Geelong’s Joel Selwood [Source: Author]
This side is the opposite of last weeks. It is a team of players who have played the most finals with at least 25 finals matches. The team is as usual, since 1980. I have listed others pre-1980 at the bottom. The team is hard to pick so it really is based on the most finals played of these players. Hope you enjoy.
FB: Gary Ayres (Haw) Stephen Silvagni (Carl) Heath Shaw (Coll/GWS)
CHB: Bruce Doull (Carl) Chris Mew (Haw) Jarrad McVeigh (Syd)
C: Scott Pendlebury (Coll) Jimmy Bartel (Geel) Wayne Schimmelbusch (NM)
CHF: Shaun Burgoyne (PA/Haw) Lance Franklin (Haw/Syd) Patrick Dangerfield (Adel/Geel)
FF: Kevin Bartlett (Rich) Tom Hawkins (Geel) Leigh Matthews (Haw)
Ruck: Adam Goodes (Syd) Michael Tuck (Haw) Joel Selwood (Geel)
Interchange: Gary Ablett Jnr (Geel/GCS), Jason Akermanis (Bris/WB), Dermott Brereton (Haw/Syd/Coll), Harry Taylor (Geel)
Sub: Martin Pike (Fitz/Mel/NM/Bris)
Others: Grant Birchall (Haw/Bris), John Blakey (Fitz/NM), Mark Blicavs (Geel), Jude Bolton (Syd), David Dench (NM), Mitch Duncan (Geel), Luke Hodge (Haw/Bris), Steve Johnson (Geel/GWS), Dean Kemp (WCE), Chris Langford (Haw), Jordan Lewis (Haw/Mel), Gary Rohan (Syd/Geel), Andrew Mackie (Geel), Sam Mitchell (Haw/WCE), Luke Parker (Syd/NM), Steele Sidebottom (Coll), Isaac Smith (Haw/Geel)
Gary Ayres
269 games Hawthorn (1978-1993)
28 finals
Eight grand finals for five premierships
Norm Smith Medal 1986 and 1988
Ayres played finals in 11 years from 16 years in total. Ayres did not play in any finals in his first four years from 1978-1981 in which he played 22 games. Ayres missed the 1990 Elimination Final due to injury.
Stephen Silvagni
312 games Carlton (1985-2001)
26 finals
Four grand finals for two premierships
Silvagni played finals in 11 years from 17 years in total. Silvagni was dropped for the 1986 Grand Final after playing the previous 13 games.
Heath Shaw
173 games Collingwood (2004-2013)
152 games Greater Western Sydney (2014-2020)
325 games (2004-2020)
27 finals
Four grand finals for one premiership and one draw
At Collingwood Shaw played finals in seven years from nine years in total. At Greater Western Sydney he played in three out of seven. In total Shaw played in ten years out of 16 years. Shaw missed the 2008 finals as he was suspended due to an off field incident.
Bruce Doull
356 games Carlton (1969-1986)
29 finals
Six grand finals for four premierships.
Norm Smith Medal 1981
Doull played finals in 12 years out 18 years in total. In Doull’s first three years he played 27 games but no finals even though Carlton made finals in 1969 and 1970 with his last game in Round 19 of each season.
Chris Mew
230 games Hawthorn (1980-1992)
28 finals
Eight grand finals for five premierships
Mew played finals in ten years out of 12 years in total.
Jarrod McVeigh
325 games Sydney (2004-2019)
28 finals
Four grand finals for one premiership
McVeigh played finals 13 years out of 16 years in total. McVeigh played thirteen games in the 2005 Premiership year with his last game in Round 17
Scott Pendlebury
422 games Collingwood (2006- )
32 finals
Five grand finals for two premierships and one draw
Norm Smith Medallist 2010
Pendlebury has played finals in 13 years out of 19 years in total.
Jimmy Bartel
305 games Geelong (2002-2016)
28 finals
Four grand finals for three premierships
Norm Smith Medallist 2011
Bartel played finals 11 years out of 15 years in total.
Wayne Schimmelbusch
306 games North Melbourne (1973-1987)
29 finals
Five grand finals for two premierships and one draw
Schimmelbusch played finals ten years out of 15 years in total.
Shaun Burgoyne
157 games Port Adelaide (2002-2009)
250 games Hawthorn (2010-2021)
407 games (2002-2021)
35 finals
Six grand finals for four premierships
At Port Adelaide Burgoyne played in finals five years out of eight years in Total. At Hawthorn Burgoyne played finals eight years out of 12 years in total. Burgoyne played finals for 13 years out of 20 years in total.
Lance Franklin
182 games Hawthorn (2005-2013)
172 games Sydney 2014-23
354 games 2005-23
28 finals
6 Grand finals for 2 Premierships
At Hawthorn Franklin played in finals 6 years out of 9 years in Total. At Sydney Franklin played finals in 6 years out of 10 years. In total Franklin played finals 12 years out of 19 years in total. In 2015 Franklin missed finals due to illness and in 2020 Franklin missed the whole year.
