Triple M expands AFL finals coverage for 2026 – Triple M will deliver more AFL finals football than ever before in 2026, with the network confirming live coverage, expanded programming and major footy personalities across September.
The move comes as the 2026 AFL Finals Series expands to include two wildcard finals, with ten teams now fighting for premiership glory. For listeners, that means more games, more commentary and more room for Triple M’s mix of live play-by-play, analysis and footy-panel chaos.
For Australian AFL fans, the audio rights story matters because finals coverage is not only about television. Radio and digital audio remain a major part of how supporters follow games at work, in the car, at the ground or while watching with the sound down. Triple M is leaning into that habit by pairing its live call with a broader finals-week schedule across radio and LiSTNR.
The network says its coverage begins tonight with live and free coverage of the first wildcard final, before continuing through the major moments of the 2026 AFL Finals Series.
Triple M’s finals commentary team will include James Brayshaw, Brian Taylor, Kate McCarthy, Isaac Smith, Dale ‘Daisy’ Thomas, Leigh Montagna, Steve Johnson, Nat Yoannidis and Ash Chua among the callers and analysts involved throughout September.
The release also points to strong recent AFL audio results for the network. Triple M says it enters the finals as the number one AFL audio broadcaster across the Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth metro markets for People 10+, with more than 785,000 listeners tuning in across the weekend.
The finals push will be supported by Triple M’s weekly AFL shows. The Thursday Rub, featuring Jack Heverin, Isaac Smith, Kate McCarthy and Jay Clark, starts the weekend from 6pm. The Friday Huddle with Mark ‘Howie’ Howard, Jason Dunstall, Nathan Brown and Damian Barrett follows from 4pm.
The Saturday Rub, featuring James Brayshaw, Bernie Vince, Billy Brownless and Damian Barrett, begins from 12pm. The Sunday Rub, with Leigh Montagna, Dale ‘Daisy’ Thomas, Steve Johnson and Mitch Cleary, will review the fallout from each weekend of finals football from 12pm.
Triple M will also use The Rush Hour with JB & Billy and its local Breakfast shows in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth to build out finals coverage across September.
Listeners will also have chances to get closer to the action. In Perth, 92.9 Triple M’s Quiz to the G will give one listener the chance to win a Grand Final package including flights, accommodation and tickets. In Melbourne, 105.1 Triple M will offer listeners chances to win finals tickets through Breakfast.
SCA Head of Sports Content – Audio Ewan Giles said there was nothing quite like an iconic Triple M call of finals footy, adding that this year there would be more of it than ever. He said the network had an outstanding team taking listeners through the big moments with Triple M’s familiar energy, humour and analysis.
Triple M’s AFL coverage and dedicated sports shows are available across the network and can be streamed free on LiSTNR. More details on Triple M are available at the official Triple M website.
For more AFL coverage, visit TV Central’s AFL section.
