Richmond and Adelaide are two of the most ferociously supported clubs in the AFL, with membership tallies of 72,669 and 56,865 respectively.
The MCG holds 100,000 people, so getting all those diehards into Melbourne's sporting mecca is impossible, not to mention the tickets set aside for AFL members, MCC members, the dreaded "corporates" and other club representatives.
It's not easy, but here's how to get your hands on AFL grand final tickets. May the odds be ever in your favour (unfortunately, they're not).
Richmond and Adelaide members
Unless you are a member who was guaranteed a grand final ticket as part of your membership, you had to register to be in the Richmond or Adelaide member grand final ballot (registration was on September 13 and 14).
If you registered you will find out at 9am on Monday morning (via email and on the Richmond, Adelaide or Ticketek website) if you have been successful in the ballot.
The ballot is drawn on Sunday night so credit cards will be charged on Sunday night, if successful. You can check online to see if your credit card has been charged on Sunday night if you want to find out early.
Club members had the opportunity to register for a ballot. Photo: AAP
AFL Members
Full AFL members who have nominated Adelaide or Richmond as their team can buy tickets between 10am and 1pm on Sunday.
All other full AFL members can buy tickets between 2pm and 5pm on Sunday.
If tickets remain, silver AFL members can purchase them between 11am and 1pm on Monday. All other AFL members can try between 2pm-5pm on Monday (if tickets are available).
MCC members
All full members can gain walk-up entry seating to the grand final by presenting a valid MCC membership card, on a first-in, best-dressed basis. It's not unusual for members to start queuing up on grand final eve or earlier.
Approximately 13,000 reserved seats are also allocated to full members in a random ballot (registration was on August 23).
Restricted members can only attend the grand final if full members do not exhaust the reserved seat or walk up allocation. Updates on this will be provided to restricted members on grand final morning.
MCC members can often queue up from grand final eve - or earlier. Photo: Simon Schluter
General public
If you're not a member of either club, the AFL or MCC there is no scheduled sale date for tickets.
Grand final packages
These are sold out, but you can join a waitlist here. Prices range from $1180 to more than $4000 for corporate style ticket packages.
Via a registered AFL grand final ticket corporate on-seller
See them here (under sub-heading no.3)
Re-sale websites
It is illegal to scalp AFL grand final tickets under state government legislation.
Grand final tickets are hard to come by. Photo: Chris Hopkins
How grand final tickets are allocated
1. Competing club members - 16,000 - 35,000
2. Other AFL clubs - 0 - 10,000
3. MCC Reserve - 16,000 - 26,000
4. AFL Members - 13,000 - 23,000
5. Medallion Club Members - 3,000 - 5,000
6. AFL entitlements/contractual obligation - 5,000 - 30,000
7. Competing clubs - 0 - 5,000
** Factors that cause variables in above numbers = configuration of the ground, number of standing room tickets made available, number of MCC "walk ups", how corporate packages are made up.
