We are now just one week away from the big dance and this Saturday features one of the premiership favourites in the Brisbane Lions and the underdog Carlton that has come from fifth spot to make it to the season's penultimate weekend.
Since 2000, Brisbane has ultimately been the better of the two clubs with their early three-peat and not much to show for Carlton. However, both sides struggled throughout the 2015, 2016, and 2017 campaigns, and will go from battling each other for the wooden spoon to battling for a spot in the 2023 Grand Final.
Just days before this Saturday's preliminary final, we've listed our top 10 best games between Brisbane and Carlton since 2000.
Final Score: Brisbane 12.12.84 Def. Carlton 11.9.75
The 2015 clash between the bottom two sides was one of the games of the season as both outfits fought to avoid the wooden spoon.
Carlton had control of the game for the first three quarters but the lead rarely got over 12 points thanks to the Lions' inaccuracies.
However, thanks to three quick goals to start the fourth quarter, the Lions took momentum and the win.
Best-on-ground for Brisbane: Dayne Beams with 29 disposals and seven clearances.
Most goals for Brisbane: Daniel McStay with four goals.
Best-on-ground for Carlton: Tom Bell with 27 disposals, two goals and six tackles.
Most goals for Carlton: Levi Casboult with four goals.
Final Score: Brisbane 19.10.124 Def. Carlton 16.13.109
As Brisbane hunted for their second premiership in a row, the Lions and Blues met in a game that held high expectations of a Brisbane massacre.
Carlton was sitting last on the ladder with just a win and 11 losses heading into this fixture but gave the Lions an almighty fright in a high-scoring clash.
It was raining goals at the Gabba with a total of 35 goals kicked. Carlton held the lead at quarter-time but not for the rest of the match, though they kept the game well in reach for the final three quarters.
Best-on-ground for Brisbane: Simon Black with a goal, 25 disposals, and 12 clearances.
Most goals for Brisbane: Des Headland with six goals.
Best-on-ground for Carlton: Brett Ratten with two goals, 28 disposals, and 10 clearances.
Most goals for Carlton: Brendan Fevola, Micheal Mansfield, Justin Murphy, Brett Ratten, and Lance Whitnall all tied for two goals each.
Final Score: Carlton 13.20.98 Def. Brisbane 12.13.85
Brisbane found themselves down by 22 points at quarter-time and it seemed like Carlton would run away with it, as the Blues had 11 scoring shots to just four by the end of the first term.
Momentum then swung, with Brisbane leading at half-time by just three points but another strong Blues term followed, as they registered 30 points to Brisbane's 12 to set up a victory before a close final term resulted in a Carlton win.
Best-on-ground for Brisbane: Simon Black with 22 disposals, four tackles and three clearances.
Most goals for Brisbane: Rohan Bewick with three goals.
Best-on-ground for Carlton: Chris Judd with a goal, 26 disposals, and seven clearances.
Most goals for Carlton: Kane Lucas and Jarrad Waite with three goals each.
Final Score: Brisbane 14.14.98 Def. Carlton 13.13.91
Brisbane had a hot start to the Round 11 clash, claiming a 28-point lead at quarter-time before a six-goal-to-two second quarter gave Carlton the lead for a few minutes before Brisbane reclaimed it just before half-time.
After the main change, Carlton held the lead that spanned until the final 10 minutes of the fourth quarter, where Brisbane kicked four goals to take the win and hold off a late Carlton run.
Best-on-ground for Brisbane: Tom Rockliff with 36 disposals, 13 tackles, and nine clearances.
Most goals for Brisbane: Jonathon Brown with three goals.
Best-on-ground for Carlton: Marc Murphy with a goal, 38 disposals and six tackles.
Most goals for Carlton: Lachie Henderson and Jeff Garlett with three goals each.
Final Score: Carlton 18.7.115 Def. Brisbane 16.13.109
Carlton came out of the blocks hot, flying to a quick 22-point lead at quarter-time but had their lead reduced to 18 points at the main change.
It seemed that the Blues were well on their way to a comfortable victory but in a remarkable turnaround, the Lions scored 57 points to seven in the third term that put the Lions up by 32.
With the tables turned on their heads, it seemed Carlton had no chance of winning until yet another turnaround of a 39-point-to-one final quarter in favour of the Blues stole victory by a single goal.
Best-on-ground for Brisbane: Bradd Dalziell with 32 disposals.
Most goals for Brisbane: Daniel Bradshaw with six goals.
Best-on-ground for Carlton: Nick Stevens with 35 disposals.
