Hawks get some breathing space, Crows stay alive and North drops out of the hunt
1. Hawthorn
56 points (14 wins, two losses) 141 per cent
The Hawks face a tricky run home but Geelong's surprise loss to Adelaide gives them some welcome breathing space at the top of the ladder. Their clashes against Essendon (round 18), Collingwood (round 21) and the Sydney Swans (round 23) loom as season-defining games.
The Bombers are headed to the finals but will be setting their sights higher, with a top-two finish not out of the question. Their draw is not easy and includes blockbuster games against traditional rivals Collingwood (round 19), Carlton (round 22) and Richmond (round 23) at the MCG. The Dons' round 18 clash against Hawthorn will give the most accurate indication of their premiership credentials.
The run home:
Rd 18: Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium
Rd 19: Collingwood at the MCG
Rd 20: West Coast at Etihad Stadium
Rd 21: North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium
Rd 22: Carlton at the MCG
Rd 23: Richmond at the MCG
3. Geelong
52 points (13 wins, three losses) 130.3 per cent
With four games to come at Simonds Stadium, the Cats remain a good chance to return to the top two despite their loss to the Crows. Any chance they still have to toppling the Hawks from top spot depends on beating West Coast at Patersons Stadium in round 21 and their home clash against fellow premiership aspirants the Sydney Swans in round 22.
The run home:
Rd 18: St Kilda at Simonds Stadium
Rd 19: North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium
Rd 20: Port Adelaide at Simonds Stadium
Rd 21: West Coast at Patersons Stadium
Rd 22: Sydney Swans at Simonds Stadium
Rd 23: Brisbane Lions at Simonds Stadium
4. Sydney Swans
50 points (12 wins, three losses, one draw) 142.3 per cent
The reigning premiers remain firmly in the hunt for the top four after posting their fourth successive win with a victory against West Coast in Perth. The Swans face a tough run home that mirrors their run into the finals last year, with four of their final six games against Richmond, Collingwood, Geelong and Hawthorn. They should enjoy some respite though against the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda.
The run home:
Rd 18: Richmond at the SCG
Rd 19: Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium
Rd 20: Collingwood at ANZ Stadium
Rd 21: St Kilda at the SCG
Rd 22: Geelong at Simonds Stadium
Rd 23: Hawthorn at ANZ Stadium
5. Fremantle
46 points (11 wins, four losses, one draw) 121.9 per cent
The Dockers might well be out of calculations for a top-two finish by virtue of their loss to Richmond, but they remain a strong chance to make the top four. The only contest that appears to present a serious threat is their round 19 clash with Carlton at Etihad Stadium. They host Adelaide, face St Kilda again, and have what should be comfortable outings against Greater Western Sydney and Melbourne.
The run home:
Rd 18: Adelaide at Patersons Stadium
Rd 19: Carlton at Etihad Stadium
Rd 20: Greater Western Sydney at Patersons Stadium
Rd 21: Melbourne at the MCG
Rd 22: Port Adelaide at Patersons Stadium
Rd 23: St Kilda at Etihad Stadium 6. Richmond
44 points (11 wins, five losses) 118 per cent
The Tigers will almost certainly play finals for the first time since 2001. A push for a top-four spot seems unlikely given they face the Sydney Swans and Hawthorn in the next fortnight and Essendon in the final round, but such a tough draw should prepare the Tigers for the intensity of finals football.
The run home: Rd 18: Sydney Swans at the SCG Rd 19: Hawthorn at the MCG Rd 20: Brisbane Lions at the MCG Rd 21: Carlton at the MCG Rd 22: Greater Western Sydney at Skoda Stadium Rd 23: Essendon at the MCG
7. Collingwood
40 points (10 wins, six losses) 108.3 per cent
After suffering a shock loss to Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium, the Pies have all but kicked themselves out of a top-four berth and have perhaps even placed their spot in the top eight in slight jeopardy. A seemingly inevitable win over Greater Western Sydney at the MCG should prove a welcome percentage booster. Things become much harder after that with return clashes against top sides Hawthorn, the Swans and Essendon, the trio having belted the Pies by an average of 49 points earlier this season.
