Which AFL teams are actually making finals in 2026?

This week, we go through every finals contender and break down what each club needs to do over the run home to lock in a September spot. We also react to Round 16, ask whether the lid is officially off at Carlton after six straight wins, preview the biggest games of Round 17, and check in on the ZAF tipping competition.

Who do you think makes the top eight? Let us know in the comments!

00:00 What YOUR team needs to make finals!

01:40 Geelong, Brisbane, Adelaide

05:32 Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, North Melbourne

10:55 Collingwood, Gold Coast

14:34 Carlton, St Kilda, GWS

17:21 Port Adelaide, West Coast, Richmond, Essendon

18:08 Round 16 Results

18:15 Lions, Hawks

21:20 Blues, Pies, Port

23:01 Roos, Dockers

24:57 The lid is off: Carlton win 6th straight game!

28:02 Voss cloud cleared the way

29:25 Top Blues leading the way

31:35 Room for Carlton to rebuild and grow

34:39 Round 17 Previews

34:48 Geelong and Brisbane battle for top 4

38:21 Hawthorn battle Melbourne

40:34 Sydney up against Bulldogs

42:42 Rest of Round 17

47:01 ZAF Tipping Update

With 2/3rds of the season completed, the awards races for the 2026 season are finally heating up, so can someone potentially create some distance in the Brownlow, is it Ben King's Coleman to lose, and is it just a 1/2 battle for the Rising Star?

The AFL is reportedly considering fixture changes — but is it actually a good idea? This week on Zero Access Footy, we break down the proposed changes, debate whether the AFL is becoming a little too NBA-inspired, and discuss what it could mean for fans, clubs and the competition.

We also review the biggest games from Round 15, including Fremantle's impressive win over Geelong, Gold Coast's disappointing loss to Hawthorn, and Adelaide continuing its strong season against Melbourne.

Plus, after another frustrating result, we ask the big question: Is it finally time for Gold Coast to get serious?

00:00 The AFL is changing its fixture?

04:30 Is the AFL becoming too NBA-gimmicky?

11:34 Round 15 Review

11:40 Fremantle dust off Geelong

14:23 Suns shocked by Hawks

18:30 Crows get over Dees

22:23 Rest of Round 15 Review

27:38 Is it time for Gold Coast to get serious?

35:33 Round 16 Preview

35:56 Brisbane and Sydney clash to keep hopes alive

39:40 Showdown 60 heats up!

41:23 Dockers and Suns in season-defining matchup

43:22 Rest of Round 16 Preview

The Wildcard games have been one of the most controversial additions to the game in recent memory. With over 50% of the season completed and more games feeling competitive, especially compared to last year, Behm and Rhys discuss whether it has already been a positive, or if it was simply just a cash-grab all along?Join our 2026 Tipping Competition - cash prizes up for grabs: https://www.footytips.com.au/comps/ZeroAccessFootyTips

This week, we debate who has been the best off-season recruit of 2026 so far. Has it been Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver, Mitch Mihocek, Jack Silvagni, or someone else entirely? We also break down three of the biggest games from Round 14, including Adelaide's stunning demolition of the Bulldogs, North Melbourne's thrilling comeback win over West Coast, and St Kilda's hard-fought victory over GWS.

Plus, has the AFL's Wildcard Round actually made the competition more competitive, or is it rewarding teams that shouldn't be in finals contention? To finish, we preview the biggest matchups of Round 15, including Fremantle vs Geelong, Gold Coast vs Hawthorn, and Adelaide vs Melbourne.

00:00 Who has been the best off-season pick-up?

08:35 Round 14

08:44 Crows demolish Bulldogs in stunner (Adelaide def Western)

15:39 Roos stage comeback to beat Eagles (North def West Coast)

20:54 Saints hold off Giants (St Kilda def GWS)

26:05 Rest of Round 14

27:31 Is the Wildcard Round making the season more competitive?

36:26 Round 15

36:32 If the Cats beat the Dockers, are they a top-4 lock? (Fremantle v Geelong)

39:23 How long can the Suns stay good? (Gold Coast v Hawthorn)

42:38 Do Crows have the tools to slay Demons? (Adelaide v Melbourne)

44:44 Round 15 Previewed

After a 124-point drubbbing by Fremantle, North's season is officially hanging by a thread. With their wins coming against the bottom teams, aside from Gold Coast a couple weeks ago, questions are now being raised as to how they have gone about their rebuild process, and whether Alastair Clarkson should keep his job beyond this season. Has North failed him? Or has his gamestyle simply been outdated? Join Behm and Rhys as they discuss where North have gone wrong.

Clarko out.

The biggest question in the AFL right now: we ask if the premiership race is already down to just two teams? We break down all the major talking points from Round 13, including Adelaide's statement win over Geelong, the Bulldogs' resurgence, Sydney's dominance, and Melbourne's upset of Collingwood.

We also dive into the latest tribunal controversies involving Tex Walker, Kozzie Pickett and Billy Frampton before previewing the biggest clashes of Round 14.

00:00 Is the Premiership Cup already a two-horse race?

08:29 Round 13 Review: Crows snuck past Cats (Adelaide def Geelong)

14:41 Dogs fight back and eat the Hawks alive (Western Bulldogs def Hawthorn)

18:34 Swans neuter Saints (Sydney def St Kilda)

24:31 Dees freeze out Pies for Neale (Melbourne def Collingwood)

28:18 Rest of Round 13 Review

31:06 Behmmy's Tribunal Tasks Update

31:24 Tex Walker

32:31 Kozzie Pickett trips Brayden Maynard

34:05 Was Billy Frampton's tackle on Brody Mihocek bad technique or lack of care?

37:22 Round 14 Preview

38:08 Can Bulldogs keep winning ways against Crows?

42:18 Cats and Suns look to bounce back

45:56 Saints and Giants lock horns

48:46 Rest of Round 14 Preview

We’ve hit the half way mark for the 2026 AFL season, and it’s time to rank each team based off their form over recent weeks. Behm and Rhys discuss where Brisbane sit after there huge drop off in form, why Carlton might not be that bad and if GWS are back.

00:00 MID-SEASON AFL POWER RANKINGS!

00:37 18th

01:05 17th

01:27 16th

02:12 15th

03:17 14th

04:56 13th

06:19 12th

07:35 11th

09:00 10th

11:02 9th

11:15 8th

13:55 7th

15:16 6th

15:58 5th

16:31 4th

17:22 Top 3

17:39 Full 18 Power Rankings Ladder