HAWTHORN will miss out on September action while Geelong will face Collingwood in a blockbuster qualifying final, according to our reporters.

AFL.com.au's team of journalists have used our ladder predictor to tip the final make-up of the top eight, and they're predicting the Hawks to slide out of the finals spots.

LADDER PREDICTOR Who will make the eight, who will miss out?

The Hawks have winnable games against Port Adelaide and Carlton in the next two weeks before a challenging month to finish the home and away season where they will play Adelaide and Brisbane away as well as Collingwood and Melbourne at the MCG.

Adelaide has been tipped to finish second, its first finals campaign since 2017, with Brisbane expected to be its opponent in a home qualifying final.

Fremantle has been backed by four of our seven reporters to take eighth spot off the Hawks and travel to Gold Coast to face the Suns in week one of the finals, while the Western Bulldogs are being tipped to finish sixth and face a knockout final against fierce rival, Greater Western Sydney.

Outside the top eight, St Kilda is expected to rise to 13th, while Carlton is tipped to drop to 14th.

AFL.com.au's predicted ladder

1. Collingwood
2. Adelaide
3. Brisbane
4. Geelong
5. Gold Coast
6. Western Bulldogs
7. Greater Western Sydney
8. Fremantle

9. Hawthorn
10. Sydney
11. Melbourne
12. Port Adelaide
13. St Kilda
14. Carlton
15. Essendon
16. North Melbourne
17. Richmond
18. West Coast