Chris Scott Criticises AFL Wildcard Round Change, Describing It as a Transparent Money Grab

Geelong’s coach Chris Scott has voiced his displeasure with the AFL, criticising the league for introducing a wildcard round.

The AFL has expanded the finals series for the 2026 season, where teams ranked seventh will face tenth, and eighth will take on ninth to secure the final positions in the top eight.

This decision has sparked controversy, particularly as the league has labelled these matches as legitimate finals rather than mere play-in games.

Scott has added his voice to those opposing this change, branding the decision as a blatant cash grab by AFL headquarters.

“This is why I shouldn’t be doing these interviews so soon after a game; I tend to speak my mind, which is entertaining for you but possibly not for me,” Scott remarked on Fox Footy, following his team’s loss to Hawthorn.

“I genuinely believe they just pulled the wildcard round out of thin air.”

“They’ve effectively thrown in some extra finals for no valid reason other than to make money, it seems.”

“Our media manager is probably having a rough time,” Scott quipped with a laugh.

Currently, after four rounds, Geelong finds itself outside the newly structured top ten, having won two and lost two matches.

They suffered a nail-biting defeat against the Hawks on Easter Monday, losing by just a point.

David King, a premiership player with North Melbourne, stands in agreement with Scott, labelling the modification to the finals system as “nonsense” when it was first proposed.

“Honestly, this is just ridiculous,” King expressed on SEN.

“In 2021, a team that only secured ten wins throughout the season would have participated in this. They had a disappointing season, and now we’re rewarding them? It’s absolute nonsense.

“I prefer to see genuine impact in the finals rather than a focus on revenue.

“I tell you what… if a ninth or tenth-placed team wins the premiership, I’ll retire on the spot. Immediately. Teams that had poor seasons shouldn’t go on to win the flag. I’d be willing to step away from the game if that ever happened.

“They’ve struggled to achieve an even season, and now we’re going to reward them with a spot in the finals? That’s just ridiculous.”

As it stands after four rounds, Melbourne would host Collingwood, while Port Adelaide would face Brisbane in the wildcard matchups.

If the top ten system had been in place last year, Gold Coast would have hosted Sydney, and Hawthorn would have gone up against the Western Bulldogs.