2015 AFL Finals Series
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The
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Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...
finals series Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event ** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
was the 119th annual edition of the
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final series, the
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tournament staged to determine the
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of the 2015 AFL Premiership Season. The series ran over four weekends in September and October 2015, culminating with the
2015 AFL Grand Final The 2015 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football match contested between the Hawthorn Football Club and the West Coast Eagles at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 3 October 2015. It was the 120th annual Grand Final of the Australian F ...
at the
Melbourne Cricket Ground The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known locally as "The 'G", is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Victoria. Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the largest stadiu ...
on 3 October 2015. won the match by 46 points against , recording their third consecutive premiership. The match was played in October, due to the season starting later than usual. The top eight teams from the season qualified for the finals series. AFL final series have been played under the current format since 2000. , , , , , , and are the teams that qualified. missed the finals series for the first time since
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.


Qualification

Reigning premiers appeared in their sixth straight finals appearance. also qualified for their sixth straight finals appearance. finished first, securing their first minor premiership and
McClelland Trophy The McClelland Trophy is an Australian rules football trophy which has been awarded each year since 1951 by the Australian Football League (known prior to 1990 as the Victorian Football League) to the best-performing club in the home-and-away sea ...
, as well as appearing in their fourth consecutive finals. appeared in their third consecutive finals series, a feat not achieved since 1973-1975, while also appeared in their second consecutive finals series and third in four years. The made their first finals appearance since
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while returned to the finals after a three-year absence.


Venues

The matches of the 2015 AFL finals series were contested at three venues around the country. The
Melbourne Cricket Ground The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known locally as "The 'G", is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Victoria. Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the largest stadiu ...
(MCG) hosted two elimination finals, hosted by Richmond and the Western Bulldogs, a semi final, hosted by Hawthorn, and the
Grand Final Primarily in Australian sports, a grand final (sometimes colloquially abbreviated to "grannie") is a game that decides a sports league's premiership (or championship) winning team, i.e. the conclusive game of a finals (or play-off) series. Sy ...
.
ANZ Stadium ANZ may refer to: People * Anz (musician), a British DJ and electronic musician Banks * ANZ (bank), Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, the fourth-largest bank in Australia ** ANZ Bank New Zealand, the largest bank in New Zealand ...
also hosted a semi final as part of a contract which requires any final hosted by the Sydney Swans to be played there instead of their usual home ground, the SCG, until the end of 2016. Domain Stadium hosted four finals for the first time in history with both Fremantle and the West Coast Eagles hosting a qualifying final and preliminary final each.


Matches

The system used for the 2015 AFL finals series is a
final eight A single-elimination, knockout, or sudden death tournament is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match-up is immediately eliminated from the tournament. Each winner will play another in the next round, until the final matc ...
system. The top four teams in the eight receive the "double chance" when they play in week-one qualifying finals, such that if a top-four team loses in the first week it still remains in the finals, playing a semi-final the next week against the winner of an elimination final. The bottom four of the eight play knock-out games – only the winners survive and move on to the next week. Home-state advantage goes to the team with the higher ladder position in the first two weeks, to the qualifying final winners in the third week. In the second week, the winners of the qualifying finals receive a bye to the third week. The losers of the qualifying final plays the elimination finals winners in a semi-final. In the third week, the winners of the semi-finals from week two play the winners of the qualifying finals in the first week. The winners of those matches move on to the
Grand Final Primarily in Australian sports, a grand final (sometimes colloquially abbreviated to "grannie") is a game that decides a sports league's premiership (or championship) winning team, i.e. the conclusive game of a finals (or play-off) series. Sy ...
at the MCG in Melbourne.


Week one (qualifying and elimination finals)


Second qualifying final (West Coast vs. Hawthorn)

The opening match of the 2015 finals series featured second placed and reigning premiers, third placed . West Coast finished the season with 66 premiership points (16-5-1) while Hawthorn had finished with 64 (16-6-0) and both sides had the highest percentages of any team in the top eight; 148.2% and 158.4%. West Coast made their first finals appearance since
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and hosted their first qualifying final since
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. This match was the first time in twenty-three years the clubs have met in the finals; last contesting the First Elimination Final in 1992. Despite the Hawks leading by one point at quarter time, West Coast restricted them to just 2.6 (18) over the next two quarters, while adding 10.9 (69) to their own score to lead remarkably by 50 points at three quarter time. Hawthorn's half time score was its lowest since Round 15, 2011 against . Hawthorn kicked five goals to two in the last quarter to add some respectability, with the final margin being thirty two points. The Eagles advanced to their first home preliminary final since
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, while Hawthorn were forced to play off in a semi final for the first time since
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; having won their previous three qualifying finals in 2012, 2013 and 2014. ;Scorecard


First qualifying final (Fremantle vs. Sydney)

The first qualifying final was played between minor premiers and fourth placed . This match saw a reversal of the previous year's First Qualifying Final; where Sydney hosted Fremantle and marked the fourth final between the two clubs; including preliminary finals in
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
and
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. Fielding a team missing
Lance Franklin Lance Franklin (born 30 January 1987), also known as Buddy Franklin, is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL). He previously played for the Hawthorn Football Club from 20 ...
,
Kieren Jack Kieren Jack (born 28 June 1987) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was the co-captain of the Sydney Swans, alongside Jarrad McVeigh from 2013 to 2016. Early life ...
and Luke Parker, the Swans threw everything at the minor premiers but were left to rue their inaccuracy; kicking 7.18 to 10.9 to lose by nine points. This was emphasized by several behinds late in the game that could have seen the match go to extra time. The Swans Josh Kennedy set a record for most consecutive games with thirty or more disposals (eleven); while Fremantle's
Aaron Sandilands Aaron Sandilands (born 6 December 1982) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). At 211cm/6'11" tall, and with a peak weight of , he is the second he ...
broke ruckman Gary Dempsey's record for most hit outs in a season (952). Fremantle advanced to their second home preliminary final in three years; meaning both preliminary finals would be played outside Melbourne for the first time since 2006; while Sydney were forced to play off in a semi final the next week. ;Scorecard


