1. Greater Western Sydney
40 points, (10 wins, three losses), 120.5 per cent
In a remarkably even season, the team with the fewest flaws might be the team holding up the premiership cup at the end of the season. And the Giants might best fit that bill. Cracking Saturday night coming up at home to Geelong. Stevie J up against the Cats. Bring the popcorn.
The run home
Rd 15: Geelong (Spotless Stadium)
Rd 16: Hawthorn (University of Tasmania Stadium)
Rd 17: Sydney (Spotless Stadium)
Rd 18: Richmond (MCG)
Rd 19: Fremantle (Spotless Stadium)
Rd 20: Melbourne (Manuka Oval)
Rd 21: Western Bulldogs (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 22: West Coast (Spotless Stadium)
Rd 23: Geelong (Simonds Stadium)
2. Adelaide
36 points, (nine wins, four losses), 136.8 percent
The Crows were so disappointing against the Hawks on Thursday that you wouldn't think them any better than a 50-50 chance in any of their next four games. The story isn't Rory Sloane and how he deals with a tag – he actually went OK – but more whether the Crows have a plan B. Ahead of Saturday at the MCG, you can imagine how closely Alastair Clarkson's protégé Brendon Bolton would have studied how the Hawks went about it on Thursday night.
The run home
Rd 15: Carlton (MCG)
Rd 16: Western Bulldogs (Adelaide Oval)
Rd 17: Melbourne (TIO Stadium)
Rd 18: Geelong (Adelaide Oval)
Rd 19: Collingwood (MCG)
Rd 20: Port Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
Rd 21: Essendon (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 22: Sydney (Adelaide Oval)
Rd 23: West Coast (Domain Stadium)
3. Geelong
36 points, (nine wins, four losses), 114.0 per cent
The Cats have the 'at home' part of their club song locked but the 'far away' part still needs some work, which is why Saturday night away to the Giants should be a beauty. No Joel Selwood could complicate matters for the Cats, but then again given what they accomplished on Sunday, they are the new 'any time, any place' team of the competition and they'll be itching to get on the plane.
The run home
Rd 15: GWS (Spotless Stadium)
Rd 16: Brisbane Lions (Gabba)
Rd 17: Hawthorn (MCG)
Rd 18: Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
Rd 19: Carlton (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 20: Sydney (Simonds Stadium)
Rd 21: Richmond (Simonds Stadium)
Rd 22: Collingwood (MCG)
Rd 23: GWS (Simonds Stadium)
4. Port Adelaide
32 points (eight wins, five losses), 135.4
Tasty Saturday night clash with fellow top-four aspirant Richmond coming up at Adelaide Oval, but the game the Power will have penciled in is round 18 when they return to the MCG to play Melbourne. Port was comfortable at the home of football against the Pies, but the Demons will provide the searching test of whether their gameplan can stand up in September.
The run home
Rd 15: Richmond (Adelaide Oval)
Rd 16: West Coast (Domain Stadium)
Rd 17: North Melbourne (Adelaide Oval)
Rd 18: Melbourne (MCG)
Rd 19: St Kilda (Adelaide Oval)
Rd 20: Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
Rd 21: Collingwood (Adelaide Oval)
Rd 22: Western Bulldogs (Eureka Stadium)
Rd 23: Gold Coast (Adelaide Oval)
5. Melbourne
32 points (eight wins, five losses), 114.7 per cent
That's four straight wins for the Demons for the first time in 11 years and it is hard to see them missing the finals now. They're playing too well. And now they get a long overdue and well-deserved Friday night game on Friday against the Swans in what shapes as a cracker. Melbourne hasn't beaten Sydney since round 17, 2010.
The run home
Rd 15: Sydney (MCG)
Rd 16: Carlton (MCG)
Rd 17: Adelaide (TIO Stadium)
Rd 18: Port Adelaide (MCG)
Rd 19: North Melbourne (Blundstone Arena)
Rd 20: GWS (Manuka Oval)
Rd 21: St Kilda (MCG)
Rd 22: Brisbane Lions (MCG)
Rd 23: Collingwood (MCG)
The Demons celebrate their incredible win over the Eagles. Picture: AFL Photos
6. Richmond
32 points (eight wins, five losses), 111.7 per cent
They don't blow teams away, the Tigers, and Sunday at the MCG against the Blues was another example of that. Two big games in the next month – Port away next week and then the Giants at the MCG in round 18 – will give us a fair indication of where the Tigers sit this year.
