1. Hawthorn
60 points (15 wins, three losses) 136.7 per cent
Saturday's loss to Richmond was a wake-up call for the Hawks and a reminder that its midfield is moving into a transition phase over the next few years. The Hawks should win next week before entering a tough run home. Ideally, Hawthorn would like to manage its players in the lead-up to September but with the fight for the top four hot and two teams outside Victoria likely to play in qualifying finals, finishing first or second will give it a big advantage.
The run home:
Rd 20: St Kilda at Etihad Stadium
Rd 21: Collingwood at the MCG
Rd 22: North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium
Rd 23: Sydney Swans at ANZ Stadium
2. Sydney Swans
58 points (14 wins, three losses, one draw) 143.3 per cent
As expected, the Swans defeated the Western Bulldogs to keep them in the hunt for a top-two spot. Although the club has a tough draw, it has its destiny in its hands playing Geelong and Hawthorn in the last two rounds. It should beat Collingwood and St Kilda before entering a dress rehearsal for the finals. The ideal situation for the Swans would be for Essendon to drop away so the Swans could enter the last fortnight safe in the top four.
The run home:
Rd 20: Collingwood at ANZ Stadium
Rd 21: St Kilda at the SCG
Rd 22: Geelong at Simonds Stadium
Rd 23: Hawthorn at ANZ Stadium
3. Geelong
56 points (14 wins, four losses) 133.8 per cent
Lost to North Melbourne in a high-quality game, where the absence of James Podsiadly was crucial. Geelong has three games at home and a trip west in the last month and should be able to win three of the last four, with the round 22 game against the Sydney Swans shaping as a defining game in terms of where the Cats end up on the ladder.
The run home:
Rd 20: Port Adelaide at Simonds Stadium
Rd 21: West Coast at Patersons Stadium
Rd 22: Sydney Swans at Simonds Stadium
Rd 23: Brisbane Lions at Simonds Stadium
4. Fremantle
54 points (13 wins, four losses, one draw) 124.2 per cent
The win over Carlton has set Fremantle up for a top four position with three rounds to play, with the Dockers still a chance for a top-two berth. Fremantle's only danger game on paper is against Port Adelaide in round 22, although the Dockers may have a flat spot at some point in the next month. With Aaron Sandilands starting to work back into form and Matthew Pavlich back next week, things are falling into place. Luke McPharlin needs to play some football before finals, but everything is on track for a serious premiership tilt.
The run home:
Rd 20: Greater Western Sydney at Patersons Stadium
Rd 21: Melbourne at the MCG
Rd 22: Port Adelaide at Patersons Stadium
Rd 23: St Kilda at Etihad Stadium
5. Essendon
52 points (13 wins, four losses) 117.4 per cent
The Bombers are suddenly wobbling. With so much happening off the field, the Dons have also lost their past two games in sorry fashion. Collingwood taught the Bombers a lesson on Sunday, which came after the heavy loss to Hawthorn. Suddenly, a top four berth is no given. Essendon has a very hard run home, with four hungry teams to round out the season.
The run home:
Rd 20: West Coast at Etihad Stadium
Rd 21: North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium
Rd 22: Carlton at the MCG
Rd 23: Richmond at the MCG
6. Collingwood
48 points (12 wins, six losses) 115.5 per cent
The Pies produced one of their best performances of the season in demolishing arch-rivals Essendon on Sunday. It was a powerful statement, and all of a sudden the Pies are in the mix to finish in the top four, if all goes to plan. However, the Magpies face a demanding run home, with games against the Swans, Hawks, Eagles and Kangaroos.
The run home:
Rd 20: Sydney Swans at ANZ Stadium
Rd 21: Hawthorn at the MCG
Rd 22: West Coast at the MCG
Rd 23: North Melbourne at the MCG
7. Richmond
48 points (12 wins, six losses) 115.5 per cent
An emphatic win over Hawthorn virtually sealed Richmond a finals berth for the first time since 2001. It faces a big test to come down to earth and focus on the game against the Brisbane Lions this week at the MCG. Mature clubs win those games but the Tigers are in new territory. They should be able to do enough to guarantee a home final in the first week of finals and then reset their goals.
The run home:
Rd 20: Brisbane Lions at the MCG
Rd 21: Carlton at the MCG
Rd 22: Greater Western Sydney at Skoda Stadium
Rd 23: Essendon at the MCG
8. Port Adelaide
44 points (11 wins, eight losses) 108.6 per cent
Port Adelaide kicked four goals in eight minutes to win an absolute thriller by four points against an unlucky Adelaide. It strengthens its hold on the final position in the eight, and the September spot seems to be Port Adelaide's to lose. No-one could write the Power off against Geelong at Simonds Stadium but if they defeat the Suns at home in two weeks, an unlikely finals berth could be in their hands.
The run home:
Rd 20: Geelong at Simonds Stadium
Rd 21: Gold Coast at AAMI Stadium
Rd 22: Fremantle at Patersons Stadium
Rd 23: Carlton at AAMI Stadium
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9. Carlton
36 points (nine wins, nine losses) 109.8 per cent
Port Adelaide's amazing win against Adelaide makes life very tough for the Blues. Carlton doesn't seem to be good enough to beat a top-four team but it's still some chance when it comes to the final eight. The Blues are good enough to win three of their final four games but also brittle enough to lose all four. This next month shapes as a learning season for everyone, with the new coach assessing the list and the players understanding the non-negotiables when Mick Malthouse is coaching. But if the Blues make finals, they will only be making up the numbers.
The run home:
Rd 20: Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium
Rd 21: Richmond at the MCG
Rd 22: Essendon at the MCG
Rd 23: Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium
10. North Melbourne
32 points (eight wins, 10 losses) 122.2 per cent
Looks like earning the unwanted tag of the best team out of the finals after a superb win over Geelong on Friday night. Everyone knows the Kangaroos have fallen just short in a number of games, but as sad as it is for North, the signs are positive for the future. It has a tough run home in keeping with its difficult 2013 fixture. It needs to win every game to have any chance of making finals but it looks unlikely.
The run home:
Rd 20: Adelaide at AAMI Stadium
Rd 21: Essendon at Etihad Stadium
Rd 22: Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium
Rd 23: Collingwood at the MCG
11. West Coast
32 points (seven wins, 10 losses) 103.5 per cent
With injuries and a tough run home, it still appears next to impossible for the Eagles to make the final eight. It would need to win every game and then a minor miracle in terms of results going its way to sneak into the eight. However, West Coast's last four games will tell its supporters plenty about whether it has slipped back a long way or whether the tardy start was too costly to overcome.
The run home:
Rd 20: Essendon at Etihad Stadium
Rd 21: Geelong at Patersons Stadium
Rd 22: Collingwood at the MCG
Rd 23: Adelaide at Patersons Stadium
12. Brisbane Lions
32 points (eight wins, 10 losses) 85.1 per cent
Should win at least two but needs to win all four to be any chance to make the finals. However a 10-win season and a pre-season premiership would not be a bad result for the Brisbane Lions as they continue to regenerate their list. Michael Voss needs a key forward and a key defender, but Brisbane is now an attractive destination for quality players.
The run home:
Rd 20: Richmond at the MCG
Rd 21: Greater Western Sydney at the Gabba
Rd 22: Western Bulldogs at the Gabba
Rd 23: Geelong at Simonds Stadium
