What a game and what a moment it will be when Geelong and Richmond run out of their respective Gabba races and compete for the Premiership Cup on Saturday night.

From Geelong to Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast and Brisbane, it has been a season like no other and the Cats are determined to win their 10th VFL/AFL flag in their proud history.

LEARN MORE ABOUT GEELONG'S PREMIERSHIP HISTORY

However, standing in their way will be a fierce Richmond outfit who are chasing their third flag in four years.

They’re an almighty team, but the Cats are hungry for success.

For and Against: Played 197 games | Won: 104 | Drawn: 3 | Lost: 90

Last time they met: R17, 2020 – Geelong 4.7 (31) def by Richmond 7.15 (57)

With both sides missing a number of key personnel, Richmond ran out 26-point victors.

Jack Riewoldt was best-on-ground with four goals. Tom Stewart was Geelong’s best with a game-high 25 disposals.

Broadcast & Match Details

Saturday 24 October from 7.30pm AEDT.
Watch: Seven, Fox Footy, Kayo
Listen: K Rock Football

Hawkins good to go

Tom Hawkins confirmed he is fit to play and will line-up against Richmond on Saturday after sitting out training earlier in the week.

"It's been probably taken a little bit out of context, but I suppose it's the sort of year and climate we're in that if anyone finds themselves a little bit under the weather, you take precautionary measures and isolate from the group," Hawkins said. 

"It was a bit of a rough start to the week, one I would have rather spent with my teammates, but I'm feeling really good. 

"I'm feeling 100 per cent and good to go."  

Contest is king

Rhys Stanley and Toby Nankervis have been two of the form players of the final’s series so far.

Speaking on Geelong’s In the Mix program, former club captain Liam Pickering believes Stanley could hold the key to helping the Cats' midfield get on top early.

“They need to win the ball in the middle of the ground, that is a starting point,” Pickering said.

“Rhys Stanley has had a fantastic finals series, so they need a really good effort from him.

"Big Rhys needs to get the jump early in the game and really stamp himself on Nankervis and give the Cats midfielders a real armchair ride and first use and if they can do that, get a hold of the ball and control it, Richmond will put the pressure on and we know how they are going to play, but the Cats need to be really committed to the contest like they have been over the last couple of weeks.”

Selwood to celebrate 200 games as skipper

It is fitting that Joel Selwood will lead out the team as captain for the 200th time in this year’s Grand Final. Becoming just the sixth player in the history of the game to captain a team on at least 200 occasions.

Selwood is chasing a fourth premiership and his first as captain in a remarkable career.

Gaz Farewell

Another player that has had a remarkable career is Gary Ablett Jnr, who will play his 357th and final game of AFL football.

The little master reminded us he still belongs on the big stage with a vintage third term in Geelong’s preliminary final win against Brisbane.

Should Geelong be successful this Saturday, he would be the fourth oldest player in VFL/AFL history to be part of a premiership side. Let’s hope he goes out a winner!

Nankervis to present the Cup

Ian Nankervis will have the honour of presenting the AFL premiership cup to coach Chris Scott and current skipper Joel Selwood if the Cats can overcome Richmond in the grand final at the Gabba in Brisbane.

The former Geelong captain and Australian Football Hall of Fame played 325 games for the Cats, which was the club record until broken by current assistant coach Corey Enright in 2016.

Nankervis won three Carji Greeves Medals, captained the Cats on 110 occasions, and represented Victoria on 12 occasions.

Richmond has claimed back-to-back premierships, and made it three of the last four flags, after coming from behind to beat Geelong by 31 points in the historic first ever Toyota AFL Grand Final at the Gabba.

It etched the Tiger dynasty into football history as one of the most dominant sides of the his century. 

Dustin Martin, Richmond's inimitable, incredible midfielder, also made history by becoming the first player to win three Norm Smith Medals as the best on ground in the 12.9 (81) to 7.8 (50) win by booting four goals from 21 disposals.

The under lights Gabba clash had it all: injury carnage, a remarkable recovery, a comeback, two stretchers, pitch invaders, pyrotechnics and an entertainment package that will make the debate for day Grand Finals a harder sell in 2021. 

