Ben Keays during the match between Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs in R10, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

ADELAIDE, Sydney and the Western Bulldogs are fighting it out for just two spots in the finals for 2023, according to our reporters, who have again given St Kilda very little love in the run to September.

With two rounds to go, AFL.com.au's team of reporters have used our ladder predictor to tip the final make-up of the top eight, and they're tipping Port Adelaide to grab a crucial top-two spot.

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

Our nine reporters are close to unanimous in picking the identity of the top six teams, with Collingwood, Port, Melbourne, Brisbane, Carlton and Geelong backed to finish inside the top six.

Josh Gabelich has gone it alone in picking St Kilda to finish sixth - the only one of our reporters to back the Saints to play finals - at the expense of the Cats, who he's tipping to finish 10th.

>> SCROLL DOWN FOR THE FULL PREDICTED LADDER

There's also division when it comes to which two teams will finish in the bottom two spots of the eight.

Three reporters - Riley Beveridge, Sarah Olle and Gemma Bastiani - are backing the Swans to finish the season in seventh, while the other six are tipping them to finish way down in 11th spot.

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Bastiani has gone one out in tipping the Crows to miss the eight entirely, while Beveridge and Olle have the Crows making finals ahead of the Western Bulldogs.

It all sets up a massive clash between the Crows and Swans in Adelaide this Saturday night, with the winner to take a giant leap towards September football.

All nine reporters are expecting the Lions to have to travel in week one of the finals, while Nathan Schmook went alone in tipping Melbourne to finish second, with the other eight reporters predicting the Power to secure a top-two finish.

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AFL.com.au's predicted final ladder*

1. Collingwood
2. Port Adelaide
3. Melbourne
4. Brisbane
5. Carlton
6. Geelong
7. Adelaide
8. Western Bulldogs
 
9. St Kilda
10. Sydney
11. Greater Western Sydney
12. Essendon
13. Richmond
14. Gold Coast
15. Fremantle
16. Hawthorn
17. North Melbourne
18. West Coast
 
* Our nine reporters completed our ladder predictor and picked their expected top eight. Their responses were then tallied and averaged out to get a combined predicted ladder