AFL Finals 2023: All the semi-final teams and expert tips

The Blues and Dees have battled selection headaches all week as they both look for solutions up forward, now we know the answers. Check out the teams and tips for the semi-finals here.

A battered and bruised Melbourne has dumped premiership defender Michael Hibberd for Friday night’s semi-final showdown with Carlton as the Blues chose Matt Kennedy ahead of Jack Silvagni as their replacement for sidelined forward Harry McKay.

The Demons and the Blues were forced into changes due to injury and suspension and both opted to go with small, more mobile forward structures.

Hibberd, 33, may have played his last game of AFL football after announcing he will retire at the end of the Demons’ season.

He was dropped from the side that lost to Collingwood in last week’s qualifying final, while the Demons will also be without Angus Brayshaw (concussion) and Jacob van Rooyen (suspended) for the Blues.

Melbourne brought back Adam Tomlinson to hold down a defensive role, while James Jordon and Charlie Spargo were also elevated into the team to the fill of Brayshaw and van Rooyen.

They resisted the temptation to go back to Brodie Grundy as a potential forward, and will use Spargo in a forward role.

Michael Hibberd has been dropped by Melbourne. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Matt Kennedy hasn’t played since round 17 when he suffered a high grade medial collateral ligament injury to his knee.

He has shown in the past the capacity to play a variety of the roles for the club and is strong overhead for his size, which is something coach Michael Voss would have considered when he was trying to find a replacement for McKay, who is in concussion protocols.

He could also play a defensive role on key Melbourne intercept defender Jake Lever.

Voss said Silvagni was “certainly available to play”, but his lack of conditioning in his recovery from another knee strain was always likely to go against him.

“He got through (the fitness test), so he is certainly available to play,” Voss said of Silvagni.

“I guess the question we have to ask is if he is ready to come in, without having obviously played a game first?”

Voss said: “(Kennedy) has played a fair bit forward as well, and with his size there’s an advantage as well … he’s managed to get a fair bit of work under his belt particularly in the last month – not just from a training perspective, but (he was) lucky enough to get a game last week as well so that certainly puts him in a good position to come in,“ Voss said.

Voss said his side had taken a smaller forward line into games with success, but being armed with enough aerial threats to trouble Melbourne would be crucial to combat Lever and Steven May.

“Clearly having an aerial presence is going to be pretty important, there’s obviously a couple of players down there (for Melbourne) who go well in the intercept game, and defend as well as any team in the competition,” he said.

Matt Kennedy is back for Carlton. Pic: Michael Klein

Voss refuted suggestions the elimination final triumph over Sydney, the first finals victory for the club since 2013, had sapped his side of the hunger to win ahead of another MCG blockbuster.

“We’re the only team in the last two or three years that hasn’t played in finals, and that hasn’t changed for us,” Voss said.

“To be able to go into last week and see the excitement, joy and smiles on our fans and see the players and the reward they got from that, how can that not make you hungrier, how can that not make you want more of that?“

McKay ran and undertook some light ball handling drills at Ikon Park on Thursday morning, as Voss said he looked well placed to exit the concussion protocols on time next week.

“(McKay) is pretty good, he seems to have bounced OK … with the concussion protocols, there’s a few steps to roll through, but certainly with the initial ones he’s pretty good,” Voss said.

“He’d love to be playing, clearly, but he’s out here having a run around which is a good sign.”

The Giants will welcome back former skipper Stephen Coniglio for the clash against the Power as they look to build on the momentum from their elimination final win over St Kilda.

As for their opponents, Port have had a number of injury concerns leading up to the semi final. Charlie Dixon will return in place of former Giant, Jeremy Finlayson, while Trent McKenzie has been named despite being in doubt for much of the week.

“I’d rather be in our position in terms of not having to worry about players positionally,” Giants coach Adam Kingsley said.

“It won’t really change what we do. Match-up wise it makes it a little bit more difficult to prepare and a bit more unpredictable until the moment before the game.

“Their structure is relatively predictable and it’s talls in front of the ball and smalls … it’s not worth us worrying about too much.

“We’re really healthy, as healthy as we’ve been all year. It enables you to put as close to your best team as you possibly can out on the park.”

SEMI-FINAL TEAMS

AFL FINALS WEEK 2 TEAMS AND FIXTURE (All times AEST)

MELBOURNE v CARLTON

Friday September 15, 7:50pm at the MCG

DEMONS

B: Lever, Tomlinson, Bowey

HB: McVee, May, Salem

C: Hunter, Oliver, Langdon

HF: Jordon, Fritsch, Petracca

F: Sparrow, McDonald, Neal-Bullen

I/C: Spargo, Rivers, Smith, Chandler

EMG: Grundy, Hibberd, Laurie, Schache

IN: Tomlinson, Jordon, Spargo

OUT: Hibberd (omitted), van Rooyen (suspension), Brayshaw (injured), Laurie (sub)

BLUES

B: Kemp, Weitering, Newman

HB: Cincotta, McGovern, Saad

C: Acres, Cripps, Cottrell

HF: Docherty, De Koning, Owies

F: Fogarty, Curnow, Motlop

FOL: Pittonet, Cerra, Walsh

I/C: Marchbank, Hewett, Cunningham, Kennedy

EMG: Dow, Hollands, Fisher, Durdin

IN: Kennedy

OUT: Martin (suspension), McKay (injured)

PORT ADELAIDE v GWS GIANTS

Saturday September 16, 7:40pm at Adelaide Oval

POWER

B: Jones, Aliir, Houston

HB: Bergman, McKenzie, Burton

C: Butters, Drew, Boak

HF: Rioli, Marshall, McEntee

F: Byrne-Jones, Dixon, Powell-Pepper

FOL: Lycett, Wines, Rozee

EMG: Williams, Finlayson, Evans, Hayes

IN: Dixon

OUT: Finlayson, Williams (both omitted)

GIANTS

B: Buckley, Taylor, Idun

HB: Ash, Himmelberg, Whitfield

C: Callaghan, Green, Kelly

HF: Bedford, Riccardi, Daniels

F: Lloyd, Hogan, Greene

FOL: Briggs, Ward, Coniglio

I/C: Cumming, Perryman, Keeffe Brown

EMG: Haynes, Angwin, O’Halloran, Preuss

IN: Coniglio

OUT: O’Halloran (omitted), Haynes (sub)