The Australian Football League's 2006 finals series took place between the teams that finished in the top eight in the 2006 AFL season. It began on the weekend of 8 September 2006 and ended with the 110th AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 30 September 2006. The winner, West Coast Eagles, was crowned champion of the AFL after defeating Sydney by one point.
Eight teams qualified for the finals by finishing in the top eight of the premiership ladder.
With the top eight race effectively ending several rounds before the end of the season, the push for the final two positions in the top four heated up as all six teams below West Coast and Adelaide were vying for the crucial "double chance" with only a few rounds left. With wins in the final round, Fremantle and Sydney secured the "double chance" making it the first time in the game's history where the top four positions did not consist of a single Victorian team.
Ladder
Summary of results
The finals system
The system is a final eight system. This system is different from the McIntyre final eight system, which was previously used by the AFL.
The top four teams in the eight receive what is popularly known as the "double chance", meaning that they cannot be eliminated from the finals in the first week match, the qualifying final. In contrast the bottom four of the eight play elimination finals in the first week, where only the winners move on to week two.
In the second week, the winners of the qualifying finals receive a bye (rest), while qualifying finals losers play the winners of the elimination finals. Home ground advantage goes to the team with the higher final 8 position.
In the third week, the winners of the semi-finals play the winners of the qualifying finals in the first week, with the latter receiving home-ground advantage. The winners of those matches move on to the Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Week one First qualifying final (West Coast vs. Sydney) vs Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Final2.3 (15)4.6 (30)9.9 (63)12.12 (84)3.2 (20)7.3 (45)10.6 (66)13.7 (85)Venue:Subiaco Oval, PerthDate and time:9 September 2006 – 5:30PM AWSTAttendance:43,116Umpires:Vozzo, McBurney, RyanGoal scorers: West Coast2: Lynch, Hunter, Waters, Judd1: Staker, Stenglein, Cousins, Armstrong Sydney5: Hall4: O'Loughlin2: Schneider1: Kirk, GoodesBest: West CoastJudd, R. Jones, Selwood, Wirrpanda, Hunter, B. Jones, Cox SydneyHall, Kirk, McVeigh, O'Loughlin, O'Keefe, Richards, GoodesReports:West Coast: Chick (rough conduct, charge withdrawn by match review)Injuries:West Coast: Chick (shin)
Second qualifying final (Adelaide vs. Fremantle) vs Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Final1.3 (9)3.8 (26)5.12 (42)10.16 (76)4.2 (26)5.2 (32)7.4 (46)7.4 (46)Venue:AAMI Stadium, AdelaideDate and time:9 September 2006 – 2:30PM ACSTAttendance:42,208Umpires:Chamberlain, Ellis, McIneryGoal scorers: Adelaide2: Bock, Torney, Biglands1: Clarke, Reilly, Welsh, Perrie Fremantle2: Pavlich, Farmer1: Crowley, Black, CookBest: AdelaideDoughty, Reilly, Torney, Thompson, Edwards, Bassett, Stevens, Bock, Johncock, Bode FremantleBlack, Bell, Johnson, J. Carr, McPharlinReports:—Injuries:Fremantle: Grover (back)
First elimination final (Collingwood vs. Western Bulldogs)
vs Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Final5.6 (36)6.9 (45)6.13 (49)11.14 (80)4.2 (26)8.7 (55)14.10 (94)18.13 (121)Venue:Melbourne Cricket Ground, MelbourneDate and time:10 September 2006 – 2:30PM AESTAttendance:84,284Umpires:Kennedy, Allen, JefferyGoal scorers: Collingwood3: Tarrant2: Holland1: Fraser, Egan, Rusling, Lockyer, Rocca, Licuria W. Bulldogs4: Montgomery3: Cooney, Robbins2: Gilbee, Ray1: Johnson, Giansiracusa, Minson, SmithBest: CollingwoodR. Shaw, Johnson, Clement, Fraser, H. Shaw, Buckley W. BulldogsWest, Cross, Ray, Cooney, Morris, Montgomery, Johnson, Giansiracusa, GrantReports:Collingwood: Holland (charging, received six-week suspension)Injuries:W. Bulldogs: Gilbee (ankle)
