After the greatest rise up the ladder in footy history, Adelaide is back in the finals for a tense qualifying final blockbuster against the team that sat flag favourite for most of 2025, Collingwood. Follow live below!
The Crows (1st, 18-5, 139.3%) claimed the minor premiership one year after finishing 15th on the ladder, and now have two home finals in their first September action since the 2017 Grand Final.
The Magpies (4th, 16-7, 122.4%) faded badly late in the season, losing five of six games at one stage, but their 14-2 start to the year means they’re still just one win away from a home prelim.
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AFL FINALS FIXTURE: See the full bracket and all confirmed times, dates and venues
MATCH CENTRE: Adelaide vs Collingwood live scores, stats and updates
Tonight’s winner will host one of Geelong, Brisbane, Fremantle or Gold Coast in the First Preliminary Final in two weeks’ time.
Tonight’s loser will host either GWS or Hawthorn in the First Semi Final next week.
Follow our coverage of Adelaide v Collingwood in the First Qualifying Final live below!
Izak Rankine’s four-game suspension for the use of a homophobic slur against Collingwood weeks ago in Round 23 has left a major void in Adelaide’s line-up, one that Crows legend Mark Ricciuto believes can’t be replaced tonight at the Adelaide Oval.
“You can’t substitute an Izak Rankine unfortunately, and if we were to substitute someone for Rankine, it would probably be Josh Rachele — and he’s not there either,” Ricciuto told foxfooty.com.au on Thursday afternoon.
“Max Michalanney has trained there (up forward) since he’s been back to full fitness, so I’m not sure what they’ve got in mind there. Is it a defensive forward role, or just go forward and do his best?”
Multiple reports pre-game said Michalanney had been thrown forward to play on Josh Daicos. He did not play against Collingwood a few weeks ago.
Crows weigh up best plan for Rankine | 03:15
Adelaide champion Tex Walker is playing game 300 tonight. Crows recruit Alex Neal-Bullen will celebrate AFL game 200, Magpies star Josh Daicos will bring up match 150, while Mark Keane will run out for his 50th match as a Crow, ironically against his old side.
The Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph reported this game had “the biggest police presence for an AFL game at Adelaide Oval” due to concerns over tensions between the two fanbases.
This match got underway at 7:40pm AEST from Adelaide Oval.
Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504), and stream it on Kayo.
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