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AFL Finals Week 1 Teams 2026 - Full Team Lists, Ins and Outs

Jeremy Darke

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Last updated: Thu 03 Sep 2026 10:50

Jeremy Darke 3 hours ago

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AFL Finals Week 1 features four matchups with major team changes.
Geelong drops De Koning; Holmes and McCluggage return for Cats & Lions.
Carlton loses Nick Haynes, Fremantle makes five inclusions.

AFL Finals Week 1 Team Lists. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)

AFL Finals Week 1 Teams 2026: Full Team Lists, Ins and Outs

The 2026 AFL Finals are here, with the teams locked in for a massive opening week of September action.

AFL Finals Week 1 Teams 2026: Full Team Lists, Ins and Outs
Fremantle vs Hawthorn
Geelong vs Carlton
Sydney Swans vs Brisbane Lions
Adelaide Crows vs Western Bulldogs

Fremantle and Hawthorn open the finals series at Optus Stadium on Thursday night, before Geelong and Carlton meet in an elimination final at the MCG on Friday.

The action continues on Saturday when Sydney hosts Brisbane in a qualifying final at the SCG, before Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs battle to keep their premiership hopes alive at Adelaide Oval.

There are some huge selection calls across the four games, with Geelong dropping Sam De Koning, Max Holmes returning for the Cats and Hugh McCluggage back for Brisbane. Fremantle has loaded up with five inclusions, while Carlton will be without injured defender Nick Haynes.

See the full AFL Finals Week 1 team lists, ins and outs and selection news below.

Fremantle vs Hawthorn

Thursday, September 3, 8:10pm at Optus Stadium

Fremantle: The Dockers have made five changes for their qualifying final against Hawthorn, loading up with several important returns.

Murphy Reid and Jye Amiss are back, while Heath Chapman, Sam Switkowski and Brandon Walker have also been named in the side.

Key defender Brennan Cox misses with a moderate calf strain, while Judd McVee, Tobyn Murray, Bailey Banfield and Chris Scerri have all been omitted.

McVee has played 21 senior games for Fremantle this season but has been left out of Justin Longmuir's side. He was also dropped for the Dockers' Round 23 clash with Adelaide.

Hawthorn: The Hawks have made just one change from the side that defeated West Coast in Round 24, with Jack Ginnivan returning for Jack Dalton.

Ginnivan missed the West Coast game due to back soreness but returns for the start of Hawthorn's finals campaign. Dalton has been omitted.

Fremantle	POS	Hawthorn
J. Clark, A. Pearce, O. McDonald	B	J. Sicily, T. Barrass, B. Hardwick
K. Worner, L. Ryan, H. Chapman	HB	J. Weddle, B. Macdonald, J. Battle
M. Johnson, A. Brayshaw, N. Erasmus	C	J. Impey, W. Day, M. D’Ambrosio
M. Frederick, S. Bolton, S. Switkowski	HF	D. Moore, M. Chol, C. Macdonald
J. Amiss, J. Treacy, P. Voss	F	N. Watson, M. Lewis, J. Gunston
L. Jackson, C. Serong, H. Young	FOLL	L. Meek, J. Newcombe, C. Mackenzie
B. Walker, N. O’Driscoll, I. Dudley, M. Reid, M. Cox	I/C	K. Amon, H. Morrison, J. Ward, J. Ginnivan, M. Beattie

Fremantle In: H. Chapman, S. Switkowski, J. Amiss, B. Walker, M. Reid
Fremantle Out: B. Cox (Injured), J. McVee (Omitted), T. Murray (Omitted), B. Banfield (Omitted), C. Scerri (Omitted)
Fremantle Emergencies: H. Davies, C. Scerri, C. Wagner

Hawthorn In: J. Ginnivan
Hawthorn Out: J. Dalton (Omitted)
Hawthorn Emergencies: M. Ramsden, N. Mraz, J. Dalton

Geelong vs Carlton

Friday, September 4, 7:40pm at the MCG

Geelong: The Cats have made three major selection calls for their elimination final against Carlton, with Sam De Koning surprisingly dropped.

Veteran Mark Blicavs has been preferred to De Koning and will provide support to ruckman Mitch Edwards. Max Holmes also returns in a significant midfield boost, while Oli Wiltshire comes back into the side.

De Koning, Jack Martin and Jhye Clark have all been omitted.

Carlton: The Blues will be without veteran defender Nick Haynes after the ankle injury he suffered against Melbourne.

Haynes and Will Hayward were both fitness tests during the week, but neither will play against the Cats. Wade Derksen has been recalled to replace Haynes.

