AFL Finals Open with Adelaide, Collingwood Qualifying Final

The 2025 AFL finals series has commenced with a high-stakes qualifying final between minor premiers Adelaide Crows and fourth-placed Collingwood at Adelaide Oval. Adelaide enters the finals on a nine-match winning streak and has been defensively dominant throughout the season, while Collingwood has struggled recently but still poses a threat with key players like Nick Daicos, a Brownlow medal favourite. Other key finals matches include Geelong facing Brisbane Lions, who are coping with several injuries, and elimination finals featuring GWS Giants vs. Hawthorn and Fremantle Dockers vs. Gold Coast Suns. Players expected to have significant impacts include Adelaide's Tex Walker and Josh Keays, whose explosive play and leadership could be decisive, as well as Geelong's Gary Ablett, who despite reduced game time, remains a clutch performer. The finals emphasize the need for X-Factor players who can elevate their performance under pressure, with Cameron from the Lions and others identified as potential game-changers. The Central Australian Football League finals also saw Federal and Rovers securing preliminary final spots, highlighting the growing excitement in regional football competitions.