IT ALL comes down to this. Just one round to play and we're still no closer to locking in a final eight. Not everyone's going to be happy. Welcome back to The Run Home.
West Coast's stunning win on Sunday means St Kilda and Sydney are guaranteed to play finals, although they and Carlton - also locked in for September - have a home elimination final to play for in round 24.
WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW
The race for the final spot in the eight is down to three teams, with Greater Western Sydney and Western Bulldogs in the box seat while Essendon are not quite out of the race just yet (more on that below).
At the top, four teams are separated by just eight points, meaning top spot and a home qualifying final are both up for grabs in the final round of the regular season.
Who's in the box seat, and who's facing an uphill battle? Check out your club's finish to the season below.
Richmond, Gold Coast, Fremantle, Hawthorn, North Melbourne and West Coast have not been considered.
1. Collingwood
68 points (17 wins, five losses), 123.2 per cent
The Magpies' grip on top spot has loosened following three losses over the past month and now Collingwood will need to beat Essendon on Friday night to keep their destiny in their own hands, rather than relying on other results. A top-two finish is all but secure, but a slip up against the Bombers and the Lions could pip them for top spot with a win over the Saints. - Josh Gabelich
WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW
The run home
R24: Essendon @ MCG
2. Brisbane
64 points (16 wins, six losses), 123.2 per cent
The Lions ensured their top-two hopes are in their own hands with a crucial win over Collingwood on Friday night. They will still need to beat St Kilda at home on Saturday to be guaranteed of a qualifying final at the Gabba, but they have control of their own destiny, unlike most clubs in the eight. The Demons and Power would need plenty to go their way to jump into the top two, meaning Chris Fagan's side could remain at home until Grand Final day, if things go to plan. - Josh Gabelich
WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW
The run home
R24: St Kilda @ Gabba
3. Port Adelaide
64 points (16 wins, six losses), 111.5 per cent
A top-four spot is secure for the Power and by beating Fremantle on Sunday, they kept the pressure on Brisbane in the final round and the possibility of a top-two finish alive. If Port can down Richmond in round 24 at Adelaide Oval and the Lions slip up at home against St Kilda, the clubs will swap positions and the Power will host the Lions in a home qualifying final. The most likely scenario, however, is a trip to the Gabba in week one, where they have lost their past four clashes against the Lions. Fall short against the Tigers next week and Ken Hinkley's men will likely be headed to the MCG in week one to face Collingwood, a team they have lost their past three clashes against, including thrillers by two and six points. – Nathan Schmook
WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW
The run home
R24: Richmond @ Adelaide Oval
4. Melbourne
60 points (15 wins, seven losses), 124.8 per cent
Sunday's strong win over Hawthorn has locked up the double chance for Melbourne, who is now guaranteed a spot in the top four. However, the Dees can still hope to finish higher and grab an all-important top-two position with a win over Sydney in the final round. They would still need both Brisbane and Port Adelaide to lose, but a second placed finish would ensure Melbourne start September at the MCG rather than travelling interstate. - Michael Whiting
WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW
The run home
R24: Sydney @ SCG
5. Carlton
54 points (13 wins, eight losses, one draw), 116.1 per cent
Carlton extended its winning streak to nine games with Saturday's victory over Gold Coast, confirming its first finals appearance in a decade. A 10th straight win in round 24 against Greater Western Sydney will ensure Carlton takes League-best form into September. Melbourne's win over Hawthorn means the Blues cannot make the top four but St Kilda and Sydney's results mean the Blues can still finish as low as seventh, so victory over the Giants will be important to ensure a home elimination final. - Ben Somerford
WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW
The run home
R24: Greater Western Sydney @ Marvel Stadium
6. St Kilda
52 points (13 wins, nine losses), 108.9 per cent
