AFLW Teams

Four to go, four to contend: How the AFLW minor premiership race is shaping up

Is the top eight set with four rounds left to play?

Published by
Danielle Sorati

With just four rounds remaining in the AFLW season, there's still plenty to play out at both ends of the table.

Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Collingwood remain equal on top heading into Round 7, each with five wins and one loss to their names, though the Lions have a distinct advantage with a dominant percentage of 288.2% (135.2% more than the fourth-placed Pies).

The race to claim the minor premiership will be an interesting one to watch unfold, with the four contenders facing an array of matchups on their run home.

The fixture for the last four rounds for the current top four stands as:

Brisbane:

North, Adelaide, Hawthorn, Collingwood

Adelaide:

Fremantle, Brisbane, Geelong, St Kilda

Melbourne:

Bulldogs, Gold Coast, Essendon, West Coast

Collingwood:

GWS, Fremantle, North, Brisbane

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 02: (L-R) Libby Birch, Daisy Pearce and Karen Paxman of the Demons celebrate during the 2022 AFLW Second Preliminary Final match between the Melbourne Demons and the Brisbane Lions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 02, 2022 In Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The Lions have given themselves an advantage with their impressive percentage, but face three current top five opponents to end the season. Melbourne meanwhile, face just one current top eight foe in their final four matches.

Adelaide's percentage (255.1%) remains one of their biggest advantages and they certainly have momentum heading into the final month of the season, having lost their one and only match in Round 1. Round 8 against Brisbane looms as a mouth-watering clash with serious positional implications, while Round 9 against Geelong is their only other top eight clash in the run home.

Collingwood however, have percentage to make up against the top three and face two top eight teams. While they have impressed at times this season, they have faced just two other top eight sides (Geelong and Adelaide) and have fared very well in terms of interstate travel. The last four rounds will be their biggest test yet for the season with trips to Western Australia and Queensland on the agenda.

HOBART, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 20: Steve Symonds Head Coach of the Magpies addresses the players during the round seven AFLW match between the North Melbourne Kangaroos and the Collingwood Magpies at North Hobart Oval on February 20, 2022 in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

While it looks like the top eight is almost set, the Gold Coast Suns could spice things up should they get a win over Sydney this weekend.

The Suns sit just one game outside the eight, trailing behind North, Geelong, the Bulldogs and Richmond who all sit equal on 16 points.

With matches to come against Sydney, Melbourne, Carlton and GWS, the Suns don't face an impossible run home, but will be required to be at their best to make up a game and percentage to climb inside the top eight.

At the bottom end of the table, it looks like a winless season for the Swans may be on the cards. One of four expansion teams in season seven, Sydney currently sit last on the ladder with a percentage of just 27.7%.

Sydney face Gold Coast, Essendon, Fremantle and Geelong in the final month of the season, and while winning isn't everything in season number one, it would be nice for these young Swans to get their maiden win on the board before the curtains close on season seven.

Published by
Danielle Sorati