Patrick Dangerfield
154 games Adelaide 2008-2015
203 games Geelong 2016-
357 games 2008-
29 finals
2 Grand finals for 1 Premiership
At Adelaide Dangerfield played in finals 3 years out of 8 years in total. At Geelong Dangerfield has played finals 9 years out of 10 years in total. In total Dangerfield has played finals 12 years out of 18 years in total so far. Dangerfield played two games in Round 20 and 21 in 2008 when Adelaide finished 5th.
Kevin Bartlett
403 games Richmond 1965-1983
27 finals
7 Grand finals for 5 Premierships
Bartlett played finals for 10 years out of 19 years.
Tom Hawkins
359 games Geelong 2007-24
32 finals
4 Grand finals for 3 Premierships
Hawkins played finals for 13 years out of 18 years. Hawkins did not play finals in his first two years at Geelong having played 9 games in 2007 with his last in Round 16 and then the first 10 games in 2008. In 2024 Hawkins was injured for the finals with his last in Round 16.
Leigh Matthews
332 games Hawthorn 1969-1985
29 finals
7 Grand finals for 4 Premierships
Matthews played finals for 10 years out of 17 years in total.
Adam Goodes
372 games Sydney 1999-2015
28 finals
4 Grand finals for 2 Premierships.
Goodes played finals in 13 years out of 17 years in Total. Goodes missed 2015 finals after injuring his posterior ligament in Round 13.
Michael Tuck
426 games Hawthorn1972-1991
39 finals
11 Grand finals for 7 Premierships
Tuck played finals in 15 years out of 20 years in total.
Joel Selwood
355 games Geelong 2007-22
40 finals
6 Grand finals for 4 Premierships
Selwood played finals in 15 years out of 16 years in total.
Gary Ablett Jnr
192 games Geelong 2002-2010
110 games Gold Coast 2011-2017
55 games Geelong 2018-20
357 games 2002-20
25 finals
4 Grand finals for 2 Premierships
Ablett played finals in 9 years out of 12 years at Geelong but with Gold Coast not making finals Ablett would in total play 9 finals in 19 years in total for his AFL career.
Jason Akermanis
248 games Brisbane 1995-2006
77 games Western Bulldogs 2007-2010
28 finals
4 Grand finals for 3 Premierships
Akermanis played finals in 9 Years out of 12 years for Brisbane and 2 Years out of 4 Years in Total at the Bulldogs. In total Akermanis played finals in 11 years out 16 years in total. Akermanis was no longer at the Bulldogs with his last game in Round 10 when the Bulldogs made the finals in 2010.
Dermott Brereton
189 games Hawthorn 1982-1992
7 games Sydney 1994
15 games Collingwood 1995
211 games 1982-1995
26 finals
8 Grand finals for 5 Premierships
Brereton debut in semifinal in 1982.
Brereton played finals 10 years out of 11 years at Hawthorn (I did not count 1993 where he missed the whole year injured). Brereton did not play in finals at Sydney and Collingwood, meaning Brereton played in finals 10 Years out of 13 years in total.
Harry Taylor
280 games Geelong 2008-20
31 finals
4 Grand finals for 2 Premierships
Taylor played finals 12 years out of 13 years in total.
Martin Pike
24 games Melbourne 1993-1994
36 games Fitzroy 1995-1996
81 games North Melbourne 1997-2000
106 games Brisbane 2001-2005
247 games 1993-2005
27 finals
6 Grand finals for 4 Premierships
Pike played 1 year of finals at Melbourne from 2 years and no finals at Fitzroy. Pike played 4 years of finals from 4 Years in total at North Melbourne and then 4 years of finals from 5 years at Brisbane. This meant Pike played 9 years of finals from 13 years in total.
Others
Grant Birchall
248 games Hawthorn 2006-2019
39 games Brisbane 2020-21
287 games 2006-21
27 finals
5 Grand finals for Premierships
Birchall played finals in 8 years out of 13 years in total at Hawthorn. At Brisbane Birchall played finals 2 years out of 2 years in total. In total Birchall played finals 10 years out of 15 years in total. Birchall missed finals in 2010 and 2018 due to injuries.
John Blakey
135 games Fitzroy 1985-1992
224 games North Melbourne 1993-2002
359 games 1985-2002
25 finals
3 Grand finals for 2 Premiership
Blakey played finals in 1 Year out 8 Years in total at Fitzroy. At North Melbourne Blakey played finals 9 years out of 10 years in total. Blakey played finals in 10 Years out of 18 Years in total.
Mark Blicavs
292 games Geelong 2013-
27 finals
2 Grand finals for 1 Premierships
Blicavs has played finals in 11 Years out of 13 Years in total.
Jude Bolton
325 games Sydney 1999-2013
26 finals
3 Grand finals for 2 Premierships
Bolton played finals 12 years out of 15 years in total.
David Dench
275 games North Melbourne 1969-1984
25 finals
5 Grand finals for 2 Premiership and 1 Draw
Dench has played finals in 8 Years out of 16 years in total. Dench missed the finals including the Grand Final in 1978.
Mitch Duncan
305 games Geelong 2010-
28 finals
3 Grand finals for 2 Premierships.
Duncan has played finals in 12 years out of 16 years in total. Duncan was not picked for finals in his first year in 2010, playing eight games with his last in Round 15.
