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Geelong and Collingwood will go head to head in a much-anticipated qualifying final at the MCG.

A PREVIEW OF THE REMAINDER OF THE FIRST WEEK OF THE AFL FINALS (all times AEST)

FRIDAY, September 6

First qualifying final

Geelong v Collingwood at the MCG, 7.50pm

Head to head: Cats 98 Magpies 115 Drawn 5

Last clash: R1 - Cats 10.12 (72) bt Magpies 9.11 (65) at the MCG

Last final: 2011 GF - Cats 18.11 (119) bt Magpies 12.9 (81) at the MCG

The Cats have not won two in a row since the mid-season bye but secured the minor premiership with a big win over Carlton. The Magpies are on a four-game winning streak and regained Jordan De Goey (hamstring), Steele Sidebottom (groin) and Jaidyn Stephenson (gambling suspension) as expected. Darcy Moore has convinced selectors his suspect hamstrings are sound and keeps his spot. The Cats added Jake Kolodjashnij and Tom Atkins at the expense of Lachie Henderson and the injured Cam Guthrie as they attempt to dispel lingering doubts over their form immediately following a bye. Collingwood went agonisingly close to winning last year's flag, while the Cats are 3-9 in finals since their 2011 grand final win.

Key: Can the Magpies get it together in attack against the best defence in the league? Nathan Buckley has constantly had to recast his forward 50 due to injuries and throws De Goey, Sidebottom and Stephenson back into the mix this week. Can they find the required chemistry quickly enough to kick a winning score against the stingy Cats?

Tip: Magpies by 10 points

SATURDAY, September 7

Second elimination final

GWS v Western Bulldogs at Giants Stadium, 3.20pm

Head to head: Giants 5 Bulldogs 6 Drawn 0

Last clash: R22 - Bulldogs 19,12 (126) bt Giants 9.11 (65) at Giants Stadium

Last final: 2016 PF - Bulldogs 13.11 (89) bt Giants 12.11 (83)

The Bulldogs are on a tear, winning four of the past five, with one of those victories a comprehensive dismantling of GWS at the same venue for Saturday's do-or-die final. There are strong echoes of 2016 about the Dogs' late-season surge when they prevailed in a five-point preliminary final thriller over the Giants on their way to the flag. Luke Beveridge overlooked fit-again forward Tory Dickson to stick with the same line-up that defeated Adelaide in Ballarat, while GWS have gone all in, Leon Cameron bringing in four players - Brett Deledio, Toby Greene, Nick Haynes and Jacob Hopper - who have been out with injuries. All are outstanding players but if even one suffers a recurrence early in the match it could spell the end of the Giants' season.

Key: Can the Bulldogs keep riding their wave of momentum? The up-and-down Dogs were 15th after round 14 but have been irresistible at times in an inspired run to the finals. The Giants have been the opposite at stages in the second half of the season, frustrating all concerned with their patchy form.

Tip: Bulldogs by 17 points

Second qualifying final

Brisbane v Richmond at the Gabba, 7.25pm

Head to head: Lions 8 Tigers 21 Drawn 1

Last clash: R23 - Tigers 12.10 (82) bt Lions 8.7 (55) at the MCG.

Last final: 2001 PF - Lions 20.16 (136) bt Tigers 10.8 (68) at The Gabba

Richmond's round-23 win over the Lions will see them take a nine-game winning streak into September. The Lions also had won nine in a row before running into the Tigers' brick wall. While Brisbane have home-ground advantage and were not disgraced against Richmond at last start, they are unproven under finals pressure and Damien Hardwick's men have plenty to prove after last year's preliminary final disaster. The Tigers have backed in Toby Nankervis and Ivan Soldo to carry the rucks, Nankervis overcoming an adductor injury to replace Noah Balta. Allen Christensen returns at Cedric Cox's expense in the only change made by the Lions.

Key: All-Australian Charlie Cameron led the way with 54 goals in the most potent attack in the competition over 23 rounds, but they were kept to their lowest score of the season by the Tigers in round 23. Fellow All-Australian Dylan Grimes' much-debated tight minding job on Cameron was a key part of that performance - will the Tiger prevail again or will Cameron have the last laugh?

Tip: Tigers by 15 points