Become a member to join in Australia's biggest sporting debate, submit articles, receive updates straight to your inbox and keep up with your favourite teams and authors.
Note: this ladder is updated at the end of each round.
The AFL Ladder explained
For every match a team wins, they are awarded four points. A draw yields two points for both sides, while a team is awarded zero points for a loss.
If two or more teams share an identical amount of points (P), then their positions on the AFL ladder are determined by percentage (Pct).
A team’s percentage is based on their total number of ‘points for’ (PF) compared to their total number of ‘points against’ (PA).
Advertisement
For example, if a team has scored a total of 200 points and had a total of 400 points scored against them, their percentage would be 50 per cent.
If a team has scored twice as many points as they have had scored against them, their percentage would be 200 per cent.
AFL ladder history
The current AFL finals system and AFL ladder has been in place since 2000, and has been so successful at promoting fair contests through the finals it was copied by the NRL in 2011.
Under the current system, the top four play each other in the first week of the finals, as do the second four.
The winners of the matches played between first and fourth and second and third go into the third week of the finals, while the losers get another chance the week after.
The winners of the matches between fifth and eighth and sixth and seventh go into the second week to face the losers from the top four clashes, while the losers are eliminated.
The minor premiers in the regular season have gone on to win the premiership on six occasions since the current system was introduced 15 years ago.