Most goals for Carlton: Cameron Cloke with four goals.
Final Score: Brisbane 21.10.136 Def. Carlton 18.16.124
Another high-scoring clash with a whopping 39 goals kicked in total by both sides.
Right from the first bounce of the ball, the game had everyone on the edge of their seats with 11 goals kicked in the first term to have Brisbane up by a singular point.
16 goals kicked in the second term had Carlton cash in to hold a 13-point lead at the big break.
A five-goal third term then saw the momentum swing in favour of the Lions to cut the Carlton lead to just one point.
Brisbane then held Carlton to just one goal in the last quarter to take a 12-point win.
Best-on-ground for Brisbane: Cheynee Stiller with 28 disposals.
Most goals for Brisbane: Jonathan Brown, Chris Johnson, and Jaime Charman all scored three goals each.
Best-on-ground for Carlton: Ryan Houlihan with 29 disposals.
Most goals for Carlton: Kade Simpson, Lance Whitnall, Eddie Betts, Cameron Cloke, and Brendan Fevola all scored three goals each.
Final Score: Carlton 16.16.112 Def. Brisbane 16.10.106
These two teams love a high-scoring game and this one was no different to others on this list.
Brisbane never actually held the lead at any stage of this game, yet they stayed within touching distance.
The Lions seemed down and out at three-quarter-time, down by 30 points. That was until Brisbane kicked seven fourth-quarter goals, just running out of time to find the equaliser.
Best-on-ground for Brisbane: Simon Black with a goal, 33 disposals, and seven clearances.
Most goals for Brisbane: Jared Brennan and Jonathan Brown scored four goals.
Best-on-ground for Carlton: Chris Judd with a goal, 28 disposals, and 10 clearances.
Most goals for Carlton: Brendan Fevola kicked eight goals.
Final Score: Brisbane 15.9.99 Def. Carlton 13.17.95
This game was Brisbane's to lose, though a quick two goals from Carlton early in the first pointed towards a potential upset.
After those two goals, though, was pure Lions dominance with the lead blowing out to 41 points just after half-time.
But just when everyone thought the game was over, an eight-goal-to-three stanza in favour of the Blues brought the game right back into even position.
Unfortunately for Carlton, inaccuracies -- including three behinds in the final few minutes -- gave Brisbane the win in a thrilling contest.
Best-on-ground for Brisbane: Tom Rockliff with two goals, 39 disposals, and 12 tackles.
Most goals for Brisbane: Micheal Close with four goals.
Best-on-ground for Carlton: Ed Curnow with 29 disposals, nine tackles, and nine clearances.
Most goals for Carlton: Levi Casboult with four goals.
Final Score: Carlton 11.12.78 Def. Brisbane 9.9.63
Who could forget one of the greatest upsets in modern times? If you're a Lions fan, I suggest looking away for this one.
After the sacking of Brendon Bolton and the introduction of David Teague to replace him and all of the talk surrounding struggling Carlton, the Lions sensed blood in the water for an all-out attack.
While it initially seemed to go in that direction, with the lead blowing out to 37 points just before half-time, we were witness to one of the more unbelievable second-half performances of recent times.
A fired-up Patrick Cripps led an eight-goal-to-three second half to forge an upset that shocked the competition.
Best-on-ground for Brisbane: Lachie Neale with a goal, 31 disposals, and nine marks
Most goals for Brisbane: Daniel McStay with two goals.
Best-on-ground for Carlton: Patrick Cripps with four goals, 38 disposals, and eight clearances.
Most goals for Carlton: Patrick Cripps with four goals.
Final Score: Brisbane 16.15.111 Def. Carlton 15.14.104
Lions fans may have forgotten about 2019 but they won't have forgotten about our number one clash between Brisbane and Carlton; the 2009 Elimination Final.
The game was your average final; highly competitive and of course reflected on the scoreboard, with the lead rarely blowing out past a couple of goals until three-quarter-time.
Carlton just seemed to have more run in their game and were poised to continue that in the fourth quarter, which they did briefly. Then, the Lions piled on 41 points in the final term, including a sensational snap from the boundary from Daniel Bradshaw, that sealed the deal and set the Gabba alight.
Best-on-ground for Brisbane: Simon Black with 29 disposals and five clearances.
Most goals for Brisbane: Daniel Bradshaw with five goals.
Best-on-ground for Carlton: Chris Judd with a goal and 30 disposals.
Most goals for Carlton: Brendon Fevola with three goals.