Matty Stewart and Aussie Rules Legend Spida Everitt are back for another year to talk all things AFL! Get all the news happening around the league, plus expert tips for every match. Tune In weekly to ‘In The Pocket’ to get all your AFL insights.
Matty and Spida are back for Finals Week 1 of In The Pocket, and after a thrilling inaugural Wildcard Round, the race for the 2026 AFL Premiership has officially narrowed. Fremantle and Sydney remain the teams everyone is chasing after earning top-two finishes, while Brisbane, Hawthorn, Geelong and Adelaide now begin their finals campaigns. Meanwhile, the Western Bulldogs and Carlton survived sudden-death football to keep their seasons alive, setting up a fascinating first week of September action.
The boys unpack all the major talking points from Wildcard Round, including the Western Bulldogs’ dramatic three-point victory over Collingwood in one of the games of the season. In an instant classic at the MCG, the Dogs survived a frantic final quarter before Tim Membrey’s shot after the siren drifted wide, ending Collingwood’s season and sending Luke Beveridge’s side into the finals proper. Marcus Bontempelli once again stood tall when it mattered most, while Aaron Naughton and Arty Jones provided the scoreboard impact in a memorable finals contest.
The boys also break down Carlton’s impressive 19-point win over Melbourne, a result that further underlined the Blues’ extraordinary second-half resurgence. After scraping into tenth position at the end of the home-and-away season, Carlton produced another composed performance under pressure, with Sam Walsh leading the way as the Blues booked themselves an elimination final showdown against Geelong. Melbourne, meanwhile, become the first seventh-placed team eliminated under the new wildcard system, bringing a frustrating season to an abrupt end.
As always, Spida delivers his trademark no-nonsense assessment of the premiership contenders. With Fremantle enjoying a week off before hosting Hawthorn, Sydney preparing for a blockbuster battle with Brisbane, and Carlton carrying enormous momentum into September, the boys debate which side is best positioned to challenge for the flag. They also discuss whether the Bulldogs can continue their wildcard magic and whether the extra finals match could ultimately prove an advantage rather than a disadvantage.
There is also plenty of focus on the four massive finals taking place this weekend. The top-of-the-table Dockers host Hawthorn in a qualifying final with a preliminary final berth on the line, while Sydney and Brisbane renew what has become one of the competition’s premier rivalries in the other qualifying final. Down the elimination final path, Geelong takes on a red-hot Carlton outfit, while Adelaide looks to capitalise on home-ground advantage against a Bulldogs side full of confidence after surviving wildcard weekend.
The boys examine the key matchups set to shape the opening week of the finals, including whether Fremantle’s midfield can contain Hawthorn’s run and carry, whether Brisbane can finally overcome Sydney on the big stage, and if Carlton’s star engine room can continue its remarkable recent form against the experienced Cats. They also discuss the pressure facing Adelaide, who now meet a Bulldogs side battle-hardened by finals intensity and carrying significant momentum into Adelaide Oval.
Looking ahead, Matty and Spida assess who has the clearest path towards a premiership and which clubs face the greatest danger of a straight-sets style disappointment. With the finals now underway and every result shaping the premiership race, there is no shortage of storylines as September reaches full swing.
To wrap things up, the boys lock in their Finals Week 1 tips and reveal which teams they believe are best equipped to launch a genuine premiership campaign. If you’re after all the biggest AFL talking points, finals analysis, premiership predictions and strong opinions, In The Pocket has everything you need heading into a huge opening week of finals.