Live: Lions seeking big win over Pies in battle for third spot

With the battle for third spot coming down to percentage, Brisbane Lions will have to put their foot down against Collingwood to get a big break over rivals Hawthorn.The Lions go into the final round with a 2.2 per cent advantage over the Hawks.However Hawthorn has the advantage of playing West Coast in Perth on Sunday, needing a winning margin at least seven goals more than Brisbane — if the Lions win — to take third spot.With the prize of a first final against a depleted Sydney Swans at stake, the Lions will be looking for a big win at the MCG, while Collingwood is preparing for the wildcard round next week.Follow all the action in our live blog.Fri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:20pmFri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:20pmAFL Friday ScoreboardFri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:30pmFri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:30pmSaints cited for rough conduct, staging, while Suns face more fines for umpire contactSt Kilda and Gold Coast's seasons are over but both teams have players in trouble after the Suns' win on Thursday night.Saint Dan Butler faces a one-match ban for rough conduct after his bump on Mac Andrew in the final quarter at Docklands.His teammates Hugh Boxshall and Toby Travaglia are facing fines after separate staging incidents in the second and final quarters.Travaglia was hit with a $1,500 fine (reducable to $1,000 with an early plea) for his first offence. But for Boxshall, who produced a rather dramatic fall to ground after a Matt Rowell don't argue, he was charged with his second offence and faces a $3,125 fine ($1,875 with an early plea). You can see that incident above.Ben Jepson was fined $1,500 for making contact with an umpire in the third quarter, raising concerns of more financial penalties for the Suns.The club was fined $20,000 in June after a fifth offence.Fri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:25pmFri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:25pmBulldogs veteran Tom Liberatore in doubt to play finals— reporting by AAPWestern Bulldogs veteran Tom Liberatore is no certainty to return for the club's wildcard game as he battles a knee issue.Listed as managed on Thursday night when the teams were released, Liberatore's absence for Saturday's clash with Melbourne has been explained further."He didn't finish the (training) session (on Thursday)," Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said on Friday."He's got a little bit going on in one of his knees, so we couldn't pick him. "It's not even a conservative approach. "He actually couldn't play this week, so we'll monitor that over the next few days and see how he is." ... he just wasn't fluent enough to get through the session, let alone play."We're a little bit concerned that he might not be able to play the week after."Although the Bulldogs will be without their courageous premiership hero, there are reinforcements.After resting for last week's draw against Carlton, captain Marcus Bontempelli makes a welcome return.Bontempelli has been dealing with numerous niggles across this season, but the birth of his first child last Friday helped encourage him to have a rest.The Bulldogs, at best, could finish eighth if they upset the Demons at their MCG fortress.But a defeat could be costly and send them to 10th, potentially matching them up with a wildcard game at Adelaide Oval against the Crows.Currently sitting fifth, Melbourne need to win to be in with a chance of jumping into a top-four spot.But if the Demons slip up, they could tumble down to seventh and be forced into a wildcard game rather than have the pre-finals bye.Fri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:21pmFri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:21pmHow the ladder looksHere we are going into Friday night footy, and this is how the ladder looks.The top two teams are untouchable - at least as far as the home-and-away season goes.Fremantle will face the fourth-placed side in the first round of finals, while the Swans will host whoever finishes third in the other qualifying final.The question is, who will get third spot? The Lions lead the Hawks by 2.2 per cent ahead of tonight's game, but they have the more difficult assignment against the Pies.Hawthorn plays last game on Sunday night against West Coast, and will be eyeing a big win to poach third.Assuming Brisbane wins tonight (no guarantees of course), the Hawks will need to have tonight's winning margin PLUS an extra 40-odd points, or seven goals.Fri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:17pmFri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:17pmAnother Collingwood draw?I think the Pies will get their comeuppance tonight. My Collingwood mad wife totally disagrees. Another draw would be really good. - PhillipPhillip,Last week was the first time since 1977 that the AFL/VFL had two draws in the same round.Surely we've used up all the draw energy, until say ... the grand final? #ExtraTimeFri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:17pmFri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:17pmTeams are in for Pies vs Lions(AFL.com.au)There are no late changes to either side, and you can check out both line-ups above.There was a thought that Pies coach Craig McRae might pull the pin on a few players to rest them up ahead of the wildcard round, but it's rather