Western Bulldogs players celebrate a win during round seven, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

ADELAIDE and Richmond have the toughest run home, with both sides facing three top-four teams in the last month of the AFLW season.

Both mid-table teams at this point of the season, the Tigers and Crows are facing an uphill battle if they want to make finals.

Both the Tigers and the Crows play North Melbourne (currently first on the ladder), Melbourne (second) and Gold Coast (fourth) in the last four rounds of the season, while Hawthorn and Port Adelaide don't face any top eight sides. 

>>SCROLL DOWN TO SEE YOUR CLUB'S UPCOMING RUN

In a small win for struggling Essendon, the Bombers don't leave metropolitan Melbourne for the rest of the year, while the Western Bulldogs' only road trip is down the highway to Geelong in round 12. 

Besides a trip to Hobart for a home game, reigning premier North Melbourne is sticking close to home, while Gold Coast is hitting the road with trips to Adelaide and Sydney as well as a jaunt further north to Mackay for a home game of its own.

Each club's degree of difficulty is the average ladder position of its opponents. The lower the score, the harder the fixture is expected to be.

R9: v Richmond, Ikon Park
R10: v Gold Coast, Unley Oval
R11: v North Melbourne, North Hobart Oval
R12: v Melbourne, Unley Oval

Current ladder position: 12
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 4.5 (equal hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 3
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Ebony Marinoff celebrates a win with her Adelaide teammates during round six, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R9: v Hawthorn, Kennedy Community Centre
R10: v Port Adelaide, Brighton Homes Arena
R11: v St Kilda, RSEA Park
R12: v Carlton, Brighton Homes Arena

Current ladder position: 14
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 11.25 (13th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 1
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Belle Dawes attempts to evade Amy McDonald during a practice match between Brisbane and Geelong on July 25, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R9: v Sydney, Henson Park
R10: v Western Bulldogs, Ikon Park
R11: v Greater Western Sydney, Ikon Park
R12: v Brisbane, Brighton Homes Arena

Current ladder position: 5
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 10.5 (12th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 2
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Nell Morris-Dalton during round seven between Carlton and Richmond at Ikon Park, September 25, 2026. Picture: Getty Images

R9: v St Kilda, RSEA Park
R10: v Sydney, Windy Hill
R11: v Port Adelaide, Alberton Oval
R12: v Essendon, Windy Hill

Current ladder position: 17
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 13.5 (16th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 1
Upcoming interstate trips: 1

Ruby Schleicher speaks to teammates ahead of Collingwood's clash with Richmond in NAB AFLW round one, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R9: v Western Bulldogs, Mission Whitten Oval
R10: v North Melbourne, Windy Hill
R11: v Hawthorn, Kennedy Community Centre
R12: v Collingwood, Windy Hill

Current ladder position: 16
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 8.25 (equal seventh hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 2
Upcoming interstate trips: 0

Essendon players celebrate a win during round eight, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R9: v North Melbourne, Arden Street Oval
R10: v St Kilda, Cockburn ARC Oval
R11: v Geelong, GMHBA Stadium
R12: v Sydney, Cockburn ARC Oval

Current ladder position: 8
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 7.25 (fifth hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 3
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Eden Zanker celebrates after the AFLW R7 match between Fremantle and Adelaide at Unley Oval on September 27, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R9: v Greater Western Sydney, GMHBA Stadium
R10: v West Coast, Sullivan Logistics Stadium
R11: v Fremantle, GMHBA Stadium
R12: v Western Bulldogs, GMHBA Stadium

Current ladder position: 3
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 9.75 (ninth hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 2
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Georgie Prespakis during the AFLW R8 match between Geelong and Richmond at Ikon Park on October 2, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R9: v Melbourne, Great Barrier Reef Arena
R10: v Adelaide, Unley Oval
R11: v Richmond, People First Stadium
R12: v Greater Western Sydney, Henson Park

Current ladder position: 4
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 10 (equal 10th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 1
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Havana Harris and Lily Quigley during round eight between Brisbane and Gold Coast at Brighton Homes Arena, October 3, 2026. Picture: Getty Images

