Nick Bowen

The Crows will win two of their final three games – I have them dropping their round 23 clash with West Coast at Domain Stadium – to hold on to top spot. The Giants – provided their round 20 form is not a mirage – and Richmond should comfortably maintain their top-four positions, but the Cats will have to beat Collingwood in round 22 without Joel Selwood and Tom Hawkins to withstand the double-chance aspirations of Port Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne. The final spot in the top eight looks likely to be decided by the last game of the home and away season, when I'm tipping West Coast will beat the Crows at home to edge Essendon and the Western Bulldogs out of eighth spot on percentage. At the foot of the ladder, I expect the Brisbane Lions will finish the season on a high with wins against Gold Coast this Saturday and North Melbourne in round 23 to relegate Carlton to its second wooden spoon in three years.

FINAL EIGHT

Adelaide

GWS

Richmond

Geelong

Port Adelaide

Sydney

Melbourne

West Coast

WOODEN SPOON

Carlton

Forecast the road to the flag with the AFL Ladder and Finals Predictor

Ashley Browne

The Tigers will run the table from here, earn themselves a top-two finish and they’ll host the Giants in the opening week of the finals after GWS stumbles at Geelong in round 23. Melbourne will also win out from here to get in, while the Dogs will beat Hawthorn in the final round to scrape into the eight. In the end, the Dons will miss out by a game, but they’ll help their cause enormously if they can get over the Crows on Saturday night. At the other end of the ladder, the Lions will win their two remaining home games and climb past North and Carlton. For all the hype about the Blues, many preseason prognosticators will get it right, and they’ll collect their fifth wooden spoon in 16 years. Happy days for some.

FINAL EIGHT

Adelaide

Richmond

Greater Western Sydney

Geelong

Port Adelaide

Sydney Swans

Melbourne

Western Bulldogs

WOODEN SPOON

Carlton

The run home from here - Ashley Browne's round by round predictions

Ben Collins

I've tipped the Swans to win each of their remaining games to make it 14 wins in 16 games and snatch both fourth spot and premiership favouritism. Their top-four berth will come at the expense of a wounded Geelong. Although I reckon the Bulldogs will go down to the Giants on Friday night, the reigning premier will finish strongly, while former Essendon captain Jobe Watson will get a finals finale. Melbourne to just miss the finals by percentage after a final-round loss to a nothing-to-lose Collingwood, with West Coast and St Kilda a game further back. The bottom-placed Lions to rise to 16th, level on points with rival Gold Coast.

FINAL EIGHT

Adelaide

GWS

Richmond

Sydney

Geelong

Port Adelaide

Western Bulldogs

Essendon

WOODEN SPOON

Carlton

Adam Curley

I have the Swans beating the Crows in round 22 to seal their top-four spot, but the loss doesn't keep Adelaide from winning the minor premiership. The Bulldogs' momentum continues but a poor percentage means Greater Western Sydney hold onto fourth spot ahead of the premiers. A last-round win over the Giants sees the Cats limp into in sixth, with Port Adelaide and Melbourne making up the eight, thanks to the Demons holding off Essendon with a stirring round 23 win over the Magpies in front of 80,000 at the MCG. A dismal finish to what started as a promising year gives the Blues the spoon.

FINAL EIGHT

Adelaide

Richmond

Sydney

GWS

Western Bulldogs

Geelong

Port Adelaide

Melbourne

The Crows v Swans clash in round 22 shapes as a season-defining battle. Picture: AFL Photos



WOODEN SPOON

Carlton

Ryan Davidson

A top-four finish and double chance will give the Tigers a great opportunity to win their first final since 2001. The Giants and Cats will also grab a double chance. The Dogs will continue their recent good form and give themselves a shot at defending their premiership crown. The Dees will finally give their long-suffering supporters some joy, with a return to September for the first time since 2006. And while the young Blues have been brave this season, they'll unfortunately earn their fifth wooden spoon.

