2007 AFL finals series

The Australian Football League's 2007 Finals Series determines the top eight final positions of the 2007 AFL season. It began on the weekend of 7 September 2007 and ended with the 111th AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 29 September 2007. The Geelong Cats were crowned the 2007 AFL Premiers, beating the Port Adelaide Power by 119 points to win their first premiership since 1963.

2007 AFL premiership season
Teams8
PremiersGeelong
(7th premiership)
Minor premiersGeelong
(8th minor premiership)
Matches played9
Attendance574,424 (63,825 per match)

The eight teams qualified for the finals series by finishing in the top eight positions of the premiership ladder at the completion of the home and away series.

Ladder
2007 AFL ladder
Pos Team Pld W L D PF PA PP Pts
1 Geelong (P) 22 18 4 0 2542 1664 152.8 72 Finals series
2 Port Adelaide 22 15 7 0 2314 2038 113.5 60
3 West Coast 22 15 7 0 2162 1935 111.7 60
4 Kangaroos 22 14 8 0 2183 1998 109.3 56
5 Hawthorn 22 13 9 0 2097 1855 113.0 52
6 Collingwood 22 13 9 0 2011 1992 101.0 52
7 Sydney 22 12 9 1 2031 1698 119.6 50
8 Adelaide 22 12 10 0 1881 1712 109.9 48
9 St Kilda 22 11 10 1 1874 1941 96.5 46
10 Brisbane Lions 22 9 11 2 1986 1885 105.4 40
11 Fremantle 22 10 12 0 2254 2198 102.5 40
12 Essendon 22 10 12 0 2184 2394 91.2 40
13 Western Bulldogs 22 9 12 1 2111 2469 85.5 38
14 Melbourne 22 5 17 0 1890 2418 78.2 20
15 Carlton 22 4 18 0 2167 2911 74.4 16
16 Richmond 22 3 18 1 1958 2537 77.2 14
Source: AFL ladder
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers.

Geelong was easily the minor premier in 2007 and undisputed favourite coming into the Finals Series.

Summary of results
  Qualifying / Elimination finals Semi-finals Preliminary finals Grand final
                                   
  QF1: Sep 9, MCG  
1  Geelong 23.18 (156)  
4  Kangaroos 8.2 (50)     SF1: Sep 15, MCG  
     Kangaroos 14.9 (93)    
EF1: Sep 8, Telstra Dome      Hawthorn 8.12 (60)       PF1: Sep 21, MCG
5  Hawthorn 15.15 (105)        Geelong 13.14 (92)  
8  Adelaide 15.12 (102)          Collingwood 13.9 (87)     GF: Sep 29, MCG
         Geelong 24.19 (163)
  EF2: Sep 8, MCG       PF2: Sep 22, AAMI Stadium      Port Adelaide 6.8 (44)
6  Collingwood 18.17 (125)          Port Adelaide 20.13 (133)  
7  Sydney 13.9 (87)     SF2: Sep 14, Subiaco Oval        Kangaroos 5.16 (46)  
     West Coast 10.14 (74) (aet)    
QF2: Sep 7, AAMI Stadium      Collingwood 13.15 (93) (aet)    
2  Port Adelaide 9.14 (68)  
3  West Coast 9.11 (65)  

The finals system
Main article: AFL final eight system

The system is a final eight system. This system is different to the McIntyre Final Eight System, which was previously used by the AFL.

The top four teams in the eight receive what is popularly known as the "double chance" when they play in week-one qualifying finals; this means that if a top-four team loses in the first week, it still has a chance to redeem itself by getting a chance to play in a semi-final the next week against the winner of an elimination final. The bottom four of the eight are forced to play what are called elimination finals, in which only the winners survive and move on to week two to play the losers of the qualifying finals.

In the second week, the winners of the qualifying finals receive a bye to the third week, while the losers of those qualifying finals must play the winners of the elimination finals for a chance to play the qualifying finals winners. Home-ground advantage goes to the team with the higher seed.

In the third week, the winners of the semi-finals from week two play the winners of the qualifying finals in the first week, with the latter receiving home-ground advantage. The winners of those matches move on to the Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, where the new premier will be crowned.[1]

Week One

First Qualifying Final (Geelong vs. North Melbourne)
Geelong vs North Melbourne
Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Final
Geelong 3.5 (23) 10.10 (70) 16.16 (112) 23.18 (156)
North Melbourne 3.0 (18) 4.1 (25) 6.1 (37) 8.2 (50)
Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Date and time: 9 September 2007 – 2:45PM AEST
Attendance: 77,630
Umpires: Dean Margetts, Scott McLaren, Scott Jeffery
Goal scorers: Geelong 5: Mooney, Chapman
3: N Ablett
2: Enright, G Ablett, Ottens
1: Bartel, S Johnson, Stokes, Mackie
North Melbourne 1: McIntosh, Grant, Brown, Petrie, Firrito, Edwards, Harvey, Wells
Best: Geelong Scarlett, G Ablett, Chapman, Milburn, Bartel, Harley,
J Selwood, Stokes, Hunt
North Melbourne Rawlings, Firrito, Wells, Edwards, Simpson
Reports: nil
Injuries: nil
Australian television broadcaster: Seven Network

