AFL boss rejects claims 'ridiculous' wildcard round 'rewards mediocrity'
Updated . First published
AFL boss Andrew Dillon has hit back at claims the newly introduced wildcard round "rewards mediocrity", arguing it provides "more games of consequence" and pointing out some teams that missed finals footy in recent seasons won more than 50 per cent of their matches.
The league confirmed on Monday that in 2026 a total of 10 teams would compete in the finals series, rather than the traditional eight.
The wildcard round will be played on the usual pre-finals bye weekend, with two elimination matches set to take place between teams ranked seventh to 10th on the ladder.
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The highest-ranked winner from those two matches will secure seventh spot and the other winner will move into the first full week of finals in eighth position.
Teams who finish in the top six on the ladder will receive a week off after round 24.
Carlton great Brendon Fevola slammed the initiative as "ridiculous" and labelled it "the most drastic change in the history of the AFL".
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon. Getty
Dillon defended the move when he addressed the press.
"What we feel is by expanding the finals series we will have more games of consequence during the home-and-away [season], which we know fans love. We know our fans will go to those games, we know that they will watch them in numbers," the AFL's chief executive said.
"I think if you look at the ladder over the last few years, and you see the teams that are finishing in ninth and 10th, and this year is a great example, the Bulldogs won well more than 50 per cent of the games, had a percentage of over 130, you had the Swans that won over 50 per cent of the games.
"I don't think it rewards mediocrity. I think it provides opportunity and more games of consequence. Our fans love finals, and they love games of consequence."
Under the new system, both the Sydney Swans and Western Bulldogs would have qualified for finals based on their 2025 results.
Sydney defender Dane Rampe and GWS captain Toby Greene contending for the ball. Cameron Spencer via Getty Images
The change means more than half of the league will be part of the finals series in 2026.
Dillon was asked a cheeky question in his press conference: if Essendon wins a final after finishing ninth or 10th, will it count as a finals win and thus break its infamous finals drought?
Dillon answered in the affirmative.
He also admitted that winning a flag would be even tougher for the sides that ended up in the wildcard round, given they would not have the luxury of the pre-finals bye.
"It certainly will make it harder but what it does do then is make the gap between sixth and seventh — that will be something the clubs will be striving for," Dillon said.
"What we do then, we see during the finals, a big difference between first and second because you get the home final, third and fourth because you get the double chance, and fifth and sixth, because you get that week off, and then seventh and eighth, you'll get to host a home wildcard final.
Essendon players walk off after defeat. Getty
"You could have two games at the MCG over 80,000-plus, you could have a game at People's First Stadium [on the Gold Coast] or Engie Stadium [the Giants' home ground] which would be sell-outs but hosted with crowds of 20,000, so the variable is big depending who ends up in seventh or eighth."
Fevola rubbished the decision from the AFL's top brass on his radio show.
"If you're not good enough after 24 rounds to finish in the top eight, you're not good enough to win the premiership ... You shouldn't get that opportunity," Fevola said on The Fox's Fifi, Fev and Nick.
"They've made the most drastic change in the history of the AFL.
"I'm calling this the Western Bulldogs rule, I think they've brought it in just because of what happened to the Bulldogs, arguably one of the best teams ever to miss the finals.
"It's ridiculous — if you finish seventh and you lose, you're out, and then the week after the finals will start properly."
Western Bulldogs players trudge off after a loss. AFL Photos via Getty Images
St Kilda legend Nick Riewoldt was also critical of the change.
"It feels like a make-good," Riewoldt said on Triple M's Mick In The Morning.
"We had some shocking TV games this year. A lot of Carlton and a lot of Essendon on the way home.
"What we have done now is we have guaranteed that we will never see another team finishing seventh win the premiership again like the Western Bulldogs in 2016.
"To win it from a wildcard [position] is borderline impossible."
