Suns through to AFLW finals, but their home ground is up in the air
Gold Coast Suns have qualified for the AFLW finals, their first finals appearance since 2023. The club sits fourth on the ladder, the table that ranks every team by wins, with eight wins so far this season, according to ABC News.
The harder question is where they will play. Carrara Stadium, the Suns' usual home, is unavailable for weeks two, three and four of the finals. Australia's women's cricket side has a T20 clash with England there, and T20 is the short, fast form of cricket.
The club is looking at other grounds. Bright Homes Arena in Springfield and Fankhauser Reserve in Southport are among the options being considered for home finals. Carrara would still be free for a Suns home final next weekend if the club finishes fifth or sixth, so the venue depends partly on where the ladder ends up.
Other grounds are tied up too. Geelong's Kardinia Park is unavailable next weekend because of the AUSX Supercross Championship, a dirt-track motorbike event.
Demand for the team is strong. The Suns recorded a 75 per cent increase in AFLW memberships for the 2026 season, according to the same ABC report.
The grand final is already set. The AFL confirmed in August that the 2026 NAB AFLW Grand Final will be played on Friday 27 November in a primetime night slot. If the decider is played in Melbourne, it will be at Princes Park, which holds 13,000 people.
Finals are knockout football. Lose once and you are out, which is why every home ground matters. For the Suns, the next step is to find a venue, and the ladder will decide how quickly that happens.