Hayward's absence is another blow for Carlton after he kicked three goals against Geelong earlier this year.

Geelong	POS	Carlton
Z. Guthrie, C. O’Sullivan, J. Henry	B	L. Cowan, J. Weitering, O. Hollands
T. Stewart, T. Bruhn, L. Humphries	HB	O. Florent, H. Dean, W. Derksen
O. Dempsey, B. Smith, M. O’Connor	C	B. Acres, P. Cripps, A. Cerra
G. Miers, J. Cameron, B. Close	HF	B. Ainsworth, M. McGovern, B. Kemp
P. Dangerfield, S. Neale, J. Polkinghorne	F	C. Lord, H. McKay, T. Byrne
M. Edwards, T. Atkins, O. Mullin	FOLL	M. Pittonet, S. Walsh, J. Smith
M. Holmes, M. Blicavs, S. Mannagh, O. Wiltshire, O. Henry	I/C	B. Wilson, G. Hewett, L. Young, F. Evans, M. Cottrell

Geelong In: M. Holmes, M. Blicavs, O. Wiltshire
Geelong Out: S. De Koning (Omitted), J. Martin (Omitted), J. Clark (Omitted)
Geelong Emergencies: J. Martin, J. Clark, S. De Koning

Carlton In: W. Derksen
Carlton Out: N. Haynes (Injured)
Carlton Emergencies: J. Boyd, J. Ison, L. Reidy

Sydney Swans vs Brisbane Lions

Saturday, September 5, 3:15pm at the SCG

Sydney Swans: Sydney has confirmed just one change for its qualifying final against Brisbane, with Hayden McLean replacing Will Green.

Joel Amartey has also been named among the Swans' emergencies. Amartey suffered a partial Achilles tendon tear in June and had been aiming to return this week.

Brisbane Lions: All-Australian midfielder Hugh McCluggage returns in a major boost for Brisbane.

McCluggage's return is the Lions' only change, with Ty Gallop the unlucky player to be omitted.

Sydney Swans	POS	Brisbane Lions
C. Mills, T. McCartin, D. Rampe	B	N. Answerth, H. Andrews, R. Lester
S. Wicks, H. Kyle, J. Hamling	HB	D. Wilmot, D. Gardiner, D. Zorko
M. Roberts, E. Gulden, J. Serong	C	J. Berry, W. Ashcroft, Z. Bailey
J. Lloyd, L. McDonald, B. Campbell	HF	C. Cameron, L. Morris, O. Allen
T. Papley, C. Curnow, B. Cootee	F	E. Hipwood, C. Rayner, K. Lohmann
B. Grundy, J. Rowbottom, C. Cleary	FOLL	D. Fort, J. Dunkley, L. Neale
H. Cunningham, A. Sheldrick, H. McLean, T. Hanily, J. Dattoli	I/C	S. Draper, J. Fletcher, H. McCluggage, L. Ashcroft, C. McKenna

Sydney Swans In: H. McLean
Sydney Swans Out: W. Green (Omitted)
Sydney Swans Emergencies: W. Green, J. Amartey, L. Melican

Brisbane Lions In: H. McCluggage
Brisbane Lions Out: T. Gallop (Omitted)
Brisbane Lions Emergencies: L. McCarthy, T. Gallop, B. Reville

Adelaide Crows vs Western Bulldogs

Saturday, September 5, 7:35pm at Adelaide Oval

Adelaide Crows: Callum Ah Chee returns for Adelaide's elimination final against the Western Bulldogs, replacing the injured Zac Taylor.

It is the Crows' only change for the Saturday night clash.

Western Bulldogs: The Bulldogs have also made one forced change, with Will Lewis coming into the side for Matt Kennedy.

Kennedy will miss the elimination final through injury.

Adelaide Crows	POS	Western Bulldogs
J. Worrell, J. Borlase, M. Michalanney	B	M. Sellwood, B. Khamis, B. Williams
W. Milera, M. Keane, R. Laird	HB	L. Bramble, J. O’Donnell, B. Dale
B. Cook, J. Dawson, D. Curtin	C	R. Sanders, J. Freijah, C. Hynes
B. Keays, R. Thilthorpe, J. Rachele	HF	C. Weightman, R. Lobb, A. Jones
D. Fogarty, T. Walker, C. Ah Chee	F	J. Dolan, A. Naughton, R. West
L. McAndrew, I. Rankine, A. Neal-Bullen	FOLL	T. English, M. Bontempelli, E. Richards
I. Cumming, J. Soligo, S. Berry, L. Nankervis, H. Hall-Kahan	I/C	C. Budarick, S. Davidson, R. Gardner, L. Kennedy, W. Lewis