Fremantle Dockers elimination final date: Saturday, September 6 confirmed for Freo’s Optus Stadium clash
Fremantle are locked in for a Saturday home final after the AFL confirmed the schedule for the opening weekend of September.
And it’s likely to be a case of Saturday night fever for the Purple Army as they launch into their first finals match since 2022.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE WEEK 1 FIXTURE
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The AFL has confirmed both elimination finals, to be hosted by GWS and Fremantle, will take place on Saturday, September 6, although exact times will be confirmed later this week after the final match of the home-and-away season between Gold Coast and Essendon on Wednesday.
The most likely scenario sees the Giants hosting their game in a twilight slot — mid afternoon, WA time — before a night-time bouncedown at Optus Stadium for Freo’s clash against either Gold Coast or Hawthorn.
Tickets for the Dockers’ clash are set to go on sale later this week, once bouncedown time is confirmed.
Meanwhile, the first qualifying final between Adelaide and Collingwood will be held on Thursday, September 4, with Geelong’s clash against Brisbane to take place on Friday.
“Wednesday night’s rescheduled game still has an impact on the final eight but with the top four locked in we wanted to give fans some certainty and allow them to plan,” AFL head of strategy and scheduling Josh Bowler said.
“We still have an incredibly exciting final match of the home and away season to come with the Gold Coast Suns playing for a spot in their first finals series.”
Gold Coast need to beat the Bombers by a margin of somewhere in the high 20s to low 30s — depending on how high scoring the match is — to set up a meeting with Fremantle.
If the Suns lose to Essendon, or win by a margin of mid-20s or lower, it’ll be the Hawks who take on the Dockers.
The Dockers’ last home final came against Western Bulldogs in 2022, when they overcame an early deficit to run down their opponents — not unlike their final-round triumph over the same opponent on Sunday to seal their final spot — in an elimination final on the Saturday night.
AFL Finals week one
Thursday September 4 First Qualifying Final, Adelaide Crows v Collingwood, Adelaide Oval, 7.40pm AEST Friday September 5 Second Qualifying Final, Geelong Cats v Brisbane Lions, MCG, 7.40pm AEST
Saturday September 6
First Elimination Final, GWS Giants v TBC, ENGIE Stadium, time TBC
Second Elimination Final, Fremantle v TBC, Optus Stadium, time TBC
