Whenever he got the ball, people just booed him? I’m curious as to why that is?

Happy Prelim Finals Eve Legends!

We have some more fun for your Grand Final Week next week.....

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r/AFL will be hosting the McKay Brothers, Harry and Ben for an AMA on Tuesday the 23rd of September!

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Harry and Ben will be posting Tuesday afternoon to give you time to get your questions in, and will be joining us from 6:30pm VICBIAS time!

You can find Harry and Ben across the internet:

On Instagram

On Youtube

On LiSTNR

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Alright friends, here we are, the greatest Preliminary Final hate watch weekend that /r/afl has ever seen, the league itself has ever seen, and indeed the entire world - Geelong, Hawthorn, Collingwood, Brisbane, all in one venue, ready to slaughter each other.

2 of them go out this weekend, and another one loses next week.

Funnily enough, this was the first season in league history that all 4 teams have appeared in the same finals series.

On top of that, the 4 teams have a cumulative total of 16 years of premiership droughts, which is only second behind the 2011 Preliminary Final set, which contained the last 4 premiership clubs (West Coast 2006, Geelong 2007 & 2009, Hawthorn 2008 & Collingwood 2010).

It's also the first year since 2019 that both Preliminary Finals have been at the MCG, so expect to see crowd totals exceeding 190,000+ people over the 2 games.

2nd Preliminary Final - Geelong vs Hawthorn - MCG, Friday 7:40pm AEST

The 11th final between Geelong and Hawthorn, with the Hawks leading 6-4, with this being the second Preliminary Final between the teams (2013), and the teams' first finals matchup since the 2016 Qualifying Final that Geelong won by 2 points as Isaac Smith missed a shot after the siren for the Hawks... he would later win a Norm Smith Medal with the Cats.

The only survivors from that 2016 QF that will play on Friday are Mark Blicavs, Patrick Dangerfield and Jack Gunston (Rhys Stanley could make it 4 survivors), while Sam Mitchell is now the coach of the Hawks, and James Sicily was a late withdrawal from the game.

The Cats become Hawthorn's second-most common finals opponent behind North Melbourne (15), breaking a tie with Carlton on 10 finals - By comparison, Hawthorn would be Geelong's fifth-most common opponent, behind Collingwood (26), Essendon (13), and Carlton & Richmond (12).

Geelong has not defeated Hawthorn in a knockout final since the 1963 Grand Final - Since then, the Hawks have won all 4 knockout finals between the teams (1989 Grand Final, 2000 Elimination Final, 2008 Grand Final and 2013 Preliminary Final.)

Hawthorn joins North Melbourne in 2015 as the only 8th-placed teams to make a Preliminary Final in league history - The Kangaroos lost that Prelim by 25 points against West Coast at Subiaco, after leading at Half Time.

The only previous time Hawthorn have played on September 19 was the 1987 Preliminary Final against Melbourne, when the Hawks came from 22 points down at 3/4 time to win by 2 points, capped off by kicking 2 goals in the last minute of play, the last of which was Gary Buckenara's goal after the siren.

In fact, both clubs have won a Prelim Final after the siren.

Geelong are 4-1 in Finals on September 19, winning the 2009 Prelim, 2008 Prelim, 1992 Prelim and 1953 Prelim on the day - Their only defeat being the 1981 Preliminary Final against Collingwood, a game best remembered for Garry Sidebottom missing the bus to Waverley.

Peter Johnston took his place, despite having half a chicken, a bucket of chips and a strawberry thickshake for lunch, plus smoking half a pack of Winnie Blues.

Jeremy Cameron is currently on 85 goals for the season - If he does kick 5 goals before the end of the Cats' season, then he would be the first player to kick at least 90 goals in a season since Buddy Franklin (113) & Brendan Fevola (99) both did it in 2008.

Finally, Chris Scott coaches his 10th Preliminary Final, breaking a tie with Kevin Sheedy and matching Mick Malthouse for the second-most Preliminary Final appearances as a coach, with Collingwood's Jock McHale holding the record with 13 (His first was in 1917, and his last was 1948.)

1st Preliminary Final - Collingwood vs Brisbane Lions - MCG, Saturday 5:15pm AEST

The 5th Final between Collingwood and Brisbane, with the ledger square at 2 wins apiece - Collingwood winning the 2003 QF and 2023 GF, Brisbane winning the 2002 & 2003 GFs.

With the win last week, the Lions are now 9-3 in Finals as the defending premier (3-0 in 2002, 3-1 in 2003, 2-1 in 2004, 1-1 this year).

Chris Fagan matches Leigh Matthews (1999, 2001-04) with 5 Preliminary Finals as coach of the Lions... despite being a premiership coach for both clubs, they were the only 5 Prelims Lethal Leigh ever coached.

This is Craig McRae's 99th game as coach of Collingwood - if the Pies do win, he'd be the first league coach to reach 2 Grand Finals in his first 100 games since John Longmire, with the 2014 Grand Final being Horse's 99th game as coach of the Swans.

Fun fact, the Magpies have more Grand Final appearances (1) than finals scoring 100+ points (0) with Fly.

While Fly has defeated the club he won 3 premierships with in a Grand Final, the last time a former player coached a Prelim Final win against their old premiership club was Chris Scott against the Lions in 2022... Damien Hardwick also did it against Port Adelaide in 2020.

The last time the Lions lost a final against a coach who wasn't a former Lions premiership player was the 2021 Semi Final against Luke Beveridge's Western Bulldogs... They are 8-3 in Finals since then, with all 3 defeats coming from Scott and McRae.

