The AFL recently introduced a Wildcard Round to the postseason structure. The league overhauled tournament rewards and disclosed financial rewards for these extra games. The AFL explained the mechanics of the Wildcard Round to clarify how the matches work.

The status of the Wildcard games meets ongoing resistance across sporting circles. Coach Ross Lyon raised doubts if the Wildcard games must be listed as "Finals" in a direct move to question the framework. The trend was circulated Fri, 21 Aug 2026 04:50 -0700. Reports from afl.com.au, Herald Sun, and SEN reported on the structure, prize money, and this complaint.