RICHMOND will make its long-awaited return to the finals in an elimination blockbuster against Carlton at the MCG next Sunday.

Collingwood's defeat at the hands of North Melbourne on Sunday means it will host Port Adelaide at the MCG on Saturday night in another elimination final.

Click here for full ticketing information for week one of the 2013 Toyota AFL Finals Series

Geelong will play a home final at Simonds Stadium for the first time in its history, the AFL announced on Saturday night.

 

Despite strong protests from opponent Fremantle during the week, the League confirmed the two clubs would square off in a qualifying final at the 34,000 capacity ground, with the match to be played at 2.20pm AEST next Saturday.

Each final will be screened live on Channel 7 in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and Brisbane. 

Last year's elimination final between the Cats and Freo attracted a crowd of 44,460 at the MCG but AFL chief Andrew Demetriou defended this year's fixturing of the match. 

"Based on all our calculations and all the historical information we think that game would've got 28-30,000 [if it was played] at Etihad Stadium," Demetriou said.

"On that basis we felt it was important to play at Simonds Stadium where you've got a capacity of 33,000 and we expect that game to sell out.

"Out of those 43,000, about 1,000 supporters from Freo came over for the game, we had about 10,000 MCC members and we had about 6,000-odd supporters that used their series ticket for that game.

"We still believe it's the right decision. We believe we'll get more people at Simonds Stadium."

 

With all four week-one finals matches in Victoria, the AFL investigated playing a double-header at the MCG but Demetriou said the League didn't want to trial it during the finals. 

On Thursday, Fremantle president Steve Harris released a strongly worded statement urging the AFL to avoid Simonds Stadium.

 "The club is strongly of the view that the location, capacity and facilities available at either the MCG or Etihad Stadium are superior to those available at Simonds Stadium in Geelong, and either venue is more deserving of staging what would be an eagerly anticipated finals game involving two top four teams," Harris said.

"It is inconceivable that a venue such as Simonds Stadium, with a capacity of 33,500…would be considered for a game that is likely to attract 40,000 to 50,000 people, including several thousand people from Perth who would travel to Melbourne to see the game."