AFL grand final LIVE: Get all the latest updates and scores as the Sydney Swans take on the Brisbane Lions at the MCG

The Royal Derby is in Fitzroy, home of the Lions before their shift up north – and right at the minute, it’d have to be one of the happiest places in Australia as their fans digest what was an immaculate quarter of footy from their boys.

Collingwood’s Beau McCreery wins the grand final sprint in a close race.

The short answer is, it’s not the biggest gap a side has opened, but it’s not too far off the mark.

Shocking to think that if they’d kicked a little straighter they’d be up there with Geelong’s halftime margin during their romp over Port in 2007, which saw them run out winners by 163 to 44.

Possession 53 to 34 per cent

They know they’re going to get it from Longmire – but as you can see below, Mills thought they needed a talking to ASAP, and gave it to them out on the field.

Lachie Neale isn’t getting carried away as he’s interviewed on the ground by Abbey Holmes. He actually looks like his team are five goals down.

Callum Mills, the injured Swans skipper, reads the riot act to his teammates before they can run up the tunnel.

If they can turn it around – and if any team is capable, it’s them – this will go down as an all-time great comeback.

This is scary territory for the Swans now. The Lions are taking marks in the 50 at an alarming rate – it’s coming way too easily for them. That’s 14 in the forward 50 as the youngest player on the ground heaps on the misery for Sydney.

That was eminently makeable, from right in front – looks like Hayden didn’t account for the wind there, and a kick that should’ve lifted the Swans leaves their fans deflated once again.

Talk about blowing the game wide open. Ah Chee’s second has put the Swans under immense pressure to kick the next major. This is night and day compared to their start in their last game at the G, when Geelong were all over them leading to the main break.

What a quarter from the Lions. About four minutes left in the half and they are dominating, moving the ball out of the middle with aggression and accuracy and finding room aplenty in the forward 50. Alarm bells are ringing for the Bloods.

Rayner just clattered into Brodie Grundy and came off second best. He was down on his knees after that, being seen to by the trainers, while Berry took an intercept mark as the Swans couldn’t clear it under intense pressure.

Rayner has come straight to the bench but is not receiving treatment, looks like he’s trying to get his wind back.

Daniher monstered Brodie Grundy at the centre bounce and Callum Ah Chee had a simple mark about a split second later. He looked like he’d hooked it right but it just squeezed through the high diddle diddle for a sausage roll.

No issues with that – a very tough angle and it was too far out to go for a banana kick.

Then he gets denied what looked like a fair mark – but works the ball out and it eventually finds its way from Cameron to Daniher, who chest marks it right in front, about 30 out – and kicks true.

Logan Morris took a terrific mark to set that up but couldn’t capitalise. Ditto Darcy Fort.

The Lions are staying on top here but you have to make every chance count, as Geelong found out the hard way with their famous shockers in front of goal in the 2008 grandy.

Score review for that one, which saw Joe almost toe it through while sitting down practically right on the goal line. But the Swans tipped it first…

Dayne Zorko got pinged for not getting on the mark properly there and he – and half the crowd – were absolutely stunned with that umpire’s decision. It was technically correct, however.

That was the sort of goal that will have Longmire smashing his phone in the coach’s box. Lachie Neale had time and space for four bounces as he torched Sydney before Lohmann got it with very little pressure on him.

If their form so far this year is any guide, look for a big quarter from the Bloods, who are the No.1 team for scoring in those sections of the game.

A few more stats that won’t make good reading for Swans fans: Lions lead disposals 111-78, and possessions 52-35.

Compared to how they started against Geelong and GWS in their last two games, that’s terrific from the Lions, who have taken it right up to their more fancied opponents.

Joe Daniher is the pick of Fagan’s men so far, with Rowbottom up there as Sydney’s best.

The Lions are 6-1 ahead in forward 50 marks, and 46-29 up in total marks – something I am sure John Longmire will be reminding his charges of right about now.

James Brayshaw just quipped that Cameron is more at home kicking from an acute angle than he is from right in front – and right on cue, the Lions gun proves him right.

The Lions will be fuming at themselves there – they made it way too easy for the Swans to set that up, leaving men unmarked. Wasn’t the easiest of kicks due to the distance but Rowbottom absolutely nailed it.

