The AFL Women's Grand Final is an annual women's Australian rules football match to determine the AFL Women's (AFLW) premiers for that year. Each year, the winning club receives a premiership trophy and premiership flag; all players in the winning team receive a premiership medallion.
In the first two seasons of the AFL Women's (AFLW) competition, the grand final was contested by the two highest-ranked teams at the end of the home-and-away season, as no finals series existed.
Since the third season, a finals series has been incorporated into the competition as follows:
In 2019, the top four teams qualified for the preliminary finals, with the two winners playing off in the 2019 Grand Final.
An expanded eight-team finals series was abandoned in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021 and 2022 season 6, the top six teams qualified for the finals series, which was played under the laws of a single-elimination knockout tournament.
In 2022 season 7, the Final Eight system used in the AFL was implemented in the AFLW following the league's expansion to include all 18 AFL clubs.
From 2021 onwards, the winners of the two preliminary finals have played off in the Grand Final.
2021 and 2022 (S6) process of qualification for AFLW Grand Final[1]
Qualifying Finals
Preliminary Finals
Grand Final
1
First
4
Fourth
4
QF Winner
5
Fifth
1
PF Winner
2
PF Winner
2
Second
3
Third
3
QF Winner
6
Sixth
Venues
Unlike the men's Australian Football League (AFL) premiership, which has a customary host venue for the AFL Grand Final every year (that being the Melbourne Cricket Ground), there is no centralised venue that is contracted to host the women's grand final. In 2017 and 2018, the game was technically "hosted" by the minor premier: Brisbane and Western Bulldogs, respectively. However, in both cases, alternate venues located in the home team's state were used, owing to the unavailability of the Gabba in Brisbane's case and capacity concerns for the Bulldogs' home grand final. In 2019, it was hosted by the preliminary final winner with the most premiership points (percentage would have come into consideration if points were the same), as a conference system was in place for this season's grand final.[2] The conference-style system was abandoned in favour of a single ladder ahead of the 2021 season. Since 2021, the match is played at the highest-ranked preliminary final winner's home venue (or a larger-capacity venue located nearby), with this ranking based on the ladder at the end of the home-and-away season.[3]
Of the four venues to have hosted a grand final, Princes (Ikon) Park, the largest-capacity suburban ground in Melbourne, underwent construction in 2021 and 2022 to turn it into a state-of-the-art precinct that would become the official home of women's football in Victoria, with the idea that all grand finals hosted in Victoria would be played at the stadium.[4][5][6]
NOTE: There was no grand final held in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Entertainment and traditions
The teams lined up for the national anthem prior to the 2022 (S7) Grand FinalMelbourne players celebrating with their premiership medallions and the 2022 (S7) premiership trophy
It is customary for the Grand Final to begin with a rendition of the Australian National Anthem in which both teams line up opposite each other. Most grand finals thus far have been accompanied by a musical entertainment act that has performed before the match or at half-time. At the conclusion of the match, an award ceremony is held for individual awards, which include a best-on-ground award and premiership medals awarded for each participant. The captains of both sides are invited to make a speech, and the cup is presented to the captain and coach of the winning team. Following the ceremonies, players of the winning side assemble on a podium for team celebration photographs with the premiership cup and premiership medals.
In 2021, the AFL incorporated a sprint running race (initially known as the Colgate AFLW Grand Final Sprint) into the on-field entertainment on the day of the grand final.[10] In the men's competition, the Grand Final Sprint has been held since 1979 (albeit with a break from 1988–2001). The race has only been held twice, with none run since 2022 season 6.
^"Who plays who in week two of the NAB AFLW finals series". womens.afl. 3 April 2021. The highest ranked winner of the two NAB Preliminary Finals will host the NAB AFLW Grand Final (as determined by the ladder position at the conclusion of the NAB Home and Away Season Matches.
