And Geelong's unique home-ground advantage among Victorian clubs has it better placed than most of its top-eight rivals to lock away a percentage boost in the remaining seven rounds of the season.

Since playing their first game of the year at Simonds Stadium in round 10, the Cats' percentage has jumped from 126.1 to 132.7 per cent.

Their percentage in three games played at Simonds Stadium this year stands at 211, with their percentage for the other 12 games a relatively paltry 122 per cent.

Going into round 10, the club was 17.27 percentage points behind the Hawks but it now trails Hawthorn (a team it has already beaten twice in 2013) by just 9.3 percentage points and is gaining fast.

This well-earned advantage at home may have a big bearing on the shape of the top four. Geelong is locked on points with the Hawks, but has four games remaining at its boutique stadium at the end of the highway.

Geelong's percentage at the venue in 2012 was 151.3, way above its season-end percentage of 117.13. Its percentage for other games was 103.7.

Since 2007, this phenomenal Geelong outfit has played 41 games for 39 wins at its home ground and gathered a percentage of 176.5 along the way.

Home ground advantage and a bit of luck with the fixture continues to present a significant advantage to some teams contesting spots in the top eight.

The Sydney Swans have a percentage of 234.7 for their two games against Greater Western Sydney this season. 

 
The defending premiers' percentage jumped 10.62 percentage points after they thrashed GWS by 129 points on Sunday.

The Sydney Swans sit inside the final four, on the same points as Fremantle but ahead of the Dockers by virtue of their extra 16 percentage points. The Dockers play GWS at home in round 20.  

The Swans are one of three teams battling for positions in the top eight that play the Giants twice in 2013.

Port Adelaide has already done so and Essendon has its return bout with the Giants this week.

The Power have earned their top-eight spot with wins against the Sydney Swans and Collingwood but they have also been helped by two games against the Giants.

A percentage of 202.3 in games against the Giants is a significant reason Port Adelaide's overall percentage sits at 108.89 after 15 games. Its percentage for the other 13 games is just 98.6.

Although it has the lowest percentage of the top nine teams, the Power will remain in the race for a finals spot much longer than they otherwise might because of their luck in drawing the Giants twice.

Of course, teams can only beat the opposition ahead of them but two games against the winless expansion club presents a significant advantage.

The Bombers' lazy 39-point win over the Giants in round six is unlikely to be repeated as they aim for a percentage booster to solidify their top four spot.

Some will interpret this as a knock on the Giants. It's not.

The expansion team will come good so the locked-in biannual fixture between the Swans and Greater Western Sydney will not always be in the Swans' favour.

And although Melbourne has been an impediment to the competition, its draw means that it plays the Giants, the Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast, Western Bulldogs and just one final eight contender - Fremantle - twice, in 2013.

Of course, none of this will help anyone kick any extra goals in the finals but in the race for starting grid positions, the fixture and Geelong's home-ground advantage will play a huge role.

Not only that, the resultant impact on clubs' percentage may also determine the draft position of those clubs outside the eight.