THE BATTLE for places in the top eight could hardly be hotter.

Clear frontrunner Sydney holds a two-win advantage over a chasing pack of finals hopefuls that arguably stretches to as many as 13 teams.

Brisbane and St Kilda have hung on to the lower end of that group of contenders in recent weeks and now meet in what looms as a critical clash for both sides to open round 14 on Friday night.

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Adelaide's season is unravelling and it now faces the Swans for the first time since the controversial ending to their match late last year, with the two sides taking vastly different paths since then.

But the most highly-anticipated match of the round is between the lowly Richmond and resurgent Hawthorn with Dustin Martin set to play his 300th match on Saturday.

Here is what to expect across round 14 and a tip for all six matches, as Carlton, Essendon, Geelong, Gold Coast, Melbourne and West Coast enjoy the bye.

Brisbane v St Kilda, Gabba
Friday, June 14, 7.40pm AEST

Last time: Brisbane 9.18 (72) d St Kilda 9.6 (60), R24 2023

What it means

Brisbane (5-6-1) is showing signs of returning to the sort of form that made it a top-four regular in recent seasons. The Lions impressed when brushing aside Western Bulldogs last week, but the 2023 runner-up now needs to make it back-to-back victories for the first time since round five if they are to stay in touch with the top eight.

St Kilda (5-8) rode its own luck to clinch a second consecutive victory in a nailbiter against Gold Coast, a week after turning around its form in the second against West Coast. But the Saints are still two wins out of the top eight with a poor percentage all but putting them a further game behind, and can ill-afford to slip up even against the gradually improving Lions.  

Game shapers

Eric Hipwood had come under fire for a lack of contribution as the Lions stumbled through the first half of the season, managing only 11 goals in 10 matches for his worst average return since his 2016 debut. That was until the key forward matched his equal-biggest haul with six majors against the Bulldogs to breathe fresh life into his, and his side's, season.

Jack Sinclair added a spark to what was at times a dull contest against the travel-sick Suns, at least until the Saints snatched victory in the dying stages. The Saints' dasher was often seen playing behind the ball and crucially had seven rebounds among his 31 classy disposals, but can expect more midfield time this week against the Lions' deep on-ball brigade.

Early tip: Brisbane by 11 points

Western Bulldogs v Fremantle, Marvel Stadium
Saturday, June 15, 1.45pm AEST

Last time: Fremantle 14.11 (95) d Western Bulldogs 10.11 (71), R7 2024

What it means

The Western Bulldogs (6-7) continued their rollercoaster ride of a season with a disappointing defeat on home turf to Brisbane only a week after showing such promising signs in a win over Collingwood. The Bulldogs continue to be hit hard by injury with fresh problems now at both ends of the field, but again have their key personnel in the midfield to stay in the finals hunt.

Fremantle (7-4-1) is coming off a bye following its crushing win over Melbourne by 92 points, with the rampant display sending a warning shot across the competition. The Dockers piled on 22 goals against the Demons as they showed strong signs that their under-fire ball movement and forward set up are now clicking into gear. 

Game shapers

Tim English will carry a bigger load than usual this week as the Bulldogs edge closer to running out of tall timber both as support in the ruck and at either end of the field. English won't be helped by coming up against a Dockers outfit that can turn to height in multiple positions as a strength, and might want to push forward more to find a fresh way to make an impact.

Jye Amiss built a reputation as a sharpshooter with 45.18 through his first 23 matches to the end of last season, but he was unable to find the same range during a lean start to this year. The 20-year-old had booted 14.15 from 10 matches and managed only four goals in five matches until bouncing back with four straight goals against the Demons in a reminder of his talents.

Early tip: Western Bulldogs by nine points

Richmond v Hawthorn, MCG
Saturday, June 15, 4.35pm AEST

Last time: Richmond 14.12 (96) d Hawthorn 15.5 (95), R19 2023

What it means

Richmond (2-11) had impressed even in narrow defeats to Essendon and Geelong in recent weeks but few would have seen their stirring victory coming on the road against Adelaide. The Tigers can now ride that wave of momentum into an emotional encounter this week as they return to the MCG for Dustin Martin's 300th match.

Hawthorn (6-7) is flying as one of the most in-form teams in the competition after six wins from its past eight matches well and truly putting a horror start to the season behind it. The Hawks can start eyeing a surprise return to finals, especially if they can make the most of playing the Tigers and Eagles either side of a bye.

Game shapers

Dustin Martin might not embrace the limelight off the field but few, if any, players have made a greater impact on the grandest stages. The three-time Norm Smith medallist will again be the centre of attention in his 300th match and will be coming in refreshed and raring to go after taking the week off ahead of his milestone. The midfield star helped the Tigers return to form with five goals in two matches before being managed against the Crows last week.

