Sydney's loss to Adelaide has opened the door for rivals to push for second spot on the ladder.
Collingwood and Geelong entrench themselves in the Wildcard Round slots, while the Giants' shock loss to Essendon has opened the race for 10th on the ladder.
Each week on Zero Hanger between now and the end of the regular season, we will tip the week ahead, take stock of what's left, run through every club's trip to the finish line, and predict the final ladder.
Here is how the final six weeks of the run home are shaping for every team, as well as the best and worst-case scenarios available to each outfit.
Here are the tips for Round 20.
Adelaide Crows defeat Collingwood Magpies
Melbourne Demons lose to Geelong Cats
Fremantle Dockers defeat West Coast Eagles
Carlton Blues defeat Gold Coast Suns
Hawthorn Hawks defeat Essendon Bombers
GWS Giants lose to Sydney Swans
Western Bulldogs defeat Richmond Tigers
Brisbane Lions defeat Port Adelaide
North Melbourne Kangaroos lose to St Kilda Saints
1. Fremantle Dockers
Current position: 1st, 64 points, 142%
Remaining games
Round 20: West Coast (home)
Round 21: Western Bulldogs (home)
Round 22: Melbourne (away)
Round 23: Adelaide (home)
Round 24: Carlton (away)
The Dockers have all but locked up the minor premiership following Sydney's loss to Adelaide, with a three-game buffer between the two clubs.
Fremantle took care of Port Adelaide in South Australia, and return home for the next fortnight. They should claim the Derby against cross-town rivals, while they shouldn't be scared of the Western Bulldogs.
They win the next two, then Justin Longmuir could look at managing some of his stars in the lead-in to the finals, whether that be during the week or on game day.
Likely finish: 1st
Change from last week: Nil
2. Sydney Swans
Current position: 2nd, 52 points, 128.3%
Remaining games
Round 20: GWS Giants (away)
Round 21: St Kilda (away)
Round 22: Port Adelaide (home)
Round 23: Essendon (away)
Round 24: North Melbourne (home)
The Swans' slip-up has opened the door for rivals to come for second on the ladder, and a home qualifying final.
The loss to Adelaide in front of the home crowd was damning and reflective of the club's form in recent weeks. However, Sydney's good work throughout the year has them perfectly placed to remain in the top two, and with a favourable run home, they should be hosting at the SCG in the first week of the finals.
Likely finish: 2nd
Change from last week: Nil
3. Hawthorn Hawks
Current position: 3rd, 50 points, 118.4%
Remaining games
Round 20: Essendon (home)
Round 21: North Melbourne (home)
Round 22: Brisbane (away)
Round 23: Collingwood (home)
Round 24: West Coast (away)
A huge first half against Richmond set up a massive win for the Hawks, with multiple stars improving their form heading into the final stretch of the season.
Hawthorn can't afford to slip up, although three of the five games remaining are against teams outside the top 10.
It is clashes against Brisbane and Collingwood that pose as danger matches, and the result will determine whether the club pushes for top two or slips outside the double chance zone.
Likely finish: 4th
Change from last week: Nil
4. Brisbane Lions
Current position: 4th, 48 points, 117.8%
Remaining games
Round 20: Port Adelaide (home)
Round 21: Carlton (away)
Round 22: Hawthorn (home)
Round 23: Gold Coast (home)
Round 24: Collingwood (away)
The Lions continue their impressive vein of form, taking care of the rebuilding Eagles.
Brisbane are perfectly placed for a three-peat, and following Sydney's loss, could charge home to push for a home qualifying final.
They'll begin as favourites for the remaining games, but will keep a close eye on Hawthorn and Collingwood as potential slip-ups.
Likely finish: 3rd
Change from last week: Nil
5. Adelaide Crows
Current position: 5th, 48 points, 117.2%
Remaining games
Round 20: Collingwood (home)
Round 21: Essendon (away)
Round 22: Richmond (home)
Round 23: Fremantle (away)
Round 24: GWS (home)
The Crows reaffirmed their premiership credentials with an impressive win over Sydney in Sydney, which has opened the door to second spot.
The Swans are only a game ahead of sixth thanks to Adelaide, who are now in the box seat to claim a double chance.
Winnable contests against Essendon and Richmond should be chalked up as wins. Clashes with Collingwood and GWS at home should be met with confidence, although they can be banana peel games.
But the most intriguing match in the run home is Round 23 against Fremantle at Optus Stadium.
Likely finish: 5th
Change from last week: Nil
6. Melbourne Demons
Current position: 6th, 48 points, 109.6%
Remaining games
Round 20: Geelong (home)
Round 21: Gold Coast (away)
Round 22: Fremantle (home)
Round 23: Port Adelaide (away)
Round 24: Western Bulldogs (home)
You can't argue with the Demons, who did enough to scrap by North Melbourne on the weekend.
