The AFL finals work as a four-week knockout tournament involving the top eight teams from the regular season. The structure rewards the top four teams with a "double chance," allowing them to lose in the first week but still remain in the finals, while teams ranked 5th to 8th face immediate elimination if they lose in the first week. Here's a breakdown of how the AFL finals operate: Week One
- Top four teams play two Qualifying Finals (1st vs 4th, 2nd vs 3rd). Winners advance directly to the Preliminary Finals (Week Three).
- The bottom four of the eight finalists (5th vs 8th, 6th vs 7th) compete in Elimination Finals. Losers are out of the finals.
Week Two (Semi Finals)
- Losers of the Qualifying Finals host winners of the Elimination Finals. Losers are eliminated.
Week Three (Preliminary Finals)
- Winners of the Qualifying Finals host winners from the Semi Finals. Winners advance to the Grand Final.
Week Four (Grand Final)
- The two Preliminary Final winners face off in the Grand Final at the MCG.
A "golden point" extra time system applies if scores are tied after regular time and extra halves. This system balances rewarding higher-ranked teams while ensuring thrilling knockout matches, leading to the ultimate champion being crowned in the Grand Final.
