A finals-like atmosphere will surround the MCG in the final round of the 2019 AFL Premiership season when Collingwood faces Essendon and Richmond hosts the Brisbane Lions ahead of September.
The Magpies and Bombers will open the final home-and-away round of the season under lights on Friday August 23 at 7.50pm.
Both clubs currently sit sixth and seventh on the ladder and are aiming to secure a home final to open their September campaigns.
The resurgent Richmond host the Lions on Sunday August 25 at 3.20pm in what could be a clash for the winner to earn the right to host a home Qualifying Final.
Brisbane, who have stormed up the ladder in 2019, will be part of the September action for the first time in a decade.
Coincidently, the last time these four clubs faced each other in the final round of the home-and-away season was back in the inaugural season of the national competition in 1987.
Brisbane, then known as the Bears, inflicted a 56-point defeat over Richmond under lights on a Friday night to hand the Tigers the wooden spoon while, on a Sunday afternoon, the Magpies won a thrilling high-scoring encounter against the Bombers by five points.
Collingwood and Essendon have already played a thriller earlier this season on Anzac Day when 92,241 – the biggest crowd of the season-to-date – saw the Magpies hold onto win an epic contest by four points.
Since 1987, the MCG has hosted five final round clashes between the Magpies and Bombers. The last was in 2015 when Essendon scored a three-point win.
The Lions will have to reverse recent history against the Tigers.
They haven’t beaten Richmond at the MCG since 2009 – their last finals campaign – and only won three of 20 clashes played at the ground between the two clubs. The Tigers have won the past 12 matches against the Lions.
Visitor tickets and reserved seats for MCC members, as well as general public tickets, for both matches will be on sale from 9am on Wednesday August 7.
AFL Round 23 matches at the MCG
Friday August 23
Collingwood vs Essendon (7.50pm)
Sunday August 25
Richmond vs Brisbane Lions (3.20pm)