Round 8 consisted of a draw, a thumping and upsets which have now opened up the finals race with 13 teams still contending for finals.

Teams sitting from fifth to 13th are all still in contention for finals, while the top four is unlikely to change.

With two rounds left and a number of those teams between in contention playing each other in Rounds 9 and 10, it's guaranteed to be a blockbuster few weekends.

Here's how the final two rounds could play out...

Round 9

Round 9 will be an interesting round and if it's anything like the most recent weekend it will sure shape Round 10 up to be a blockbuster finish.

Gold Coast v Giants - Gold Coast should win

Melbourne v Fremantle - Melbourne should win

St Kilda v Brisbane - Brisbane should winย 

Essendon v Carlton - 50/50, Essendon will go in as favourites

West Coast v Western Bulldogs - Won't impact finals race

Richmond v Geelong - 50/50ย 

Sydney v Collingwood - Collingwood should win but don't count the Bloods out on home soil

Adelaide v North Melbourne - Top 4 battle 50/50

Hawthorn v Port Adelaide: Won't impact finals race, Hawks to win

Round 10

Round 10 will be filled with excitement and the top eight could be decided after the final game of Round 10. Also, it's most likely that the top eight will be decided on percentage and the teams already in the top eight have the advantage heading into the last fortnight of the home and away season.

Gold Coast v Essendon - 50/50. Suns will have a home advantageย 

Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne - North should win

Port Adelaide v GWS - Won't impact finals race, GWS to win

Geelong v Hawthorn - Geelong should win

West Coast v Adelaide - Adelaide should win

Brisbane v Melbourne - Top four battle and likely playing for the McClelland Trophy. Melbourne will be favourites

Rd 10: Carlton v St Kilda - 50/50ย 

Collingwood v Richmond - Collingwood should win, but don't underestimate Richmond

Rd 10: Fremantle v Sydney - 50/50ย 

Teams are not just playing for finals but in the race for the McClelland Trophy and the $1 million prize that comes with it. The award combines premiership points from each club's men's and women's 2023 campaigns.

After Round 8 there are only three clubs left in the race for the prize, with Melbourne, Brisbane and Collingwood all left in contention.

The McClelland Trophy was relaunched this year to include the AFLW competition, with the prize money to be shared between the club and all its players. Four points are awarded for AFL wins and two for AFL draws. AFLW wins are awarded eight points and for AFLW draws four points are awarded due to the AFLW season only running for 10 rounds.

If results go as predicted, Brisbane and Melbourne will battle out for the McClelland Trophy for the $1 million prizemoney in Round 10.

1 COMMENT

  1. 3 clubs (Melb, Bris and wobbles) in contention for the $million prize……. Adelaide, of course, having lost to Brisbane is out of the running.

    let’s have a look at the shepherd Najwa Allen did (and received a 3 game penalty) and then have a look at this weeks tribunal “incident”….. in which Britney Gutknecht “got off”. One is obviously far more serious as:
    …It was an illegal act (push from behind)
    …likely to cause injury (head rammed onto the turf)
    …Very high “level of impact” to an opponent’s head
    …actual injury caused (concussion)
    Can you guess which one that was?

    Let’s see – a 3 point loss while one of your key backs is rubbed out of a game against a top 4 side….. and just to make sure, also rubbed out against another top 2 side the next week.

    I suppose that’s what you do when you can’t get an umpire to “not see” a goal when he’s in perfect position.

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