Joe Daniher really set that up – he is having a massive game at the minute. Nick Blakey was hit high accidentally there and stopped like he was expecting a free kick that never came.

He should’ve chest marked a lancing kick in the pocket there but somehow spilled it. Chances like that can cost you big time in a grandy…

Daniher marks strongly seconds later and snaps, but is off target.

After having the better of the very early exchanges, the Lions kinda needed that. Simple chance for Lohmann there courtesy of some strong and direct work through the middle.

The Lions then smash it straight through the centre from the resulting bounce and a quick exchange of handballs sees Lohmann notch another. Classy touch from Daniher there.

Not because of her outfit being compared to a goon bag, either – they’re fuming because her hit Hot ‘n’ Cold didn’t get a run during her set. That’s an even bigger miss than Charlie Cameron’s misfire to get the Lions on the scoreboard.

He’s one of the most divisive players in the competition so there would’ve been a few boos from the Lions fans there.

Swans in front after 10 minutes. They have won every game this season when that’s been the case.

He snapped that through after Zorko broke up a marking contest.

Another strong mark by the Lions but the hero of their finals win over GWS can’t land another major from a difficult position that gave him an acute angle to work with.

Brisbane should be a goal up but Cameron’s rada was off there…

Nick Blakey takes the first mark of the grandy but can’t find his target with the kick. The Lions then gind some success moving it down their right wing.

Uncle Colin Hunter Jr gets what sounds like a mixed reception with plenty of boos thrown in.

His effort is nothing like the highly controversial ceremony at the GWS vs Lions final two weeks ago, which saw Brendan Kerin anger many footy fans as he claimed the Welcomes are ‘not for white people’.

There were calls for the ceremony to be scrapped after that episode, and Indigenous footy great Matthew Stokes said he was sick of it being hijacked by people with agendas – but there’s also been a lot of support online for today’s version.

‘150 years of the Bloods’ is their banner slogan and judging by the sound of their roar, they might have the edge in fan numbers today

Their banner is emblazoned with one word: BELIEVE.

The side facing away from the tunnel reads ‘You’re going to hear us roar’ in a nod to Katy Perry.

And instead of running through it, they run under it.

And so has the match ball. The countdown is well underway as the teams are shown revving each other up in the sheds.

There’s shiny chrome everywhere during Perry’s set – from the bizarre vehicle she arrived in to her costume and the elaborate stage she and her dancers performed on.

And some fans have decided the theme for the performance is ‘goon bag’.

It’s a grand final tradition up there with… well, Up There Cazaly: slamming the entertainment. And Katy is not immune.

Some are calling her ‘speed dealer’ sunglasses the highlight of the performance. Others are blasting the ‘year 2000’ CGI Channel Seven has added. One wants her to finish with her Menulog song. Another is asking if the crowd forgot to clap.

But it’s not all bad for the songstress…

Through the week there were rumours Perry was being warned off performing Roar because it’d be seen as favouring the Lions.

So much for that – she just opened with it after making a spectacular entrance on a futuristic silver sled that brought back memories of a famous Aussie movie for one footy fan… and memories of Angry Anderson’s legendary 1991 GF entrance for another.

John Longmire and Chris Fagan have confirmed there will be no last-minute changes to their teams today.

The Swans are going with Braeden Campbell as their starting substitute, while the Lions have Conor McKenna.

The likes of Tom Hawkins, Dylan Grimes and Chad Wingard are makin their way around the MCG on the back of utes, with a big roar for Jarryd Lyons.

However, one very big name is missing: Dustin Martin.

The famously publicity-shy Richmond great’s absence was prefaced in the lead-up to the big game, with some fans joking that he’s not there because he hasn’t actually retired.

Dusty has been talking to the Gold Coast Suns about a possible extension to his career on the Glitter Strip, but nothing concrete has come of that as yet.

The songstress and her daughter Zipporah are currently treating the crowd to a rendition of her huge hit My Island Home, with a few differences.

Anu just called for ‘peace and calm across this great land of ours’ and is getting the crowd to sing along…

The legendary caller came out of retirement to lend his talents to the grand final once again – but he might be wishing he could take back one comment he made on Channel Seven just a few minutes ago.

Referring to the fact injured Lions ruckman Oscar McInerney is being replaced by Darcy Fort for the year’s biggest game, McAvaney told viewers, ‘Brisbane don’t have the Big O today but they have the Big D.’

