Has Damien Hardwick Lost The Playing Group? & Which Team You DON'T Want To Play In Finals | AFL Round 18 Review

That's a wrap on 2026! In the final show of the season, Buddy and Shane relive an all-time classic grand final as Brisbane complete a historic three-peat, storming home from the brink against a brave Fremantle. They dissect Will Ashcroft's last-quarter surge, Josh Treacy's costly miss and the Pearce injury, debate a contentious Norm Smith Medal, and dig into Lachie Neale's move to Collingwood and Chris Fagan's future. Then it's Buddy's Big Call for 2027, trade-period whispers, North Melbourne's coaching hunt, and a heartfelt goodbye, with the boys unsure whether they'll be back for a trade or Christmas special.

Grand final week has arrived! Fresh off Brownlow night (huge congrats to Nick Daicos), Buddy and Shane dive straight into Fremantle vs Brisbane. Can the Dockers turn their minor premiership into a fairytale first flag, or does Brisbane's finals experience carry them to a historic three-peat? The boys break down the key head-to-head battles — Luke Jackson's ruck dominance, Brisbane's dangerous small forwards, and whether Fremantle's bottom six can lift on the big stage. There's a Norm Smith tip (it's Ashcroft, obviously), full score predictions, a Kylie Minogue half-time preview, and Buddy's Big Call. One thing's for sure: Melbourne's about to host an absolute cracker.

Grand final week is here! Fremantle and Brisbane have booked their tickets after two gut-wrenching preliminary finals, and the boys break down every twist. Hawthorn's season ends in heartbreak against Brisbane on a contentious late free kick, while "the Wizard" produces a stunning six-goal haul in a losing effort. Then Fremantle claw back a 28-point deficit to break Sydney's hearts and reach their first grand final since 2013. Plus: a season review for the Swans and Hawks, Toby Greene's move to Geelong, and Buddy and Shane's full Brownlow Medal predictions ahead of tonight's count — with Nick Daicos the overwhelming favourite. It's set up to be an unforgettable decider between two of the year's best sides.

Prelim finals week is here. Friday night at the SCG, Sydney host Fremantle in a rematch of that stunning Round 8 hundred-point turnaround, with the Grundy vs. Luke Jackson ruck battle looming large — Bud backs the Swans, Shane's leaning Dockers. Saturday at the MCG, underdogs Hawthorn face premiership favourites Brisbane, and both hosts cautiously tip a Hawks upset. Bud's Big Call goes all-in on a Hawthorn forward to be the difference, and the boys start plotting a joint pub crawl special if the Hawks and Sydney both somehow reach the Grand Final.

Huge Semi Finals weekend! Brisbane obliterated Adelaide by 53 points, riding an explosive first quarter all the way into a Preliminary Final. Buddy and Shane break down Zak Bailey's heroics, Adelaide's glaring need for an X-factor midfielder, and pay tribute to retiring Crows great Taylor Walker. Then it's over to a classic — Fremantle survive a Geelong scare to book their first prelim since 2015, with Luke Jackson the driving force. Plus: the Better Beer Big Moment lands on Zak Butters' blockbuster move to the Bulldogs, Errol Gulden claims Kia Player of the Month, and the boys lock in their bold (and contradictory) predictions for the Grand Final.