Clubs are expecting the AFL to introduce a wildcard round in 2026, giving teams that finish as low as 10th on the ladder after the home-and-away season a chance to qualify for finals and win the flag.

The wildcard round would mean the team that finishes seventh on the ladder in the home-and-away season would play the team that finished 10th, and the team that finished eighth would play the ninth-placed team.

It would add intrigue to where clubs finish inside the top eight too, as the top six would be rewarded with the week’s break.

The winners would then advance to the finals under the same final eight system as has been in place since 2000.

The decision, which is still to be finalised but likely, according to three competition sources who preferred to remain anonymous, comes after a s

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