The run home:
Rd 18: Greater Western Sydney at the MCG
Rd 19: Essendon at the MCG
Rd 20: Sydney Swans at ANZ Stadium
Rd 21: Hawthorn at the MCG
Rd 22: West Coast at the MCG
Rd 23: North Melbourne at the MCG
8. Port Adelaide
36 points (nine wins, seven losses) 108.7 per cent
With Carlton breathing down their neck, the Power is probably the only team in the top eight that can realistically miss the finals. But Port's draw is relatively kind, with just two of their final seven games being against fellow top-eight teams – Geelong (round 20) and Fremantle (round 22). Four of those remaining games are also on their home turf.
The run home:
Rd 18: Brisbane Lions at AAMI Stadium
Rd 19: Adelaide at AAMI Stadium
Rd 20: Geelong at Simonds Stadium
Rd 21: Gold Coast at AAMI Stadium
Rd 22: Fremantle at Patersons Stadium
Rd 23: Carlton at AAMI Stadium
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9. Carlton
32 points (eight wins, eight losses) 110.6 per cent
The Blues' heart-stopping win over North Melbourne momentarily lifted them into the eight, before Port Adelaide responded with a thrilling result of its own against St Kilda just 24 hours later. Just one game outside the eight and with a slightly better percentage than the Power, Carlton remains a chance to make the finals. If the Power falter in the run home, the Blues' draw should give them an edge over West Coast, and they are effectively two games ahead of the Brisbane Lions given their far superior percentage.
The run home:
Rd 18: Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium
Rd 19: Fremantle at Etihad Stadium
Rd 20: Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium
Rd 21: Richmond at the MCG
Rd 22: Essendon at the MCG
Rd 23: Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium
10. West Coast
28 points (seven wins, nine losses) 104.3 per cent
The Eagles have slipped two games outside the eight after losing their past two matches against quality sides Fremantle and the Sydney Swans. West Coast has to bank three wins against the Bulldogs, Gold Coast and Adelaide, but their other three matches (two of them away fixtures) will be very tough. Three out of the remaining six matches at home don't look as appealing as in previous years, given the Eagles have lost six of eight at Patersons Stadium this season.
The run home:
Rd 18: Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium
Rd 19: Gold Coast at Patersons Stadium
Rd 20: Essendon at Etihad Stadium
Rd 21: Geelong at Patersons Stadium
Rd 22: Collingwood at the MCG
Rd 23: Adelaide at Patersons Stadium
12. Adelaide
28 points (seven wins, nine losses) 102.4 per cent
The Crows' thrilling win over the Cats has rekindled finals hopes that appeared all but over before the game. However, they remain only an outside chance to sneak into the eight, given they still have two Western Australian road trips to come and a Showdown clash with a Port Adelaide side desperate to hold on to its top-eight berth. Two games and percentage is a considerable gap to bridge in only six games.
The run home:
Rd 17: Geelong at AAMI Stadium
Rd 18: Fremantle at Patersons Stadium
Rd 19: Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium
Rd 20: North Melbourne at AAMI Stadium
Rd 21: Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium
Rd 22: Melbourne at AAMI Stadium
Rd 23: West Coast at Patersons Stadium
13. Brisbane Lions
28 points (seven wins, nine losses) 82.4 per cent
The Lions have won their past three games to keep their finals hopes alive but they remain extreme long shots. They have the easiest draw of the teams trying to force their way into the top eight, with winnable games against St Kilda, GWS and the Western Bulldogs at home. However, their poor percentage means the Lions probably can't afford to drop another game.
The run home: Rd 18: Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium Rd 19: St Kilda at the Gabba Rd 20: Richmond at the MCG Rd 21: Greater Western Sydney at the Gabba Rd 22: Western Bulldogs at the Gabba Rd 23: Geelong at Simonds Stadium