Second Qualifying Final (Port Adelaide vs. West Coast)
Port Adelaide vs West Coast
Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Final
Port Adelaide 1.3 (9) 2.7 (19) 6.9 (45) 9.14 (68)
West Coast 2.3 (15) 3.6 (24) 7.10 (52) 9.11 (65)
Venue: AAMI Stadium, Adelaide
Date and time: 7 September 2007 – 7:50PM ACST
Attendance: 37,750
Umpires: Michael Vozzo, Brett Rosebury, Shaun Ryan
Goal scorers: Port Adelaide 1: P. Burgoyne, S. Burgoyne, Chaplin, K. Cornes, Ebert, Motlop, Salopek, Tredrea, Westhoff
West Coast 2: Judd, Lynch
1: Cox, Hurn, LeCras, Rosa, Seaby
Best: Port Adelaide P Burgoyne, Lade, Chaplin, K Cornes, Surjan
West Coast Priddis, Stenglein, Waters, Hunter, A Selwood
Reports: nil
Injuries: West Coast: Cousins (hamstring)
Australian television broadcaster: Seven Network

First Elimination Final (Hawthorn vs. Adelaide)
Hawthorn vs Adelaide
Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Final
Hawthorn 4.3 (27) 8.7 (55) 10.10 (70) 15.15 (105)
Adelaide 7.4 (46) 10.7 (67) 12.12 (84) 15.12 (102)
Venue: Telstra Dome, Melbourne
Date and time: 8 September 2007 – 2:30PM AEST
Attendance: 36,534
Umpires: Hayden Kennedy, Brett Allen, Ray Chamberlain
Goal scorers: Hawthorn 7: Franklin
3: Roughead
1: Lewis, Brown, Bateman, Crawford, Young
Adelaide 4: McGregor, Welsh
2: Porplyzia
1: Edwards, Gill, Knights, van Berlo, Torney
Best: Hawthorn Crawford, Franklin, Roughead, Sewell, Hodge, Brown, Ladson, Birchall, Guerra
Adelaide Shirley, Torney, McGregor, Thompson, Goodwin, Massie, Edwards, Stevens
Reports: Adelaide: Torney (high contact)
Injuries: Hawthorn: McGlynn (adductor) out, replaced in selected side by Osborne, Hodge (knee), Bateman (hamstring)
Adelaide: Porplyzia (shoulder)
Australian television broadcaster: Ten Network

Second Elimination Final (Collingwood vs. Sydney)
Collingwood vs Sydney
Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Final
Collingwood 6.5 (41) 8.9 (57) 13.12 (90) 18.17 (125)
Sydney 1.4 (10) 7.5 (47) 9.8 (62) 13.9 (87)
Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Date and time: 8 September 2007 – 7:30PM AEST
Attendance: 64,645
Umpires: Stephen McBurney, Matt Stevic, Shane McInerney
Goal scorers: Collingwood 6: Rocca
3: Cloke, Rusling
1: Buckley, Davis, Didak, Medhurst, Pendlebury, Swan
Sydney 4: O'Loughlin
2: Davis, Malceski
1: Bolton, Fosdike, Hall, Kirk, Schneider
Best: Collingwood Rocca, Shaw, Pendlebury, Cloke, Buckley, Swan, Davis
Sydney Goodes, Kirk, Malceski, O'Loughlin, Crouch
Reports: nil
Injuries: nil
Australian television broadcaster: Ten Network

Week Two

First Semi Final (North Melbourne vs. Hawthorn)
North Melbourne vs Hawthorn
Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Final
North Melbourne 3.3 (21) 5.5 (35) 9.7 (61) 14.9 (93)
Hawthorn 2.1 (13) 4.3 (27) 6.8 (44) 8.12 (60)
Venue: MCG, Melbourne
Date and time: 15 September 2007 - 7:30PM AEST
Attendance: 74,981
Umpires: Michael Vozzo, Brett Rosebury, Scott McLaren
Goal scorers: North Melbourne 4: Edwards, Harvey
1: Swallow, Petrie, McIntosh, McMahon, Grant, Wells
Hawthorn 3: Franklin
1: Roughead, Boyle, Bateman, Guerra, Lewis
Best: North Melbourne Rawlings, Harris, Gibson, Edwards, McIntosh, Harvey
Hawthorn Sewell, Lewis, Guerra, Croad, Bateman, Crawford
Reports: Hawthorn: Crawford (striking), Lewis (striking), Hodge (striking)
Injuries: nil
Australian television broadcaster: Ten Network

