AFL Finals 2018 ultimate guide week three fixtures, match-ups, bounce times
The race for the AFL flag is down to the final four teams and week three of the finals series promises to throw up some mouth-watering clashes.
Collingwood Magpies brought GWS Giants’ season to an end with a tough win and it will be standing room only at the MCG when they face premier Richmond Tigers on Friday night.
Melbourne Demons kept their hopes of a fairytale flag alive after downing Hawthorn Hawks but face a tough road trip when they face West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium on Saturday night.
Weeks three finals fixture
First Preliminary Final: Richmond Tigers vs Collingwood Magpies, MCG, Friday, September 21, 7.50pm
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Last time they met
Richmond Tigers vs Collingwood Magpies
Round 19: Richmond Tigers 16.9 (105) def Collingwood Magpies 12.5 (77) at the MCG
Richmond stamped itself as the king of the MCG after beating Collingwood in a highly-entertaining contest that lived up to the billing.
The Tigers broke the record for most consecutive wins at the MCG with 18 but it wasn’t easy going after the Magpies closed the deficit to only four points at three-quarter time.
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Richmond roared to life in the final quarter after booting five goals to Collingwood’s one to conjure memories of their round six win where they outscored the Magpies in the final term.
The Magpies did a solid job keeping star Tiger Dustin Martin quiet prompting coach Damien Hardwick to rap his team for rallying together and finding a different way to win.
The game had a September feel about it after 88,180 fans turned up to the MCG with the Magpies losing Matt Scharenberg, Jeremy Howe and Brody Mihocek to injury during play.
West Coast Eagles vs Melbourne Demons
Round 22: West Coast Eagles 14.7 (91) def by Melbourne Demons 16.12 (108) at Optus Stadium
Melbourne finally broke its 12-year finals drought with a stirring win at the Eagles fortress in one of the games of the season.
It was the Demons’ first win over a top eight side for 2018 and dispelled any question marks about their mental attitude in big games.
The Eagles normally impregnable defence was put to the test by the Dees’ eye-catching footy with ruckman Max Gawn leading the midfield brigade with a dominant performance.
The Demons dominated the contest from the outset but the Eagles roared to life in the third quarter to close the deficit to two points.
They took a one-point lead in the final quarter but the Demons answered with returning forward Jake Melksham booting a couple of clutch goals at the end to spark wild celebrations.
