After 24 rounds, 18 teams have been cut down to eight, with all eyes on the premiership prize.
Sydney claimed the minor premiership after a stellar season, while Port Adelaide, Geelong and GWS trail behind.
Brisbane secured a home elimination final against Carlton, while the two in-form teams of the competition, Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs, will duke it out to remain in the hunt for glory.
SEE MORE: AFL finals week one fixture confirmed
The question is, where do the advantages lie?
Is it the home-ground advantage that three non-Victorian clubs will have in the first week of the finals?
Is it the history between the two sides?
Let's delve in.
Since 1997, Geelong holds a 27-14 advantage over Port Adelaide, including the 2007 Grand Final.
Up until now, the two clubs have met in five finals matches, with the Power claiming three of those victories.
This year's instalment will be played at the Adelaide Oval, where the pair could not be split, winning on five occasions each since 2014.
Port Adelaide also won the most recent encounter, which was played at GMHBA Stadium in Round 9 by six points.
These two proud clubs have faced off 69 times since 1980, with Hawthorn holding the advantage 41-28.
Throughout that span, the clubs have met four times in September, with the Hawks winning three of those clashes but not the most recent, the 2016 semi-final.
Traditionally, the Hawks and Dogs don't meet at the MCG but have played 11 times at the famous venue, with the former winning six of those.
The Bulldogs also lost the most recent clash to Hawthorn in Round 8, being downed by seven points.
It will also be Hawthorn's first Friday night fixture since Round 15, 2022.
It's not a long history, but a very fiery one at that, given the proximity of the two clubs in New South Wales.
Given GWS' start in the AFL in 2012, the Swans, being an established club for some time, held its big-brother status for the initial years, asserting themselves as the dominant club, winning 18 of the 28 matches.
However, the Giants' mini resurgence attempted to square the ledger, including three from three in the finals in dramatic fashion.
Whilst this game will be played at the Swans' home ground, SCG, there is no discernible advantage, with John Longmire's men winning seven of 12 clashes.
However, they will take great confidence from the two encounters this season, going in favour of Sydney.
The Brisbane Lions became one when the Bears and Fitzroy Lions merged ahead of the 1997 season, hence starting a new history.
Since then, the club has taken on Carlton 40 times, holding a slight edge in the wins tally, claiming 23-17.
They've met four times in September, with the Lions winning three of them and the most recent preliminary final in the 2023 series.
The Gabba has hosted 21 meetings between the two clubs and holds a distinct supremacy in favour of Brisbane, although their 2024 Opening Round clash went to Carlton by one point.