Most wouldn't have tipped Melbourne to be sixth with five games to go in the season, but a miraculous turnaround under Steven King has the club as the dark horse for the flag.
But this is where it gets interesting. Their final five clashes won't be easy feats, and trips to Queensland to face Gold Coast and South Australia to take on the Power.
Likely finish: 6th
Change from last week: Nil
7. Western Bulldogs
Current position: 7th, 44 points, 92.3%
Remaining games
Round 20: Richmond (home)
Round 21: Fremantle (away)
Round 22: North Melbourne (home)
Round 23: Carlton (home)
Round 24: Melbourne (away)
The Bulldogs remain in striking distance of the top six, and a gutsy win over Gold Coast in Queensland proved they are still in the hunt for the flag.
The timing of the victory is aided by a favourable run home, barring the away trip to Fremantle to take on the competition leaders.
Lock in wins against Richmond, North Melbourne and Carlton could push the Bulldogs above the Wildcard slots, and make Round 24 against Melbourne a top-six determining match.
Likely finish: 7th
Change from last week: Nil
8. Collingwood Magpies
Current position: 8th, 42 points, 105.6%
Remaining games
Round 20: Adelaide (away)
Round 21: Geelong (home)
Round 22: West Coast (away)
Round 23: Hawthorn (away)
Round 24: Brisbane (home)
Collingwood did what it needed to do against the Blues. Claim the four points and get through unscathed.
Craig McRae has the Pies humming at the moment with five consecutive wins, but the tests are yet to come.
A trip to Adelaide and West Coast sandwich a clash with Geelong, before a final fortnight against Hawthorn and Brisbane.
The way the Pies are playing, they have every right to believe they can win, and they'll need to push for September action. But multiple slip-ups, and they could slide to the chasing pack. Fortunately, they've created a three-win buffer to 11th, and percentage doesn't matter given their draw.
Likely finish: 9th
Change from last week: Nil
9. Geelong Cats
Current position: 9th, 40 points, 116.2%
Remaining games
Round 20: Melbourne (away)
Round 21: Collingwood (away)
Round 22: Essendon (home)
Round 23: North Melbourne (away)
Round 24: Richmond (home)
The Cats desperately needed a win, and they got it against St Kilda.
Chris Scott made seven changes; some were forced, but the energised group of the inclusions helped topple the Saints in front of the home crowd.
A difficult fortnight ahead before facing the bottom three clubs of the competition.
If Geelong wins all five, which is achievable, they could push for a top six spot.
Likely finish: 8th
Change from last week: Nil
10. St Kilda
Current position: 10th, 32 points, 104%
Remaining games
Round 20: North Melbourne (away)
Round 21: Sydney (home)
Round 22: Carlton (home)
Round 23: Richmond (away)
Round 24: Gold Coast (home)
The Saints held onto the 10th spot, thanks to the teams who lost below them. But they've now joined the running pack for the last spot in the finals, with Geelong and Collingwood extending the gap between the groups.
The loss to the Cats put an end to a two-game win streak, but the run home is favourable to the Saints.
In four of the final five matches, St Kilda will begin as favourites, and if they win all those, they will claim a spot in September.
Likely finish: 10th
Change from last week: Nil
11. GWS Giants
Current position: 11th, 32 points, 101.3%
Remaining games
Round 20: Sydney (home)
Round 21: Port Adelaide (away)
Round 22: Gold Coast (home)
Round 23: West Coast (home)
Round 24: Adelaide (away)
The Giants were poised to entrench themselves inside the top 10 with an expected win over Essendon. How wrong they were.
The Bombers shocked them and the competition with a three-point victory, leaving GWS vulnerable outside the Wildcard spots.
Likely finish: 11th
Change from last week: Nil
12. Carlton Blues
Current position: 12th, 32 points, 91.1%
Remaining games
Round 20: Gold Coast (home)
Round 21: Brisbane (home)
Round 22: St Kilda (away)
Round 23: Western Bulldogs (away)
Round 24: Fremantle (home)
Reality has struck for Blues fans after a storming seven-game win streak under caretaker Josh Fraser has come to a grinding halt in the past two weeks, losing to Hawthorn and Collingwood.
Carlton had its chances to gain some ascendancy over the Pies, but failed to do so when it mattered most. Fortunately, the surrounding teams also lost, and the position for 10th spot is still up for grabs.
