The 2026 AFL season might be remembered in future years for the scandals that occurred at Geelong, Carlton and Sydney. But fans should not forget how beautiful and glorious some of the football has been this season.
For all the concerns about how the game has been "ruined" by the league, umpires, or you name it, according to talk back radio, the 2026 season has seen fast-paced, high-scoring and free-flowing football return.
There were a number of unlucky contenders that missed out on this list of the best five games of the home-and-away season.
One sunny Sydney Sunday saw fans witness a full-throttle classic between Sydney and Melbourne in Round 8, with the former winning 131-114.
Out west, Wharfie Time was thrust onto centre stage when Fremantle completed a stirring comeback against Hawthorn at home in Round 9 to the raptures of a packed-out Optus Stadium.
Or when North Melbourne overcame one of its many demons to finally win an Easter Friday match against Carlton. Under the roof at Marvel Stadium, the Roos won by 10 points in a thriller in one of the best victories in the club's recent history, while it was one of the many nails in Michael Voss' coffin at Carlton that would see him depart five weeks later.
There could only be five ranking spots, so here are the best five games of the season according to Zero Hanger.
5. Collingwood-Hawthorn (Round 8, 23)
Yep, already cheating, but both these clashes were must-watch football between two juggernauts of the league.
The two sides had never, in 100 years of playing each other, had a draw together. But in 2026, they had two consecutive draws. It's the first time it has happened between two clubs in the same season ever. And only the fourth time in history clubs have played in consecutive draws.
Add in the fact that Hawthorn's Dylan Moore had the game-deciding shot in both matches, and the odds on that happening would be astronomical.
In Round 8, Moore's shot after the siren drew the scores level at 93-93. Fifteen weeks later, Moore's shot after the siren missed to keep the scores tied 92-92. Even the scores were nearly identical.
Both games also had ramifications for where Hawthorn finished the season, with the Hawks sitting on percentage out of third spot.
And to tie a bow around it, both games were simply thrillers in front of a packed-out MCG.
