THE FINAL game of round 23 promises to be a doozy as West Coast takes on a injury-savaged Carlton at Optus Stadium.
The Eagles found reason for hope late in the season after running down North Melbourne for a rousing last-gasp victory that made it back-to-back wins under its interim coach Jared Schofield.
EAGLES v BLUES Follow it LIVE
The Eagles should even like their chances of making it three on the trot for the first time in more than three years as they take on the wounded Blues in front of home fans.
Carlton had one hand on a double chance as it sat in second place as recently as round 19 before paying the price for a horror stretch of five defeats in its past six matches.
The Blues have now fallen out of the top eight for just the second time this season and will have their work cut out matching the 16th-placed Eagles after being decimated by injury.
The Eagles have made two changes as Harry Edwards and Jack Petruccelle (who has been named the sub) come in for Ryan Maric and Clay Hall.
The injury-hit Blues have been forced into six changes as Lewis Young, Jaxon Binns, Ashton Moir (the sub), Cooper Lord, Jack Carroll and Corey Durdin replace Adam Saad, Harry McKay, Jack Martin, Lachie Fogarty, Charlie Curnow and Jordan Boyd.
West Coast v Carlton at Optus Stadium, 2.40pm AWST
NO LATE CHANGES
SUBSTITUTES
West Coast: Jack Petruccelle
Carlton: Ashton Moir
Hawthorn has climbed into the top eight for the first time this season and looms as a major threat after a thumping victory over Carlton made it 11 wins in its past 14 matches.
The Hawks are playing with an energy and enthusiasm that could make them hard to deny come finals time and even hold a strong record at the MCG, the venue for today's clash with Richmond, with four wins on the trot by an average 53.8 points.
HAWKS v TIGERS Follow it LIVE
Richmond could do little to stop St Kilda running away from it last week and has now lost its past eight matches by an average 39 points.
The Tigers can hardly even turn to their former fortress to boost their hopes, after 10 defeats in 11 matches at the venue this season, but could still take positives from shaking up the finals race if they can knock down the high-flying Hawks.
While the Hawks are unchanged, the Tigers welcome back Jack Ross, Jacob Blight and Matt Coulthard in place of Samson Ryan, Kaleb Smith and Thomson Dow.
Hawthorn v Richmond at the MCG, 3.20pm AEST
NO LATE CHANGES
SUBSTITUTES
Hawthorn: Luke Breust
Richmond: Kamdyn McIntosh
Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium, 1.10pm AEST
NO LATE CHANGES
SUBSTITUTES
Western Bulldogs: Jack Macrae
North Melbourne: Miller Bergman
