Historic AFL Finals Clash: Top-Ranked Crows Face Magpies in Qualifying Final Showdown

Stage Set for Finals Blockbuster

The 2025 AFL Finals series kicks off with a massive qualifying final showdown between Adelaide and Collingwood at Adelaide Oval on Thursday, September 4, with the first bounce scheduled for 7:10pm local time.

The Crows have earned their position as hosts after an impressive regular season, finishing as minor premiers with an outstanding 18-5 win-loss record. Collingwood secured their finals berth with a crucial victory over Melbourne in Round 24, combined with Gold Coast’s loss to Port Adelaide, which helped them claim fourth position.

Recent History and Form Guide

The teams’ most recent encounter produced a thriller, with Adelaide overcoming a 25-point quarter-time deficit to secure a memorable three-point victory. The Crows’ comeback included a decisive second-quarter surge where they kicked five unanswered goals.

Collingwood enters the finals with some impressive defensive credentials, having conceded the fewest points among all sides this season. The Magpies have built their success on defensive pressure, winning the majority (78.3%) of matches when leading the pressure factor, and they’ve been particularly effective at limiting opposition scores from intercepts to just 34.9 points per game.

Key Players to Watch

Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson, a dual All-Australian, will be crucial to his team’s chances. The former Sydney defender has evolved into a line-breaking midfielder and has been particularly effective going forward this season, averaging 6.4 inside 50s per game. Dawson has shown strong form against the Magpies, averaging 28.8 disposals and 7.8 tackles in his last five matches against them.

Ticket Information

The highly anticipated clash has already generated massive interest, with tickets for the qualifying final completely sold out. The match will be broadcast live nationally on the Seven Network and Fox Footy, and will also be available for streaming on Kay.