North Melbourne players look dejected after a loss to Port Adelaide in round 17, 2026. Picture: Getty Images

NORTH Melbourne may be left to rue its loss to Port Adelaide as it prepares for the hardest final seven games of any club.

The Kangaroos – who have had the easiest fixture of the season to date – fell out of the top 10 after the defeat to the Power on Sunday, now holding an 8-8 win-loss record.

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

But they face a brutal run from here, with six games against the current top 10, and the other against 12th-placed St Kilda, to come on the run home.

The average ladder position of their remaining opponents is 6.7, which is the toughest run ahead of struggling Essendon (7).

However, there is perhaps some good news for the Roos, with Collingwood and Carlton – the clubs in ninth and 10th respectively – also facing difficult runs.

After scraping past Richmond, the Blues face five top-10 sides in their final seven games, while the Pies do likewise, with their round 19 meeting shaping as crucial.

18:59

Access: 'It's a sad, sad watch': Lloyd laments 'hopeless situation' at Essendon

Matthew Lloyd and Damian Barrett with the latest news and opinions from Round 17

Having had the second hardest run so far, Geelong has the easiest to finish the season, with matches against the Bombers and Richmond still to come, and just two against top-10 teams.

Hawthorn and Brisbane are well-placed in their bids to finish in the top four, while Greater Western Sydney, which is 13th, has the 15th hardest fixture from here after its stunning upset win over Fremantle. 

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.

01:31

The Wildcard Round: How will the new finals format actually work?

Joel Peterson explains how the Wildcard Round will work in this year’s AFL Finals

R18: v Gold Coast, Adelaide Oval 
R19: v Sydney, SCG 
R20: v Collingwood, Adelaide Oval
R21: v Essendon, Marvel Stadium
R22: v Richmond, Adelaide Oval
R23: v Fremantle, Optus Stadium
R24: v Greater Western Sydney, Adelaide Oval

Current ladder position: 5th (10-6)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 9.3 (sixth hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 10.6 (11th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 3
Upcoming interstate trips: 3

Jordan Dawson is tackled by Pat Lipinski during Adelaide's clash against Collingwood in round one, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R18: v Essendon, Gabba 
R19: v West Coast, Optus Stadium 
R20: v Port Adelaide, Gabba
R21: v Carlton, Marvel Stadium
R22: v Hawthorn, Gabba
R23: v Gold Coast, Gabba
R24: v Collingwood, MCG

Current ladder position: 4th (10-6)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 8.9 (third hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 12.1 (equal 16th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 3
Upcoming interstate trips: 3

Cam Rayner and Joel Jeffrey compete for the ball during Brisbane's clash with Gold Coast in round 13, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R18: v Hawthorn, MCG 
R19: v Collingwood, MCG 
R20: v Gold Coast, Marvel Stadium
R21: v Brisbane, Marvel Stadium
R22: v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium
R23: v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium
R24: v Fremantle, Marvel Stadium

Current ladder position: 10th (8-8)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 10.1 (15th hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 7.3 (third hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 5
Upcoming interstate trips: 0

Patrick Cripps and Scott Pendlebury compete for the ball during the match between Carlton and Collingwood at the MCG in round six, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R18: v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium 
R19: v Carlton, MCG 
R20: v Adelaide, Adelaide Oval
R21: v Geelong, MCG
R22: v West Coast, Optus Stadium
R23: v Hawthorn, MCG
R24: v Brisbane, MCG

Current ladder position: 9th (8-1-7)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 9.4 (equal seventh hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 8 (equal fifth hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 5
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Nick Watson and Brayden Maynard after Collingwood's draw with Hawthorn in R8, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R18: v Brisbane, Gabba 
R19: v Greater Western Sydney, Marvel Stadium 
R20: v Hawthorn, MCG
R21: v Adelaide, Marvel Stadium
R22: v Geelong, GMHBA Stadium
R23: v Sydney, MCG
R24: v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium

Current ladder position: 18th (1-15)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 9.8 (equal 11th hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 7 (second hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 5
Upcoming interstate trips: 1

Sam Durham kicks the ball during Essendon's clash against Hawthorn in round one, 2026. Picture: Getty Images

R18: v Sydney, Optus Stadium 
R19: v Port Adelaide, Adelaide Oval 
R20: v West Coast, Optus Stadium
R21: v Western Bulldogs, Optus Stadium
R22: v Melbourne, MCG
R23: v Adelaide, Optus Stadium
R24: v Carlton, Marvel Stadium

Current ladder position: 1st (14-2)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 10 (14th hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 8.9 (ninth hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 5
Upcoming interstate trips: 3

Caleb Serong and Ryley Sanders compete for the ball during Fremantle's clash against the Western Bulldogs in round eight, 2026. Picture: Getty Images

R18: v Greater Western Sydney, Engie Stadium 
R19: v St Kilda, GMHBA Stadium 
R20: v Melbourne, MCG
R21: v Collingwood, MCG
R22: v Essendon, GMHBA Stadium
R23: v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium
R24: v Richmond, GMHBA Stadium

Current ladder position: 7th (9-7)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 7.6 (second hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 12.3 (18th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 2
Upcoming interstate trips: 1

Zach Guthrie in action during Geelong's clash against North Melbourne in round eight, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R18: v Adelaide, Adelaide Oval 
R19: v Western Bulldogs, People First Stadium 
R20: v Carlton, Marvel Stadium
R21: v Melbourne, People First Stadium
R22: v Greater Western Sydney, Corroboree Group Oval Manuka
R23: v Brisbane, Gabba
R24: v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium

Current ladder position: 14th (7-9)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 9 (fourth hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 8.3 (eighth hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 5
Upcoming interstate trips: 4

Noah Anderson is tackled by Matt Kennedy during Gold Coast's clash against the Western Bulldogs in round nine, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

R18: v Geelong, Engie Stadium 
R19: v Essendon, Marvel Stadium 
R20: v Sydney, Engie Stadium
R21: v Port Adelaide, Adelaide Oval
R22: v Gold Coast, Corroboree Group Oval Manuka
R23: v West Coast, Engie Stadium
R24: v Adelaide, Adelaide Oval

Current ladder position: 13th (7-9)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 9.1 (fifth hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 11 (15th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 3
Upcoming interstate trips: 4

Lachie Ash is tackled by Willem Duursma during Greater Western Sydney's clash against Waalitj Marawar in round 10, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R18: v Carlton, MCG 
R19: v Richmond, MCG 
R20: v Essendon, MCG
R21: v North Melbourne, UTAS Stadium
R22: v Brisbane, Gabba
R23: v Collingwood, MCG
R24: v West Coast, Optus Stadium

Current ladder position: 3rd (10-1-5)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 9.4 (equal seventh hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 12.1 (equal 16th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 3
Upcoming interstate trips: 3

Tim Taranto tackles Jai Newcombe during Richmond's clash against Hawthorn in round eight, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

R18: v Richmond, MCG 
R19: v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium 
R20: v Geelong, MCG
R21: v Gold Coast, People First Stadium
R22: v Fremantle, MCG
R23: v Port Adelaide, Adelaide Oval
R24: v Western Bulldogs, MCG

Current ladder position: 6th (10-6)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 9.6 (equal ninth hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 10.4 (10th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 3
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Kysaiah Pickett kicks a goal during Melbourne's clash against Fremantle in round two, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R18: v Collingwood, Marvel Stadium 
R19: v Melbourne, Marvel Stadium 
R20: v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium
R21: v Hawthorn, UTAS Stadium
R22: v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium
R23: v Geelong, Marvel Stadium
R24: v Sydney, SCG

Current ladder position: 11th (8-8)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 11.8 (18th hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 6.7 (hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 6 
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Dan Houston is tackled by Harry Sheezel during Collingwood's AAMI Community Series clash against North Melbourne on February 29, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R18: v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium 
R19: v Fremantle, Adelaide Oval 
R20: v Brisbane, Gabba
R21: v Greater Western Sydney, Adelaide Oval
R22: v Sydney, SCG
R23: v Melbourne, Adelaide Oval
R24: v Essendon, Marvel Stadium

Current ladder position: 15th (6-10)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 10.3 (17th hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 8 (equal fifth hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 4
Upcoming interstate trips: 4

Zak Butters is tackled by James Jordon during Port Adelaide's clash against Sydney in round 14, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R18: v Melbourne, MCG 
R19: v Hawthorn, MCG 
R20: v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium
R21: v West Coast, MCG
R22: v Adelaide, Adelaide Oval
R23: v St Kilda, MCG
R24: v Geelong, GMHBA Stadium

Current ladder position: 17th (2-14)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 9.8 (equal 11th hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 8.1 (seventh hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 5
Upcoming interstate trips: 1

Tim Taranto is tackled during Richmond's clash against Euro-Yroke in round 10, 2026. Picture: Getty Images

R18: v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium 
R19: v Geelong, GMHBA Stadium 
R20: v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium
R21: v Sydney, Marvel Stadium
R22: v Carlton, Marvel Stadium
R23: v Richmond, MCG
R24: v Gold Coast, Marvel Stadium

Current ladder position: 12th (7-9)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 9.6 (equal ninth hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 10.9 (14th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 3
Upcoming interstate trips: 0

Hugo Garcia in action during St Kilda's clash against Port Adelaide in round five, 2026. Picture: Getty Images

R18: v Fremantle, Optus Stadium 
R19: v Adelaide, SCG 
R20: v Greater Western Sydney, Engie Stadium
R21: v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium
R22: v Port Adelaide, SCG
R23: v Essendon, MCG
R24: v North Melbourne, SCG

Current ladder position: 2nd (13-3)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 9.8 (equal 11th hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 10.7 (equal 12th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 2
Upcoming interstate trips: 3

Brodie Grundy in action during Sydney's clash against Greater Western Sydney in round six, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R18: v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium 
R19: v Brisbane, Optus Stadium 
R20: v Fremantle, Optus Stadium
R21: v Richmond, MCG
R22: v Collingwood, Optus Stadium
R23: v Greater Western Sydney, Engie Stadium
R24: v Hawthorn, Optus Stadium

Current ladder position: 16th (4-12)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 10.4 (16th hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 7.9 (fourth hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 5
Upcoming interstate trips: 3

Harley Reid kicks the ball during West Coast's clash against Fremantle in round six, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

R18: v West Coast, Marvel Stadium 
R19: v Gold Coast, People First Stadium 
R20: v Richmond, Marvel Stadium
R21: v Fremantle, Optus Stadium
R22: v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium
R23: v Carlton, Marvel Stadium
R24: v Melbourne, MCG

Current ladder position: 8th (9-7)
Degree of difficulty OR-R17: 7.2 (hardest)
Degree of difficulty R18-24: 10.7 (equal 12th hardest)
Upcoming games against current top 10: 3
Upcoming interstate trips: 2

Marcus Bontempelli during the round eight match between Western Bulldogs and Fremantle at Marvel Stadium, May 1, 2026. Picture: Getty Images