AFL chief executive officer Andrew Dillon has confirmed that the Wildcard Round is here to stay.
Dillon appeared on Seven's broadcast of the Wildcard Final between Melbourne and Carlton at the MCG during the halftime break and said that while he is in charge of the league, the Wildcard Round will remain.
The concept split the AFL community when it was originally launched, with some seeing benefits to the new finals round, while others despised it.
This weekend has been the perfect launch for the Wildcard Round with both Wildcard Finals being thrillers in front of huge crowds.
Friday night's match between Western Bulldogs and Collingwood was arguably the game of the year with Magpies' Tim Membrey missing a shot after the siren to steal a famous win against the Dogs.
Instead, the Bulldogs won by three points in a high-scoring contest in front of 81,000 fans.
On Saturday night, the second Wildcard Final between Melbourne and Carlton was a sellout, with the only available tickets being walk up MCC.
The contest was another thriller and tight affair, in front of a passionate crowd that is expected to push over the 90,000 mark.
Dillon's Wildcard Round will have no doubt silenced some critics after the efforts of the four clubs involved to put on stirring performances and to the fans for turning out in strong numbers.
