Overview
- The qualifying final between Fremantle and Hawthorn will be played Thursday night at a near-capacity Optus Stadium with about 60,000 fans expected.
- Fremantle finished the home-and-away season as minor premiers after a club-record 14-match winning run, a perfect 12-0 record at Optus Stadium and a season-high 19 wins.
- Coach Justin Longmuir named several changes on the eve of the final, recalling Brandon Walker for his first AFL game since round one while Brennan Cox is unavailable with a calf issue.
- Hawthorn have regained small forward Jack Ginnivan for the match, and both clubs carry late-season form questions with Fremantle losing two of their last three after rotating players and Hawthorn posting a loss and a draw in recent weeks.
- Large crowds and strong local support have raised expectations and travel by fans to Perth, and a Fremantle win would remove the Dockers from the first week of the semi-finals and keep September finals matches likely to be played at Optus Stadium.