The AFL preliminary final shines bright as the Brisbane Lions clash with the Collingwood Magpies, in what is expected to be an intense, high-stakes game. Both teams come in with recent success, star power, and experience with techniques. This preview analyses their form, players to watch, match ups, and what we should see in this important matchup.
Club Context & Recent History
The Brisbane Lions, who had a terrific run in the finals, are the current premiers.
Collingwood, meanwhile, has been consistently searching for a flag with a great defensive structure and a history of performance under pressure.
The two have had a particularly fierce rivalry of late, including running into each other in the Grand Final of 2023.
Brisbane will want to defend their title; Collingwood will want to reclaim it.
Form & Momentum
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Key Players & Matchups
Brisbane
Athletic midfielders who excel at clearances and contested ball.
Young forwards that can impact the game while under pressure.
Leadership and composure under finals pressure will be important.
Collingwood
Key defenders who can limit the impact of dangerous forwards.
Pressure players who create turnovers and break some flow from the opposition.
Injured players who are coming back and will be fully match fit or not.
Matchup to watch: Midfield matchup is the important aspect – who ever is able to win the centre clearances and stoppages could control territory and scoring opportunities.
Gameplan & Tactics
Brisbane will probably look to dictate the pace of the match, relying on their expertise and capacity to win inside 50s and at stoppages.
Collingwood may consider placing an emphasis on applying a high pressure to force Brisbane into mistakes and transition quickly off those turnovers.
Set plays and defensive transition will be important to consider. Magpies will be looking to hurt teams if their opponents are loose if marking in a particular zone or to have turnovers.
Brisbane will need to manage fatigue, structure their rotations on field, and keep their intensity up across quarters.
Collingwood by 4 with a 55% win chance. Collingwood v Brisbane Lions @ M.C.G. #AFLPiesLions https://t.co/GRMEkgdN3d pic.twitter.com/jhoEu6ci58
— Max Barry (@SquiggleAFL) September 20, 2025
Prediction & What To Expect
This should be a very close match: scoring could be quite even and the momentum might shift.
Early pressure by Collingwood could set the tone of the match, but Brisbane's finals experience might be beneficial in tight moments.
What to watch: second and third quarters. stoppage situations, goal kicking accuracy, and how each team handles defensive pressure in their forward half.
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