| Competition: | afl |
| Year: | 2006 |
| Date: | 8–30 September 2006 |
| Teams: | 8 |
| Premiers: | West Coast |
| Count: | 3 |
| Minor Premiers: | West Coast |
| Mpcount: | 3 |
| Matches: | 9 |
| Attendance: | 532178 |
| Highattend: | 97,431 (Grand Final, vs. ) |
| Prevseason: | 2005 |
| Nextseason: | 2007 |
| Runners-Up: | (14th grand final) |
The Australian Football League's 2006 finals series took place between the teams that finished in the top eight in the 2006 AFL season. It began on the weekend of 8 September 2006 and ended with the 110th AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 30 September 2006. The winner, West Coast Eagles, was crowned champion of the AFL after defeating Sydney by one point.
Eight teams qualified for the finals by finishing in the top eight of the premiership ladder.
With the top eight race effectively ending several rounds before the end of the season, the push for the final two positions in the top four heated up as all six teams below West Coast and Adelaide were vying for the crucial "double chance" with only a few rounds left. With wins in the final round, Fremantle and Sydney secured the "double chance" making it the first time in the game's history where the top four positions did not consist of a single Victorian team.
See main article: AFL final eight system.
The system is a final eight system. This system is different from the McIntyre final eight system, which was previously used by the AFL.
The top four teams in the eight receive what is popularly known as the "double chance", meaning that they cannot be eliminated from the finals in the first week match, the qualifying final. In contrast the bottom four of the eight play elimination finals in the first week, where only the winners move on to week two.
In the second week, the winners of the qualifying finals receive a bye (rest), while qualifying finals losers play the winners of the elimination finals. Home ground advantage goes to the team with the higher final 8 position.
In the third week, the winners of the semi-finals play the winners of the qualifying finals in the first week, with the latter receiving home-ground advantage. The winners of those matches move on to the Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.[1]
The first week of the finals series would have significantly been different had not been successful in its appeal regarding the result of their controversially drawn match against in round five of the premiership season. Had the draw stood, St Kilda would have finished third, Fremantle fourth, defending premiers Sydney fifth and Collingwood sixth. Thus, instead of the below fixture, the week one finals fixture would have been:
| vs | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=25% | Team | width=10% | Q1 | width=10% | Q2 | width=10% | Q3 | width=10% | Final |
| 2.3 (15) | 4.6 (30) | 9.9 (63) | 12.12 (84) | ||||||
| 3.2 (20) | 7.3 (45) | 10.6 (66) | 13.7 (85) | ||||||
| Venue: | Subiaco Oval, Perth | ||||||||
| Date and time: | 9 September 2006 – 5:30PM AWST | ||||||||
| Attendance: | 43,116 | ||||||||
| Umpires: | Vozzo, McBurney, Ryan | ||||||||
| Goal scorers: | West Coast | 2: Lynch, Hunter, Waters, Judd 1: Staker, Stenglein, Cousins, Armstrong | |||||||
| Sydney | 5: Hall 4: O'Loughlin 2: Schneider 1: Kirk, Goodes | ||||||||
| Best: | West Coast | Judd, R. Jones, Selwood, Wirrpanda, Hunter, B. Jones, Cox | |||||||
| Sydney | Hall, Kirk, McVeigh, O'Loughlin, O'Keefe, Richards, Goodes | ||||||||
| Reports: | West Coast: Chick (rough conduct, charge withdrawn by match review) | ||||||||
| Injuries: | West Coast: Chick (shin) | ||||||||
| vs | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=25% | Team | width=10% | Q1 | width=10% | Q2 | width=10% | Q3 | width=10% | Final |
| 1.3 (9) | 3.8 (26) | 5.12 (42) | 10.16 (76) | ||||||