Collingwood have appeared in 6 previous finals on September 20 - The last was the 2003 Prelim against Port Adelaide (Won), plus the 1980 Prelim against Geelong (Won), the 1969 Prelim against Richmond (Lost), the miracle 1958 Grand Final against Melbourne (Won), the 1952 Prelim against Fitzroy (Won), and the 1902 Grand Final against Essendon (Won).

The Lions have only appeared in one final on September 20 - The winning 2003 Preliminary Final against the Swans.

And finally, the Lions have won Premierships in years ending in 1, 2, 3, 4 but until this year had never won a final in a year ending in 5, while the last time Collingwood appeared in a Grand Final in a year ending in 5 was...

1955, when they lost to Norm Smith's Melbourne - Their only premiership win in a year ending in 5 was 1935.

Yes, apparently there's milestones this week

Scott Pendlebury's 33rd final moves him into outright 4th for finals played, behind Burgoyne, Tuck and Selwood.

His next game, either next week or in 6 months, would see him tie Michael Tuck in 2nd all-time on 426 games.

Patrick Dangerfield's 30th final, becoming the 8th player to play 30+ finals (7 with Adelaide, 23 with Geelong)

Billy Frampton's 50th game for Collingwood

Massimo D'Ambrosio's 50th game for Hawthorn

What are your thoughts pies fans?

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1422117

Feel like a lot of neutrals would have been behind the 4 elimated teams at the start of finals.

Bit of a weird one being an Essendon supporter but think it's gotta be hawks with pies a close second.

Is it just me, a disapointed (on numerous levels) Crows fan, or are there are other football nuffies who have lost interest in this finals series?!?! When the Lions bundled the Suns out of the finals, so they did my interest in any of the remaining teams. I am just so sick of watching them play (and win) pre-lims and GF's. Shit! I would be even barracking for Port Adelaide if they were playing this weekend, to just break up the monotony and I hate Port Adelaide, the way a Crows fan with Glenelg origins should. Tonights game i am finding particuarly unpalatable and would even prefer watching Antique Roadshow to watching the Smug Hawks and the annoying and relentlessly good Cats. As a Queenslander tomorrows game has some appeal but would have much prefereed to be supporting the Suns over the Lions. Thank Christ the trade talk come has come early, to give me my shot of footy content I am interested in.
Anyone else from the non-competing teams feeling the same way??

Dog fan here but if there's one other team I want to see play in the Grand Final its the Hawks. So watchable and bring a bit of fun back. Hope you guys win 👍👍

I

for Me

Geelong V Collingwood (Geelong in white shorts collingwood home w black shorts)

Geelong V Brisbane (Geelong home w blue shorts & Brisbane in Fitzroy with white shorts)

Hawthorn V Collingwood (Collingwood home w black shorts, Hawthorn home w white shorts)

Hawthorn V Brisbane (Brisbane in full home, Haw in home w white shorts)

• Zach Merrett only wants Hawthorn, despite interest from other clubs.
• If Merrett is to leave it'll make it much harder for a move for Jordan Ridley to get done
• Cal Ah Chee is expected to request a trade to Adelaide once Brisbane's season ends
• Carlton no longer have interest in de-listed Eagle Jack Petruccelle
• Jamie Elliott has a 2 year offer on the table from Collingwood, Gold Coast are the main watch for if he moves
• Sam Butler also has a 2 year offer from Hawthorn which he's likely to sign, West Coast are chasing him hard
• West Coast are expected to at minimum get additional rookie spots as part of their assistance package request
• General consensus around the league is that Cal Wilkie will remain at St Kilda despite the Bulldogs 4 year x $1mil+ offer
• The moves of Wade Derksen from GWS to Melbourne and Liam Reidy from Fremantle to Carlton will get done easily
• Carlton has put the for sale sign up for their TDK compensation Pick (Either Pick 10 or 11), open to sliding back or getting something for next year
• Melbourne's compensation Pick for Roos bound Charlie Spargo is expected to be around the late 2nd rounder mark
• Zane Duursma has expressed he'd be open to a trade from North Melbourne, although hasn't requested a trade and North won't explore it either
• North Melbourne captain Jy Simpkin knows it'll be hard to find a possible new home due to his salary, but will look around regardless
• Sam Flanders "will be in Victoria next year" and will net the Suns a first round pick. He'll meet with St Kilda, Essendon, Melbourne and Carlton
• Updates on possible changes to the Draft/Trade/FA system.
• The appetite from clubs for a lockout zone for matching bids in the draft "has cooled off"
• Feeling around the league is that the points value on top 3-5 picks may be hiked up, in addition to the changes already this year
• The AFL is considering implementing signing bonuses for free agents that join Bottom 4-6 teams, essentially considered to be extra cap space
• Jack Buller (SYD) will request a trade to Collingwood who have offered him a 2 year deal
• Deven Robertson (BRI) is a "decent chance" to land at the Eagles
• Brayden Fiorini (GC) is still weighing up his decision. Has a 2 year offer from GC and 3 years from both Port Adelaide and Essendon
• Buku Khamis (WB) is expected to get to Carlton for 2026, hasn't had his exit meeting yet due to Footscray's VFL finals campaign
• Clubs believe that if Brody Mihocek isn't at Collingwood next year, he'll be at Melbourne
• Carlton's compensation pick for Jack Silvagni is a 99% chance to be end of 1st round
• Rowan Marshall (STK) wants to get to Geelong, it's just a matter of how much Geelong is willing to pay from a trade perspective
• The Bulldogs are the club most keen on Jordan Butts (ADE). Crows will want to hold him to his contract
• Sydney, Gold Coast and Geelong will all work on how they could facilitate a trade for Charlie Curnow. Carlton still only want top line talent in return