The run home
Rd 15: Port Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
Rd 16: St Kilda (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 17: Brisbane Lions (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 18: GWS (MCG)
Rd 19: Gold Coast (Metricon Stadium)
Rd 20: Hawthorn (MCG)
Rd 21: Geelong (Simonds Stadium)
Rd 22: Fremantle (Domain Stadium)
Rd 23: St Kilda (MCG)
7. West Coast
28 points, (seven wins, six losses), 102.1 per cent
Not even Domain Stadium is a fortress for the Eagles any more, not when they blow a three-goal lead late to lose to Melbourne. It's back to Victoria for a Saturday afternoon clash with the Western Bulldogs and if they drop that one, they'll drop out of the eight. And deservedly so according to West Coast's critics, a group that is growing larger by the week.
The run home
Rd 15: Western Bulldogs (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 16: Port Adelaide (Domain Stadium)
Rd 17: Fremantle (Domain Stadium)
Rd 18: Collingwood (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 19: Brisbane Lions (Domain Stadium)
Rd 20: St Kilda (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 21: Carlton (Domain Stadium)
Rd 22: GWS (Spotless Stadium)
Rd 23: Adelaide (Domain Stadium)
8. St Kilda
28 points (seven wins, six losses), 98.0 per cent
Win more than they lose from here and the Saints should play finals. They've been patchy on the road this year and they'll do themselves a huge favour if they beat Fremantle at Domain Stadium next Sunday. They haven't saluted in Perth since round 10, 2011 and have lost their last six games there. Big, big game for them.
The run home
Rd 15: Fremantle (Domain Stadium)
Rd 16: Richmond (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 17: Essendon (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 18: Sydney (SCG)
Rd 19: Port Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
Rd 20: West Coast (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 21: Melbourne (MCG)
Rd 22: North Melbourne (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 23: Richmond (MCG)
28 points (seven wins, six losses) 97.0 per cent
Eight-point game coming up at home to the Eagles and what is emerging is that the Dogs are one of the flakier teams in the competition. They play their best footy at Etihad Stadium, but after the West Coast game they play just three more there including an 'away' game to erstwhile MCG club Hawthorn to finish the season. That might come in handy in case they need to win to get in.
The run home
Rd 15: West Coast (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 16: Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
Rd 17: Carlton (MCG)
Rd 18: Gold Coast (Cazalys Stadium)
Rd 19: Essendon (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 20: Brisbane Lions (Gabba)
Rd 21: GWS (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 22: Port Adelaide (Eureka Stadium)
Rd 23: Hawthorn (Etihad Stadium)
10. Sydney
24 points (six wins, seven losses) 105.2 per cent
The Swans are alive, thanks in part to two most recent opponents (Richmond and Essendon) who couldn't close things out. The Swans need to win six of their last nine to make the finals and it starts Friday night at the MCG with their biggest clash against Melbourne since the 1987 first semi-final. They still have to visit Spotless Stadium, Simonds Stadium and Adelaide Oval, so don't go penciling them into the finals just yet.
The run home
Rd 15: Melbourne (MCG)
Rd 16: Gold Coast (SCG)
Rd 17: GWS (Spotless Stadium)
Rd 18: St Kilda (SCG)
Rd 19: Hawthorn (MCG)
Rd 20: Geelong (Simonds Stadium)
Rd 21: Fremantle (SCG)
Rd 22: Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
Rd 23: Carlton (SCG)
11. Essendon
24 points (six wins, seven losses) 102.6 per cent
If the Bombers narrowly miss the finals, there will no prizes for guessing the game that cost them. Not even the Leigh Matthews Rule – if you are more goals ahead than there are minutes left rule you're safe – helped them on Friday night at the SCG. The Bombers could do some awful things to the Brisbane Lions on Sunday, but every game after that shapes as at least an even money bet. This will be a white-knuckle ride to September.
The run home
Rd 15: Brisbane Lions (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 16: Collingwood (MCG)
Rd 17: St Kilda (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 18: North Melbourne (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 19: Western Bulldogs (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 20: Carlton (MCG)
Rd 21: Adelaide (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 22: Gold Coast (Metricon Stadium)
Rd 23: Fremantle (Etihad Stadium)
12. Fremantle
24 points, (six wins, seven losses) 79.6 per cent
If the Dockers bring the same level of intensity to the remainder of their games for 2017 as they did to Geelong on Sunday they'll win more than they lose and they'll be in the finals mix until the final weekend of the season. Big Western Derby in three weeks, with the winner likely to deal the loser a severe blow.