FINAL EIGHT

Adelaide

Richmond

GWS

Geelong

Sydney

Western Bulldogs

Port Adelaide

Melbourne

WOODEN SPOON

Carlton

Nat Edwards

GWS is just hitting its straps, so expect them to make a statement in the final three rounds of the home and away season, and secure a double chance. Melbourne fans will finally see some September action, while unfortunately for the Bulldogs, their run has come too late with the premiers to miss out on finals by percentage. The Bombers also sneak into the eight, giving retiring champion Jobe Watson a finals farewell. As for the other end of the ladder, it looks as though the Lions will have the No.1 draft pick with all to be decided in the final round against North Melbourne.

FINAL EIGHT

Adelaide

GWS

Richmond

Geelong

Port Adelaide

Sydney Swans

Melbourne

Essendon

WOODEN SPOON

Brisbane Lions

Lee Gaskin

Sorry Bulldogs fans, but Hawthorn will send retiring champion Luke Hodge out a winner in round 23 and deny the reigning premiers the chance to go back to back. Essendon will then easily account for Fremantle on the final day of the home and away season to punch their ticket to the finals. The Brisbane Lions will win two of their final three games to avoid the wooden spoon, handing the dreaded utensil to Carlton. Greater Western Sydney just edges out Richmond by percentage for a top-two spot, while the Crows narrowly beat Sydney in their round 22 blockbuster, meaning the Swans face an elimination final in week one.

FINAL EIGHT

Adelaide

Greater Western Sydney

Richmond

Geelong

Sydney

Port Adelaide

Melbourne

Essendon

WOODEN SPOON

Carlton

All signs point to another Carlton wooden spoon this year. Picture: AFL Photos



Ben Guthrie

Sydney is coming home with a wet sail and has the personnel to win every game from here and clinch a top-four berth. Beating the Crows in Adelaide in round 22 is a tough challenge, but I think the Swans will do just that to give themselves the double chance. The Bulldogs will also go undefeated from here, starting with a win over the Giants on Friday night, but their low percentage will cost them a spot in the top four. Bring on September!

FINAL EIGHT

Adelaide

GWS

Richmond

Sydney

Western Bulldogs

Geelong

Port Adelaide

Melbourne

WOODEN SPOON

Carlton

Travis King

Sydney's charge from 0-6 into the top four will be complete at the conclusion of round 23. I'm tipping the Swans to win out from here – which includes a round 22 blockbuster in Adelaide – and John Longmire's relentless outfit would be the one team the Crows would hate to face in a home qualifying final. Expect the Cats to cough up the double chance. Geelong could even tumble as low as eighth, but I've given them one more win against Collingwood, albeit with not much confidence. The Doggies will sneak into eighth courtesy of a last-round win over Hawthorn and be the team nobody wants to play come September.

FINAL EIGHT

Adelaide

GWS

Richmond

Sydney

Geelong

Port Adelaide

Melbourne

Western Bulldogs

WOODEN SPOON

Carlton

Marc McGowan

Thirteen is the magic number, and Port Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs are set to win that many games to lock in September berths. There are some big clashes down the stretch that could change that, including Essendon's Etihad Stadium match-up with Adelaide. The Demons, hunting a first finals appearance since 2006, could yet stumble with a tricky enough run home. GWS is finding form, but a round 23 loss to Geelong could see Richmond snare the double chance. Carlton is on track to finish the season with 10-straight defeats and a second wooden spoon in three years.

FINAL EIGHT

Adelaide

Richmond

GWS

Geelong

Port Adelaide

Sydney

Melbourne

Western Bulldogs

WOODEN SPOON

Carlton

Simonds Stadium will be full when the Tigers and Cats clash on Saturday. Picture: AFL Photos



Dinny Navaratnam

The Western Bulldogs will once again claim seventh spot as they try to defend their premiership. They will be involved in the only first-week final in Victoria, with Melbourne having hosting rights against the Dogs in its first finals campaign since 2006. Port Adelaide will hope there won't be a repeat of the round 20 Showdown in a huge match for South Australia, and Richmond will have a double chance as it bids to rid itself of its finals bogey.

