Two clubs will feature in wildcard finals for the first time this weekend, as the 2026 Smithy’s VFL finals campaign officially commences.
FIRST WILDCARD FINAL: SYDNEY SWANS vs FRANKSTON
New South Wales will host a wildcard final for the first time in the Smithy’s VFL when the Sydney Swans host Frankston at Blacktown International Sports Park on Saturday.
This is the Swans’ first finals appearance since 2022 but after exiting that post-season in straight sets, the club is still searching for its first finals victory in the competition.
They don’t have the best of form lines coming into the clash, having lost their previous two games to top six sides by an average margin of 28.5 points, and will likely be without several leading player who’ll be in contention to be elevated into the AFL team.
The Swans team will likely still boast some terrific contributors that have helped the team to seventh place and a 10-win campaign.
Jevan Philippou has kicked goals in his last three games and has produced 33 majors this season. He’s played an important role in the Swans producing the competition’s second highest percentage and second most points scored.
In fact, Sydney has only dipped below 80 points in a game once since Round 11, which happened to be the Round 17 win over the Brisbane Lions in heavy conditions.
Sydney takes on a Frankston side who this time last year commenced a journey towards the preliminary final, it’s best result since the turn of the century.
It’s been a different path to the finals this time, sneaking into 10th position on percentage despite a heavy defeat to Williamstown in the final round of the home and away campaign.
But a wildcard final is not foreign for the Dolphins, who delivered one of the greatest finals shocks in VFL history in 2024, when they upset the then reigning premiers Gold Coast in Queensland.
If they are to produce similar heroics this time around, they’ll hope to get plenty of productivity form their stars.
Tyson Milne has been incredibly consistent this season, averaging 26 disposals a game and in the last three rounds, has recorded a total of 35 rebound 50s, more than any player in the competition.
Frankston is also capable of kicking big scores, having hit three figures on five different occasions in 2026, but they are yet to do it against an opponent in the top 10.
It’s been a long time between drinks since these two sides last faced each other, with their previous meeting dating back to Round 8, 2024 where the Dolphins prevailed by 15 points in a low scoring affair at Kinetic Stadium
2026 SEASON
SYDNEY SWANS
7th (10-7-1, 122.5%)
STREAK: Lost 2 (2026: LLWWDWWWLLLWLWWWWL)
FRANKSTON
10th (10-8, 103.3%)
STREAK: Lost 1 (2026: LWLWWLWLWWLWWWLLWL)
LAST MEETING
Round 8, 2024 – Kinetic Stadium
FRANKSTON 5.3 8.5 9.9 9.11 (65)
SYDNEY SWANS 4.4 4.5 4.6 7.8 (50)
SECOND WILDCARD FINAL: WILLIAMSTOWN vs CARLTON
For the third-successive year, Williamstown features in a wildcard final when they host Carlton at DSV Stadium on Saturday.
The Seagulls will look to maintain their perfect record in wildcard matches, having accounted for Collingwood and Richmond throughout the past two years.
They will have plenty of confidence in achieving this feat following their 42-point triumph over Frankston at the venue last week.
Jake Greiser will enter another finals campaign in excellent form, having reached 30 disposals or more in his past three games and is also averaging nine rebound 50s a game in his previous four outings.
Luke Parks has been just as important in defence for Justin Plapp’s side. He is equal second in the competition for average marks per game and has had 10 intercept possessions per game in his last three matches.
Williamstown will fancy their chances at home, having not a lost a final at DSV Stadium since the 2009 qualifying final, and having also defeated fellow top 10 sides in two of their previous three games at the ground.
For Carlton, this is their first return to the Smithy’s VFL finals series since 2022, where they reached a semi final.
The Blues started the season slowly but recovered to record five consecutive victories before a slump in which they failed to claim any victories between Round 10-15, two of those defeats being to sides that didn’t finish inside the top 10.
But by only being a game outside of a wildcard spot with six games remaining, Carlton were still in the hunt to turn their form around, which they did by dropping just one more game for the remainder of the year to sneak into finals on the final day of the home and away campaign.
The injection of Carlton father-son prospect Cody Walker has been significant in the club’s surge, averaging 22 disposals in his six appearances for the Blues, whilst also hitting the scoreboard in his previous two games.
Ollie Hollands has also had an impressive fortnight, highlighted by his 31 disposals, seven tackles and six clearances in the Blues’ win against Footscray last Sunday.
In their only other meeting this season, Williamstown held on for a five-point victory at IKON Park in Round 2.
The Seagulls were that day led by brilliant individual performances from Joel Fitzgerald (35 disposals, six inside 50s) and Hugo Hall-Kahan (34 disposals, seven score involvements), who have since made their way onto AFL lists.
2026 SEASON
WILLIAMSTOWN
8th (10-7-1, 106.8%)
STREAK: Won 1 (2026: WLWWDLLWWLLLWWLWWW)
CARLTON
9th (10-8, 112.0%)
STREAK: Won 1 (2026: WLWWWWLLLLLWWWWWLL)
2026 HEAD-TO-HEAD
Round 2 – DSV Stadium
CARLTON 1.3 6.4 10.6 12.7 (79)
WILLIAMSTOWN 4.4 7.7 10.10 12.12 (84)
BEST
Carlton: Nic Newman, Liam Reidy, Flynn Young, Nicholas Haynes, William Cookson, Billy Wilson
Williamstown: Not submitted
GOALS
Carlton: Flynn Young 3, Jack Ison 2, Dane Harvey, Lachie Fogarty, William Cookson, Ashton Moir, Darcy Tucker, Liam Reidy, Tom Evans
Williamstown: Joshua D’Intinosante 3, Braydon Preuss 2, Alex Mirkov 2, Damon Hollow 2, Tom Fullarton 2, David Cunningham
LEADING DISPOSALS
Carlton: Ben Camporeale 27, Nic Newman 23, William Cookson 23, Darcy Tucker 20, Liam Reidy 20
Williamstown: Joel Fitzgerald 35, Hugo Hall-Kahan 34, Jack Toner 29, Toby Triffett 21, Tom Fullarton 19
