The race to the AFL finals might come all the way down to the ultimate kick of the minor spherical with each place within the high eight up for grabs with two rounds remaining.
Brisbane stored its minor premiership hopes alive with a win towards Collingwood on Friday evening, whereas 13 groups stay alive within the hunt for a postseason berth.
Here is each high eight state of affairs defined – together with the match-ups for the primary spherical of finals in the event that they started at present – with 17 video games left on the schedule.
MINOR PREMIERSHIP
Collingwood (17 wins, 5 defeats, 123.2%) Remaining fixture: Essendon (MCG)
The Magpies have solely received one in every of their previous 4 video games however stay answerable for high spot. A win towards Essendon subsequent Friday evening will ship their first minor premiership since 2011.
Brisbane Lions (16-6, 123.2%) Remaining fixture: St Kilda (Home)
The Lions want another Magpies slip-up and a win towards the Saints to pinch high spot, but additionally have Port Adelaide pursuing them for second spot. Avoiding an away prelim will likely be key given Brisbane’s 3-3 document in Melbourne this season.
TOP FOUR
Port Adelaide (15-6, 111%) Remaining fixtures: Fremantle (Away), Richmond (Home)
The Power’s four-game shedding streak from rounds 18-21 has left them needing Brisbane’s assist to keep away from beginning the postseason on the street. Port hasn’t received on the Gabba since 2017.
Melbourne (14-7, 124%) Remaining fixtures: Hawthorn (MCG), Sydney (Away)
The Demons can lock up fourth spot with a win towards the Hawks this weekend and given their sturdy proportion might transfer up the ladder if the Lions or Power open the door. But nobody desires that, deliver on a qualifying ultimate towards the Pies on the MCG.
TOP EIGHT
Carlton (12-8-1, 116.8%) Remaining fixtures: Gold Coast (Away), GWS (Home)
The Blues can safe their first finals berth since 2013 with one win from their remaining two video games. It’s exhausting to see them shifting from fifth and if outcomes go as anticipated this week they might don’t have anything to play for within the ultimate spherical. That surprising twist might change into crucial within the race for the fitting.
St Kilda (12-9, 107%) Remaining fixtures: Geelong (Marvel), Brisbane (Away)
After being in high spot after spherical six and inside the highest eight for your entire season, the Saints are out of the blue on shaky floor. They want only one win to lock up a finals spot however should not favoured to win both of their remaining fixtures and still have a low proportion.
Sydney Swans (11-9-1, 112.1%) Remaining fixtures: Adelaide (Away), Melbourne (Home)
The Swans have ridden a five-game profitable streak to seventh place however might must stretch it to seven to make sure they don’t fall from a grand ultimate to exterior the finals in a single season. That received’t be simple with the Crows and Demons on their schedule however each video games are winnable.
Western Bulldogs (11-10, 108.5%) Remaining fixtures: West Coast (Home), Geelong (Away)
You can assure the Dogs will likely be within the eight on Sunday evening with the easybeat Eagles visiting Marvel. But they could nonetheless want a win on the Cattery to remain there relying on different outcomes.
Essendon (11-10, 99.1%) Remaining fixtures: Giants (Away), Collingwood (MCG)
The Bombers are chasing wins towards the lower-ranked Giants and the out-of-form Magpies to characteristic in September. It’s not unattainable however with Essendon’s atypical proportion it might be throughout as quickly as at present.
GWS Giants (11-10, 98.6%) Remaining fixtures: Essendon (Home), Carlton (Away)
The Giants-Bombers conflict is one in every of three season-defining video games this Saturday, together with the Saints-Cats and Crows-Swans contests. GWS’ finals hopes will carry dramatically if they will beat the Bombers after which have outcomes leaving Carlton with nothing to play for in spherical 24.
Geelong (10-10-1, 117.5%) Remaining fixtures: St Kilda (Marvel), Western Bulldogs (Home)
Many are pencilling in two victories for the reigning premiers however they haven’t crushed two finals contenders in back-to-back weeks since rounds 6-8, so that could be untimely.
Adelaide (10-11, 115.8%) Remaining fixtures: Sydney (Home), West Coast (Away)
It’s a reasonably easy equation for the Crows – handle the Swans at residence, thump the Eagles after which hope different outcomes fall their means. If outcomes go as anticipated the Crows might discover themselves sneaking up as excessive as seventh nevertheless it solely takes one upset anyplace within the subsequent fortnight to smash all of it.
Richmond (Sept. 11-1, 93.1%) Remaining fixtures: North Melbourne (MCG), Port Adelaide (Away)
We’re together with the Tigers as a result of it’s mathematically potential however the odds are longer than a Dustin Martin drop punt.
LADDER (LIVE)
1. Collingwood – 68 factors
2. Brisbane Lions – 64
3. Port Adelaide – 60
4. Melbourne – 56
5. Carlton – 50
6. St Kilda – 48
7. Sydney Swans – 46
8. Western Bulldogs – 44
9. Essendon – 44
10. GWS – 44
11. Geelong – 42
12. Adelaide – 40
13. Richmond – 38
14. Fremantle – 36
15. Gold Coast – 36
16. Hawthorn – 28
17. North Melbourne – 8
18. West Coast – 8
WEEK ONE FINALS MATCH-UPS (LIVE)
1. Collingwood v 4. Melbourne
2. Brisbane Lions v 3. Port Adelaide
5. Carlton v 8. Western Bulldogs
6. St Kilda v 7. Sydney
Source: www.news.com.au
