1. Fremantle

64 points (16 wins, two losses) 128.8 per cent

Just quietly, the Dockers are starting to approach the same sort of form that marked their withering start to the season. They snapped a two-match losing streak to St Kilda on Sunday with an emphatic first quarter and after that it was a case of fine-tuning for Sunday's Derby clash with West Coast, which if they win, will all but lock up top spot on the ladder three weeks out from the finals. The Dockers face trips east in two of their last three matches with a home game against Melbourne in the middle. Will Ross Lyon go full bore to win those, or will there be an element of player management?

The run home:

Rd 20: West Coast at Domain Stadium
Rd 21: North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium
Rd 22: Melbourne at Domain Stadium
Rd 23: Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval 

2. West Coast

54 points (13 wins, four losses, one draw) 149.5 per cent

The Eagles would have had top two locked and loaded had they beaten the Hawks on Saturday night. Playing at home and twice leading by three goals, perhaps they should have. But they still control their own destiny ahead of a Derby on Sunday that it as big as any ever played. They're the away team this time, which changes the atmospherics at least and they may have to face the ladder leaders without Mark LeCras, Jeremy McGovern and Nic Naitanui, whose return date remains uncertain. But if they win, they stay second. Then come the Western Bulldogs and Adelaide, which also appear tougher now that West Coast's form has dipped. The pressure is mounting.

The run home:
Rd 20: Fremantle at the Domain Stadium
Rd 21: Western Bulldogs at Domain Stadium
Rd 22: Adelaide at Adelaide Oval
Rd 23: St Kilda at Domain Stadium

Who's going to make it? Check out the 2015 ladder predictor

3. Hawthorn

52 points (13 wins, five losses) 161.5 per cent

Not content with singing the club song on Saturday evening, the happy Hawkers also belted out a few verses of Daryl Braithwaite's 'The Horses', a tune they save for great wins on the road. And the 14-point win over West Coast at Domain Stadium certainly qualified on that front.

Now comes yet another rivalry clash with Geelong at the MCG; win that and if West Coast loses to Fremantle, the Hawks are back in the top two. And given their three floundering opponents to follow, they will stay there, setting up at least two finals at the MCG. But first thing first, it's the Cats, and it shapes as a magnificent night at the footy.

The run home:
Rd 20: Geelong at the MCG
Rd 21: Port Adelaide at Etihad Stadium
Rd 22: Brisbane Lions at Aurora Stadium
Rd 23: Carlton at the MCG 4. Sydney Swans

• Nine things we learned from round 19: The Hawks are riding (on their horses) back towards a flag

4. Western Bulldogs

48 points (12 wins, six losses) 117.1 per cent

The 64-point thrashing of Port Adelaide on Saturday moved the Dogs into the top four and such is the flair and the belief with which they are playing, it is hard to see them being tipped out.

They'll likely need to win three of their last four to guarantee it, but on form they would enter the tougher of those – West Coast and North Melbourne – as at least even money bets. The trip to West Coast in a fortnight will be most instructional for the Dogs given the increasing likelihood they may return to Domain Stadium for a final next month.

The run home:
Rd 20: Melbourne at Etihad Stadium
Rd 21: West Coast at Domain Stadium
Rd 22: North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium
Rd 23: Brisbane Lions at the Gabba

• After the siren: Want high-octane footy, AFL? Play the Bulldogs in prime time

5. Sydney Swans

48 points (12 wins, six losses) 112.4 per cent

They're a bit hot and cold the Swans: great last week against Adelaide, but really poor the longer the game went against the Cats. They're not kicking enough goals and the midfield is battling. The only top two teams they have beaten this year are the Hawks and Cats, who both avenged those results the next time they played. They need to win three of their last four and try to scrounge as much percentage as they can, particularly in the final fortnight because that might determine everything. Let's not rule out a scenario where the Swans go into the round 23 match with the Suns knowing how much they need to win by in order to overtake the Western Bulldogs, who will have played earlier that day.

The run home:
Rd 20: Collingwood at the SCG
Rd 21: GWS at Spotless Stadium
Rd 22: St Kilda at Etihad Stadium
Rd 23: Gold Coast at the SCG 

6. North Melbourne

44 points (11 wins, seven losses) 109.0 per cent

The Kangaroos have taken care of business with five straight wins, picking up some important percentage along the way, and should get past the Saints next week.