| 4.2 (26) | 5.2 (32) | 7.4 (46) | 7.4 (46) | ||||||
| Venue: | AAMI Stadium, Adelaide | ||||||||
| Date and time: | 9 September 2006 – 2:30PM ACST | ||||||||
| Attendance: | 42,208 | ||||||||
| Umpires: | Chamberlain, Ellis, McInery | ||||||||
| Goal scorers: | Adelaide | 2: Bock, Torney, Biglands 1: Clarke, Reilly, Welsh, Perrie | |||||||
| Fremantle | 2: Pavlich, Farmer 1: Crowley, Black, Cook | ||||||||
| Best: | Adelaide | Doughty, Reilly, Torney, Thompson, Edwards, Bassett, Stevens, Bock, Johncock, Bode | |||||||
| Fremantle | Black, Bell, Johnson, J. Carr, McPharlin | ||||||||
| Reports: | — | ||||||||
| Injuries: | Fremantle: Grover (back) | ||||||||
| vs | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=25% | Team | width=10% | Q1 | width=10% | Q2 | width=10% | Q3 | width=10% | Final |
| 5.6 (36) | 6.9 (45) | 6.13 (49) | 11.14 (80) | ||||||
| 4.2 (26) | 8.7 (55) | 14.10 (94) | 18.13 (121) | ||||||
| Venue: | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | ||||||||
| Date and time: | 10 September 2006 – 2:30PM AEST | ||||||||
| Attendance: | 84,284 | ||||||||
| Umpires: | Kennedy, Allen, Jeffery | ||||||||
| Goal scorers: | Collingwood | 3: Tarrant 2: Holland 1: Fraser, Egan, Rusling, Lockyer, Rocca, Licuria | |||||||
| W. Bulldogs | 4: Montgomery 3: Cooney, Robbins 2: Gilbee, Ray 1: Johnson, Giansiracusa, Minson, Smith | ||||||||
| Best: | Collingwood | R. Shaw, Johnson, Clement, Fraser, H. Shaw, Buckley | |||||||
| W. Bulldogs | West, Cross, Ray, Cooney, Morris, Montgomery, Johnson, Giansiracusa, Grant | ||||||||
| Reports: | Collingwood: Holland (charging, received six-week suspension) | ||||||||
| Injuries: | W. Bulldogs: Gilbee (ankle) | ||||||||
| vs | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=25% | Team | width=10% | Q1 | width=10% | Q2 | width=10% | Q3 | width=10% | Final |
| 5.4 (34) | 6.6 (42) | 9.8 (62) | 10.12 (72) | ||||||
| 2.2 (14) | 3.4 (22) | 8.5 (53) | 13.12 (90) | ||||||
| Venue: | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | ||||||||
| Date and time: | 8 September 2006 – 7:30PM AEST | ||||||||
| Attendance: | 67,528 | ||||||||
| Umpires: | Rosebury, Schmitt, Goldspink | ||||||||
| Goal scorers: | St Kilda | 3: Gehrig 2: Milne, Riewoldt 1: Koschitzke, Peckett, Baker | |||||||
| Melbourne | 4: Neitz 2: McLean 1: Miller, McDonald, Bruce, Robertson, Pickett, Bate, Yze | ||||||||
| Best: | St Kilda | Riewoldt, Harvey, Baker, S. Fisher, Milne, Ball, Gehrig | |||||||
| Melbourne | McLean, Neitz, Bruce, Green, McDonald, White, Carroll | ||||||||
| Reports: | St Kilda: A. Thompson (rough conduct, received reprimand) | ||||||||
| Injuries: | St Kilda: R. Clarke (hamstring), Gehrig (ankle), X. Clarke (back), Harvey (hamstring) Melbourne: Whelan (shoulder) | ||||||||
| West Coast Eagles vs Western Bulldogs | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=25% | Team | width=10% | Q1 | width=10% | Q2 | width=10% | Q3 | width=10% | Final |
| West Coast Eagles | 4.3 (27) | 8.7 (55) | 9.12 (66) | 16.17 (113) | |||||
| Western Bulldogs | 3.4 (22) | 4.6 (30) | 4.9 (33) | 5.9 (39) | |||||
| Venue: | Subiaco Oval, Perth | ||||||||
| Date and time: | 16 September 2006 – 5:30PM AWST | ||||||||
| Attendance: | 43,219 | ||||||||
| Umpires: | Kennedy, Allen, Schmitt | ||||||||
| Goal scorers: | West Coast | 6: Lynch 4: Hunter 1: Waters, Hansen, Judd, Embley, Cousins, Cox | |||||||
| W. Bulldogs | 3: Johnson 1: Grant, Robbins | ||||||||
| Best: | West Coast | Hunter, Judd, Lynch, Hansen, Kerr, Chick, Cousins, Selwood, Butler | |||||||
| W. Bulldogs | West, Johnson, Morris, Smith | ||||||||
| Reports: | W. Bulldogs: Harris (striking, received two-week suspension) | ||||||||
| Injuries: | West Coast: Wirrpanda (hamstring) | ||||||||
| vs | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=25% | Team | width=10% | Q1 | width=10% | Q2 | width=10% | Q3 | width=10% | Final |
