THE AFL announced on Thursday the NAB League is set for a shake-up to its finals structure, with 13 full-time regions split into country and metro conferences. A three-week finals series will commence next weekend (August 28/29) for five country-based programs – Bendigo Pioneers, Geelong Falcons, Gippsland Power, Greater Western Victoria (GWV) Rebels and Murray Bushrangers – while Dandenong Stingrays and Tasmania Devils will join the metro allotment. Essentially, two premierships will be awarded – one for the winner of either conference – as the AFL attempts to hold as many games as possible over the next six weeks after a heavily interrupted season. The eight-team metro conference will begin competition once community football is allowed to resume in Victoria. These fixtures will also serve as an additional selection process for a makeshift Victorian championships, where primary and secondary Vic Country and Vic Metro squads will compete against each other in late-September. GWV currently tops the country improvised country pool and is set to lock horns with second-ranked Bendigo Pioneers on Saturday. The third-placed Geelong Falcons take on Murray Bushrangers on the same afternoon, while bottom side Gippsland Power has the bye. Below is the three week country finals schedule; there will also be consolation fixtures in weeks two and three between teams knocked out of contention.

2021 NAB League Finals Map (Country Conference) Week 1 (August 28/29) First Semi Final – 2nd v 5th Second Semi Final – 3rd v 4th 1st – Bye Two winners and highest-ranked loser to progress to Week 2. Week 2 (September 4/5) First Preliminary Final – 1st v Lowest Ranked Second Preliminary Final – 2nd Ranked v 3rd Ranked Week 3 (September 11/12) Grand Final – Winner PF1 v Winner PF2

Current NAB League Ladder: 1. Sandringham Dragons (M) | 8-1, 188.6% 2. GWV Rebels (C) | 7-3, 129.1% 3. Northern Knights (M) | 6-3, 138.5% 4. Bendigo Pioneers (C) | 6-5, 109.1% 5. Tasmania Devils (M) | 5-3, 114.3% 6. Geelong Falcons (C) | 5-6, 101.6% 7. Eastern Ranges (M) | 5-4, 98.0% 8. Calder Cannons (M) | 5-4, 84.8% 9. Dandenong Stingrays (M) | 3-6, 101.5% 10. Oakleigh Chargers (M) | 3-6, 90.3% 11. Western Jets (M) | 3-6, 85.4% 12. Murray Bushrangers (C) | 3-7, 84.0% 13. Gippsland Power (C) | 3-7, 60.3% Legend: C – denotes Country conference M – denotes Metro conference Country Conference Ladder: 1. GWV Rebels | 7-3, 129.1% 2. Bendigo Pioneers | 6-5, 109.1% 3. Geelong Falcons | 5-6, 101.6% 4. Murray Bushrangers | 3-7, 84.0% 5. Gippsland Power | 3-7, 60.3% Metro Conference Ladder: 1. Sandringham Dragons | 8-1, 188.6% 2. Northern Knights | 6-3, 138.5% 3. Tasmania Devils | 5-3, 114.3% 4. Eastern Ranges | 5-4, 98.0% 5. Calder Cannons | 5-4, 84.8% 6. Dandenong Stingrays | 3-6, 101.5% 7. Oakleigh Chargers | 3-6, 90.3% 8. Western Jets | 3-6, 85.4%