MATCH DETAILS

2025 Smithy's VFL Grand Final

Footscray Bulldogs (1st) vs Southport Sharks (3rd)
Sunday, September 21, 2:15pm AEST
IKON Park, Carlton North • Wurundjeri

Broadcast: The 2025 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final will be broadcast live and free on 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.

Ticketing: Admission prices will be adults $20, concession/pensioners $15 and children under 15 free. Tickets can be purchased at www.intix.com.au/org/vfl from midday on Tuesday, September 16. Patrons purchasing at the gate are advised the payment method is card only.

Entry via Gate 5 and Gate 6 ONLY.

The Bulldogs Shop will be located outside Gate 6 (main entrance) at IKON Park with all the latest merch available for purchase so you can cheer on the Dogs in style!

LAST MEETING

Footscray 7.9 (51) def. by Southport 9.7 (61)
Preliminary Final, 2024

The Footscray Bulldogs brought a valiant fight to their 2024 Preliminary Final, narrowly falling short by 10 points in a spirited back-and-forth clash at Mission Whitten Oval. The Dogs found patches of momentum throughout the contest, winning their share of contested possessions early and creating late chances that kept the result in the balance.

Caleb Poulter was industrious through the middle, gathering 15 disposals and applying eight tackles that represented the Bulldogs’ pressure.

Dan Orgill added grit around the contest with 13 disposals and two clearances, while Arthur Jones injected speed on the outside with nine touches and two clearances of his own. Cooper Craig-Peters delivered one of the standout performances, amassing 25 disposals, 11 tackles and seven clearances in an impressive midfield display.

THE LINE-UP

Check back at 12:20pm Friday for the full team!

WHO TO WATCH

As a graduate of the Footscray VFL program, Anthony Scott enters the Grand Final carrying a wealth of experience and determination. His journey is one defined by resilience: after initially missing out on the AFL draft, he joined Richmond’s VFL program, only to find opportunities limited. Rather than faltering, Scott turned to amateur football, using it as a platform to demonstrate his ability and tenacity. The result was immediate and convincing – he claimed Footscray’s Best and Fairest in his debut season and has since established himself as a versatile AFL-listed player, equally capable across all three lines.

Scott’s form in the Preliminary Final was emphatic, amassing 37 disposals – 18 kicks and 19 handballs – alongside four marks, seven tackles, and nine clearances. That performance produces compelling momentum heading into the Grand Final, positioning him as a central figure on the day and one whose relentless work rate will be welcomed.

THE Footscray Bulldogs have added a VFL flag to their minor premiership, eventually outlasting the Southport Sharks in a Grand Final of wild swings at IKON Park.

The 14.5 (89) to 11.13 (79) victory at IKON Park secured the Bulldogs’ third VFL flag in the past 11 years, with club legend Tony Liberatore handing over the cup to coach Stewart Edge and skipper Dan Orgill.

The Bulldogs got off to a blistering start, kicking the first six goals of the match, but momentum swung enormously with each quarter and the Sharks seemed to have the wind at their backs when they levelled proceedings early in the fourth quarter.

> PRE-ORDER YOUR PREMIERSHIP MERCH HERE

As the rain poured down early in the third, Southport produced its absolute best and kicked the only four goals of the quarter to reduce the margin to six points at the last change.

The Sharks then levelled the scores when Hewago Oea slotted his second goal in the third minute of the final term.

With the cup seeming slipping out of its grip, Footscray fought back to wrench the premiership back to Mission Whitten Oval.

Billy Crofts sharked a loose ball from a boundary throw-in and converted to restore the lead, before a Jedd Busslinger miracle set shot from deep in the pocket and another goal to Crofts shortly after pushed the margin out to 18 points midway through the quarter.

Despite the stack of AFL talent in Footscray’s line-up, it was Cooper Craig-Peters who proved to be the hero for the Bulldogs.

The Team of the Year representative was the awarded the Norm Goss Medal for a tenacious midfield performance that included 28 disposals, eight tackles and a goal.

He set the tone early, picking up seven disposals (six contested), three inside-50s, two tackles and kicking a goal within the opening 13 minutes.

Anthony Scott (28 disposals, two goals) backed up his best on ground performance in the preliminary final with another huge effort, while Billy Crofts (22 disposals, two goals) and Oskar Baker (14 disposals, seven tackles) were also instrumental.

Adam Treloar made an electric start and had 10 disposals in the opening term to get the Bulldogs off to a flyer. He wasn’t as damaging thereafter but still finished with 26 disposals and six tackles to claim his first premiership medal.

FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS     6.1   10.3   10.4    14.5 (89)

SOUTHPORT SHARKS         1.3   4.4   8.10    11.13 (79)

GOALS

Footscray: Scott 2, Lewis 2, Dolan 2, Crofts 2, Poulter, Orgill, Croft, Craig-Peters, Busslinger, Baker
Southport: Woodcock 3, Oea 2, Foot 2, Buzza 2, Gore, Dixon

BEST

Footscray: Cooper Craig-Peters, Billy Crofts, Anthony Scott, Liam Jones, Oskar Baker, Daniel Orgill
Southport: Boyd Woodcock, Jacob Dawson, Jesse Joyce, Zac Foot, Hewago Oea

Crowd: 8,818 at IKON Park.

NORM GOSS MEDAL VOTING

Jennie Loughnan (AFL Head of State Leagues)
3. Cooper Craig-Peters (Footscray)
2. Boyd Woodcock (Southport)
1. Anthony Scott (Footscray)

Paul Amy (CODE Sports)
3. Cooper Craig-Peters (Footscray)
2. Anthony Scott (Footscray)
1. Boyd Woodcock (Southport)

Chris Johnson (Seven Network)
3. Cooper Craig-Peters (Footscray)
2. Billy Crofts (Footscray)
1. Oskar Baker (Footscray)

Harvey Hooper (Port Melbourne captain)
3. Cooper Craig-Peters (Footscray)
2. Boyd Woodcock (Southport)
1. Billy Crofts (Footscray)

Total
12 - Cooper Craig-Peters (Footscray Bulldogs)
5 - Boyd Woodcock (Southport Sharks)
3 - Billy Crofts (Footscray Bulldogs)
3 - Anthony Scott (Footscray Bulldogs)
1 - Oskar Baker (Footscray Bulldogs)