RICHMOND will play North Melbourne on the Friday night to start the last AFL round before the finals.

The AFL is due to announce the round 23 fixture on Tuesday.

The scheduling of the last round is not set until now so the League can factor in where teams are on the ladder.

Hawthorn is set to finish in the top four and will play either Fremantle or West Coast in a qualifying final.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said it would be unfair on the two WA teams if the Hawks-Carlton game was played on the Friday night, giving the reigning premiers an extra day's break.

"Really, there are only two games you can play ... it's either Carlton-Hawthorn or Richmond-North," McLachlan said of the Friday night match.

"With the two WA teams on top, to have Hawthorn on the Friday night getting the additional break as a likely team to play (one of them), it's fairer to have the top four teams as we stand here this week all playing on the Saturday."

Fremantle looks set to be this year's minor premier and is playing Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval in round 23. The Eagles have a home game against St Kilda.

The fact Fremantle is travelling was also taken into consideration.

The other likely top-four team, the Sydney Swans, is playing Gold Coast at the SCG in its final home and away game.

The Western Bulldogs will also have a big say on how the eight looks come September. The Dogs are playing an away game against the Brisbane Lions in round 23 so travel time becomes a factor for them as well.

Geelong hosts the Crows in round 23 in a game that could decide who grabs eighth spot and keeps their season alive.

The eighth-placed team is likely to play the Bulldogs or Richmond the following week in an elimination final.

It is not beyond possibility that North could play Richmond in round 23 on Friday and face the Tigers the following Friday in a cut-throat final.