AFL finals teams and tips: Lions bring back gun for high-stakes final

Read the original at The Sydney Morning Herald ↗
Cite

AFL finals teams and tips: Lions bring back gun for high-stakes final. (2026, September 4). The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/afl-teams-and-expert-tips-for-qualifying-and-elimination-finals-20260902-p60tm5.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

The Sydney Morning Herald · collected 2026-09-04

Quick Summary

The article reports on the teams and players selected for the upcoming Australian Football League (AFL) finals matches. The Brisbane Lions have made several changes to their team, including bringing back star player Lincoln McCluggage from injury. The Lions' final 22-man team is listed in detail, with 17 players included and five others named as emergency reserves. The article also lists the teams for other competing clubs, such as Fremantle, Hawthorn, Geelong, Carlton, Sydney, Adelaide, and Western Bulldogs.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-05, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

AI analysis runs on qwen2.5:14b, locally

Story summary

There are three articles provided

Article 1

The article discusses the match between Geelong and Carlton. The headline is "Carlton's season ends in heartbreak as they fall to Geelong". The article states that Geelong won the game by a margin of 21 points, with their forward line performing well. It also mentions that Carlton's young players showed promise but struggled against Geelong's experienced team.

Article 2

The second article appears to be a list of teams' squads for the upcoming match. The teams mentioned are Fremantle, Hawthorn, Geelong, and others. The article lists each team's starting 22 players, including their backups and emergencies (EMG). It also includes any changes or updates from previous weeks.

Article 3

The third article is a standard AFL coverage update, informing readers to keep up-to-date with the latest news and analysis from around the league.

Written for “AFL Finals Update 2026” on 2026-10-21, grounded in this article and the 7 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 AFL Finals Update 2026
Sports · 8 article(s) covering the same event. See how they differ ↓

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
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How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
1
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 1 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
61/100
The Sydney Morning Herald's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
8
Sports
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-05 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

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Who wrote this

No reporter is named on this article.

Topics

A.Cerra H.Dean O.Florent P.Cripps W.Derksen

Subjects

EMG PERSON · 3× J.Clark PERSON · 3× B.Walker PERSON · 2× C.Scerri PERSON · 2× H.Chapman PERSON · 2× J.Amiss PERSON · 2× J.Dalton PERSON · 2× J.Ginnivan PERSON · 2× M.Reid PERSON · 2× S.Switkowski PERSON · 2×

Narrative

IN: H.Chapman, S.Switkowski, J.Amiss, B.Walker, M.Reid OUT: B.Cox (injured), J.McVee (omitted), T.Murray (omitted), B.Banfield (omitted), C.Scerri (omitted) HAWTHORN B: J.Sicily, T.Barrass, B.Hardwick HB: J.Weddle, B.Macdonald, J.Battle C: J.Impey, W.Day, M.D’Ambrosio HF: D.Moore, M.Chol, C.Macdonald F: N.Watson, M.Lewis, J.Gunston R: L.Meek, J.Newcombe, C.Mackenzie I/C: K.Amon, H.Morrison, J.Ward, J.Ginnivan, M.Beattie EMG: M.Ramsden, N.Mraz, J.Dalton IN: J.Ginnivan OUT: J.Dalton (omitted) GEELONG B: Z.Guthrie, C.O’Sullivan, J.Henry HB: T.Stewart, T.Bruhn, L.Humphries C: O.Dempsey, B.Smith, M.O’Connor HF: G.Miers, J.Cameron, B.Close F: P.Dangerfield, S.Neale, J.Polkinghorne R: M.Edwards, T.Atkins, O.Mullin I/C: M.Holmes, M.Blicavs, S.Mannagh, O.Wiltshire, O.Henry EMG: J.Martin, J.Clark, S.De Koning IN: M.Holmes, M.Blicavs, O.Wiltshire OUT: S.De Koning (omitted), J.Martin (omitted), J.Clark (omitted) CARLTON B: L.Cowan, J.Weitering, O.Hollands HB: O.Florent, H.Dean, W.Derksen C: B.Acres, P.Cripps, A.Cerra HF: B.Ainsworth, M.McGovern, B.Kemp F: C.Lord, H.McKay, T.Byrne R: M.Pittonet, S.Walsh, J.Smith I/C: B.Wilson, G.Hewett, L.Young, F.Evans, M.Cottrell EMG: J.Boyd, J.Ison, L.Reidy IN: W.Derksen OUT: N.Haynes (injured) SYDNEY B: C. Mills, T. McCartin, D. Rampe HB: S. Wicks, H. Kyle, J. Hamling C: M. Roberts, E. Gulden, J. Serong HF: J. Jordon, J. Lloyd, B. Campbell F: T. Papley, C. Curnow, B. Cootee R: B. Grundy, J. Rowbottom, C. Cleary I/C: H. Cunningham, A. Sheldrick, H. McLean, T. Hanily, J. Dattoli EMG: W. Green, J. Amartey, L. Melican IN: H. McLean OUT: W. Green (omitted) BRISBANE LIONS B: N. Answerth, H. Andrews, R. Lester HB: D. Wilmot, D. Gardiner, D. Zorko C: J. Berry, W. Ashcroft, Z. Bailey HF: C. Cameron, L. Morris, O. Allen F: E. Hipwood, C. Rayner, K. Lohmann R: D. Fort, J. Dunkley, L. Neale I/C: S. Draper, J. Fletcher, H. McCluggage, L. Ashcroft, C. McKenna EMG: L. McCarthy, T. Gallop, B. Reville IN: H. McCluggage OUT: T. Gallop (omitted) ADELAIDE B: J. Worrell, J. Borlase, M. Michalanney HB: W. Milera, M. Keane, R. Laird C: B. Cook, J. Dawson, D. Curtin HF: B. Keays, R. Thilthorpe, J. Rachele F: D. Fogarty, T. Walker, C. Ah Chee R: L. McAndrew, I. Rankine, A. Neal-Bullen I/C: I. Cumming, J. Soligo, S. Berry, L. Nankervis, H. Hall-Kahan EMG: B. Dowling, R. O’Brien, N. Murray IN: C. Ah Chee OUT: Z. Taylor (injured) WESTERN BULLDOGS B: M. Sellwood, B. Khamis, B. Williams HB: L. Bramble, J. O’Donnell, B. Dale C: R. Sanders, J. Freijah, C. Hynes HF: C. Weightman, R. Lobb, A. Jones F: J. Dolan, A. Naughton, R. West R: T. English, M. Bontempelli, E. Richards I/C: C. Budarick, S. Davidson, R. Gardner, L. Kennedy, W. Lewis EMG: L. Cleary, J. Croft, L. McNeil IN: W. Lewis OUT: M. Kennedy (concussion) Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-05
🔮 IN: H.Chapman, S.Switkowski, J.Amiss, B.Walker, M.Reid OUT: B.Cox (injured), J.McVee (omitted), T.Murray (omitted), B.Banfield (omitted), C.Scerri (omitted) HAWTHORN B: J.Sicily, T.Barrass, B.Hardwick HB: J.Weddle, B.Macdonald, J.Battle C: J.Impey, W.Day, M.D’Ambrosio HF: D.Moore, M.Chol, C.Macdonald F: N.Watson, M.Lewis, J.Gunston R: L.Meek, J.Newcombe, C.Mackenzie I/C: K.Amon, H.Morrison, J.Ward, J.Ginnivan, M.Beattie EMG: M.Ramsden, N.Mraz, J.Dalton IN: J.Ginnivan OUT: J.Dalton (omitted) GEELONG B: Z.Guthrie, C.O’Sullivan, J.Henry HB: T.Stewart, T.Bruhn, L.Humphries C: O.Dempsey, B.Smith, M.O’Connor HF: G.Miers, J.Cameron, B.Close F: P.Dangerfield, S.Neale, J.Polkinghorne R: M.Edwards, T.Atkins, O.Mullin I/C: M.Holmes, M.Blicavs, S.Mannagh, O.Wiltshire, O.Henry EMG: J.Martin, J.Clark, S.De Koning IN: M.Holmes, M.Blicavs, O.Wiltshire OUT: S.De Koning (omitted), J.Martin (omitted), J.Clark (omitted) CARLTON B: L.Cowan, J.Weitering, O.Hollands HB: O.Florent, H.Dean, W.Derksen C: B.Acres, P.Cripps, A.Cerra HF: B.Ainsworth, M.McGovern, B.Kemp F: C.Lord, H.McKay, T.Byrne R: M.Pittonet, S.Walsh, J.Smith I/C: B.Wilson, G.Hewett, L.Young, F.Evans, M.Cottrell EMG: J.Boyd, J.Ison, L.Reidy IN: W.Derksen OUT: N.Haynes (injured) SYDNEY B: C. Mills, T. McCartin, D. Rampe HB: S. Wicks, H. Kyle, J. Hamling C: M. Roberts, E. Gulden, J. Serong HF: J. Jordon, J. Lloyd, B. Campbell F: T. Papley, C. Curnow, B. Cootee R: B. Grundy, J. Rowbottom, C. Cleary I/C: H. Cunningham, A. Sheldrick, H. McLean, T. Hanily, J. Dattoli EMG: W. Green, J. Amartey, L. Melican IN: H. McLean OUT: W. Green (omitted) BRISBANE LIONS B: N. Answerth, H. Andrews, R. Lester HB: D. Wilmot, D. Gardiner, D. Zorko C: J. Berry, W. Ashcroft, Z. Bailey HF: C. Cameron, L. Morris, O. Allen F: E. Hipwood, C. Rayner, K. Lohmann R: D. Fort, J. Dunkley, L. Neale I/C: S. Draper, J. Fletcher, H. McCluggage, L. Ashcroft, C. McKenna EMG: L. McCarthy, T. Gallop, B. Reville IN: H. McCluggage OUT: T. Gallop (omitted) ADELAIDE B: J. Worrell, J. Borlase, M. Michalanney HB: W. Milera, M. Keane, R. Laird C: B. Cook, J. Dawson, D. Curtin HF: B. Keays, R. Thilthorpe, J. Rachele F: D. Fogarty, T. Walker, C. Ah Chee R: L. McAndrew, I. Rankine, A. Neal-Bullen I/C: I. Cumming, J. Soligo, S. Berry, L. Nankervis, H. Hall-Kahan EMG: B. Dowling, R. O’Brien, N. Murray IN: C. Ah Chee OUT: Z. Taylor (injured) WESTERN BULLDOGS B: M. Sellwood, B. Khamis, B. Williams HB: L. Bramble, J. O’Donnell, B. Dale C: R. Sanders, J. Freijah, C. Hynes HF: C. Weightman, R. Lobb, A. Jones F: J. Dolan, A. Naughton, R. West R: T. English, M. Bontempelli, E. Richards I/C: C. Budarick, S. Davidson, R. Gardner, L. Kennedy, W. Lewis EMG: L. Cleary, J. Croft, L. McNeil IN: W. Lewis OUT: M. Kennedy (concussion) Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country.
2026-09-05 · The Sydney Morning Herald
AFL finals teams and tips: Lions bring back gun for high-stakes final · assertive framing

Claims (1 extracted, 0 hedged)

IN: H.Chapman, S.Switkowski, J.Amiss, B.Walker, M.Reid OUT: B.Cox (injured), J.McVee (omitted), T.Murray (omitted), B.Banfield (omitted), C.Scerri (omitted) HAWTHORN B: J.Sicily, T.Barrass, B.Hardwick HB: J.Weddle, B.Macdonald, J.Battle C: J.Impey, W.Day, M.D’Ambrosio HF: D.Moore, M.Chol, C.Macdonald F: N.Watson, M.Lewis, J.Gunston R: L.Meek, J.Newcombe, C.Mackenzie I/C: K.Amon, H.Morrison, J.Ward, J.Ginnivan, M.Beattie EMG: M.Ramsden, N.Mraz, J.Dalton IN: J.Ginnivan OUT: J.Dalton (omitted) GEELONG B: Z.Guthrie, C.O’Sullivan, J.Henry HB: T.Stewart, T.Bruhn, L.Humphries C: O.Dempsey, B.Smith, M.O’Connor HF: G.Miers, J.Cameron, B.Close F: P.Dangerfield, S.Neale, J.Polkinghorne R: M.Edwards, T.Atkins, O.Mullin I/C: M.Holmes, M.Blicavs, S.Mannagh, O.Wiltshire, O.Henry EMG: J.Martin, J.Clark, S.De Koning IN: M.Holmes, M.Blicavs, O.Wiltshire OUT: S.De Koning (omitted), J.Martin (omitted), J.Clark (omitted) CARLTON B: L.Cowan, J.Weitering, O.Hollands HB: O.Florent, H.Dean, W.Derksen C: B.Acres, P.Cripps, A.Cerra HF: B.Ainsworth, M.McGovern, B.Kemp F: C.Lord, H.McKay, T.Byrne R: M.Pittonet, S.Walsh, J.Smith I/C: B.Wilson, G.Hewett, L.Young, F.Evans, M.Cottrell EMG: J.Boyd, J.Ison, L.Reidy IN: W.Derksen OUT: N.Haynes (injured) SYDNEY B: C. Mills, T. McCartin, D. Rampe HB: S. Wicks, H. Kyle, J. Hamling C: M. Roberts, E. Gulden, J. Serong HF: J. Jordon, J. Lloyd, B. Campbell F: T. Papley, C. Curnow, B. Cootee R: B. Grundy, J. Rowbottom, C. Cleary I/C: H. Cunningham, A. Sheldrick, H. McLean, T. Hanily, J. Dattoli EMG: W. Green, J. Amartey, L. Melican IN: H. McLean OUT: W. Green (omitted) BRISBANE LIONS B: N. Answerth, H. Andrews, R. Lester HB: D. Wilmot, D. Gardiner, D. Zorko C: J. Berry, W. Ashcroft, Z. Bailey HF: C. Cameron, L. Morris, O. Allen F: E. Hipwood, C. Rayner, K. Lohmann R: D. Fort, J. Dunkley, L. Neale I/C: S. Draper, J. Fletcher, H. McCluggage, L. Ashcroft, C. McKenna EMG: L. McCarthy, T. Gallop, B. Reville IN: H. McCluggage OUT: T. Gallop (omitted) ADELAIDE B: J. Worrell, J. Borlase, M. Michalanney HB: W. Milera, M. Keane, R. Laird C: B. Cook, J. Dawson, D. Curtin HF: B. Keays, R. Thilthorpe, J. Rachele F: D. Fogarty, T. Walker, C. Ah Chee R: L. McAndrew, I. Rankine, A. Neal-Bullen I/C: I. Cumming, J. Soligo, S. Berry, L. Nankervis, H. Hall-Kahan EMG: B. Dowling, R. O’Brien, N. Murray IN: C. Ah Chee OUT: Z. Taylor (injured) WESTERN BULLDOGS B: M. Sellwood, B. Khamis, B. Williams HB: L. Bramble, J. O’Donnell, B. Dale C: R. Sanders, J. Freijah, C. Hynes HF: C. Weightman, R. Lobb, A. Jones F: J. Dolan, A. Naughton, R. West R: T. English, M. Bontempelli, E. Richards I/C: C. Budarick, S. Davidson, R. Gardner, L. Kennedy, W. Lewis EMG: L. Cleary, J. Croft, L. McNeil IN: W. Lewis OUT: M. Kennedy (concussion) Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. asserted
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