Likely finish: 12th
Change from last week: Nil
13. North Melbourne
Current position: 13th, 32 points, 90.9%
Remaining games
Round 20: St Kilda (home)
Round 21: Hawthorn (away)
Round 22: Western Bulldogs (away)
Round 23: Geelong (home)
Round 24: Sydney (away)
A time has come for North Melbourne to put an end to honourable losses, and on the weekend, its defeat to Melbourne was exactly that.
The Kangaroos' victories this year have come from teams around them on the ladder or below, but they have yet to take a scalp, despite being in winning positions.
Against the Demons, they had their chances but failed to capitalise, putting their Wildcard hopes in jeopardy amid a tough run home.
Likely finish: 13th
Change from last week: Nil
14. Gold Coast Suns
Current position: 14th, 28 points, 95.3%
Remaining games
Round 20: Carlton (away)
Round 21: Melbourne (home)
Round 22: GWS Giants (away)
Round 23: Brisbane (away)
Round 24: St Kilda (away)
The Suns have forgotten how to win, and Sunday's loss to the Western Bulldogs stretches the unwanted streak to eight consecutive defeats.
Gold Coast went down by nine points but had three more scoring shots, alluding to the inefficiencies in its front half.
Likely finish: 15th
Change from last week: Nil
15. Port Adelaide
Current position: 15th, 24 points, 99.3%
Remaining games
Round 20: Brisbane (away)
Round 21: GWS Giants (home)
Round 22: Sydney (away)
Round 23: Melbourne (home)
Round 24: Essendon (away)
Without four of its best players, the task of defeating Fremantle at home is nigh-on impossible, but the Power gave it everything.
The loss all but rules out Port Adelaide from Wildcard contention, needing everything to go perfectly in the final 5-week stretch of the season, especially with difficult games to come.
Likely finish: 14th
Change from last week: Nil
and Murphy Reid of the Dockers during the round 19 AFL match between Port Adelaide Power and Fremantle Dockers at Adelaide Oval, on July 18, 2026, in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)
16. West Coast Eagles
Current position: 16th, 16 points, 72.1%
Remaining games
Round 20: Fremantle (away)
Round 21: Richmond (away)
Round 22: Collingwood (home)
Round 23: GWS Giants (away)
Round 24: Hawthorn (home)
An honourable loss against the reigning premiers Brisbane, was another week where Eagles fans identified the direction of the club.
West Coast challenged the Lions, who are in red-hot form. They also had multiple individuals, such as Jake Waterman and Harley Reid, produce strong performances.
Likely finish: 16th
Change from last week: Nil
17. Essendon Bombers
Current position: 17th, 8 points, 67.9%
Remaining games
Round 20: Hawthorn (away)
Round 21: Adelaide (home)
Round 22: Geelong (away)
Round 23: Sydney (home)
Round 24: Port Adelaide (home)
The Bombers are off the bottom with a three-point win over the Giants under the roof at Marvel Stadium.
They can thank GWS' inaccuracy in front of goal, but the young Essendon group should lap up the victory.
Likely finish: 17th
Change from last week: +1
18. Richmond Tigers
Current position: 18th, 8 points, 61.1%
Remaining games
Round 20: Western Bulldogs (away)
Round 21: West Coast (home)
Round 22: Adelaide (away)
Round 23: St Kilda (home)
Round 24: Geelong (away)
The Tigers dropped to the bottom of the ladder after Essendon shockingly beat GWS.
Richmond were woeful against Hawthorn in the first half, but rallied and showed glimpses throughout the heavy defeat.
Likely finish: 18th
Change from last week: -1
Predicting final AFL 2026 ladder
- Fremantle Dockers - 84 points
- Sydney Swans - 72 points
- Hawthorn Hawks - 70 points
- Brisbane Lions - 64 points
- Adelaide Crows - 64 points
- Melbourne Demons - 64 points
- Western Bulldogs - 56 points
- Geelong Cats - 52 points
- Collingwood Magpies - 50 points
- St Kilda Saints - 48 points
- GWS Giants - 44 points
- Carlton Blues - 36 points
- North Melbourne Kangaroos - 32 points
- Port Adelaide Power - 28 points
- Gold Coast Suns - 28 points
- West Coast Eagles - 20 points
- Essendon Bombers - 8 points
- Richmond Tigers - 8 points
Prediction Week 1 finals
Wildcard Round 1: Western Bulldogs (7th) vs St Kilda (10th)
Wildcard Round 2: Geelong (8th) vs Collingwood (9th)
Qualifying Final 1: Fremantle (1st) vs Brisbane (4th)
Qualifying Final 2: Sydney (2nd) vs Hawthorn (3rd)
Elimination Final 1: Adelaide (5th) vs lowest ranked Wildcard Round winner
Elimination Final 2: Melbourne (6th) vs highest ranked Wildcard Round winner