| 3.3 (21) | 7.9 (51) | 11.15 (81) | 14.18 (102) | ||||||
| 3.0 (18) | 7.3 (45) | 10.4 (64) | 11.8 (74) | ||||||
| Venue: | Subiaco Oval, Perth | ||||||||
| Date and time: | 15 September 2006 – 6:30PM AWST | ||||||||
| Attendance: | 42,505 | ||||||||
| Umpires: | Vozzo, McInerney, Goldspink | ||||||||
| Goal scorers: | Fremantle | 2: Murphy, Farmer, M. Carr, Pavlich 1: Cook, Webster, Schammer, Mundy, Longmuir, Headland | |||||||
| Melbourne | 3: Neitz, Robertson 2: Davey 1: McLean, Yze, Miller | ||||||||
| Best: | Fremantle | Black, J. Carr, Schammer, Bell, Parker, M. Carr, Sandilands | |||||||
| Melbourne | Miller, Carroll, Brown, Green, McLean, Ward, Johnstone | ||||||||
| Reports: | — | ||||||||
| Injuries: | Fremantle: McPharlin (ankle) | ||||||||
| Sydney Swans vs Fremantle Dockers | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=25% | Team | width=10% | Q1 | width=10% | Q2 | width=10% | Q3 | width=10% | Final |
| Sydney Swans | 3.6 (24) | 8.7 (55) | 14.8 (92) | 19.13 (127) | |||||
| Fremantle Dockers | 3.2 (20) | 6.2 (38) | 11.6 (72) | 14.8 (92) | |||||
| Venue: | Telstra Stadium, Sydney | ||||||||
| Date and time: | 22 September 2006 – 8:00PM AEST | ||||||||
| Attendance: | 61,373 | ||||||||
| Umpires: | Vozzo, McBurney, Allen | ||||||||
| Goal scorers: | Sydney | 6: Hall 4: O'Keefe, O'Loughlin 2: Bolton 1: Davis, Dempster, Goodes | |||||||
| Fremantle | 4: Pavlich 4 3: Bell 2: Cook, Crowley 1: Farmer, Murphy, Peake | ||||||||
| Best: | Sydney | Hall, Kirk, O'Keefe, O'Loughlin, C. Bolton, J. Bolton, Goodes | |||||||
| Fremantle | Pavlich, Bell, J. Carr, Crowley, Hayden, Sandilands | ||||||||
| Reports: | Fremantle: Jeff Farmer (Fre) for striking Craig Bolton (Syd), reprimand with 95.85 carryover points; Justin Longmuir (Fre) for striking Barry Hall (Syd), reprimand with 42.18 carryover points. | ||||||||
| Injuries: | Fremantle: Farmer (leg), M.Carr (knee) | ||||||||
| vs | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=25% | Team | width=10% | Q1 | width=10% | Q2 | width=10% | Q3 | width=10% | Final |
| 3.3 (21) | 6.5 (41) | 8.8 (56) | 11.9 (75) | ||||||
| 0.4 (4) | 2.7 (19) | 6.12 (48) | 11.19 (85) | ||||||
| Venue: | AAMI Stadium, Adelaide | ||||||||
| Date and time: | 23 September 2006 – 3:00PM ACST | ||||||||
| Attendance: | 50,514 | ||||||||
| Umpires: | Ellis, Ryan, Goldspink | ||||||||
| Goal scorers: | Adelaide | 3: Bock 2: Bode, Burton 1: Edwards, Welsh, Clarke, McLeod | |||||||
| West Coast | 4: Hunter 2: Embley 1: Lynch, Kerr, Cousins, Butler, Hansen | ||||||||
| Best: | Adelaide | Johncock, Goodwin, McLeod, Edwards, Reilly, Burton, Thompson | |||||||
| West Coast | Cox, Judd, Cousins, Embley, Hunter, Butler, Kerr | ||||||||
| Reports: | — | ||||||||
| Injuries: | Adelaide: Biglands (knee) | ||||||||
See main article: 2006 AFL Grand Final.
| vs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Final |
| 1.4 (10) | 4.6 (30) | 8.11 (59) | 12.12 (84) | |
| 4.2 (26) | 8.7 (55) | 10.10 (70) | 12.13 (85) | |
| Venue: | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | |||
| Date: | 30 September 2006 – 2:30PM AEST | |||
| Attendance: | 97,431 | |||
| Umpires: | Vozzo, Allen, Goldspink | |||
| Goal scorers: | Sydney | 3: O'Loughlin, Davis 1: Mathews, Roberts-Thomson, Goodes, Schneider, O'Keefe, Malceski | ||
| West Coast | 3: Lynch 2: Embley, Hansen, Cousins 1: Judd, Armstrong, Hunter | |||
| Best: | Sydney | Fosdike, Richards, Kennelly, O'Loughlin, McVeigh, Kirk, Goodes | ||
| West Coast | Embley, Chick, Judd, Glass, Lynch, Selwood, Braun, Cox, Cousins, Kerr | |||
| Reports: | — | |||
| Injuries: | Sydney: Ablett (shoulder) | |||
| Coin toss winner: | West Coast Eagles | |||
| Norm Smith Medal | Andrew Embley | |||
| Australian television broadcaster: | Network Ten | |||
| National Anthem | Brian Mannix, John Paul Young, Daryl Braithwaite and Shane Howard | |||