The AFL’s inaugural Wildcard Round has proven a hit with thousands of Western Bulldogs and Collingwood fans packing into the MCG on Friday night but some fans were left confused by the concept.

The clash between the Pies and Dogs is the first time the wildcard chance has been showcased, with the traditional top eight getting an added layer of difficulty on the road to September.

The fact that the game is being hosted at the home of footy instead of down the road at Marvel Stadium rankled some fans, with the Western Bulldogs having earned the right to host.

But the league’s decision makers would’ve been licking their lips after barely a seat was left free during the first half of an entertaining contest that saw the Dogs hold a 10-point advantage.

Kevin P took to X, formerly Twitter, to call the game “massive”.

However, while the fans at the ground were engrossed in the contest, viewers at home were left confused by the AFL’s latest innovation.

Bridget Wainwright wrote, “Only the AFL would bring in a wildcard game thats entire purpose is to decide who will play in the finals, but then call that game a final.”

RatFinky simply posted “I have no idea what a Wildcard Final is”.

“Wildcard final. But what is this?” Bev wrote.

SeverusVape added, “Why are we calling it a ‘wildcard final’? It’s either a wildcard OR a final. It can’t be both.”

There were also plenty of jokes with fans asking if this match “was the best wildcard final ever”, while one footy fan rubbed salt into Bulldogs defender Bhuku Khamis’ wounds after he was nutmegged in a sensational soccer goal early in the first term.

The winner of the clash will earn an elimination final against either Adelaide or Geelong in the first official week of the finals series.