Second elimination final (St Kilda vs. Melbourne) vs Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Final5.4 (34)6.6 (42)9.8 (62)10.12 (72)2.2 (14)3.4 (22)8.5 (53)13.12 (90)Venue:Melbourne Cricket Ground, MelbourneDate and time:8 September 2006 – 7:30PM AESTAttendance:67,528Umpires:Rosebury, Schmitt, GoldspinkGoal scorers: St Kilda3: Gehrig2: Milne, Riewoldt1: Koschitzke, Peckett, Baker Melbourne4: Neitz2: McLean1: Miller, McDonald, Bruce, Robertson, Pickett, Bate, YzeBest: St KildaRiewoldt, Harvey, Baker, S. Fisher, Milne, Ball, Gehrig MelbourneMcLean, Neitz, Bruce, Green, McDonald, White, CarrollReports:St Kilda: A. Thompson (rough conduct, received reprimand)Injuries:St Kilda: R. Clarke (hamstring), Gehrig (ankle), X. Clarke (back), Harvey (hamstring)Melbourne: Whelan (shoulder)
Week two First semi-final (West Coast vs. Western Bulldogs) West Coast Eagles vs Western Bulldogs Team Q1 Q2 Q3 FinalWest Coast Eagles4.3 (27)8.7 (55)9.12 (66)16.17 (113)Western Bulldogs3.4 (22)4.6 (30)4.9 (33)5.9 (39)Venue:Subiaco Oval, PerthDate and time:16 September 2006 – 5:30PM AWSTAttendance:43,219Umpires:Kennedy, Allen, SchmittGoal scorers: West Coast6: Lynch4: Hunter1: Waters, Hansen, Judd, Embley, Cousins, Cox W. Bulldogs3: Johnson1: Grant, RobbinsBest: West CoastHunter, Judd, Lynch, Hansen, Kerr, Chick, Cousins, Selwood, Butler W. BulldogsWest, Johnson, Morris, SmithReports:W. Bulldogs: Harris (striking, received two-week suspension)Injuries:West Coast: Wirrpanda (hamstring)
Second semi-final (Fremantle vs. Melbourne) vs Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Final3.3 (21)7.9 (51)11.15 (81)14.18 (102)3.0 (18)7.3 (45)10.4 (64)11.8 (74)Venue:Subiaco Oval, PerthDate and time:15 September 2006 – 6:30PM AWSTAttendance:42,505Umpires:Vozzo, McInerney, GoldspinkGoal scorers: Fremantle2: Murphy, Farmer, M. Carr, Pavlich1: Cook, Webster, Schammer, Mundy, Longmuir, Headland Melbourne3: Neitz, Robertson2: Davey1: McLean, Yze, MillerBest: FremantleBlack, J. Carr, Schammer, Bell, Parker, M. Carr, Sandilands MelbourneMiller, Carroll, Brown, Green, McLean, Ward, JohnstoneReports:—Injuries:Fremantle: McPharlin (ankle)
Week three First preliminary final (Sydney vs. Fremantle) Sydney Swans vs Fremantle Dockers Team Q1 Q2 Q3 FinalSydney Swans3.6 (24)8.7 (55)14.8 (92)19.13 (127)Fremantle Dockers3.2 (20)6.2 (38)11.6 (72)14.8 (92)Venue:Telstra Stadium, SydneyDate and time:22 September 2006 – 8:00PM AESTAttendance:61,373Umpires:Vozzo, McBurney, AllenGoal scorers: Sydney6: Hall4: O'Keefe, O'Loughlin2: Bolton1: Davis, Dempster, Goodes Fremantle4: Pavlich 43: Bell2: Cook, Crowley1: Farmer, Murphy, PeakeBest: SydneyHall, Kirk, O'Keefe, O'Loughlin, C. Bolton, J. Bolton, Goodes FremantlePavlich, Bell, J. Carr, Crowley, Hayden, SandilandsReports:Fremantle: Jeff Farmer (Fre) for striking Craig Bolton (Syd), reprimand with 95.85 carryover points; Justin Longmuir (Fre) for striking Barry Hall (Syd), reprimand with 42.18 carryover points.Injuries:Fremantle: Farmer (leg), M.Carr (knee)
Second preliminary final (Adelaide vs. West Coast) vs Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Final3.3 (21)6.5 (41)8.8 (56)11.9 (75)0.4 (4)2.7 (19)6.12 (48)11.19 (85)Venue:AAMI Stadium, AdelaideDate and time:23 September 2006 – 3:00PM ACSTAttendance:50,514Umpires:Ellis, Ryan, GoldspinkGoal scorers: Adelaide3: Bock2: Bode, Burton1: Edwards, Welsh, Clarke, McLeod West Coast4: Hunter2: Embley1: Lynch, Kerr, Cousins, Butler, HansenBest: AdelaideJohncock, Goodwin, McLeod, Edwards, Reilly, Burton, Thompson West CoastCox, Judd, Cousins, Embley, Hunter, Butler, KerrReports:—Injuries:Adelaide: Biglands (knee)
Week four
Grand final (Sydney vs. West Coast) vs Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Final1.4 (10)4.6 (30)8.11 (59)12.12 (84)4.2 (26)8.7 (55)10.10 (70)12.13 (85)Venue:Melbourne Cricket Ground, MelbourneDate:30 September 2006 – 2:30PM AESTAttendance:97,431Umpires:Vozzo, Allen, GoldspinkGoal scorers: Sydney3: O'Loughlin, Davis1: Mathews, Roberts-Thomson, Goodes, Schneider, O'Keefe, Malceski West Coast3: Lynch2: Embley, Hansen, Cousins1: Judd, Armstrong, HunterBest: SydneyFosdike, Richards, Kennelly, O'Loughlin, McVeigh, Kirk, Goodes West CoastEmbley, Chick, Judd, Glass, Lynch, Selwood, Braun, Cox, Cousins, KerrReports:—Injuries:Sydney: Ablett (shoulder)Coin toss winner: West Coast EaglesNorm Smith Medal:Andrew EmbleyAustralian television broadcaster:Network TenNational Anthem:Brian Mannix, John Paul Young, Daryl Braithwaite and Shane Howard
Notes
References Week One
Week Two
Week Three
External links AFL official website RealFooty by The Age (Melbourne) Online SportsAustralia (news and views)