Roundtable

Roundtable: How will the final top-eight take shape?

With one round to go, we have our say on who makes the eight👇

Published by
Cameron Kellaghan-Tasker

With one round left in the 2021 home and away season, all eyes are firmly set at what the finals landscape may look like.

With so much still uncertain in relation to first week matchups as well as the battle for the remaining spots, we at Zero Hanger have been debating what the eight might look like all day.

Just like every AFL fan at the moment, we have been glued to our ladder predictors trying to tip the last round and come up with our own conclusions.

The Equation: Best and worst case scenarios for each finals contender

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 11: Kysaiah Pickett of the Demons is congratulated by Christian Petracca and Alex Neal-Bullen after kicking a goal during the round four AFL match between the Melbourne Demons and the Geelong Cats at Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 11, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Why we think we can get every game right after such an unpredictable opening 22 rounds we're not sure but nonetheless there's no use giving up.

With that being said, this is what we all at Zero Hanger think the top eight will look like after round 23:

Mitch Keating

The Demons will be too strong for the Cats despite the trip down to Kardinia Park, with the win landing Simon Goodwin's side the minor premiership crown. Add in the Bulldogs win over Port Adelaide, and the Cats drop to third, with the Power rounding out the top four.

Brisbane and Sydney will hold their spots with wins over the Eagles and Suns respectively, with the Swans not doing enough to cut the percentage deficit. The Giants will edge out the Blues in a close one, retaining seventh spot, while the Bombers also make a return to finals through the skin of their teeth thanks to a hard-fought win over Collingwood.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 25: Nick Hind of the Bombers runs with the ball during the round six AFL match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Essendon Bombers at Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 25, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos/via Getty Images )
Tipping Fremantle and Richmond to land wins in Round 23, with the former not able to close the percentage gap on the Bombers.

Cameron Kellaghan-Tasker

  1. Geelong
  2. Melbourne
  3. Western Bulldogs
  4. Port Adelaide
  5. Brisbane
  6. Sydney
  7. Greater Western Sydney
  8. Essendon

I think the most intriguing match of the round has to be the Demons travelling to the Cattery to take on Geelong. In what will be the most exciting matchup, I think the Cats will bounce back from their defeat in Round 3 and come out storming against Melbourne.

What will be interesting however is whether either side will hold a couple cards up their sleeves before finals or go all out to secure the top spot on the table.

The Dogs should be able to rectify some of their on-field issues and overcome the storming Power, leaving the Lions outside the top four ruing some poor losses that ultimately cost them a double chance in September.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 10: (L-R) Tim Taranto, Jake Riccardi, Brent Daniels and Xavier O'Halloran of the Giants celebrate during the 2021 AFL Round 04 match between the Collingwood Magpies and the GWS Giants at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 10, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The Giants and Bombers both have relatively straightforward games against the Blues and Magpies respectively and should hold their spots in the eight from the Dockers who look to be the only threat behind them.

Ben Lawless

  1. Geelong
  2. Port Adelaide
  3. Melbourne
  4. Brisbane
  5. Western Bulldogs
  6. Sydney
  7. Greater Western Sydney
  8. Essendon

Focusing on the bottom of the eight, both the Giants and the Bombers are rounding into form at the right time of the season and are both playing sides that are injured and have little to no motivation to win.

Both Essendon and the Giants have destiny in their own hands with wins all but solidifying their spots in the eight. GWS should take care of an undermanned and defeated Carlton team to lock in seventh place.

While I believe that Collingwood will make it a close match, I think that this is too good of an opportunity for Essendon to miss. They should beat the Pies and play their first finals in a very long time.

Ben Millard

1. Melbourne
6. Sydney
7. GWS

8. Essendon

I think the Dees will get past the Cats easily, with Chris Scott’s side looking sketchy in recent weeks and Melbourne wanting to sew up the minor premiership. Port Adelaide will keep rolling and upset the Dogs with Luke Beveridge’s side dropping out of the four.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 13: Tom Jonas of the Power leads his team onto the ground during the round 2 AFL match between the Port Adelaide Power and the Adelaide Crows at Adelaide Oval on June 13, 2020 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

Brisbane should breeze past the Eagles, killing their finals chances whilst the Swans will get over the Suns at a canter too. GWS will also topple the Blues easily and secure seventh, so too will the Bombers against Collingwood.

Fremantle will miss out on percentage despite beating the Saints and Richmond should beat the Hawks in a game that will ultimately be a consolation victory.

Danielle Sorati

1. Melbourne
2. Port Adelaide
3. Geelong
4. Brisbane
6. Sydney
7. Greater Western Sydney

8. Essendon

Port will out muscle the Bulldogs coming off the back of a disappointing few weeks at the kennel, but it won’t be enough for the minor premiership to land in South Australia.

Melbourne will overrun the injury hit Cats in Geelong, securing their spot on top of the ladder and Geelong in third. Expect Hawthorn to finish strongly in Alastair Clarkson’s final game as coach, ending the Tigers season in August, while the Swans and Lions should have comfortable wins.

Freo will beat the Saints in Tassie, but it won’t be enough to sneak into the eight with Essendon recording a comfortable win over the struggling Pies and securing a place in finals. North will beat the Crows but it won’t be enough to lift them from bottom spot, sending the wooden spoon to Arden Street.

Ed Carmine

1. Geelong
2. Melbourne
4. Port Adelaide
5. Brisbane
6. Sydney
7. Greater Western Sydney

8. Essendon

Although my eight contains the same sides as the previous five submissions, it has been altered due to the view that the Cats and Dogs will take the points in their pair of primetime clashes.

Despite tipping the Dockers to down the Saints, it won't be enough to break a five-year finals drought, as I can't see Essendon dropping their bundle against a Magpies outfit that looked to have phoned in a large portion of their Round 22 'contest' against Brisbane.

As for my premiers, I tipped the Moggs in the pre-season and irrespective of injuries and age, I still think they are the side to beat due to the sizable chip on many of their shoulders after last season.

Published by
Cameron Kellaghan-Tasker