Live: Weather woes ahead of AFL grand final as Lions and Dockers chase history

The AFL season comes to a climax at the MCG with history on the line regardless of the result, with Brisbane going for another three-peat and Fremantle seeking a first-ever flag.Sat 26 Sep 2026 at 12:26pmSat 26 Sep 2026 at 12:26pmFull grand final scheduleHere's the full run sheet for the game today, with bounce happening at 2:30pm in Melbourne, which is 2pm in SA and NT, and 12:30pm in WA.1:25pm: G Flip performance1:33pm: Retiree motorcade1:33pm: Mike Brady performance1:39pm: Kylie Minogue performance2:09pm: Ball delivery2:11pm: Umpire entry2:13pm: Brisbane Lions entry2:16pm: Fremantle entry2:24pm: Delivery of the premiership cup by Luke Hodge2:25pm: Welcome to Country by Uncle Colin Hunter Jnr2:26pm: National Anthem performed by Michael Paynter2:28pm: Coin toss2:30pm: AFL grand final startsSat 26 Sep 2026 at 12:09pmSat 26 Sep 2026 at 12:09pmA wedding at the MCGWhen Fremantle made it into the grand final, diehard fans Matt Abbott and Danni Bloomfield scuttled their wedding plans to be at the MCG on the team's ... I mean their ... big day.The couple moved their wedding to Gate 3 at the MCG so they could seal their future together, then head inside to watch the game.(ABC News: Patrick Rocca)(ABC News: Patrick Rocca)(ABC News: Patrick Rocca)It's all above board.Their celebrant is real and the wedding certificate was updated to include the correct location.(ABC News: Patrick Rocca)Sat 26 Sep 2026 at 12:02pmSat 26 Sep 2026 at 12:02pmToday could equal wettest AFL grand final on recordAfter days of beautiful summery weather, Melbourne is once again doing what it does best: rain and a winter-like maximum of 15 degrees.Cold southerly winds will make temperatures feel like the low teens for much of the day and there could be a thunderstorm this morning.The weather bureau is predicting up to 9 millimetres of rain, which would equal the wettest grand final in 2002."It's pretty miserable weather in Melbourne," senior meteorologist David Crock says."Not only is there rain coming in from the north-west on the radar but what doesn't show up on the radar is the drizzle that's been across much of the city through the early hours of this morning."If those falls today are heavier, it'll set a new record.Back in 2002, Brisbane won the premiership.A huge crowd was already waiting outside the MCG early this morning. (ABC News: Sean McDonald)(ABC News: Sean McDonald)Sat 26 Sep 2026 at 11:46amSat 26 Sep 2026 at 11:46amFlights delayed and cancelled out of BrisbaneFirst of all, let's talk about the drama at Brisbane Airport.Some flights have been delayed and at least one cancelled due to the weather in Melbourne, leaving a lot of nervous Lions fans scrambling to make it to the game.The 10:55am Virgin flight out of Brisbane has been cancelled, but given that was set to land at 1:20pm in Melbourne, just an hour before the bounce, you'd hope that doesn't have a lot of footy fans on it.Daniel from Wilston told ABC Radio Brisbane he and his eight-year-old son's flight had been delayed."There's a bit of apprehension to make sure that this plane's gonna take off," he said.Peter Doherty from Brisbane Airport said the inclement weather in Melbourne was to blame."There's no issue in Brisbane in terms of anything happening at our port," he says."The issue is in Melbourne the weather is extremely bad."So for any flights heading to Melbourne, whether they're going from Brisbane or Sydney or Adelaide or Perth, all those flights bound for Melbourne have around a one-hour delay."Sat 26 Sep 2026 at 11:39amSat 26 Sep 2026 at 11:39amWelcome to ABC Sport's coverage of the 2026 AFL grand final(Getty Images)Good morning footy fans, and welcome to a wet and wintery Melbourne as we celebrate the biggest the day on the AFL calendar.It's grand final day my friends, and the Brisbane Lions and Fremantle Dockers are looking to create history on that one day in September.My name is Kyle Pollard and I'll be joined by a host of ABC reporters throughout the day as the Lions and the Dockers both look to create their own part of historyLet's get into it!