Overcast weather couldn’t deter diehards from catching a final glimpse of their footy heroes in the AFL grand final parade before they battle for premiership glory.

Tens of thousands of dedicated Brisbane Lions and Geelong fans braved the intermittent rain as they lined the streets of Melbourne on Friday on the eve of one of the biggest showdowns on the nation’s sporting calendar.

Friendly banter rang out from fans as premiership players rode past on the back of utes, with the city was flooded with blue and white stripes and blue, gold and maroon gear.

For Geelong wingman Ollie Dempsey, who participated in the parade in 2024 as the AFL’s rising star, the experience this year couldn’t be more stark.

“It was pretty flattening ... I got a lot of people talking smack last year ... It

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