Second semi final (West Coast vs Collingwood)
West Coast vs Collingwood
Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final (ET)
West Coast 0.4 (4) 5.5 (35) 8.9 (57) 10.12 (72) 10.14 (74)
Collingwood 1.5 (11) 4.8 (32) 7.11 (53) 10.12 (72) 13.15 (93)
Venue: Subiaco Oval, Perth
Date and time: 14 September 2007 - 6:45PM AWST
Attendance: 43,627
Umpires: Stephen McBurney, Shaun Ryan, Shane McInerney
Goal scorers: West Coast 2: Lecras, Wirrpanda
1: Cox, Embley, Fletcher, Lynch, Priddis, Rosa
Collingwood 3: Rocca
2: Didak, Medhurst, Swan
1: Bryan, Cloke, Pendlebury, Thomas
Best: West Coast Cox, Priddis, Jones, Chick, Glass
Collingwood Didak, Medhurst, Pendlebury, Swan, Goldsack
Reports: nil
Injuries: West Coast: Hansen (hamstring)
Collingwood: Burns (ankle)
Australian television broadcaster: Seven Network

Scores were tied at the end of regulation time, with both teams having scored 10.12 (72). Two five-minute periods of extra time were played to decide a winner. This was only the second time that extra time had been implemented since the provision to do so was introduced in the early 1990s. In two coincidences, it was the drawn qualifying final between these two teams in 1990 which most directly led to the introduction of the extra time provision in the first place, and; it was the pairing of the weekend's other game, Hawthorn and the North Melbourne, who contested the only previous game to require extra time.

Week Three

First Preliminary Final (Geelong vs. Collingwood)
Geelong vs Collingwood
Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Final
Geelong 4.4 (28) 7.6 (48) 9.13 (67) 13.14 (92)
Collingwood 2.5 (17) 6.7 (43) 9.8 (62) 13.9 (87)
Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Date and time: 21 September 2007 - 7:50PM AEST
Attendance: 98,002
Umpires: Stephen McBurney, Scott McLaren, Shane McInerney
Goal scorers: Geelong 3: S. Johnson, Stokes
2: Mooney
1: G. Ablett, Chapman, Kelly, Ottens, Rooke
Collingwood 3: Cloke, Medhurst
2: Didak, Rusling
1: Davis, O'Bree, Burns
Best: Geelong G. Ablett, Ottens, Corey, Bartel, S. Johnson, Scarlett, Milburn, Hunt
Collingwood H. Shaw, Clement, Lockyer, Clarke, O'Bree, O'Brien, Buckley, Cloke
Reports: nil
Injuries: Collingwood: Rocca (ankle)
Australian television broadcaster: Seven Network

Second Preliminary Final (Port Adelaide vs. North Melbourne)
Port Adelaide vs North Melbourne
Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Final
Port Adelaide 6.0 (36) 9.3 (57) 17.10 (112) 20.13 (133)
North Melbourne 3.2 (20) 3.7 (25) 4.10 (34) 5.16 (46)
Venue: AAMI Stadium, Adelaide
Date and time: 22 September 2007- 4:30PM ACST
Attendance: 44,953
Umpires: Michael Vozzo, Hayden Kennedy, Brett Rosebury
Goal scorers: Port Adelaide 3: Ebert, Motlop, Tredrea
2: Logan, Rodan, Salopek
1: Boak, C Cornes, K Cornes, Pearce, Westhoff
North Melbourne 2: Grant
1: Edwards, Harris, Lower
Best: Port Adelaide Chaplin, S. Burgoyne, C. Cornes, Logan, Pearce, Surjan, Rodan, Ebert, Motlop
North Melbourne Harris, Simpson, Sinclair, Archer, Lower
Reports: nil
Injuries: Port Adelaide: Wilson (ruptured achilles tendon)
Australian television broadcaster: Ten Network

Week Four

Grand Final (Geelong vs. Port Adelaide)
Main article: 2007 AFL Grand Final
Geelong vs Port Adelaide
Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Final
Geelong 5.7 (37) 11.13 (79) 18.17 (125) 24.19 (163)
Port Adelaide 2.2 (14) 4.3 (27) 5.5 (35) 6.8 (44)
Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Date: 29 September 2007 – 2:30PM AEST
Attendance: 97,302
Umpires: Stephen McBurney, Shane McInerney, Scott McLaren
Goal scorers: Geelong 5: Mooney
4: Chapman, S. Johnson
3: N. Ablett
2: Bartel
1: Ottens, Byrnes, G. Ablett, Rooke, Ling, Mackie.
Port Adelaide 2 Tredrea, S. Burgoyne
1 C. Cornes, Logan.
Best: Geelong S. Johnson, Chapman, Scarlett, King, Mooney, Corey, Enright.
Port Adelaide Tredrea, P. Burgoyne, K. Cornes.
Reports: nil
Injuries: nil
Coin toss winner: Geelong
Norm Smith Medal: Steve Johnson, Geelong
Australian television broadcaster: Network Ten
National Anthem: Natalie Bassingthwaighte

See also

Notes and references
  1. AFL Finals System Explained (AFL.com.au)
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