With seasons on the line and no second chances remaining, clubs were required to produce their best football under pressure, and the final weekend before Grand Final day delivered a series of commanding performances across both competitions.
At Gungahlin Enclosed Oval, Belconnen's women and Ainslie's men advanced after hard-fought victories on Saturday, before Ainslie's women and Eastlake's men completed impressive performances at Margaret Donoghoe Sportsground on Sunday to book their places in the season decider.
First Grade Women
Queanbeyan vs Belconnen
Saturday morning began with a tightly contested Preliminary Final at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval, where Belconnen edged Queanbeyan by six points, 6.4 (40) to 5.4 (34).
Little separated the sides throughout the contest. Belconnen held a narrow two-point advantage at quarter time before Queanbeyan responded to briefly take the lead during the second term. The teams remained within a kick of each other for most of the morning, creating one of the closest finals matches of the season.
The decisive period came after half-time when Belconnen managed to generate consecutive scoring opportunities and build a seven-point buffer entering the final quarter. Queanbeyan continued to press and remained within striking distance until the closing stages, but the Magpies' ability to control key moments late ensured they secured passage through to the Grand Final.
The win for the Magpies brought the Tigers unbeaten run, and their season to an end.
Belconnen's victory was driven by another outstanding performance from Jorja Simpson, who amassed 32 disposals and eight clearances to finish with 115 KVA points. Simpson's ability to win first possession around stoppages and continually drive the ball forward proved critical as the Magpies held off Queanbeyan's challenge.
Katie Taylor, Jorja Simpson, Lucy Knox, Makayla Patton, Amber Allen and Grace Read were influential contributors in Belconnen's victory. Queanbeyan battled strongly throughout the contest with no official best players being listed at the time of writing.
Ainslie vs Tuggeranong Valley
On Sunday morning at Patches Asphalt Park, Ainslie produced an impressive four-quarter performance to defeat Tuggeranong Valley 9.11 (65) to 2.4 (16).
The Tricolours established control from the opening bounce, kicking three first-quarter goals while restricting Valley to a single major. Ainslie's ability to win territory and apply consistent pressure around stoppages created a platform that allowed them to steadily build their advantage throughout the match.
Shannon Brown played a major role in Ainslie's dominance around the contest, collecting 28 disposals, laying 10 tackles and finishing with 127 KVA points. Her work rate and ability to apply pressure in both attack and defence helped establish the consistent momentum that carried the Tricolours to victory.
While Tuggeranong Valley continued to compete and found opportunities around the contest, Ainslie's defensive structure and ball movement proved difficult to contain. By three-quarter time the margin had extended beyond six goals before the Tricolours finished strongly to secure their place in the Grand Final.
Jamie Clayden, Emma Summerhayes, Georgia Patterson, Lily Martin, Mia Cooper and Claudia Villiver were recognised among Ainslie's best performers. Tuggeranong Valley received strong contributions from Alana Fraser, Kate Patton, Anne-Maree Ghirardello, Morgan Stevens, Natasha Munjal and Chloe Brassil.
First Grade Men
Ainslie vs Tuggeranong Valley
Ainslie returned to Gungahlin Enclosed Oval on Saturday afternoon and secured a convincing 48-point victory over Tuggeranong Valley, winning 12.13 (85) to 5.7 (37).
The Valley made the stronger start and held a five-point lead at quarter time after a disciplined opening term. The match remained tightly contested through much of the first half before Ainslie began to gain ascendancy around the contest.
The Tricolours turned the game in the third quarter, producing their most effective football of the afternoon to kick four goals while limiting Valley's scoring opportunities. That momentum carried into the final term as Ainslie added a further four goals to run away with the result.
Thomas Faul led the way inside 50, finishing with five goals in a performance that continually punished Valley's defensive mistakes and ensured Ainslie maintained scoreboard pressure throughout the afternoon.
Thomas Faul, Tommy Muir, Matthew Teasdale, Charlie Boyton, Joe Bishop and Luke Crocker were among Ainslie's most influential contributors. For Tuggeranong Valley, James Rice, Liam Naughton, Riley Budd, Sam Emery, Joe Carroll and Noah Budd continued to fight hard throughout the contest.
Eastlake vs Queanbeyan
The final Preliminary Final of the weekend unfolded at Patches Asphalt Park, where Eastlake delivered one of its strongest performances of the season to defeat Queanbeyan 21.12 (138) to 12.7 (79).
The Demons set the tone immediately, kicking four goals to one in the opening quarter before extending their advantage to 28 points by half-time. Eastlake's pressure around the contest and ability to convert opportunities inside 50 consistently placed Queanbeyan under scoreboard pressure.
Angus Baker produced one of the standout individual performances of the finals series so far, collecting 24 disposals and kicking five goals to finish with 124 KVA points. His ability to impact both through the midfield and inside 50 provided the spark for Eastlake's attacking performance and ensured the Demons capitalised on their opportunities.
To the Tigers' credit, they continued to compete throughout the afternoon and found avenues to goal, but Eastlake's attacking strength proved relentless. A six-goal third quarter effectively put the contest beyond doubt before the Demons finished strongly to seal a comprehensive victory.
Angus Baker, Thomas Wischnat, James Roberts, Oscar Davis, Hugh Strickland and Sam Thorne led the way for Eastlake in a polished team performance. Despite the result, Queanbeyan continued to battle throughout the afternoon and pushed the eventual winners for long periods of the contest.
Looking Ahead
After 17 Rounds of home and away football and another two huge weeks of Finals, we are all set for the final day of the 2026 season.
In the First Grade Women's competition, Ainslie and Belconnen will meet after both produced strong Preliminary Final performances, while the First Grade Men's Grand Final will feature Eastlake and Ainslie following dominant victories over the weekend.
With premierships now on the line, the stage is set for a fitting conclusion to another outstanding season of football across Canberra and the surrounding region.
Head over to the AFL Canberra PlayHQ page for all fixtures, results and ladders for the WR Engineering AFL Canberra Premier Division.