The AFL has released the schedule for the first weekend of the finals, with the qualifying finals to be played as day games on Saturday and Sunday.

Geelong and the Western Bulldogs will play a qualifying final on Saturday at the MCG, and St Kilda and Collingwood will play the other qualifying final at the MCG on Sunday.

The two elimination finals will be played as night games.

Adelaide will host Essendon at AAMI Stadium on Friday night and the Brisbane Lions will host Carlton at the Gabba on Saturday night.

St Kilda capped their minor premiership with a 47-point win over bottom side Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday.

Geelong finished second and the Bulldogs third on percentage after they beat the Magpies (fourth) by 24 points at Etihad Stadium on Sunday night.

Adelaide (fifth) and the Lions (sixth) secured hosting rights for the elimination finals, while the Blues (seventh) and Bombers (eighth) must play their sudden-death games interstate.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said the schedule was structured to give longer breaks to the sides that finished higher on the ladder.

"The AFL's commitment to our leading teams is that they must have a full seven days preparation, wherever possible, for the opening finals match," Demetriou said.

"After this, as the finals series progresses, the greatest benefits are then always given to the sides that win matches.

"St Kilda, as the side that finished well clear in top position, needed to be rewarded with a minimum of a full week's break after a dominant performance in the home and away season.

"Geelong also required a seven-day break for finishing clearly in second position with 18 victories for the year."

The AFL said the two semi-finals, played on the second weekend, would be played as night games, one on the Friday night and the other on the Saturday night.

One of the preliminary finals on the third weekend will be played on Friday night, and the other on the Saturday, at a time to be set.

The grand final will be played on Saturday, September 26.

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