AFL wildcard odds & fixture revealed
Western Bulldogs and Collingwood will open the 2026 AFL finals series on Friday night at the MCG.
For the first time ever the AFL will hold a 10 team finals series, with week 1 featuring the two wildcard matches, which will catapult the winners into elimination finals against Geelong and Adelaide.
The second wildcard match will pit Melbourne against red-hot Carlton at the MCG on Saturday night, with Josh Fraser’s team holding favouritism with Australian betting sites.
The lowest ranked winner from the wildcard matches will then play fifth-placed Geelong, while the other victor faces a daunting trip to Adelaide Oval to face Adelaide.
The Demons are the hard luck story in the wildcard round after their outstanding season, which could have seen them finish in the top six with a final round win over Western Bulldogs. Instead, they fall to seventh and face arguably the most in-form team in the competition.
The top four was also finalised over the weekend, with Fremantle set to host Hawthorn and Sydney to clash with Brisbane in week 2.
Lets take a look at this week’s AFL wildcard fixtures.
Western Bulldogs v Collingwood
- When: Friday, August 28
- Where: MCG
- Odds: Western Bulldogs – 1.95; Collingwood – 1.86
Western Bulldogs (1.95) will enter their wildcard clash against Collingwood (1.86) as slight underdogs on Friday night.
The Dogs were outstanding against the Demons, but they will be sweating on an ankle injury to their star forward Aaron Naughton, who fell awkwardly in a marking contest and sat out a large chunk of the game.
The Bulldogs will also give ruckman Tim English every chance to be passed fit, but he appears unlikely.
Collingwood could be boosted by the return of Isaac Quaynor and Pat Lipinski, with the injured Scott Pendlebury the only confirmed out from the team that was easily beaten by Brisbane in a dead rubber.
The Magpies will also be pondering their decision to rush Jeremy Howe back from his broken arm after he was ordinary against the Lions, with their key forwards dominating.
Early tip: Magpies by 21 points.
Melbourne v Carlton
- When: Saturday, August 29
- Where: MCG
- Odds: Melbourne – 2.10; Carlton – 1.73
Melbourne (2.10) faces the daunting task of playing Carlton in Saturday night’s MCG wildcard clash without Jacob van Rooyen and youngster Matt Jefferson, while Daniel Turner must be in some doubt with a knee issue of his own.
The Demons would be hurting after they succumbed to the Bulldogs and lost their spot in the top six, with Stephen King’s challenge to galvanise his team and not waste their year of great promise.
The Blues are flying and loom as a genuine roadblock for premiership aspirants, with wins over Fremantle on the weekend and Geelong in recent times showing they have the game to challenge anyone.
Carlton, fresh off appointing Josh Fraser as permanent coach, were magnificent against the Dockers, albeit it was a Fremantle team that had little to play for with the minor premiership stitched up.
The Blues could be boosted by the return of Will Hayward and Nick Haynes, although the latter may miss out with Jacob Weitering having returned to anchor their backline.
Early tip: Blues by 15 points.
