Tyson Stengle and Jeremy Cameron celebrate during the round four match between the Western Bulldogs and Geelong at Adelaide Oval, April 06, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos

JUST three clubs have drawn four games against the bottom trio of West Coast, Hawthorn and North Melbourne in 2024, and two of them are already on track for finals.

Geelong and Gold Coast are in a position to significantly boost their win-loss tallies this season, with 16 points on offer against sides occupying the last three rungs of the ladder.

The Cats, who thumped North by 75 points last Sunday, will face the Roos again in round 20 and will also play the Hawks in round 17 having already beaten them on Easter Monday.

The Suns, who are currently eighth after thrashing the Hawks last Saturday night, still have two matches to come against each of the lowly Roos and struggling Eagles.

Matt Rowell (left) and Noah Anderson celebrate a goal during Gold Coast's match against Greater Western Sydney at Adelaide Hills - Mt Barker in R4, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos

North's best chances for wins will come against fellow cellar-dwellers Hawthorn and West Coast - they play each club twice this year - although the Eagles may have turned the corner after a thumping victory over a depleted Richmond on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Brisbane, Sydney and Port Adelaide – all finalists last year – will face the bottom trio just once each this year.

All other clubs have a single double-up against one of Hawthorn, West Coast and North Melbourne.

The double-up aspect of clubs' fixtures is somewhat determined by which third of the ladder a team has finished in the season prior.

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The Suns and Roos both finished in the bottom third last year, with North winning just three games for the year, while an injury-hit Geelong ended up in 12th spot, the final position of the middle third.

The Roos have had a particularly difficult start to the year, facing Greater Western Sydney, Fremantle, Carlton, Brisbane and Geelong - clubs that, as it stands, appear to be finals-bound.

Luke McDonald after North Melbourne's loss to Brisbane at Norwood Oval in R4, 2024. Picture: Getty Images

Bottom three double-ups

Adelaide: Hawthorn
Brisbane: Nil
Carlton: North Melbourne
Collingwood: Hawthorn
Essendon: West Coast
Fremantle: West Coast
Geelong: Hawthorn, North Melbourne
Gold Coast: North Melbourne, West Coast
Greater Western Sydney: Hawthorn
Hawthorn: North Melbourne
Melbourne: West Coast
North Melbourne: Hawthorn, West Coast
Port Adelaide: Nil
Richmond: Hawthorn
St Kilda: West Coast
Sydney: Nil
West Coast: North Melbourne
Western Bulldogs: North Melbourne