Second elimination final (Western Bulldogs vs. Adelaide)

The second elimination final was contested between and . The match took place on the night of 12 September 2015, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Both teams had not featured in the finals for several years; with the Bulldogs making their first finals appearance since losing the 2010 Preliminary Final and Adelaide last appearing in the 2012 Preliminary Final. This marked the third final between the two teams, after they contested preliminary finals in
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and
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...
; which were both won by the Crows in their two premiership years. In a high-scoring, energetic game, the Bulldogs scored the first four goals of the game before Adelaide kicked the next five to lead by nine points at quarter time. The scoring lessened in the second quarter but the Crows led by eight, extending their lead to eleven at three quarter time. The Dogs quickly erased this lead to get their noses in front by eight points midway through the final quarter; before goals to Taylor Walker and Charlie Cameron sealed a seven-point win to the Crows; condemning the Western Bulldogs to another heartbreaking finals loss. Adelaide advanced to a semi final against Hawthorn, while the Bulldogs were eliminated. ;Scorecard


First elimination final (Richmond vs. North Melbourne)

The first elimination final of the 2015 AFL finals series was contested between and . Both teams had recovered from disappointing first halves of the season; won only two of their first six games but managed to get their season back on track with impressive wins over top four sides , and to finish the home and away season in fifth position with a 15-7 record. similarly did not look likely to feature in the finals after an embarrassing loss to in Round 14, but went on to win seven of their remaining nine games, including defeating top-placed by 11 points in Round 21. The two teams had met the week previously in Round 23; where North Melbourne rested several senior players and Richmond won by forty-one points. This was also the first final between the two clubs in 20 years, having last met in the 1995 Qualifying Final. Despite leading by three points at quarter time and thirteen at half time, Richmond began to tire in the second half and North Melbourne's decision to rest senior players the previous week began to pay dividends. Off season recruits
Jarrad Waite Jarrad Waite (born 4 February 1983) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Carlton Football Club and North Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). AFL career Carlton (2003–2014) Born ...
and
Shaun Higgins Shaun Higgins (born 4 March 1988) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League (AFL). Higgins played for the Western Bulldogs from 2006 to 2014, the North Melbourne Football Club from 2015 to ...
showed why the Kangaroos had recruited them; with Waite booting four goals and Higgins showing his courage after a hard collision with
Dylan Grimes Dylan Grimes (born 16 July 1991) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is a three-time premiership player with the club, winning in 2017, 2019 and 2020. In 2019 ...
earlier in the match. North led by four points at three quarter time, kicking four goals to two to overrun Richmond, who despite being the more accurate side all day missed some crucial opportunities late, including a behind to
Ty Vickery Tyrone Vickery (born 31 May 1990) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is the son of former Collingwood player John Vickery. ...
with around seven minutes to go. The Kangaroos iced the game with Waite's fourth goal and condemned the Tigers to a third consecutive elimination final defeat, while advancing to play the Sydney Swans in a semi final. Richmond's loss meant their finals drought, dating back to
2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ...
, would continue. ;Scorecard


Week two (semi-finals)


Second semi-final (Hawthorn vs. Adelaide)

The opening match of the semi finals stage of the finals was between and . This marked the fourth final between the two sides, with Hawthorn defeating the Crows in the 2007 Elimination Final and 2012 Preliminary Final; while Adelaide won an elimination final against the Hawks in
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. Hawthorn established a match winning lead with an eight-goal first term, dispelling any thoughts that the back-to-back premiers were past their prime. The forty-five point deficit at half time was the worst the Crows had faced in a final, with the Hawks extending their lead to sixty at three quarter time and seventy four points at the final siren.
Luke Breust Luke Breust (born 11 November 1990) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Early career Recruited from Temora, New South Wales, Breust played both rugby league and A ...
bounced back from three goalless weeks with a six-goal haul, while
Luke Hodge Luke Hodge (born 15 June 1984) is a former Australian rules football player who played with the Hawthorn Football Club and the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL). He played for the Hawthorn Football Club from 2002 to 2017, c ...
was also prolific with four goals and twenty-four disposals. Hawthorn advanced to a preliminary final against , while Adelaide were eliminated. ;Scorecard


First semi-final (Sydney vs. North Melbourne)

The second match of the semi finals stage of the finals featured and . This marked the fourth final between the two teams, with Sydney winning the 2014 Preliminary Final and 2008 Elimination Final; while North Melbourne significantly won the
Grand Final Primarily in Australian sports, a grand final (sometimes colloquially abbreviated to "grannie") is a game that decides a sports league's premiership (or championship) winning team, i.e. the conclusive game of a finals (or play-off) series. Sy ...
in 1996. ;Scorecard


Week three (preliminary finals)


First preliminary final (Fremantle vs. Hawthorn)


Second preliminary final (West Coast vs. North Melbourne)


Week four (Grand Final)


References


External links


AFL finals series official website
{{2015 AFL season Finals Series, 2015