The Saints might be sending a gift basket to Perth this week after the Western Bulldogs' shock loss to West Coast locked the Saints into the eight. A 33-point win over Geelong on Saturday night was the first step but the Dogs' defeat ensured the Saints can't slip out of the eight. A win over the Lions in round 24 would lock in a home elimination final, while a loss (and a Sydney or GWS win) could see a slip down to seventh or eighth. But against seemingly all expectations, the Saints are guaranteed to feature in September. – Sarah Black
WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW
The run home
R24: Brisbane @ Gabba
7. Sydney
50 points (12 wins, nine losses, one draw), 111.6 per cent
Sydney's finals spot is locked in after Saturday’s thrilling and controversial one-point win over Adelaide and West Coast's shock win over the Western Bulldogs. Now the goal is a home game in week one. If St Kilda goes down to Brisbane at the Gabba next Saturday, the Swans will take to the SCG on Sunday knowing a win against Melbourne will put them either fifth or sixth, an astonishing outcome considering where they were just six weeks ago. – Howard Kimber
WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW
The run home
R24: Melbourne @ SCG
8. Greater Western Sydney
48 points (12 wins, 10 losses), 105.6 per cent
After a club-record score in the 126-point thrashing of Essendon on Saturday and West Coast's stunning win over the Western Bulldogs, GWS has its fate in its own hands. A win against Carlton in the final game of round 24 will ensure they sneak into the eight, meaning they'll know what they have to do when they take to Marvel Stadium on Sunday. They could even be September-bound before then; the Bulldogs will be out of the race if they lose to Geelong on Saturday night while the Bombers will need to beat Collingwood and make up 13 per cent on the Giants to sneak ahead of them. Remarkably, the Giants could even secure a home final if the Saints and Swans lose to the Lions and Demons respectively and Adam Kingsley's men manage to beat the Blues and make up 3.4 per cent on the Saints. - Martin Smith
WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW
The run home
R24: Carlton @ Marvel Stadium
9. Western Bulldogs
44 points (11 wins, 11 losses), 107.6 per cent
The Bulldogs lost their grip on their own finals destiny with Sunday's monumental upset loss to West Coast at Marvel Stadium, which could ultimately cost them a place in September. The equation, though, remains relatively simple. With gun midfielder Tom Liberatore expected to return, the Bulldogs must beat Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night and then hope Greater Western Sydney goes down to Carlton at Marvel Stadium in the final game of the home and away season. - Dejan Kalinic
WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW
The run home
R24: Geelong @ GMHBA Stadium
10. Essendon
44 points (11 wins, 11 losses), 92.7 per cent
The Bombers' chances of playing finals are mathematically still alive, but they are so small you'd need the Hubble telescope to see them after their massive belting at the hands of Greater Western Sydney on Saturday. As a rough back-of-an-envelope guide, if the Bombers can beat Collingwood by a scoreline of around 160-40 and the Giants lose to Carlton by a score of 150-25, the Bombers will make the eight by 0.1 per cent. Oh, and they'll need Geelong to beat the Bulldogs as well. They're a chance, but it's firmly in Lloyd Christmas territory. – Howard Kimber
WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW
The run home
R24: Collingwood @ MCG
11. Geelong
42 points (10 wins, 11 losses, one draw), 114.7 per cent
The Cats are in rarefied air for all the wrong reasons, now officially ruled out of finals for the first time since 2015 and only the second time in coach Chris Scott's 13-year reign. It's unlikely opposition fans will have much sympathy, but Cats supporters can comfort themselves with replays of last year's Grand Final demolition. Jeremy Cameron might get a few friendly check-in messages from his former GWS teammates this week, as a Geelong win over the Western Bulldogs in round 24 will ensure the Giants play finals – Sarah Black
WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW
The run home
R24: Western Bulldogs @ GMHBA Stadium
13. Adelaide
40 points (10 wins, 12 losses), 115.1 per cent
Adelaide is now officially out of the finals race after going down to Sydney by one point in a controversial finish on Saturday night. While a win against West Coast in the final round is far from guaranteed, the result from Saturday night will hurt for some time to come. - Martin Smith
WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW
The run home
R24: West Coast @ Optus Stadium