And some late goals against the Demons on Sunday allowed them to sneak past Richmond into sixth place. They just about have their paws on a finals berth, but a win in one of their last three games will make certain of it. Percentage could yet determine whether they secure a home elimination final. Results on the weekend also bring into play the prospect of consecutive matches against Richmond – round 23 followed by a knockout final.

The run home:
Rd 20: St Kilda at Blundstone Arena
Rd 21: Fremantle at Etihad Stadium
Rd 22: Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium
Rd 23: Richmond at Etihad Stadium 

7. Richmond

44 points (11 wins, seven losses) 108.9 per cent

Bachar Houli's ill-conceived kick-out against Fremantle two weeks ago, which cost the Tigers the win, continues to haunt them. Instead of being out of fourth on percentage, they're a game and nine per cent behind and of more concern now is that they could still miss the finals altogether. With the Suns and Bombers still to come, they should win at least two more but Collingwood and North will be problematic unless the Tigers can hit the scoreboard a bit more.

The run home:
Rd 20: Gold Coast at the MCG
Rd 21:Collingwood at the MCG
Rd 22: Essendon at the MCG
Rd 23: North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium

8. Geelong

42 points (10 wins, seven losses, one no result) 104.6 per cent

The Cats have enjoyed a fabulous month and will be brimming with confidence ahead of a season-defining clash at the MCG on Saturday night against their great modern rival, the Hawks. Win that and Cats fans can plan to be at the finals once more after things looked shaky there for a time. Their defence has been top-rate and will need to be against the Hawks, but they should enter the remaining games, irrespective of the next week's result with great confidence. The Patrick Dangerfield storyline adds intrigue to the round 23 clash, irrespective of what hangs on the result. 

The run home:
Rd 20: Hawthorn at the MCG
Rd 21: St Kilda at Etihad Stadium
Rd 22: Collingwood at the MCG
Rd 23: Adelaide at Simonds Stadium

• Who's on the move? Vote on the future of 2015's big-name free agents

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9. Adelaide

42 points (10 wins, seven losses, one no result) 104.5 per cent

The Crows were dominant against Richmond on Friday night save only for some tardy finishing. They'll expect to beat Essendon and Brisbane handily over the next fortnight, but will need to bring the same manic pressure from the Richmond game to the West Coast game at home in round 22, which perhaps will serve as an elimination final two weeks early. The season-closer against Geelong is also shaping as an epic, for a variety of reasons.

The run home:
Rd 20: Essendon at Etihad Stadium
Rd 21: Brisbane Lions at Adelaide Oval 
Rd 22: West Coast at Adelaide Oval 
Rd 23: Geelong at Simonds Stadium 

10. Greater Western Sydney

40 points (10 wins, eight losses) 102.4 per cent

The problem for the Giants is that the teams above them keep winning as well, so they'll likely need to win out from here to be assured of their spot in the finals. The Giants have never won in South Australia so will need to create some history in the twilight game next Saturday. Then comes another Sydney derby, this time on their home deck. The Giants will be looking to that one with relish.

The run home:

Rd 20: Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval
Rd 21: Sydney Swans at Spotless Stadium 
Rd 22: Carlton at Spotless Stadium
Rd 23: Melbourne at Etihad Stadium

11. Collingwood

36 points (nine wins, nine losses) 111.8 per cent

The Pies need to win every game from here and rely on the charity of others if they want to play finals this year. It starts in Sydney on Friday, but it will be an unusual experience, with the team bus heading east from the airport instead of west, given the Pies haven’t graced the SCG since 2000. Every visit to Sydney since then has been at ANZ Stadium. Look for plenty of spice on Friday night; these two clubs plainly don't like each other.

The run home:

Rd 20: Sydney Swans at the SCG
Rd 21: Richmond at the MCG
Rd 22: Geelong at the MCG
Rd 23: Essendon at the MCG 

12. Port Adelaide

32 points (eight wins, 10 losses) 98.7 per cent

The Power remain a mathematical chance of making the finals despite their 64-point loss to the Western Bulldogs on Saturday. Of course from here, winning their final four matches is a must. And that becomes a very long shot given they face premiership contenders Hawthorn and Fremantle in the final month.

The run home:
Rd 20: GWS at Adelaide Oval
Rd 21: Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium
Rd 22: Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium 
Rd 23: Fremantle at Adelaide Oval 

Who's going to make it? Forecast the final eight with the 2015 ladder predictor