AFLW Finals Launch With Five Chasing First Flag
AFLW chief Laura Kane says every club is taking its women's program seriously as the finals series opens in Melbourne.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Women’s Issues
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The AFLW finals series launched in Melbourne on Wednesday, with five of the top eight teams chasing their first premiership. Gold Coast made the finals after finishing bottom last year, while Adelaide and Brisbane missed out this season.
Why it matters
Kane said clubs are being transparent about their challenges, which she described as a reality of the ladder. The competition's broadcast and investment commitments are also being reaffirmed for the women's game.
Season results show Gold Coast rising from bottom of the ladder to the finals, while Collingwood, St Kilda and Essendon each managed just one win. The Golden State Valkyries' WNBA championship and $1 billion valuation were cited by Kane as evidence of women's sport growth, though the AFLW's own financial figures were not provided.
The players
Laura Kane
Kane is the head of the AFLW, responsible for the league's strategy, commercial direction and public commitments to its clubs and players.
Rachel Kearne
Kearne is a Geelong player whose solo over the weekend drew attention to the AFLW's rules on the solo during the finals.
Chelsea Randall
Randall was announced as the AFLW cup ambassador for the finals series and is a three-time premiership player.
The details
Kane spoke at the launch of the finals series in Melbourne, stating the AFLW will not take the women's competition off broadcast or cut investment. She added there are no plans to reduce costs by running fewer broadcast games. Rachel Kearne of Geelong executed a solo over the weekend, and the solo rule remains off-limits during the finals.
Timeline
Wednesday: AFLW finals series launched in Melbourne.
Weekend before the finals launch: Rachel Kearne executed a solo in a match.
Next four weeks: Solo rule remains not allowed during finals.
Next year: AFLW fixture is likely to include more double headers with AFL games.
Season Trajectory
The finals field, with five first-time premiership contenders and Gold Coast's leap from last place, reshapes the competitive picture of the AFLW's second phase. Kane's reference to the Valkyries' WNBA title places the league's ambitions within the broader rise of women's professional sport in North America.
Fans planning to attend AFLW matches should watch for more double-header scheduling alongside AFL games next season, which could change ticket and travel plans. The continued solo restriction during finals means viewers following the Geelong and other finals sides should expect the current rules to apply across the next four weeks.
The takeaway
Clubs that sit low on the ladder, like Collingwood, St Kilda and Essendon, face public scrutiny over their women's programs, while the league maintains its broadcast and investment commitments. Readers following women's sport should watch how the finals and next year's fixture reflect those commitments.
What happens next
The AFLW's fixture for next year is expected to feature more double headers with AFL games.
Further reading
For more on women's sport in the wider context, explore our Women's Issues coverage.
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