Brownlow Medal

The following is the time line for the the Grand Final day events including key times for match and TV related activities.   All times are listed first in Australian AEST and then in US EDT.  This is based on information from the AFL and past history.  (Updated with honored legends, etc.):

Time AEST/US EDT  Event             
9:00 AM / 7:00 PM NAB AFL U/16 Division 2 Grand Final - Queensland v New South Wales (live on AFL.com.au)  Coverage on the AFL web site will commence from 8.50 AM AEST / 6:50 PM EDT.  (Moved to Visy Park because of weather.)
10:38 AM / 8:38 PM NAB AFL U/16 Division 2 Grand Final concludes
10:50 AM / 8:50 PM NAB AFL U/16 Division 1 Grand Final - Victoria Country v South Australia (live on AFL.com.au)  (Moved to Visy Park because of weather.)
11:34 AM / 9:34 PM Division 1 half time TAC Presentation /  Gillette AFL Grand Final Sprint heats
12:40 PM / 10:40 PM NAB AFL U/16 Division 1 Grand Final concludes
12:42 PM / 10:42 PM On-field presentation of Div. 1 and 2 Grand Final awards       
12:55 PM / 10:55 PM Delivery of match footballs to Umpires
1.00 PM / 11:00 PM On-field pre-match set up
1.10 PM – 1.25 PM / 11:10 PM – 11:25 PM Preliminary on-field warm-up opportunity for competing clubs
1:25 PM / 11:25 PM Stage and sound set in centre square
1:30 PM / 11:30 PM Pre-match entertainment begins
featuring Jimmy Barnes and Mark Seymour
1:30 PM / 11:30 PM International TV feed begins including coverage on ESPN Classic and ESPN360

The following is the time line for the the Grand Final day events including key times for match and TV related activities.   All times are listed first in Australian AEST and then in US EDT.  This is based on information from the AFL and past history.  (We have an article on the days events and entertainers with details here.)  (Updated with honored legends, olympians, etc.):

Time AEST/US EDT  Event             
9:00 AM / 7:00 PM NAB AFL U/16 Division 2 Grand Final - Northern Territories v Tasmania (live on AFL.com.au)  Coverage on the AFL web site will commence from 8.50 AM AEST / 6:50 PM EDT and be hosted by Peter Donegan and Jason Bennett. AFL Youth and High Performance Coordinator Jason McCartney and AIS-AFL High Performance Coach Alan McConnell will provide special comments.
10:40 AM / 8:40 PM NAB AFL U/16 Division 2 Grand Final concludes
10:55 AM / 8:55 PM NAB AFL U/16 Division 1 Grand Final - Victoria Metro v Western Australia
11:37 AM / 9:37 PM Division 1 half time - Grand Final Sprint heats
12:39 PM / 10:39 PM NAB AFL U/16 Division 1 Grand Final concludes
12:43 PM / 10:43 PM On-field presentation of Div. 1 and 2 Grand Final awards       
12.55 PM / 10:55 PM On-field pre-match set up
1:10 PM / 11:10 PM Delivery of match footballs to Umpires
1.15 PM – 1.30 PM / 11:15 PM – 11:30 PM On-field warm-up opportunity for competing clubs
Stage and sound set in centre square
1:30 PM / 11:30 PM International TV feed begins including coverage on Setanta

No Grand Final this year, but still a good ending for Bulldog Cooney

Western Bulldog midfielder Adam Cooney has won the 2008 Brownlow Medal,  the first number one draft pick to do so. Brisbane Lion Simon Black, who won the prestigious medal in 2002, led for much of the evening's count, which is done on a round by round basis. Cooney's Round 21 performance took him ahead of Black on 23 votes and Cooney won with 24 votes. Cooney is also the first Bulldog player to win the award since former ruckman Scott Wynd took out the award in 1992.

New Melbourne Chairman caps long climb up the ladder

As an eighteen year old Dubliner, Jim Stynes arrived in Australia to play AFL footy for the first time. He was a Gaelic footballer with the Ballyboden Club, and answered a 1984 Irish newspaper advertisement, looking for 'talented Gaelic footballers’