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The Western Bulldogs take on Melbourne in tonight’s decider, which is being held in Perth for the first time because of Covid-19 restrictions in Victoria.The opening bounce is scheduled for 5.15pm local time, which is 7.15pm AEST.For everything you need to know about the game, including how to watch and stream it, check out our ultimate guide.Watch Fox Footy’s massive line-up of Grand Final week coverage on Kayo including live pre-game, half-time and post-game coverage with full analysis from the best team in the business. New to Kayo? Start your free trial >Fans roast Channel 7’s Grand Final blunderFooty fans were having a chuckle at an unfortunate gaffe by broadcaster Channel 7, taking to social media to make fun of a cross-code mix-up.In an email promoting the AFL Grand Final, Seven accidentally said the match was between the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne Storm. The Storm, of course, are an NRL team — and plenty of punters on Twitter were keen to remind Channel 7 of that fact.Norm Smith judging panel revealedThe official judging panel for the Norm Smith Medal — awarded to the best player on the ground in the Grand Final — has been revealed.It includes journalists Tania Armstrong and Callum Twomey and former AFL players Luke Hodge, Harry Taylor and Andrew Krakouer.AFL boss ‘blown away’ by WAGillon McLachlan has been “blown away” by how Western Australia has welcomed its first ever Grand Final.The AFL CEO is thrilled with the way Perth has embraced the opportunity to showcase its passion for footy after Covid-19 complications meant the decider couldn’t be held at its spiritual home of the MCG.“There’s a huge energy and demand that I took for granted,” McLachlan told 6PR radio on Friday.“What’s struck me is how appreciative West Australians are. There’s a respect and an empathy for the loss the Victorians are feeling.“We might have a silver lining for West Australians, where there’ll be more big games coming to this town.“I’m confident about that. We know this is a football town.”

The Australian funnyman and one half of the popular Hamish and Andy podcast alongside Andy Lee is a Melbourne diehard desperate to see the Demons win today’s AFL Grand Final.Watch Fox Footy’s massive line-up of Grand Final week coverage on Kayo including live pre-game, half-time and post-game coverage with full analysis from the best team in the business. New to Kayo? Start your free trial >The Dees take on the Western Bulldogs in Perth tonight. The first bounce is scheduled for 5.15pm local time, or 7.15pm AEST, and Blake is nervously counting down the hours.Taking to Instagram on Saturday afternoon, the 39-year-old posted photos of himself, his wife Zoe and their two children each drinking from a Melbourne keep cup. In the caption, he explained why the gesture was so important as his team looks to break a 57-year premiership drought.“Every game of the AFL finals series, one member of the family has drunk from the sacred @melbournefc #positivelingers keep cup,” Blake wrote. “The Dees have won every game we’ve done this. Hamish Blake“I’m not saying dominating stoppages won’t be important today, but I feel secure in the knowledge we’ve completed our ritual sip, and have done all we can. “I know a lot of fans have a lot of rituals, as well as winning the contested ball today I feel if we can win the Omens, we’ve got this. “Feel free to leave yours below, I love them (especially how seriously you take it as a fan, I genuinely panicked today when I couldn’t find the cup for 2 mins) and GO DEES!!!”The Demons themselves certainly appreciated the support. The club’s social media team commented on the post: “You can’t underestimate the importance of playing your role on game day. Thank you for the commitment.”Blake’s lighthearted take on the biggest day of the footy calendar comes the week after he filmed his hilarious attempts to beat Western Australia’s border restrictions and sneak into the state to see Melbourne play in the grand final.

