lions.com.au takes another look at the Brisbane Lions’ remaining matches, as they gear up for a tilt at the finals.

Round 20: Sydney
Record: 11-8 (sixth)
Past five: WLWWW
Form: The late-season specialists are looking at another top-four finish and have shortened significantly in premiership betting – to $6 behind Geelong and West Coast. Coincidentally, the Cats and the Eagles are the only two sides to beat the Swans during the past seven weeks and Paul Roos’ side has now strung together three wins on the trot. Their latest victory came against St Kilda at Homebush on Saturday night, with Jarrad McVeigh booting three goals in a customarily solid 17-point win.

Round 21: Adelaide:
Record: 9-10 (11th)
Past five: LLLWL
Form: The Crows continue to walk a fine line on the edge of finals contention, having lost three of their past four games. However, Neil Craig’s side defeated third-placed Port Adelaide in round 18 and gave high-flying Geelong some decent competition in a far-from-disheartening 33-point loss on the weekend. No matter how many games it wins, Adelaide will help shape the top eight over the final three rounds – it meets the Western Bulldogs in round 20 and Collingwood in the last weekend of home-and-away action.

Round 22: Geelong
Record: 16-3 (first)
Past five: WWWWW
Form: So dominant have the Cats’ been that opposing sides are now rated and given kudos on the magnitude (or, more relevantly, the non-magnitude) of their losses to Mark Thompson’s men. Adelaide, for instance, is thought to be travelling okay having “only” lost to Geelong by 33 points on Sunday. There is little left to be said about the Cats that hasn’t already been covered. They’ve now won 14 straight, having last lost in round five against their opponents this week, the Kangaroos.

The run home for the other finals contenders (from top to bottom):

Geelong:  Kangaroos, Port Adelaide, Brisbane Lions.
Hawthorn: Port Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, Sydney
Port Adelaide: Hawthorn, Geelong, Fremantle
West Coast: Richmond, St Kilda, Essendon
Kangaroos: Geelong, Carlton, Western Bulldogs
Sydney: Brisbane Lions, Collingwood, Hawthorn
Collingwood: Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide
St Kilda: Fremantle, West Coast, Richmond
Western Bulldogs: Adelaide, Hawthorn, Kangaroos
Adelaide:  Western Bulldogs, Brisbane Lions, Collingwood
Fremantle: St Kilda, Melbourne, Port Adelaide
Essendon: Carlton, Richmond, West Coast