But mainly it again illustrated the brilliance of Martin and the Tigers, who came from 15 points down at half-time to secure their 13th flag and first consecutive flag since their 1973-4 triumphs. It was their third premiership under coach Damien Hardwick and skipper Trent Cotchin. 

After more than 110 days on the road living in Queensland after COVID-19's second wave forced the competition to relocate out of Victoria, the Tigers will return with the premiership cup later this week after storming home in the second half. 

Gary Ablett's farewell did not go as hoped, with the champion Cat injuring his shoulder in the opening minutes immediately after Tigers defender Nick Vlastuin was concussed in a wild piece of play. 

Ablett returned later in the quarter after receiving medical attention in the rooms, but continued to nurse the injury throughout the game, struggling to use his arm for the rest of the night and enduring serious pain throughout. His hope of ending his glittering 357-game career with a third flag was dashed as the Tigers booted nine goals to two in the second half. 

In a game full by superstars on both sides, it was Richmond's who rose to the occasion. Martin was again exceptional, following his 2017 and 2019 deciders with another standout game. The game's best player proved it with a high-impact game across half-forward, while Patrick Dangerfield, Geelong's own match-winner, was subdued. Geelong Coleman medallist Tom Hawkins kicked one goal from 10 disposals, with Mitch Duncan (25 disposals, one goal) the Cats' best. 

There was drama everywhere in the first term. Six minutes into the game it changed: Vlastuin was knocked out by a stray Dangerfield elbow (which will certainly come under Match Review Officer scrutiny) and in the following contest Ablett's shoulder dislocated as he was tackled by Cotchin. 

As Vlastuin was taken by stretcher from the field, Ablett left cradling his arm. The shock left the players and crowd stunned, and after a six-minute break in the game, it resumed to more action, including two fans who ran onto the field that almost got involved in the play. 

Although the Tigers kicked the first two goals, the Cats settled to take a one-point lead into the first change. Ablett, too, returned to the field – a sight that looked unimaginable minutes earlier after what appeared set to be an anticlimactic end to his phenomenal career. 

Geelong took that momentum into the second term, dominating Richmond in the pressure stakes and using their strength at the contest to push aside the Tigers. The Tigers, so renowned for their tenacious attack, were being beaten at their own game. 

The Cats kicked three goals to one in the quarter but should have been further ahead after some straightforward misses. They are sprayed kicks which will linger in the minds of the Cats well beyond the final siren. 

Richmond's single goal came via Martin – an astonishing snap while fending off some Cats opponents – with the Tigers struggling in attack. 

Key forward pair Tom Lynch and Jack Riewoldt combined for one kick in the first half as Geelong's defence, led by the insurmountable Tom Stewart and veteran Harry Taylor, controlled proceedings. 

But Richmond wasn't done. Riewoldt kicked the opening goal of the third term after a free kick, before a Jason Castagna outswinger curled through. Martin's brilliance again rose to the top, with the key Tiger's on-the-run checkside trickling through to give Richmond a two-point edge by three-quarter time.

The Tigers powered home in the final quarter, kicking five goals to one to end up comfortable premiers. The final goal came, of course, via Martin in the last two minutes, who shrugged off a tackle from Dangerfield pinned up against the boundary line and snapped an amazing goal. In doing so, the Tigers’ tattooed champion confirmed his status as perhaps the best big-game player in football history. 

RICHMOND     2.1     3.2     7.4     12.9     (81)
GEELONG        2.2     5.5     6.8     7.8     (50)

GOALS
Richmond: Martin 4, Prestia 2, Riewoldt 2, Castagna, Lambert, Lynch, McIntosh
Geelong: Menegola 2, Dangerfield, Duncan, Guthrie, Hawkins, Miers

BEST
Richmond: Martin, Short, Edwards, Prestia, Cotchin, Bolton
Geelong: Duncan, Stewart, Selwood, Menegola, Dahlhaus

INJURIES
Richmond: Vlastuin (concussion)
Geelong: Ablett (shoulder), Simpson (concussion)