the reverse.Out go the injured Isaac Quaynor and the omitted Noah Howes.But the ins are significant, with Steele Sidebottom and Jeremy Howe returning to the side.Sidebottom announced a couple of weeks ago that he would retire at the end of the season, but he was then a late out for the dramatic draw against Collingwood with illness. Now he's back.For Brisbane, there is one change from the team that took care of the Suns in the Q-Clash, as Ty Gallop comes back in to replace the omitted Dan Annable.Fri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:14pmFri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:14pmWomen in Swans scandal suffering 'severe stress and anxiety', lawyer saysA lawyer representing two of the women involved in an alleged sexual assault scandal engulfing the Sydney Swans says his clients are suffering "severe stress and anxiety".Several adult entertainers are understood to have joined players at Melbourne's Pullman Hotel after being hired in the hours after the Swans' win against Essendon on Sunday night.Players Isaac Heeney, Nick Blakey, Chad Warner, Riley Bice and James Jordon have been stood down by the Swans for breaching the club's standards on drinking and staying out late following last Sunday's win over Essendon in Melbourne.Separately, police are investigating a report of sexual assault, which the ABC understands centres on a player allegedly touching one of the women without her consent.Police have not made any arrests or laid charges.Lawyer John Karantzis is representing two of the women, who he said would be claiming damages for "pain and suffering" following the incident."They're suffering severe stress and anxiety as a result of the events occurring on Monday morning," Mr Karantzis said.You can read more about this in our story here:Fri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:10pmFri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:10pmSydney AFLW coach and skipper support sanctions for banned men's playersThe Sydney Swans AFLW captain Lucy McEvoy and coach Colin O'Riordan have also spoken to the media in the wake of the scandal.McEvoy said the women's program supports the sanctions imposed on Isaac Heeney, Nick Blakey, Chad Warner, Riley Bice and James Jordon.Those five players will miss the remainder of the AFL season following club-imposed suspensions for breaking team standards in Melbourne earlier this week.Victoria Police are investigating a sexual assault allegation, where it is alleged one player touched a woman without her consent. No charges have been laid, and no-one has been formally interviewed."On behalf of the playing group, we also support the club in the sanctions that were handed down," McEvoy said."To the players, we are incredibly disappointed, as a lot of people were."We know that the actions of those five players are not a reflection of the broader club."McEvoy also said it had been a big week for the women's program - who will face Essendon at the Sydney Cricket Ground this weekend - and that the AFLW players had been working through their emotions following this week's events.You can read more about what she and coach O'Riordan said to the media in our story here:Fri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:07pmFri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:07pmSwans skipper Mills denies player rift amid scandalSydney Swans coach Dean Cox and captain Callum Mills faced the media this morning amid the ongoing scandal at the club.Five players — Isaac Heeney, Nick Blakey, Chad Warner, Riley Bice and James Jordon — have been stood down by the Swans for breaching the club's standards on drinking and staying out late following last Sunday's win over Essendon in Melbourne.Police from Victoria's sexual crimes squad are investigating a report of sexual assault, which the ABC understands centres on a player allegedly touching one of the women without her consent.Police have not made any arrests or laid charges.Mills said he was "deeply shocked and disappointed" and said he had not witnessed anything like this behaviour before.He was also questioned about the state of the playing group after the week's events and he denied suggestions of a rift among players.You can read more about what Mills and Cox had to say in our story here:Fri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:02pmFri 21 Aug 2026 at 7:02pmA note regarding SydneyAs the weekend of footy continues, we'd just like to advise that while we will post stories in the blog relating to updates on the Sydney Swans and the ongoing investigation, we will not be posting any comments relating to the team or the situation.Fri 21 Aug 2026 at 6:54pmFri 21 Aug 2026 at 6:54pmWelcome to Friday footyHello, good evening and welcome to ABC's live coverage of round 24 of the AFL.It's Friday night footy, and it's a big MCG clash between Collingwood and Brisbane.There's always plenty of motivation when these two sides play, but the Lions have a little extra this evening as they try to ensure they end the round in third spot.With only a couple of per cent between them and Hawthorn in fourth, and the Hawks finishing their schedule against West Coast on Sunday night, Chris Fagan's men will want to create as big a buffer as possible.Meanwhile the Magpies will want to knock off the premiers to tune themselves up for the wildcard round next week.I'm Andrew McGarry and I will be bringing you the action tonight, plus all the news that's around.Let's jump in!