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Richmond take on Geelong and Collingwood host GWS in preliminary finals at the MCG, with the winners to face off in the AFL grand final.

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

FRIDAY, September 20

Second preliminary final

Richmond v Geelong at the MCG, 7.50pm

Head to head: Tigers 88 Cats 104 drawn 3

Last clash: Round 12, 2019 - Cats 16.8 (104) bt Tigers 5.7 (37) at MCG

Last final: Qualifying final, 2017 - Tigers 13.13 (91) bt Cats 5.10 (40) at MCG

Is there any stopping the momentum of the Tiger Train? A 10-game winning streak means Richmond will start comfortable favourites to win through to their second grand final in three years. It's worth noting that the Tigers were also at short odds to win last year's preliminary final against Collingwood, only to flop on the big stage. Geelong coach Chris Scott started the mind games this week when he declared Richmond were a better side in 2018. But the Tigers have coped with the loss of Alex Rance and Tom Lynch has added immeasurable potency up forward. Then there's Dusty. Hobbled by a leg injury at the pointy end of last year's finals, a fit and firing Dustin Martin is an ominous prospect for a Cats side that will sorely miss suspended spearhead Tom Hawkins.

Key: How will Geelong handle the loss of Hawkins? Lachie Henderson is his replacement but is more often used as a defender. Does Patrick Dangerfield reprise his deep forward role where he has proven so dangerous in the past? The Cats would have to be tempted but it could be a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul given Dangerfield's midfield importance.

Tip: Tigers by 26 points

SATURDAY, September 21

First preliminary final

Collingwood v GWS at the MCG, 4.35pm

Head to head: Magpies 6 Giants 3

Last clash: Round 18, 2019 - Giants 19.8 (122) bt Magpies 11.9 (75) at Giants Stadium

Last final: Semi-final, 2018 - Magpies 9.15 (69) bt Giants 9.5 (59) at MCG

Most premiership tilts require a little luck, and the Giants have had none to speak of this week. First Toby Greene's suspension was upheld by the tribunal in a shock decision. Then speedster Lachie Whitfield was ruled out after having surgery to remove his appendix, joining Stephen Coniglio on the sidelines. And finally, Greene's last-ditch bid to overturn his ban at the AFL appeals board on Thursday night failed, meaning he will definitely miss the preliminary final. But the Giants have proven they're capable of overcoming adversity, notably belting the Magpies in round 18 despite missing a stack of their best players. It will take something special to overcome a well-rested Collingwood side that was too good for Geelong in their qualifying final, particularly at a venue where the Giants have only managed three wins from 18 games. The loss of X-factor Jordan de Goey (hamstring) is a blow for the Pies but they'll have another powerful weapon at their disposal: an 80,000-strong crowd that will be almost entirely decked in black and white. The Magpies have rolled the dice by selecting injury-hit big man Ben Reid for his first game since round 15.

Key: In a game that could be defined by the Giants' loss of midfield weaponry, de Boer's tagging job will be more crucial than ever. There's no shortage of targets for him to lock onto but Steele Sidebottom's ability to cover ground and set up the play makes him a prime candidate.

Tip: Magpies by four points