And we’re just going to leave that right there.

The answer is 31. We kid you not.

Matt Stevic and Simon Meredith will lead the umpiring team. The full list is below so you can call them by name when you’re blowing up over a decision later on…

Field umpires: Matt Stevic, Simon Meredith, Craig Fleer, Nick Foot

Emergency field umpire: Andrew Stephens

Boundary umpires: Matt Tomkins, Matthew Konetschka, Michael Barlow, Daniel Field-Read

Emergency boundary umpire: Damien Main

Goal umpires: Matthew Dervan, Sam Walsh

Emergency goal umpire: Steven Piperno

Match managers: Sophia Samartzis, Scott Taylor

Timekeepers: David Flegg, Stan Pettett, Michael Sexton

Interchange stewards: Dusty-Lee Gould, Marcus Middleton

Shot clock operator: Ryan Burleigh

Umpire trainers: Bethany Rayner, Renae Wilke, Daniel Martin

Ball stewards: Eloise Sexton, James Fielding

Score review: Chris Appleton, Sean Meeking, Jared Dyson, David Parker

Brisbane have hung injured ruckman Oscar McInerney’s guernsey on their locker room door after he was forced to miss the grand final when he dislocated his shoulder twice during the preliminary final win over Geelong.

John Longmire’s crew are at the G and Isaac Heeney has spoken about the keys to victory for the Bloods: playing hard for four quarters and winning the little contests.

Bombshell stuff. That’ll be getting printed out and stuck on the Lions whiteboard right now.

The wild celebrations following the final siren today will give way to the presentation ceremony for the 2024 premiers – and if you have exceptionally sharp eyes, you’ll spot something wrong with the famous mug.

Some fans have been annoyed by the problem for years, and there’s no fix on the way.

The Hollywood star took a shine to the Swans when she attended a game while filming in Sydney in March – but she hasn’t posted about the team making the grand final as yet.

Sweeney’s co-star Glen Powell, who was also working with her down under earlier this year, said ‘the whole team slid into her DMs’, so maybe a few motivational words would help put them over the top against the Lions.

…and the Swans are currently on their way.

Charlie Cameron has just been interviewed on Seven, the first of the players to speak out today, and he revealed the bombshell news that he had a coffee in Richmond as he prepared for the match today.

And as I write this, Chris Fagan has just appeared on Seven, arranging the white board he’ll be using to school up the Lions before the match and at halftime.

Is the Brisbane boss going to hit his team with a few lines from the smash hit TV show character who revs up his players with incredibly optimistic and compassionate takes on what it takes to win?

‘Fages’ has owned up to borrowing some of Ted’s material in the past, but wanted to clear something up at Friday’s grand final press conference.

Fagan said the Lions’ use of popular Lasso had been ‘overplayed’, only bringing it out when the players were struggling with their goal-kicking.

‘We needed to laugh at ourselves a little bit, so that’s the only time I used Ted Lasso,’ he chuckled.

The league has decided to allow Sydney’s Calum Mills and Brisbane’s Oscar McInerney to sit on their team’s bench at the decider, despite both stars being ruled out of the clash through injury.

AFL football general manager Laura Kane used her discretionary power to approve the change, which meant extending the teams’ benches for the game.

GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: The link below features Big Bad Barry Hall singing Elton John and Kiki Dee’s smash hit Don’t Go Breaking My Heart during Fox’s grand final coverage

There’s heavy speculation that the Lions veteran will quit the game if Brisbane come out on top today, despite being contracted for next year.

However, Richmond great Jack Riewoldt has thrown cold water over the reports.

‘He lives in Byron Bay, he’s in the shadows and stays away a bit, but you don’t want it to leak on grand final week – you want every focus on the grand final,” Riewoldt said this morning.
‘If the Lions win today, and you get a taste of success, there is no way you’re retiring at the top of the mountain.
‘And there is no way the Lions are falling off the cliff any time soon. They’ve got a superstar team in all aspects, and once you win one, your mind goes straight to winning two.’

Here’s Demons ruckman Max Gawn showing off the Ron Barassi medal, which will be awarded to the winning skipper after the final siren this afternoon.

Barassi was part of 10 premiership sides as a player and coach and the AFL branded him the most important figure in the game since World War Two.

