If an AFL finals match – including the Grand Final – is a draw at the end of normal time, it is now decided on the day using extra time rather than being replayed.

What actually happens

If scores are level at full-time in an AFL final:

  • Goal umpires first confirm that the scores are identical.
  • Players have a short break of about six to six-and-a-half minutes.
  • Teams change ends of the ground.

Then extra time is played:

  • Two periods of three minutes (plus time-on) are played, effectively two short halves.
  • At the end of the first three-minute period, teams immediately change ends again with no break and play the second three-minute period.
  • When the second period ends, the team with the higher score wins the final or Grand Final.

If it is still a draw after those two extra-time periods, the same process (change ends, two more three-minute periods) is repeated until there is a winner.

Interchange and rotations in extra time

Extra time comes with its own interchange allowance:

  • Each club gets 10 extra interchanges for each three‑minute period of extra time, on top of the normal match cap.
  • Any unused interchanges from a period of extra time do not carry over into the next period.

This setup is designed so a premiership or finals result is decided immediately, without needing a replay in a later week.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.