There are a number of teams that are fighting for a finals berth this year as seemingly year-on-year the list grows of teams that can sneak into the eight.
Richmond, West Coast, Geelong, Brisbane and Port Adelaide loom as the most likely to dominate top four discussions, but who are the boomers coming from the cellar for a top eight slot?
The trend with most teams in this cluster is that consistency isn't their best friend, hence why they finish just about square at the ledger.
So, we have decided to take you through why each team in this group can, and maybe more importantly, can't make finals.
9. Western Bulldogs
Why they can
There is every chance the Dogs can make finals off the back of their midfield alone. Marcus Bontempelli, Jack Macrae, Josh Dunkley, Adam Treloar, Tom Liberatore all at the feet of Tim English reads more like a fantasy draft team than a core midfield group at AFL level.
Bontempelli has the ability to carry the Dogs home when his team needs him and it may prove the difference when against some of the younger teams in the competition.
Why they can't
They have plenty of holes, particularly in their key posts. Up forward Josh Bruce well and truly underwhelmed last season and became more of a liability than asset. Josh Schache doesn't seem to be in their best 22 and they have very few other tall options beside Aaron Naughton, should he be fit.
Down back Alex Keath gives his all but is often out performed, while Zayne Cordy is often isolated and exposed deep in defence. Easton Wood is a great reliever of pressure for those two but when he's occupied the Dogs can prove to be easy to score against.
It's hard to win big games when your opposition is winning many of the duels in the key positions on the ground.