For a second consecutive year, the MCG will not host the sport’s pinnacle event due to Covid-19 restrictions.The AFL Grand Final will instead be played at Perth’s Optus Stadium in a twilight timeslot for the first time in the competition’s history.Watch Fox Footy‘s massive line-up of Grand Final week coverage on Kayo including live pre-game, halftime and post-game coverage with full analysis from the best team in the business. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free >Victoria recorded 847 new local cases on Saturday, the highest number of daily infections for the state since the pandemic began, beating last year’s peak of 725.Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Jeroen Weimar admitted he was “extremely worried” about the implications if Victorians breach measures to celebrate the AFL Grand Final.The Covid-19 commander warned Victorians if they go rogue, it could set the state back when they’re so close to freedom.“I’m extremely worried that large numbers of Victorians will say tonight, ‘Well, just for tonight we’ll all get together and have a good night out and we’ll take our masks off and we’ll scream and we’ll shout and we’ll have a good drink’,” Weimar said.“And as a result of that, in six, seven days down the road, we’ve got another big cluster of cases, and another big step up in our infection numbers.”In an attempt to promote Covid-safe behaviour, the official Victorian Department of Health Twitter account posted on Friday: “Whether you barrack for the Dees or the Dogs we can all kick a goal this AFL Grand Final by getting the COVID-19 vaccine and staying COVIDSafe to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our community. Remember to follow the current restrictions in your area and leave home only for permitted reasons.”The tweet was accompanied by a graphic titled “Celebrating the AFL Grand Final”, which featured a collection of checkpoints for Victorian footy fans:– Celebrate with your household– Call a mate to heckle them– Don your club colours– Belt out your team’s anthem– Whip up your fave snacks– Go all-out on home decorationsAs expected, it didn’t go down very well with Victorians.Australian Olympian Tamsyn Manou wrote: “Who writes this stuff! So out of touch … heckle a mate and whip up snacks. Our GF is in Perth. It sux. No snacks or heckling or donning of colours can change that cr***y feeling that the MCG will be empty tomorrow.”Former Boomers coach Brendan Joyce posted: “I expect our good taxpayers $ paying for this rubbish too! Arrogance & patronising.”Sports reporter Bernie Coen tweeted: “Is that serious? Whoever gave that the go ahead in Vic Gov should be embarrassed … not to mention a waste of money coming up with that condescending rubbish.”Channel 10 journalist Stephen Quartermain called it: “Condescending c**p which has been dished out ad nauseam.”Western Australia was hit by another Covid-19 scare this week, but thankfully it will have no impact on the AFL Grand Final.On Friday, authorities revealed a woman tested positive after flying into Perth from NSW without a valid travel pass this week.WA Premier Mark McGowan said fellow passengers on the woman’s flight were in quarantine and there was no expectation Saturday’s footy decider would be affected.The first bounce of the AFL Grand Final is scheduled for 7.15pm AEST.With Natalie Brown and Andrew McMurtry

The Demons are looking to snap a 57-year premiership drought, having not won a flag since 1964 — coincidentally the same year Tokyo previously hosted an Olympic Games.Watch Fox Footy‘s massive line-up of Grand Final week coverage on Kayo including live pre-game, halftime and post-game coverage with full analysis from the best team in the business. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free >Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are hoping to replicate their fairytale 2016 run by winning the flag from outside the top four.What time is the AFL Grand Final?With the match being played at Perth’s Optus Stadium, the first bounce will take place during the twilights hours of Saturday evening at 5.15pm local time, or 7.15pm AEST.Here’s what time first bounce is around the country:Melbourne – 7.15pmSydney – 7.15pmBrisbane – 7.15pmPerth – 5.15pmAdelaide – 6.45pmHobart – 7.15pmCoverage of the season finale will commence on Channel 7 and 7HD from 2pm AEST.Meanwhile, Fox Footy will be running a full day of football coverage beginning from 2pm through to 11.15pm. You can also watch a replay of the Grand Final on Fox Footy from 11.15pm.What is the Grand Final pre-match entertainment?The official festivities begin at 6.15pm AEST, including the pre-match entertainment and the performance of the Welcome to Country and national anthem.Last week, the AFL announced the line-up for the match day entertainment, including a half time performance from Perth-based alternative rock group Birds of Tokyo alongside the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.This year’s pre-match entertainment is loaded with West Australian talent, including John Butler, Eskimo Joe, Abbe May, indie phenom Stella Donnelly, Men at Work’s Colin Hay and Young Australian of the Year Baker Boy.The Waifs’ Donna Simpson and Vikki Thorn and Indigenous duo Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse will also feature.Mike Brady’s iconic performance of “Up There Cazaly” will once again be beamed into the venue from Melbourne due to Covid-19 restrictions, while Noongar cultural ambassador Richard Walley will conduct the Welcome to Country.