The AFL's first-ever wildcard weekend has its full fixture locked in, with the Western Bulldogs set to face Collingwood at the MCG on Friday, 28 August, and Melbourne to take on Carlton at the same venue the following evening — setting up a dramatic and historic opening to the expanded finals series.

The match-ups were confirmed after a weekend of results that reshuffled the ladder's lower reaches. The Bulldogs' surprise victory over Melbourne on Saturday, combined with Adelaide's commanding defeat of Greater Western Sydney later that night, established which clubs would contest the wildcard round. However, the AFL held off on announcing the specific timeslots until Sunday night, waiting to see how Hawthorn fared against West Coast.

Why Hawthorn's Result Mattered to the Wildcard Draw

The reason for the delay came down to a fixturing complication. Under the wildcard structure, the team finishing fifth plays the lowest-ranked team to advance from the wildcard round, while the sixth-placed side meets the higher-ranked wildcard winner. With all four wildcard teams being Victorian clubs, a Hawthorn win on Sunday night created the possibility that one side could be required to travel to Adelaide — a logistical consideration the league needed to work through before confirming the schedule.

Hawthorn duly won, which confirmed Geelong in fifth and Adelaide in sixth, with the Hawks themselves finishing fourth. The final wildcard fixture reads:

  • Friday, 28 August: Western Bulldogs v Collingwood — MCG, 7:40pm AEST
  • Saturday, 29 August: Melbourne v Carlton — MCG, 7:35pm AEST

Hawks Cruise Past Eagles but Fall Short of Third

Hawthorn's night in Perth was defined by brilliance, milestones and just a touch of what-might-have-been. The Hawks needed to win by somewhere in the range of 90 to 100 points to leapfrog Brisbane into third spot on the ladder — a result that would have earned them a qualifying final against the depleted Sydney Swans rather than a trip to Perth to face minor premiers Fremantle.

At one stage, the dream looked very much alive. Hawthorn surged to an 83-25 lead midway through the third quarter, sparked in part by a moment that will be talked about long after the season ends. Young forward Nick Watson — known around the competition as "The Wizard" — launched himself onto the shoulders of Liam Baker and used a powerful leg push to take a breathtaking midair mark before crashing back to the turf. Baker and Watson shared a smile in the immediate aftermath, with Watson hugging his opponent after converting the set shot.

But wet and slippery conditions at Optus Stadium made it increasingly difficult to push the margin toward triple figures. The Hawks ultimately settled for a 62-point win, 16.11 (107) to 6.9 (45), in front of 43,066 fans — impressive but not quite enough to climb to third.

The night also belonged to veteran forward Jack Gunston, who kicked five goals in his 300th AFL game — a landmark occasion made all the more memorable by the team's dominant performance.

Hawthorn's First Finals Double Chance Since 2018

Despite missing out on third, Hawthorn's fourth-place finish carries significant reward. The Hawks have secured a finals double chance for the first time since 2018 — meaning they will enter the qualifying finals with the safety net of a second bite at the premiership if they fall at the first hurdle.

With the wildcard weekend now confirmed and the full finals bracket beginning to take shape, attention turns to Friday night and what promises to be a fiercely contested clash between the Bulldogs and a Collingwood side that will be keen to prove their credentials early. Carlton captain Patrick Cripps, meanwhile, has guided the Blues into what is shaping as one of the most intriguing wildcard match-ups of the Saturday night fixture.