The 2026 AFLW Under 18 Championships are hurtling towards their conclusion, with the final day of action set to feature a massive triple-header at Shepley Oval. Following the latest round of matches over the weekend, where Western Australia defeated Victoria Country and the Allies took down Queensland, the championship race has effectively been decided, though plenty of pride and draft stocks remain on the line.

South Australia has proven to be the dominant force of the carnival, securing the national title regardless of the final day’s results. Having already defeated the only two teams capable of matching their three wins – Victoria Metro and the Allies – the Croweaters cannot be dethroned due to the head-to-head tiebreaker rules.

Here is the updated ladder, the remaining fixtures for the Shepley Oval triple-header, and exactly what is at stake for each team on the final day.

The Current Ladder

Position	Team	Played	Won	Lost	Drawn	For	Against	Percentage	Points
1	South Australia	3	3	0	0	172	91	189.0%	12
2	Victoria Metro	3	2	1	0	151	109	138.5%	8
3	Allies	3	2	1	0	142	131	108.4%	8
4	Queensland	3	1	2	0	139	163	85.3%	4
5	Western Australia	3	1	2	0	85	156	54.5%	4
6	Victoria Country	3	0	3	0	107	146	73.3%	0

Note: The rules are based on head-to-head results when teams are even on wins, and only revert to percentage as a decider when teams haven’t played or there are more than two teams on the same wins that have beaten each other.

Remaining Fixtures (Round 5)

Saturday, July 11 at Shepley Oval:

10:30 AM AEST: South Australia vs. Queensland
12:30 PM AEST: Allies vs. Western Australia
2:30 PM AEST: Victoria Country vs. Victoria Metro

Team-by-Team Breakdown

South Australia (3-0)

Remaining Game: Queensland

Best Possible Finish: 1st (Secured)

South Australia has been flawless throughout the championships and enters the final day with the national title already safely tucked away. Because they have defeated both Victoria Metro and the Allies, they hold the head-to-head advantage over the only teams that could mathematically join them on three wins.

What is at stake:

The Croweaters are now playing for a perfect undefeated campaign. A victory over Queensland on July 11 would put the finishing touches on a dominant tournament, cementing their status as the undisputed champions of 2026.

Victoria Metro (2-1)

Remaining Game: Victoria Country

Best Possible Finish: 2nd

Victoria Metro has played some brilliant football, with their only blemish coming against the eventual champions. While the title is out of reach, they are firmly in the hunt for the runner-up position.

What is at stake:

Victoria Metro will secure a second-place finish if they defeat Victoria Country in the final match of the day. Even if they slip up and lose, they can still finish second provided the Allies also lose their match against Western Australia.

Allies (2-1)

Remaining Game: Western Australia

Best Possible Finish: 2nd

The Allies kept their strong campaign rolling with a crucial victory over Queensland over the weekend. They sit level on wins with Victoria Metro but are currently behind on percentage.

What is at stake:

The Allies have a clear path to a second-place finish: they must defeat Western Australia and hope that Victoria Metro falls to Victoria Country. However, the stakes are high, as a loss to Western Australia would see the Allies tumble down the ladder to finish fourth.

Queensland (1-2)

Remaining Game: South Australia

Best Possible Finish: 4th

Queensland has shown flashes of brilliance but ultimately fell short against the Allies in their most recent outing. Their maximum possible finish is now fourth place, regardless of how they perform against the undefeated South Australians.

What is at stake:

Even if Queensland pulls off a massive upset against South Australia and other results go their way, they cannot climb higher than fourth. Furthermore, if they lose to South Australia and Western Australia manages to defeat the Allies, Queensland will slip to fifth place in the final standings.

Western Australia (1-2)

Remaining Game: Allies

Best Possible Finish: 3rd

Western Australia breathed life into their campaign with a vital victory over Victoria Country over the weekend. They now have an opportunity to finish the tournament strongly and climb into the top half of the ladder.

What is at stake:

A win against the Allies, coupled with a Queensland loss to South Australia, would see Western Australia vault up to an impressive third-place finish. However, if they fail to overcome the Allies, they will finish the championships in fifth place.

Victoria Country (0-3)

Remaining Game: Victoria Metro

Best Possible Finish: 6th

It has been a tough carnival for Victoria Country, who remain winless following their defeat at the hands of Western Australia. They are guaranteed to finish at the bottom of the ladder regardless of their result in the final match.

What is at stake:

While they cannot improve their ladder position, Victoria Country has the ultimate opportunity to play spoiler. A victory over their cross-state rivals, Victoria Metro, would not only provide a massive morale boost and showcase their draft-eligible talent but could also see Metro drop to third place in the final standings.