friday night September 16 and the First Semi Final involving the Collingwood / West Coast and Carlton / Essendon match played on Saturday September 17 (time TBC).

Club members of the competing teams will exclusive access to purchase tickets next Monday September 5 for the opening week of finals matches. Members will also be able to buy tickets for non-members during their initial sale period with the number of extra tickets they can purchase to range from one to eight tickets, depending on the team match-ups for each game.

General public ticket sales will commence from midday Tuesday September 6, coming forward from the previous on-sale time at 9am on the Wednesday before the first finals matches that week.

Live music will be a major part of the 2011 Toyota AFL Finals Series, with pre-match performances scheduled each week.

The line-up of musicians for the finals celebrates the best of Australian music and includes a combination of current popular artists, emerging talent and greats of the music industry. Internationally acclaimed Australian group Eskimo Joe will kick the program off with a performance scheduled for the opening finals match between the Geelong Cats and Hawthorn.

Eskimo Joe – Geelong Cats v Hawthorn

Artists confirmed to perform through September :

·         Eskimo Joe

·         Absolutely 80’s (featuring Brian Mannix, Scott Carne, Sean Kelly and Dale Ryder)

·         Wolfgramm Sisters

·         Ross Wilson

·         Dan Sultan

·         Glenn Shorrock

·         Tim Rogers

‘Live at the Finals’ performances will commence approximately 30 minutes prior to the scheduled match start time.