AFL Having A Very NRL Season Actually

CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT

Both the AFL and AFL media are starting to understand the dark arts of rugby league ambulance-chasing, it can be confirmed.

Not only has the AFL outclassed the NRL with multiple fairytale narratives and Kylie Minogue as pre-match entertainment, but they've also dominated the off-field scandals for 2026.

In fact, many would say the AFL has had a very NRL season this year.

With countless WAG dramas and spectacularly public infidelities amongst players, the AFL has also leant into the criminal charges facing some of their game's superstars, with round the clock coverage and noisy speculation that now has Australians from right across the country glued to every single development.

Also rare for the AFL is for their scandals to not be extremely racist and hard to talk about. Except for the Adelaide Crows face paint thing, which they still managed to squeeze as much juice from as possible.

With media creations like 'The Pullman 5' and 'Neale's Appeal' suddenly becoming household terminology, Aussie Rules is now starting to understand the age-old NRL motto: Bad publicity is the best publicity!

While the NRL attempts to rile up their fans with the lukewarm drama surrounding a last minute cancellation of Tones And I as the game's lacklustre answer to Kylie Minogue, the AFL is hurtling towards their own grand final with blockbuster last-minute tribunal decisions and journalists chasing down Sydney Swans players in the car park of the SCG.

Even Queenslanders are following intently, as they now prepare to celebrate a potential three-peat that that they only just learned about from the news stories about their star player being cleared to play!