# 2011 AFL finals series

The 2011 Australian Football League finals series determined the winner of the 2011 AFL season. The series was scheduled to occur over four weekends in September 2011, culminating with the 115th AFL/VFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 1 October 2011. Traditionally held on the final Saturday in September, the grand final date was pushed to October to accommodate two extra rounds in the home and away season.

## The finals 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, and was used by the National Rugby League until 2011.
The top four teams in the eight receive what is popularly known as the "double chance" when they play in week-one qualifying finals. This means that even if a top-four team loses in the first week, it still remains in the finals, playing a semi-final the next week against the winner of an elimination final. The bottom four of the eight play knock-out games, in that only the winners survive and move on to the next week. Home-state advantage goes to the team with the higher seed in the first two weeks, to the qualifying final winners in the third week. Games in Victoria are played at the MCG, regardless of the team's usual home ground, if a crowd larger than the seating capacity of Etihad Stadium (53,359) is expected.
In the second week, the winners of the qualifying finals receive a bye to the third week. The losers of the qualifying final plays the elimination finals winners in a semi-final. In the third week, the winners of the semi-finals from week two play the winners of the qualifying finals in the first week. The winners of those matches move on to the Grand Final at the MCG in Melbourne.

## Qualification

2011 AFL ladder :
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts | |
| 1 | Collingwood | 22 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 2592 | 1546 | 167.7 | 80 | Finals series |
| 2 | Geelong (P) | 22 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 2548 | 1619 | 157.4 | 76 | Finals series |
| 3 | Hawthorn | 22 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 2355 | 1634 | 144.1 | 72 | Finals series |
| 4 | West Coast | 22 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 2235 | 1715 | 130.3 | 68 | Finals series |
| 5 | Carlton | 22 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 2225 | 1700 | 130.9 | 58 | Finals series |
| 6 | St Kilda | 22 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 1891 | 1677 | 112.8 | 50 | Finals series |
| 7 | Sydney | 22 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 1897 | 1735 | 109.3 | 50 | Finals series |
| 8 | Essendon | 22 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 2217 | 2217 | 100.0 | 46 | Finals series |
| 9 | North Melbourne | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 2106 | 2082 | 101.2 | 40 | |
| 10 | Western Bulldogs | 22 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 2060 | 2155 | 95.6 | 36 | |
| 11 | Fremantle | 22 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 1791 | 2155 | 83.1 | 36 | |
| 12 | Richmond | 22 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 2069 | 2396 | 86.4 | 34 | |
| 13 | Melbourne | 22 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 1974 | 2315 | 85.3 | 34 | |
| 14 | Adelaide | 22 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 1742 | 2193 | 79.4 | 28 | |
| 15 | Brisbane Lions | 22 | 4 | 18 | 0 | 1814 | 2240 | 81.0 | 16 | |
| 16 | Port Adelaide | 22 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 1718 | 2663 | 64.5 | 12 | |
| 17 | Gold Coast | 22 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 1534 | 2726 | 56.3 | 12 | |

## Summary of results

| Qualifying and elimination finals | Qualifying and elimination finals | Qualifying and elimination finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Preliminary finals | Preliminary finals | Preliminary finals | Grand final | Grand final | Grand final |
| 10 September, MCG | 10 September, MCG | 10 September, MCG | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 | Collingwood | 12.10 (82) | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | West Coast | 9.8 (62) | 17 September, Patersons Stadium | 17 September, Patersons Stadium | 17 September, Patersons Stadium | | | | |
| | | | West Coast | West Coast | 15.11 (101) | | | | |
| 11 September, MCG | 11 September, MCG | 11 September, MCG | Carlton | Carlton | 15.8 (98) | 23 September, MCG | 23 September, MCG | 23 September, MCG | | | |
| 5 | Carlton | 21.23 (149) | | | | Collingwood | Collingwood | 10.8 (68) | |
| 8 | Essendon | 13.9 (87) | | | | Hawthorn | Hawthorn | 9.11 (65) | 1 October, MCG | 1 October, MCG | 1 October, MCG |
| | | | | | | | | | Collingwood | Collingwood | 12.9 (81) |
| 10 September, Etihad Stadium | 10 September, Etihad Stadium | 10 September, Etihad Stadium | | | | 24 September, MCG | 24 September, MCG | 24 September, MCG | Geelong | Geelong | 18.11 (119) |
| 6 | St Kilda | 8.9 (57) | | | | Geelong | Geelong | 17.15 (117) | | |
| 7 | Sydney | 12.10 (82) | 16 September, MCG | 16 September, MCG | 16 September, MCG | West Coast | West Coast | 10.9 (69) | | |
| | | | Hawthorn | Hawthorn | 19.8 (122) | | | | | | |
| 9 September, MCG | 9 September, MCG | 9 September, MCG | Sydney | Sydney | 13.8 (86) | | | | | |
| 2 | Geelong | 14.14 (98) | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Hawthorn | 9.13 (67) | | | | | | | | |

## Week one (qualifying & elimination finals)

For the first time since the current AFL finals system was introduced in 2000, all four finals were played in Melbourne in the first week of the finals.