James Worpel was struggling to find as much of the ball as usual just as the Hawks started to turn their season around, but he seems to have rediscovered his role. The lean patch was partly due to teammate Will Day returning to the side, but Worpel looks comfortable again as he spends more time in the midfield and adds balance to the Hawks' on-ball brigade.

Early tip: Hawthorn by 14 points

Adelaide v Sydney, Adelaide Oval
Saturday, June 15, 7pm ACST

Last time: Sydney 11.8 (74) d Adelaide 10.13 (73), R23 2023

What it means

Adelaide's (4-8-1) finals hopes are on the brink of collapse after failing to win either of its back-to-back matches against sides around the same mark in Richmond and Hawthorn. The Crows have next to no margin for error as they sit three wins outside the top eight and in 15th place, but must find a way to stun the high-flying Swans that broke their hearts in controversial fashion late last year.  

Sydney (11-1) brushed aside its latest challenger in Geelong, even after giving up a six-goal lead. The Swans' midfield, including ruck recruit Brodie Grundy, was the key to the 65-point turnaround but with their defensive and forward groups also firing, it appears that only complacency against an opponent looking for a dose of revenge might prevent a ninth win on the trot.

Game shapers

Max Michalanney has been one of few Crows to grow their reputation this year especially since the 20-year-old has stepped out of his role as a lockdown defender and more into the midfield. The father-son pick up could be asked to combine those two skill sets as the Crows come up against the Swans' imperious on-ball brigade that is a key to their success.

Errol Gulden might be playing off the back of a top-five finish in the Brownlow Medal last year but has been able to fly under the radar at times during the Swans' blistering first half of the season. The tireless midfielder has perhaps been overshadowed by the form of Isaac Heeney and Chad Warner, but was back to his brilliant best against the Cats with a season-high 37 disposals as the Swans set themselves as the team to beat.

Early tip: Sydney by 21 points

North Melbourne v Collingwood, Marvel Stadium
Sunday, June 16, 1pm AEST

Last time: Collingwood 16.9 (105) d North Melbourne 10.10 (70), R11 2023

What it means

North Melbourne (1-11) will enter a match riding a wave of momentum from a victory the week beforehand for the first time in more than a year. The Roos showed encouraging signs for the future as they built a 33-point lead over the Eagles, but were all the more impressive for bouncing back even after giving up that advantage to snatch their breakthrough win. 

Collingwood (7-4-2) is building nicely into the season even as several influential players remain sidelined, with some unavailable for multiple weeks to come. The Pies might look to rest rather than risk some more of their key players, especially with the lowly Kangaroos up next with a bye to follow.

Game shapers

Jy Simpkin has stumbled through an injury-hit first half of the season that started with being on the receiving end of a horror high hit on the cusp of round one. But the Kangaroos' inspirational skipper was back to his best in the win over the Eagles with season-highs for 28 disposals, five clearances and two goals, with the latter including the major that reclaimed the lead in the dying stages. 

Brayden Maynard seemed to relish his role as the villain as he was targeted by opponents and booed by Demons fans whenever he touched the ball until the Pies gradually dismantled their opposition. The rugged defender will again be in the spotlight this week, this time to celebrate his 200th match while enjoying near-career highs for disposals and rebounds.

Early tip: Collingwood by 27 points

Greater Western Sydney v Port Adelaide, Engie Stadium
Sunday, June 16, 4pm AEST

Last time: Greater Western Sydney 13.15 (93) d Port Adelaide 9.16 (70), SF 2023

What it means

Greater Western Sydney (7-5) sits in the top eight only on percentage after giving up any advantage it had built with its early-season surge, suffering five defeats in the past seven matches. The Giants have been hit hard by injury to key players but have few excuses for failing to run out games after being outscored in the second half in their past five games and by a total of 36 goals, compared to their 19.

Port Adelaide (8-4) held onto its place in the top four even while having the weekend off with a bye. The Power will have appreciated the extra time to prepare for the return bout against the side that knocked them out of the finals last season, although they will face the Giants in unfamiliar surroundings with just their third ever visit to Engie Stadium and their first since 2013.

Game shapers

Brent Daniels was the leader of the Giants' mosquito fleet as they made an undefeated start to the season through their opening five matches, booting seven goals and directly assisting the same. But the 25-year-old had struggled to hit those same heights since being struck down with injury in the Giants' first defeat of the season against the Blues, until rediscovering his touch against the Hawks with 27 disposals as he added a spark to the midfield.

Ollie Wines has been in the spotlight for less than ideal reasons after he was substituted out of the clash with Hawthorn due to heart palpitations, and has more recently been linked with a move away from Port Adelaide. But the former co-captain has brushed all that aside to gather 26 disposals in consecutive weeks while also hitting the scoreboard as his versatility turns into a key weapon for the Power.