The run home
Rd 15: St Kilda (Domain Stadium)
Rd 16: North Melbourne (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 17: West Coast (Domain Stadium)
Rd 18: Hawthorn (Domain Stadium)
Rd 19: GWS (Spotless Stadium)
Rd 20: Gold Coast (Domain Stadium)
Rd 21: Sydney (SCG)
Rd 22: Richmond (Domain Stadium)
Rd 23: Essendon (Etihad Stadium)
13. Collingwood
20 points (five wins, eight losses) 98.9 per cent
No official concession from the Pies yet, but Saturday showed that they’re not quite good enough in 2017. Really, the game could have been over by quarter-time. They play the Hawks on Sunday for the honour of remaining in this column for at least another week.
The run home
Rd 15: Hawthorn (MCG)
Rd 16: Essendon (MCG)
Rd 17: Gold Coast (Metricon Stadium)
Rd 18: West Coast (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 19: Adelaide (MCG)
Rd 20: North Melbourne (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 21: Port Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
Rd 22: Geelong (MCG)
Rd 23: Melbourne (MCG)
Can the Pies still make the eight? Picture: AFL Photos
14. Gold Coast
20 points (five wins, eight losses) 86.7 per cent
It has been a disappointing couple of weeks for the Suns after their MCG triumph against the Hawks. They looked good early on against the Saints, but the loss that probably put paid to their finals hopes was probably at home to the Blues last week. It's going to be hard from here even with Gary Ablett back in the side. Seven wins from their remaining nine games aren't on their radar.
The run home
Rd 15: North Melbourne (Metricon Stadium)
Rd 16: Sydney (SCG)
Rd 17: Collingwood (Metricon Stadium)
Rd 18: Western Bulldogs (Cazalys Stadium)
Rd 19: Richmond (Metricon Stadium)
Rd 20: Fremantle (Domain Stadium)
Rd 21: Brisbane Lions (Gabba)
Rd 22: Essendon (Metricon Stadium)
Rd 23: Port Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
15. Carlton
20 points (five wins, eight losses) 81.7 per cent
The Blues are getting to the stage where they'd be disappointed with their effort against the Tigers on Sunday and Brendon Bolton seemed to suggest as much when he spoke afterwards. Finals are highly unlikely for the Blues, but here's a game for their fans to pencil in – round 22 against the Hawks who they haven't beaten since round 6, 2005.
The run home
Rd 15: Adelaide (MCG)
Rd 16: Melbourne (MCG)
Rd 17: Western Bulldogs (MCG)
Rd 18: Brisbane Lions (Gabba)
Rd 19: Geelong (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 20: Essendon (MCG)
Rd 21: West Coast (Domain Stadium)
Rd 22: Hawthorn (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 23: Sydney (SCG)
16. Hawthorn
20 points (five wins, eight losses) 79.4 per cent
Alastair Clarkson said last week it was "highly unlikely" that the Hawks would play finals yet after a wonderful win in Adelaide, they're still alive. But they'd need to win seven and given their lousy percentage, possibly eight of their remaining nine games to get in. That ain't happening, but gee their fans would give anything to beat the Cats in a few weeks on the day Luke Hodge likely plays his 300th game.
The run home
Rd 15: Collingwood (MCG)
Rd 16: GWS (University of Tasmania Stadium)
Rd 17: Geelong (MCG)
Rd 18: Fremantle (Domain Stadium)
Rd 19: Sydney (MCG)
Rd 20: Richmond (MCG)
Rd 21: North Melbourne (University of Tasmania Stadium)
Rd 22: Carlton (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 23: Western Bulldogs (Etihad Stadium)
17. North Melbourne
16 points (four wins, nine losses) 93.4 per cent
North won its first nine games of last season and in the end, that's what got the club into the finals. Who knows? Maybe the Kangas can win their last nine of 2017 to get there again.
The run home
Rd 15: Gold Coast (Metricon Stadium)
Rd 16: Fremantle (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 17: Port Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
Rd 18: Essendon (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 19: Melbourne (Blundstone Arena)
Rd 20: Collingwood (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 21: Hawthorn (University of Tasmania Stadium)
Rd 22: St Kilda (Etihad Stadium)
Rd 23: Brisbane Lions (Gabba)
