The AFL has announced that the traditional grand final sprint will be different this year, with just seven teams competing in the annual tradition.
The sprint heats have been scrapped, with just a final taking place at half time, with sprinting star Gout Gout to fire the starting pistol, while Olympic boxer Harry Garside will participate in the sprint.
Maurice Rioli (Richmond), Jed Walter (Gold Coast), Toby Greene (GWS Giants), Beau McCreeery (Collingwood), Nick Blakey (Sydney), Jack Higgins (St Kilda) and Murphy Reid (Fremantle) will join Garside as the eight sprinters.
Gout Gout said he was excited to be a part of the grand final sprint and picked his team to win the grand final.
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“I'm super excited to be coming to Melbourne for the Grand Final in September and firing the start pistol for the Telstra Half-Time Sprint. First time for me... and I hope I'll be cheering on the Lions! The AFL Grand Final is such a massive day, I'm pumped," he said in a press release from the AFL.
Garside's participation started as a joke between him and the AFL on social media, but the 2020 Bronze Medal winner said he was also excited to take part in the competition.
“I’m really excited to be part of the Telstra Half-Time Sprint this year... The chance to run out alongside AFL players on Grand Final day is something really special. I can’t wait to be part of such an iconic moment," Garside said.
Some fans took to social media to express their disappointment with just seven teams out of the 18 competing, but others praised the decision to just have one final.
Beau McCreery won last year's race, while Max Holmes won 2023, but Holmes will be hoping for a bigger win when his side takes on Brisbane in the grand final.