R9: v Geelong, GMHBA Stadium
R10: v Hawthorn, Henson Park
R11: v Carlton, Ikon Park
R12: v Gold Coast, Henson Park

Current ladder position: 15
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 5.25 (third hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 3
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Alyce Parker during round one AFLW between Greater Western Sydney and West Coast at ENGIE Stadium, August 16, 2026. Picture: Getty Images

R9: v Brisbane, Kennedy Community Centre
R10: v Greater Western Sydney, Henson Park
R11: v Essendon, Kennedy Community Centre
R12: v West Coast, Sullivan Logistics Stadium

Current ladder position: 9
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 13.75 (equal easiest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 0
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Jas Fleming reacts after a win during round six, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

R9: v Gold Coast, Great Barrier Reef Arena
R10: v Richmond, Ikon Park
R11: v Western Bulldogs, Mission Whitten Oval
R12: v Adelaide, Unley Oval

Current ladder position: 2
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 8.25 (equal seventh hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 2
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Eliza McNamara celebrates a goal for the Demons in R4, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R9: v Fremantle, Arden Street Oval
R10: v Essendon, Windy Hill
R11: v Adelaide, North Hobart Oval
R12: v Richmond, Windy Hill

Current ladder position: 1
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 11.75 (14th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 1
Upcoming interstate trips: 1

Tessa Boyd (left) and Taylah Gatt celebrate a win during round eight, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R9: v West Coast, Alberton Oval
R10: v Brisbane, Brighton Homes Arena
R11: v Collingwood, Alberton Oval
R12: v St Kilda, RSEA Park

Current ladder position: 13
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 13.75 (equal easiest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 0
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Matilda Scholz (left) and Amelie Borg celebrate a win during round eight, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R9: v Adelaide, Ikon Park
R10: Melbourne, Ikon Park
R11: v Gold Coast, People First Stadium
R12: v North Melbourne, Windy Hill

Current ladder position: 11
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 4.5 (equal hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 3
Upcoming interstate trips: 1

Isabel Bacon during round five between Richmond and St Kilda at Windy Hill, September 13, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R9: v Collingwood, RSEA Park
R10: v Fremantle, Cockburn ARC
R11: v Brisbane, RSEA Park
R12: v Port Adelaide, RSEA Park

Current ladder position: 18
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 13 (15th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 1
Upcoming interstate trips: 1

Jesse Tawhiao-Wardlaw (left) celebrates a goal with Darcy Guttridge during round seven, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

R9: v Carlton, Henson Park
R10: v Collingwood, Windy Hill
R11: v West Coast, Henson Park
R12: v Fremantle, Cockburn ARC Oval

Current ladder position: 7
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 10 (equal 10th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 2
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Chloe Molloy celebrates a goal against GWS in round5, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R9: v Port Adelaide, Alberton Oval
R10: v Geelong, Sullivan Logistics Stadium
R11: v Sydney, Henson Park
R12: v Hawthorn, Sullivan Logistics Stadium

Current ladder position: 10
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 8 (sixth hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 2
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

West Coast players celebrate winning the Western Derby during round eight, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

R9: v Essendon, Mission Whitten Oval
R10: v Carlton, Ikon Park
R11: v Melbourne, Mission Whitten Oval
R12: v Geelong, GMHBA Stadium

Current ladder position: 6
Degree of difficulty R9-12: 6.5 (fourth hardest)
Upcoming games against current top eight: 3
Upcoming interstate trips: 0

Western Bulldogs players celebrate a win during round seven, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

WHO HAS THE HARDEST RUN HOME?

=1 Adelaide
=1 Richmond
3 Greater Western Sydney
4 Western Bulldogs
5 Fremantle
6 West Coast
=7 Essendon
=7 Melbourne
9 Geelong
=10 Gold Coast
=10 Sydney
12 Carlton
13 Brisbane
14 North Melbourne
15 St Kilda
16 Collingwood
=17 Hawthorn
=17 Port Adelaide