### First qualifying final (Collingwood vs. West Coast)

| | First qualifying final | First qualifying final | First qualifying final | | |
| Saturday, 10 September | Collingwood | def. | West Coast | MCG (crowd: 67,379) | Report |
| | 1.1 (7) 7.5 (47) 10.7 (67) 12.10 (82) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.3 (15) 5.4 (34) 6.5 (41) 9.8 (62) | Television broadcast: Network Ten | Television broadcast: Network Ten |

### Second qualifying final (Geelong vs. Hawthorn)

| | Second qualifying final | Second qualifying final | Second qualifying final | | |
| Friday, 9 September | Geelong | def. | Hawthorn | MCG (crowd: 73,400) | Report |
| | 2.0 (12) 7.2 (44) 12.6 (78) 14.14 (98) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 3.5 (23) 4.8 (32) 7.12 (54) 9.13 (67) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |

### First elimination final (Carlton vs. Essendon)

| | First elimination final | First elimination final | First elimination final | | |
| Sunday, 11 September | Carlton | def. | Essendon | MCG (crowd: 90,161) | Report |
| | 4.5 (29) 10.12 (72) 17.17 (119) 21.23 (149) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 3.4 (22) 4.7 (31) 8.9 (57) 13.9 (87) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Carlton won its first final since the 2001 First Elimination Final. The attendance of 90,161 was a new record for the highest ever for an elimination final. This record stood until 2013. ||||||

### Second elimination final (St Kilda vs. Sydney)

| | Second elimination final | Second elimination final | Second elimination final | | |
| Saturday, 10 September | St Kilda | def. by | Sydney | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 39,205) | Report |
| | 1.3 (9) 3.4 (22) 7.7 (49) 8.9 (57) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.4 (16) 7.6 (48) 8.9 (57) 12.10 (82) | Television broadcast: Network Ten | Television broadcast: Network Ten |
| St Kilda lost its first Saturday night match at Etihad Stadium since Round 9, 2003. ||||||

## Week two (semi-finals)
### First semi-final (West Coast vs. Carlton)

| | First semi-final | First semi-final | First semi-final | | |
| Saturday, 17 September | West Coast | def. | Carlton | Patersons Stadium (crowd: 42,803) | Report |
| | 1.3 (9) 9.3 (57) 11.8 (74) 15.11 (101) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 4.1 (25) 7.4 (46) 10.5 (65) 15.8 (98) | Television broadcast: Network Ten | Television broadcast: Network Ten |
| This was Carlton's third narrow loss in an interstate final in three years. West Coast won its first final since the 2006 grand final. ||||||

### Second semi-final (Hawthorn vs. Sydney)

| | Second semi-final | Second semi-final | Second semi-final | | |
| Friday, 16 September | Hawthorn | def. | Sydney | MCG (crowd: 55,198) | Report |
| | 3.5 (23) 10.5 (65) 12.6 (78) 19.8 (122) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 0.1 (1) 4.1 (25) 9.6 (60) 13.8 (86) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |

## Week three (preliminary finals)
### First preliminary final (Collingwood vs. Hawthorn)

| | First preliminary final | First preliminary final | First preliminary final | | |
| Friday, 23, September 7:45 pm AEST | Collingwood | def. | Hawthorn | MCG (crowd: 87,112) | Report |
| | 2.3 (15) 3.5 (23) 5.6 (36) 10.8 (68) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.4 (16) 4.7 (31) 7.11 (53) 9.11 (65) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |

### Second preliminary final (Geelong vs. West Coast)

| | Second preliminary final | Second preliminary final | Second preliminary final | | |
| Saturday, 24, September 2:20 pm AEST | Geelong | def. | West Coast | MCG (crowd: 59,455) | Report |
| | 5.7 (37) 8.11 (59) 15.14 (104) 17.15 (117) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.3 (15) 5.4 (34) 7.6 (48) 10.9 (69) | Television broadcast: Network Ten | Television broadcast: Network Ten |
| West Coast became the first non-Victorian team to make the top four since 2007. ||||||

## Week four (Grand Final)

| | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final | | |
| Saturday, 1 October 2:30pm | Collingwood | def. by | Geelong | MCG (crowd: 99,537) | Report |
| | 4.2 (26) 9.3 (57) 12.6 (78) 12.9 (81) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 4.3 (27) 8.6 (54) 13.7 (85) 18.11 (119) | Umpires: Donlon, Rosebury, Ryan Norm Smith Medal: Jimmy Bartel (Geelong) Television broadcast: Network Ten National anthem: Vanessa Amorosi | Umpires: Donlon, Rosebury, Ryan Norm Smith Medal: Jimmy Bartel (Geelong) Television broadcast: Network Ten National anthem: Vanessa Amorosi |
| T Cloke, Krakouer 3 S Sidebottom 2 L Ball, L Brown, B Johnson, S Wellingham 1 | T Cloke, Krakouer 3 S Sidebottom 2 L Ball, L Brown, B Johnson, S Wellingham 1 | Goals | 4 S Johnson 3 J Bartel, Hawkins, Varcoe 2 Selwood 1 Duncan, Ling, Stokes | 4 S Johnson 3 J Bartel, Hawkins, Varcoe 2 Selwood 1 Duncan, Ling, Stokes |
| S Pendlebury, D Thomas, S Sidebottom, C Tarrant, L Ball, L Brown, T Cloke | S Pendlebury, D Thomas, S Sidebottom, C Tarrant, L Ball, L Brown, T Cloke | Best | Bartel, Selwood, Hawkins, Ling, S Johnson, P Chapman, Ottens, Varcoe | Bartel, Selwood, Hawkins, Ling, S Johnson, P Chapman, Ottens, Varcoe |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | Podsiadly (shoulder) | Podsiadly (shoulder) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |