AFL finals: West Coast to play Collingwood at Optus Stadium in elimination final

West Coast will play Collingwood in next week’s elimination final after the Magpies failed to beat Port Adelaide at the Gabba.

The Magpies entered the match knowing a win would earn them the right to host a final in Queensland, but a loss would see them sent to Perth for seven days of hotel quarantine and a match against the Eagles.

The 9.7 (61) to 7.3 (45) result ensured Port Adelaide finished top of the table — their first minor premiership in 14 years — and will now host Geelong in the qualifying final.

The other qualifying final will be between Brisbane and Richmond while St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs will battle in an elimination final.

West Coast thrashed Collingwood by 66 points when the two sides last met in Perth in round eight. Collingwood were without Jordan de Goey and Steele Sidebottom that day and then lost captain Scott Pendlebury after he injured his quad during the warm up.

Pendlebury and de Goey will both play during the finals but Sidebottom remains unavailable after returning to Victoria to be at the birth of his first child.

Collingwood had a tough time in the Perth hub earlier this year, winning only one of their three games. Coach Nathan Buckley and his assistant Brenton Sanderson were also fined $25,000 after breaching the AFL’s COVID-19 rules by playing tennis with Alicia Molik during their stay.

West Coast are already back in Perth serving 14 days of home quarantine and are hoping to add a host of big names to their team for the final.

Jamie Cripps is available after missing the last four games to be at the birth of his son. Josh Kennedy will also play despite injuring his ankle in West Coast’s last game.

Luke Shuey (hamstring), Jack Redden (thumb), Lewis Jetta (calf) and Mark Hutchings (hamstring) should all be available.

Jeremy McGovern (hamstring) is pushing to be fit and appears unlikely, while Elliot Yeo (osteitis pubis) won’t play.