The footy legend passed away last September, shortly before the grand final, aged 87.

The North Melbourne breakfast is a grand final day staple, but Albo did the Kangaroos no favours when he made his speech this morning.

The PM told the crowd that the function is ‘so far this century the only way to get North Melbourne and grand final into the same sentence’ as he kicked the struggling Shinboners while they’re down after their run of awful finishes in the last few seasons.

Albo then went on to bizarrely compare himself and Peter Dutton to Liam and Noel Gallagher from Oasis – but he copped a zinger from the MC, who introduced him by saying, ‘With the cost of living rising, no one is keener for a free breakfast than Australia’s prime minister’ as Albo walked to the stage to the tune of the song ‘I Need A Dollar’ by rapper/singer Aloe Blacc.

The PM has rocked up at the grand final breakfast decked out in a white shirt and red tie.

As a Hawthorn fan, you’d expect him to be as neutral as Switzerland on footy’s biggest day of the year. However, the born and bred Sydneysider was seen wearing a Swans scarf back in April in an act that gave more weight to his ‘Each-Way Albo’ nickname.

So has he turned his back on the Hawks for one game? Or is his outfit choice an attempt to shore up some votes in the harbour city?

Want to make sure you don’t miss a single thing from the MCG today? We’ve got you covered…

12.15pm: Heats of the grand final sprint

1pm: Teams warm up on the field

1.23pm: Christine Anu performance

1.26pm: Grand final motorcade

1.33pm: Mike Brady performs Up There Cazaly

1.40pm: Katy Perry performance

2.11pm: Umpires come onto the ground, ball is delivered

2.13 pm: Sydney and Brisbane teams enter the field

2.24pm: Premiership cup arrives with Josh Kennedy

2.25pm: Welcome to Country by Uncle Colin Hunter Jr

2.26pm: National anthem performed by Cody Simpson

2.30pm: The grand final begins

3.35pm (approximately): Halftime, featuring the grand final sprint

5.10pm (approximately): The final siren sounds

The VFL/AFL has had tied grand finals in 1948, 1977 and 2010.

Here’s what the rules are if the Swans and Lions are locked up at full time this afternoon, straight from the AFL…

1. Goal umpires confirm scores are identical;
2. There is a six-minute break;
3. Teams change ends;
4. Three minutes of Additional Time shall be played, plus time-on;
5. At the end of the first Additional Time period, the siren will sound and teams will immediately change ends without a break;
6. The ball will be bounced (or thrown up) in the centre and a further three minutes of play (plus time-on) will commence;
7. At the conclusion of this period, the siren will sound and the team with the highest score is declared the winner;
8. If scores are still tied, steps three to eight are repeated until a result is determined.

No, not the big game – the Marsh AFL National Futures Boys match, which features Australia’s most talented under-17s footballers, with the two teams named after recently retired AFL stars Dyson Hepell and Rory Sloane.

The players will be eligible for the AFL draft next year, so it’s a great chance for fans to get a look at the young guns who could end up on their team’s list.

The Bloods have announced they’ve passed 75,000 members for the first time – a huge leap from last year’s mark of 65,332.

That comes on the back of more than 500,000 fans streaming through the gates at the SCG this season.

They’ve come a long way from where they were when they first started playing in Sydney in 1982, when only 15,764 supporters saw them win their first official home game in the harbour city.

Plenty of Aussies are hoping the Sorrento Moon singer will feel the wrath of the crowd when she joins headliner Katy Perry on the MCG later today.

There’s been an online campaign encouraging fans to boo the 56-year-old – and their problems with her date back four years.

Here’s another look at the wait the first fans to arrive were presented with this morning…

Here we see Lachie Neale and Dane Rampe putting the premiership trophy back on its stand after hoisting it for the fans at yesterday’s grand final parade.

A long-held superstition has it that the team whose representative takes his hand off the mug first will lose the game, so… sorry about that, Swans fans.

Here’s the scene well before the members gates opened just after 8am. Long day for these punters, who rocked up not long after sunrise.

Here’s the moment the fans started to stream into the G just a few minutes ago. The AFL claims there’s so much demand for tickets, the ground could be sold out four times over.

The biggest day of the footy year is finally here and Daily Mail Australia has you covered with all the latest updates, scores and photos as the Sydney Swans take on the Brisbane Lions at the MCG.