After a long, gruelling, and fun home and away season, the 2026 season enters the finals series with teams aspiring to win their age championship and end the season with silverware.
Beginning last weekend, the finals series is a three-week-long competition where the top four sides from each age group battle it out and hope to compete in next weekend’s Grand Finals.
The first weekend of the finals has already produced some shocking results, with several premiers being knocked out and others now having to take the longer road to the Grand Final. One of the biggest talking points was in the Men’s Super League, where Hills Spirit, who had gone undefeated throughout the regular season, must now win this weekend’s semi-final to keep their Grand Final hopes alive.
Another initiative introduced by Hills Football for this finals series is the use of a 4th Official for all U12–U16 finals matches. The 4th Official is a senior referee who supports the match officials, particularly with managing the technical areas and other aspects of the game. This initiative has been a welcome addition by both clubs and teams and has been introduced to provide additional support to our younger referees as they gain experience managing finals football.
The finals are always a great time of year as it allows the association to come together and showcase the best of our competitions. Packed with emotion, drama and high-stakes scenarios, the finals can fill teams with the highest of highs and lifelong memories, though for others it brings heartbreak and the lowest of lows. However, the overall sense of community, excitement and sportsmanship shines through the volunteers, referees and clubs that make the finals series such a great part of the season.
These moments and this special time of year would not be possible without the countless number of club volunteers who are hosting finals games across the various venues over the coming weekends. It has been a long season for everyone, and our finals simply could not happen without the dedication of the volunteers who give up their time to support their clubs and the players. Every volunteer plays a vital role in making the finals experience possible.
We wish every team playing this weekend the best of luck in their games.
For a full list of this weekend’s finals games, times and locations head to fixtures tab on the Hills Football website.
