2018 AFL season
The 2018 Australian Football League season was the 122nd season of the elite Australian rules football competition and the 29th under the name 'Australian Football League', having switched from 'Victorian Football League' after 1989. There were 18 teams competing in the league, the same as the previous six seasons. The first game was played on Thursday, 22 March, and the season concluded with the 2018 AFL Grand Final on Saturday, 29 September between and. defeated by five points, winning their fourth premiership.
Pre-season
AFLX
On 17 November 2017, the AFL confirmed that the pre-season would feature an AFLX competition. The game is played on a soccer-sized pitch over two ten minute halves. Each team features seven players on the field and three interchange players. Teams were split into three groups of six, with a grand final to be held for each group. The matches were played from 15–17 February 2018. The winners of the competition were Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane.JLT Community Series
The pre-season series of games returned as the 2018 JLT Community Series. The number of games was reduced compared to the previous season, with teams playing two games each. The games were stand-alone, with no overall winner of the series. Each team played two games, many at suburban or regional venues, while all games were televised on Fox Footy.Premiership season
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Round 11
Round 12
Round 13
Round 14
Round 15
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Round 19
Round 20
Round 21
Round 22
Round 23
Season notes
- lost its first seven matches, the longest losing streak to start a season in the club's history.
- 's final record of 2-20 was the club's fewest wins in a season since 1901.
- qualified for the finals for the first time since 2006.
Win/loss table
Bold – Home gameX – Bye
Opponent for round listed above margin
This table can be sorted by margin, winners are represented in the first half of each column, and losers are represented in the second half of each column once sorted
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | F1 | F2 | F3 | GF | Ladder |
| X | X | X | X | X | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | X | X | X | X | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | X | X | X | X | 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | X | X | X | X | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | X | X | X | X | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | X | X | X | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | X | X | X | X | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | X | X | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | X | X | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | X | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | X | X | X | X | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | X | X | X | X | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | X | X | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | X | X | X | X | 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | X | X | X | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | X | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | X | X | X | X | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | F1 | F2 | F3 | GF | Ladder |
Ladder
Ladder progression
- Numbers highlighted in green indicates the team finished the round inside the top 8.
- Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished in first place on the ladder in that round.
- Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished in last place on the ladder in that round.
- Underlined numbers indicates the team had a bye during that round.
- Subscript numbers indicate ladder position at round's end.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | |
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| 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 |
Finals series
Week one
Week two
Week three
Week four
Finals notes
- qualified for a preliminary final for the first time since 2000, and made finals for the first time since 2006.
- qualified for the grand final for the first time since 2011, and qualified for the finals for the first time since 2013.
Attendances
By club
By ground
Awards
- The Brownlow Medal was awarded to Tom Mitchell of who polled 28 votes.
- The Coleman Medal was awarded to Jack Riewoldt of, who kicked 65 goals during the home and away season. It was the third time Riewoldt has won the award.
- The Ron Evans Medal was awarded to Jaidyn Stephenson of, who received 52 votes.
- The Norm Smith Medal was awarded to Luke Shuey of.
- The AFL Goal of the Year was awarded to Jack Higgins of for his goal against in round 19.
- The AFL Mark of the Year was awarded to Isaac Heeney of for his mark against in round 21.
- The McClelland Trophy was awarded to for the first time since 1982.
- The wooden spoon was "awarded" to for the first time since 2015 after obtaining a club low two wins during the season.
- The AFL Players Association Awards:
- *The Leigh Matthews Trophy was awarded to Tom Mitchell of polling 773 votes ahead of Patrick Cripps who polled 529.
- *The Robert Rose Award was awarded to Callan Ward of.
- *The best captain was awarded to Trent Cotchin of.
- *The best first year player was awarded to Tim Kelly of.
- *The 22under22 team captaincy was awarded to Marcus Bontempelli of the for the third year in a row.
- The AFL Coaches Association Awards:
- *The AFL Coaches Association Player of the Year Award was awarded to Max Gawn of who received 97 votes ahead of Patrick Cripps who received 91.
- *The Gary Ayres Award for the best player in the finals series was awarded to Steele Sidebottom of who polled 23 votes ahead of teammate Taylor Adams on 18.
- *The Allan Jeans Senior Coach of the Year Award was awarded to coach Nathan Buckley.
- *The Assistant Coach of the Year Award was awarded to assistant Rhyce Shaw for the second year in a row.
- *The Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded to Alan Stewart for his contribution to football in South Australia.
- *The Best Young Player Award was awarded to Tom Stewart of who received 40 votes.
- *The Media Award was awarded to Gerard Whateley for the fifth consecutive year.
- The Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award was awarded to Neville Jetta of.
Milestones
| Name | Club | Milestone | Round | Ref. |
Coleman Medal
- Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the player led the Coleman Medal at the end of that round.
- Numbers underlined indicates the player did not play in that round.
| Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | Total | |
| 1 | Jack Riewoldt | 44 | 04 | 48 | 19 | 211 | 314 | 317 | 219 | 524 | 024 | 125 | 328 | 230 | 030 | 333 | 235 | 237 | 441 | 344 | 448 | 1058 | 260 | 565 | 65 |
| 2 | Ben Brown | 00 | 66 | 410 | 515 | 419 | 423 | 124 | 226 | 531 | 233 | 235 | 035 | 035 | 540 | 242 | 446 | 450 | 252 | 153 | 154 | 458 | 058 | 361 | 61 |
| 3 | Tom Hawkins | 00 | 11 | 34 | 04 | 04 | 26 | 410 | 010 | 313 | 316 | 319 | 322 | 325 | 025 | 328 | 533 | 437 | 744 | 751 | 152 | 153 | 659 | 261 | 61 |
| 4 | Lance Franklin | 88 | 412 | 214 | 317 | 118 | 018 | 018 | 018 | 321 | 122 | 325 | 429 | 231 | 031 | 435 | 439 | 342 | 042 | 244 | 650 | 252 | 557 | 057 | 57 |
| 5 | Luke Breust | 44 | 04 | 37 | 411 | 516 | 319 | 120 | 323 | 023 | 023 | 124 | 024 | 125 | 227 | 330 | 636 | 036 | 541 | 445 | 348 | 250 | 252 | 153 | 53 |
| 6 | Jack Gunston | 22 | 24 | 04 | 26 | 28 | 311 | 112 | 517 | 421 | 021 | 021 | 021 | 122 | 325 | 025 | 429 | 231 | 233 | 235 | 540 | 242 | 446 | 248 | 48 |
| 6 | Tom McDonald | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 22 | 24 | 59 | 413 | 215 | 419 | 625 | 025 | 328 | 129 | 130 | 333 | 437 | 340 | 040 | 242 | 345 | 348 | 48 |
| 8 | Jesse Hogan | 33 | 58 | 19 | 110 | 212 | 214 | 317 | 320 | 121 | 526 | 531 | 031 | 031 | 031 | 334 | 236 | 440 | 141 | 142 | 446 | 147 | 047 | 047 | 47 |
| 9 | Josh Jenkins | 22 | 57 | 18 | 08 | 311 | 011 | 314 | 115 | 116 | 117 | 118 | 220 | 121 | 021 | 223 | 326 | 228 | 230 | 030 | 333 | 336 | 339 | 746 | 46 |
| 10 | Josh Caddy | 33 | 36 | 06 | 17 | 07 | 411 | 112 | 416 | 117 | 623 | 427 | 027 | 128 | 028 | 129 | 231 | 132 | 233 | 135 | 035 | 439 | 443 | 144 | 44 |