Early tip: Greater Western Sydney by 17 points

GREATER Western Sydney has breathed new life into its campaign after overcoming a slow start and wayward kicking for goal to defeat Port Adelaide by 22 points at Engie Stadium.

The Giants had lost five of their past seven matches and were on the ropes early as they struggled to hit the scoreboard but gradually edged past the Power for a 9.19 (73) to 6.15 (51) triumph on Sunday.

GIANTS v POWER Full match coverage and stats

Toby Greene was one of the worst culprits in the forward half as the Giants failed to put the Power away, the skipper booting five behinds before a late goal that all but sealed the game. 

Josh Kelly (27 disposals, one goal) put the finishing touches on the victory with a major in the last two minutes after a superb performance in his return from a calf injury for a first match since round nine.

The Giants' zippy forward Toby Bedford (16, one) was outstanding in a shock tagging role, clamping down on Zak Butters to limit the Power vice-captain to only 17 touches and little impact on the game.

Lachie Whitfield (28) added dash out of defence, while Tom Green (30) and Callan Ward (23) were immense around the stoppages as the Giants rediscovered their touch to climb up to fifth spot. 

The Power missed the opportunity to rise as high as second on the ladder and have now dropped below the Giants to end the round in seventh amid a logjam of teams.

Dan Houston was a standout for the Power as he gathered 35 disposals while adding pace and penetration in all parts of the ground, while Kane Farrell impressed with 30 touches.

Mitch Georgiades (three goals) and Todd Marshall (one) made a bright start for the Power to combine for all three majors to the first change while leading a new-look forward line missing the out-of-form Charlie Dixon and Jeremy Finlayson.

Veterans Ollie Wines (18 disposals) and Travis Boak (18) battled hard for the Power, but skipper Connor Rozee (14) looked out of sorts in his return from a calf injury and just his second match since round eight.

The Giants took a while to get going with only their second goalless opening term under coach Adam Kingsley and were at risk of paying the price for wasteful kicking with seven behinds before Callum Brown booted their first major.

The pacey forward made it two in as many minutes as the hosts got the game on their own terms with better ball use coming out of defence to take a seven-point lead into the main break.

The Giants were on top for much of the second half without quite putting the Power away until a late flurry of goals that blew out the final margin.

Bedford puts sleeper hold on Butters
Toby Bedford was a surprise starter at the opening bounce standing alongside Power playmaker Zak Butters rather than closer to the Giants' goal. The livewire forward went on to announce himself as a tagger in his 50th match, after holding Butters to only three handballs in the first term while gathering six disposals himself. Butters edged to eight touches by the main break then finished with 17 while spending more time forward in the second half, but was well below his best and the career-high 28.1 disposals he had averaged coming into the clash. Bedford added a goal in the third term and gathered 16 disposals in an outstanding all-round display.

New Power tall forward trio show promising signs
Port Adelaide's forward half had a fresh look with out-of-sorts veterans Charlie Dixon and Jeremy Finlayson both dropped as coach Ken Hinkley backed a trio of younger talls. It was a selection statement that had an immediate impact as Mitch Georgiades backed up his equal career-high four majors against Carlton with the opening goal against GWS. Georgiades finished with three to now have 19 from 10 matches, while sharpshooter Todd Marshall was next in line with the second goal of the game. Ollie Lord will be better for the run after overcoming a serious leg injury to make his first appearance of the season, as the Power turn to a fresh combination to get their season back on track.

Greene denied classy goal by contentious call 
The Giants were still goalless when Toby Greene pounced on a loose handball 15m out from goal with Power defender Darcy Byrne-Jones closing quickly. The Giants skipper hurried to get the ball down to the outside of his right boot to dribble through what appeared to be a classy goal as Byrne-Jones raised his finger to appeal that it had taken a nick. Los Del Rio's classic Macarena rang out, Greene took a break on the bench and the umpires had the ball back in the centre circle for an age, until a lengthy score review overturned the Giants' opener with a contentious call.

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY        0.6     4.8     7.14     9.19 (73)
PORT ADELAIDE                            3.3     3.7     5.10     6.15 (51)

GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Brown 2, Thomas, Kelly, Hogan, Greene, Daniels, Cadman, Bedford
Port Adelaide: Georgiades 3, Ratugolea, Marshall, Byrne-Jones

BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Kelly, Callaghan, Green, Bedford, Whitfield, Briggs, Ward
Port Adelaide: Houston, Farrell, Georgiades, Wines, Boak

INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: Nil
Port Adelaide: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Greater Western Sydney: Toby McMullin (replaced Aaron Cadman in the fourth quarter)
Port Adelaide: Quinton Narkle (replaced Ollie Lord in the third quarter)

Crowd: 8,914 at Engie Stadium