THURSDAY night footy is back tonight with a big clash between Sydney and the Western Bulldogs.

It's an important match for both teams, with the Swans looking to keep their finals hopes alive and the Dogs pushing for a top-four spot.

It'll be a massive Friday night showdown between top-four sides Melbourne and Brisbane at the MCG, while Collingwood and Fremantle will kick off a massive Saturday slate, including Steven King's first time in charge of Gold Coast when it takes on St Kilda. Geelong and Essendon face off at GMHBA Stadium in a finals-shaping encounter, while Adelaide hosts GWS in the second Saturday night match.

There are two games on Sunday beginning with North Melbourne's clash against Hawthorn and finishing with West Coast taking on Richmond.