Luke Hodge
305 games Hawthorn 2002-2017
41 games Brisbane 2018-2019
346 games 2002-2019
25 finals
5 Grand finals for 4 Premierships
Hodge was Norm Smith Medallist in 2008 and 2014.
Hodge has played finals in 9 years out of 16 years in total at Hawthorn. At Brisbane Hodge played finals in 1 of his 2 years in total. In total Hodge has played finals 10 Years out of 18 years in total.
Steve Johnson
253 games Geelong 2002-2015
40 games Greater Western Sydney 2016-2017
293 games 2002-2017
26 finals
4 Grand finals for 3 Premierships
Norm Smith Medallist 2017
Johnson played 9 years in finals out of 14 years in total at Geelong. At Greater Western Sydney Johnson played finals in 2 years out 2 years. In total Johnson played finals 11 years out of 16 years. Johnson missed the finals in 2012 due to suspension.
Dean Kemp
243 games West Coast 1990-2001
25 finals
3 Grand finals for 2 Premierships
Norm Smith Medallist 1994
Kemp played finals 10 years out of 12 years in total.
Chris Langford
303 games Hawthorn 1983-1997
25 finals
6 Grand finals for 4 Premierships
Langford played in finals in 12 years out of 15 Years in total. Langford was not selected in 1983 finals. In 1984 Langford was dropped at the last minute for the Grand Final despite playing the semifinal and warming up with the team.
Jordan Lewis
264 games Hawthorn 2005-2016
55 games Melbourne 2017-2019
26 finals
5 Grand finals for 4 Premierships
Lewis played finals for 9 years out of 12 years at Hawthorn. At Melbourne Lewis played finals in 1 year out of 3 years. In total Lewis played finals for 10 years out of 15 years.
Andrew Mackie
280 games Geelong 2004-2017
26 finals
4 Grand finals for 3 Premierships
Mackie played finals for 11 years out of 14 years out of total. Mackie was not selected for the 2004 finals.
Sam Mitchell
307 games Hawthorn 2002-2016
22 games West Coast 2017
329 games 2002-2017
26 finals
5 Grand finals for 4 Premierships
Mitchell played finals for 9 years out of 15 years of total at Hawthorn, West Coast played finals in his only year at West Coast. Mitchell played finals for 10 years out of 16 years in total.
Luke Parker
293 games Sydney 2011-24
22 games North Melbourne 2025-
315 games 2011-
5 Grand finals for 1 Premiership
Parker played in finals 11 years out 14 years in total at Sydney and a total of 11 years out of 15 years in total. Parker missed the finals in 2015 due to injury.
Gary Rohan
106 games Sydney 2010-2018
98 games Geelong 2019-24
204 games 2010-24
26 finals
4 Grand finals for 1 Premiership
Rohan played in finals in 6 years out of 9 years in total at Sydney. Rohan played finals in 4 years out of 6 years at Geelong. In total Rohan played in finals 10 years out of 15 years in total. Rohan was not selected for finals in 2010 with his last game in Round 22. In 2012 Rohan was injured and was dropped for the finals in 2024.
Steele Sidebottom
352 games Collingwood 2009-
27 finals
5 Grand finals for 2 Premiership and 1 Draw
Sidebottom has played in finals 10 Years out of 17 years in total. Sidebottom missed finals in 2020 due to injury.
Isaac Smith
210 games Hawthorn 2011-20
70 games Geelong 2021-23
26 finals
5 Grand finals for 4 Premierships
Norm Smith Medallist 2022
Smith played finals 7 years out of 10 years in total at hawthorn. At Geelong Smith played finals 2 years out of 3 years at Geelong. In total Smith played finals 9 years out of 13 years.
Most Finals
Joel Selwood 40
Michael Tuck 39
Shaun Burgoyne 35
Players prior to 1980
Gordon Coventry 31
Bill Hutchinson 28
Dick Reynolds 27
Harry Collier 27
Albert Collier 26
Rod McGregor 25
Current Players Most Finals
Scott Pendlebury 32
Patrick Dangerfield 29
Mitch Duncan 28
Mark Blicavs 27
Steele Sidebottom 27
Luke Parker 26
Charlie Cameron 24
Lachie Neale 24
Dane Rampe 23
Jed Bews 20
Luke Breust 20
Jake Lloyd 20
Callan Ward 20
Josh Dunkley 19
Travis Boak 18
Jeremy Cameron 18
Jack Gunston 18
Josh Kelly 18
Rhys Stanley 18
Lachie Whitfield 18
Harris Andrews 17
Zac Bailey 17
Jarrod Berry 17
Jack Darling 17
Taylor Duryea 17
Toby Greene 17
Isaac Heeney 17
Jack Henry 17
Harry Himmelberg 17
Hugh McCluggage 17
Dayne Zorko 17
Gryan Miers 16
Tom Stewart 16
Nick Vlastuin 16
Jack Crisp 15
Brandon Starcevich 15
Harry Cunningham 15
Bradley Hill 15
Brodie Mihocek 15
Tom Papley 15
Ollie Wines 15
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