Footscray Bulldogs coach Stewart Edge and captain Daniel Orgill and Southport Sharks co-captain Jacob Dawson and coach Matthew Primus with the 2025 Smithy’s VFL premiership cup. Picture: James Wiltshire/AFL Photos

Your match day guide for the 2025 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final between the Footscray Bulldogs and Southport Sharks at IKON Park

2025 SMITHY’S VFL GRAND FINAL

Footscray Bulldogs vs Southport Sharks
Sunday, September 21
2:15pm AEST
IKON Park
Entry via Gate 5 and Gate 6 from 1:00pm

BROADCAST

The 2025 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final will be broadcast live and free by the Seven Network via 7mate in Victoria and 7plus nationally. The match will also be streamed live and free on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App.

RADIO

An audio broadcast of the Smithy’s VFL Grand Final will be available via the match centre on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App. The coverage will be hosted by State of Play host Joe Pignataro, Peter Marcato and Josh Heriot, with special comments provided by Port Melbourne captain Harvey Hooper and Coburg coach Jamie Cassidy McNamara.

MATCH CENTRE

Click here to access the match centre for team stats, player stats and broadcast streams.

TICKETING

Admission prices are adults $20, concession/pensioners $15 and children under 15 free. Tickets can be purchased at www.intix.com.au/org/vfl. Patrons purchasing at the gate are advised the payment method is card only.

MEDIA ACCREDITATION

Existing VFL and AFL media accreditation will remain in place and valid for the 2025 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final.

TEAMS

FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS
B: Jedd Busslinger (5), Liam Jones (19), Nick Coffield (17)
HB: Taylor Duryea (15), Ryan Gardner (43), Lachie Jaques (11)
C: Oskar Baker (13), Adam Treloar (1), Arthur Jones (32)
HF: Josh Dolan (26), Cale Poulter (25), Cooper Hynes (6)
F: Luke Kennedy (35), Jordan Croft (16), Will Lewis (64)
R: Lachlan Smith (40), Anthony Scott (28), Dan Orgill (50)
INT: Michael Sellwood (37), Billy Crofts (54), Cooper Craig-Peters (61), Zac Walker (41), Fred Valpied (53)
23rd Player: Fred Valpied (53)
EMG: Josh Kellett (57), Luca Muratore (68), Ethan Hunt (56), Phoenix Spicer (63), Josh Gilbee (69)

IN: Taylor Duryea
OUT: Josh Kellett (omitted)

SOUTHPORT SHARKS
B: Jack Sexton (16), Max Spencer (6), Matt McGuinness (14)
HB: Jesse Joyce (25), Nick Williams (30), Will Sexton (11)
C: Michael Manteit (4), Elijah Reardon (26), Jay Lockhart (12)
HF: Jackson Edwards (21), Max Pescud (42), Josh Gore (19)
F: Hugh Dixon (29), Wylie Buzza (15), Campbell Lake (33)
R: Brayden Crossley (20), Jacob Dawson (3), Zac Foot (2)
INT: Boyd Woodcock (1), Keegan Gray (17), Hewago Oea (8), Finn Hay (39), Brock Aston (32)
EMG: Christian Webster (22), Harry Sullivan (31), Justin Krok (44), Riley Bowman (7), Charlie Rowe (40), Taine Dawson (24), Owen Collins (27), Matt Hollier (34)

No change

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Southport holds a 3-0 record against Footscray. The sides have never met at IKON Park.

Last time: Footscray 7.9 (51) def by Southport 9.7 (61) – Preliminary Final 2024, Mission Whitten Oval

UMPIRES

FIELD: Joseph O’Brien (16), Samuel Ferguson (23), Joel Clamp (34). Emergency: Samuel Whetton (4)
BOUNDARY: Harrison Bell, Mitchell O’Neill, Mitchell Dorling, Samuel Button
GOAL: James Rizio, Georgie Henderson. Emergency: John Varker

Goal umpire Georgie Henderson will make history as the first female to officiate a VFL Grand Final.

MATCH FACTS

– The 2025 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final will be contested by this year’s minor premiers the Footscray Bulldogs and last year’s beaten grand finalists the Southport Sharks.

-The Bulldogs last reached the VFL Grand Final in 2016 when they claimed their second premiership in three years by defeating the Casey Demons by 31 points. It followed a 22-point win over the Box Hill Hawks in the 2014 decider.

– Footscray enters the Smithy’s VFL Grand Final on a 13-match winning streak. After finishing the home and away season in first spot with a 15-3 record, they accounted for Frankston by 80 points in the qualifying final before beating the Box Hill Hawks by 31 points in the preliminary final.

– Southport will play in the Smithy’s VFL Grand Final for the third time in four seasons as it continues its chase for its first VFL premiership. The Sharks went down to Werribee by six last year, having been beaten by the Casey Demons by 32 points in the 2022 decider.

– Southport finished the 2025 home and away season in third spot on the ladder with a 13-4-1 record. They defeated the Box Hill Hawks by 21 points at Box Hill City Oval in the qualifying final, before smashing Frankston by 88 points at Fankhauser Reserve in the preliminary final.

– Footscray and Southport haven’t met during the 2025 season, with their last meeting coming in last year’s preliminary final when the Sharks claimed an upset 10-point win at Mission Whitten Oval.

– The Norm Goss Medal will be awarded to the best player on the ground. 2016 Norm Goss medallist Lin Jong will present the medal.

– Western Bulldogs Hall of Fame and Team of the Century member Tony Liberatore will present the cup if the Footscray Bulldogs win.

– Southport Sharks president Clayton Glenister will present the cup if the Sharks win.