Collingwood players look dejected after a loss to Melbourne in round 13, 2026. Picture: Getty Images

IS FREMANTLE best equipped to battle the September slate? And is Collingwood staring down the barrel of whiffing in the wildcard? This season's top 10 ladder suggests a different trajectory for the two clubs.

According to Champion Data, the minor premier Dockers are the best team in the competition at facing the best teams in the competition this season. Justin Longmuir's side has played 14 times against finals-bound opponents, flying through with an impressive 11-3 record in those games.

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It's some way clear of Geelong in second spot on the top 10 ladder, with the Cats holding an 8-5 record against fellow finalists this year but also crucially having the best percentage (120.%) against those top-tier teams.

Fremantle and Geelong are among just four clubs competition-wide to have a positive win-loss record against top 10 sides this season, with Brisbane and Sydney the others in that category.

Collingwood's 3-2-9 record against fellow top 10 teams is the worst of all sides to qualify for a wildcard game, while Carlton is 4-1-8 overall but has gone a much more respectable 4-1-2 since Josh Fraser took the reins as coach.

Elsewhere, Richmond and West Coast were the only teams in the competition who failed to record a victory against a top 10 side this season while St Kilda, Gold Coast and Essendon only managed one each.

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THE TOP 10 LADDER – FINALS TEAMS

1. Fremantle (11-3, 115.4%)
2. Geelong (8-5, 120.5%)
3. Brisbane (7-6, 109.4%)
4. Western Bulldogs (6-1-8, 80.1%)
5. Sydney (6-5, 109.3%)
6. Adelaide (6-7, 99.8%)
7. Melbourne (6-6, 98.7%)
8. Hawthorn (5-2-5, 97.1%)
9. Carlton (4-1-8, 91.8%)
10. Collingwood (3-2-9, 86.7%)

THE TOP 10 LADDER – OVERALL

1. Fremantle (11-3, 115.4%)
2. Geelong (8-5, 120.5%)
3. Brisbane (7-6, 109.4%)
4. Western Bulldogs (6-1-8, 80.1%)
5. Sydney (6-5, 109.3%)
6. Adelaide (6-7, 99.8%)
7. Melbourne (6-6, 98.7%)
8. Hawthorn (5-2-5, 97.1%)
9. Greater Western Sydney (5-7, 90.9%)
10. Carlton (4-1-8, 91.8%)
11. Collingwood (3-2-9, 86.7%)
12. Port Adelaide (2-10, 76.6%)
13. North Melbourne (2-10, 73.6%)
14. St Kilda (1-11, 82.1%)
15. Gold Coast (1-13, 75.7%)
16. Essendon (1-12, 57.6%)
17. Richmond (0-13, 58.7%)
18. West Coast (0-12, 58.5%)