FINAL EIGHT

Adelaide

Greater Western Sydney

Richmond

Port Adelaide

Sydney

Melbourne

Western Bulldogs

Geelong

WOODEN SPOON

Carlton

Jennifer Phelan

Adelaide will win two of its remaining three games – the final round away clash with West Coast is the biggest danger – but that'll be enough for the minor premiership. Greater Western Sydney should beat the Western Bulldogs, West Coast and Geelong to finish second, while Richmond will hold third with a big win over Geelong, and possibly another over either Fremantle or St Kilda, although I'm predicting the Saints to sneak into seventh with a final-round win over the Tigers to give Nick Riewoldt a finals series to end on. The Swans will finish around about where they are now, and Port Adelaide will make South Australia sing in September with wins over Collingwood and Gold Coast to secure a top-four finish and replicate the Crows' double chance. The Western Bulldogs will get in despite losing to the Giants this week, and the Cats will hang on even if they lose all three of their remaining games, but they'll have to "do a Dogs" and come from outside the top four to win the flag.

FINAL EIGHT

Adelaide

GWS

Richmond

Port Adelaide

Sydney

Western Bulldogs

St Kilda

Geelong

WOODEN SPOON

Carlton

Will the round 19 loss to the Dogs mean Jobe Watson misses out on a finals farewell? Picture: AFL Photos



Peter Ryan

Geelong will hang onto fourth spot with just one win in the remaining three games as Port Adelaide won't win all three. The Cats must beat Collingwood however to get there. The Giants need to defeat the Western Bulldogs to seal a home run into the Grand Final while the Bulldogs might be heading for a battle with the Swans in week one of the finals if they fail to win this Friday night. Essendon will make a fairytale finals appearance but it might have to play outside Victoria unless Port Adelaide win all three and Geelong loses all three. Carlton is unlikely to win another game while the Lions are a chance to win two of the remaining three to avoid the wooden spoon - the club last finished bottom in 1998.

FINAL EIGHT

Adelaide

GWS

Richmond

Geelong

Port Adelaide

Sydney Swans

Western Bulldogs

Essendon

WOODEN SPOON

Carlton

Nathan Schmook

The fight for second spot and the combination of a home qualifying final and double chance is on between Richmond and Greater Western Sydney and I've got the Tigers pipping Leon Cameron's men. If Richmond gets over Geelong and GWS can beat the Bulldogs this week, it should all come down to the Giants' clash with Geelong at Simonds Stadium in round 23. I've got the Cats winning that one. Melbourne is also set to make a 3-0 run to September, while Essendon's loss to Adelaide this week will end their campaign. There won't be a honeymoon win for Dean Solomon’s Gold Coast this week, with the Brisbane to win two of their last three and hand Carlton the wooden spoon.

FINAL EIGHT

Adelaide

Richmond

GWS

Geelong

Port Adelaide

Sydney

Melbourne

Western Bulldogs

WOODEN SPOON

Carlton

Matt Thompson

It's hard to believe, but if the Bulldogs win all three games against GWS, Port Adelaide and Hawthorn there's every chance the reigning premiers will finish fifth, earning them a home elimination final. The Bombers will likely lose to the Crows, but wins against the Suns and Freo should see them sneak into the eight at the expense of Melbourne on the slightest of percentage. The Dees are the unlucky ones based on this prediction, and there's every chance it will still chance go their way.

FINAL EIGHT

Adelaide

Richmond

GWS

Geelong

Sydney

Western Bulldogs

Port Adelaide

Essendon

WOODEN SPOON

Brisbane Lions

Michael Whiting

Richmond is having a great season, and expect it to get even better as they storm towards a top-two finish in the home and away season. They'll beat the undermanned Cats on Saturday and finish with wins over Fremantle and St Kilda to get a home final in week one. The Western Bulldogs will get a chance to defend their premiership by upsetting the Giants and Port Adelaide in the next fortnight, while the injury and suspension-hit Geelong will limp into the finals despite losing its last three.

FINAL EIGHT

Adelaide

Richmond

Greater Western Sydney

Port Adelaide

Sydney Swans

Melbourne

Western Bulldogs

Geelong

WOODEN SPOON

Carlton