It’s full steam ahead for a refreshed rebel VFLW cohort as 10 clubs make a last rush to lock in a place in the finals over the final three rounds of the home and away season.

Just two premiership points separate second from sixth, with seventh-placed Williamstown half a game out of the top six but only a single win from a top-two spot, which brings with it a double chance in the finals.

Southern Saints are a game clear on top of the ladder following four-straight narrow wins, but the tightness of the competition means three losses coming home could see them fall out of the finals race altogether.

At the other end of the scale, Carlton, Casey Demons and North Melbourne are six points outside the finals bracket but aren’t without hope of playing finals if they can go on a late winning streak.

With three matches to play, let’s try to unravel just what might happen.

1st, 8-3, 129.9%

STREAK: Won 4

PAST FIVE ROUNDS: def Carlton (6, IKON Park); def Casey Demons (8, RSEA Park); def Collingwood (5, Victoria Park); def Port Melbourne (3, Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval); lost Essendon (12, NEC Hangar).

TO COME: North Melbourne (Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval); Williamstown (Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval); Box Hill Hawks (Box Hill City Oval).

SUMMARY: Seventh to first and back again? It’s unlikely but definitely possible in this most unpredictable 2023 season. One win secures a finals berth, and playing the next two games on their home deck gives them the best possible chance to lock that away quickly. Don’t let it go down to the last game.

PREDICTION: 10-4 (1st)

2nd, 7-4, 150.2%

STREAK: Lost 2

PAST FIVE ROUNDS: lost Casey Demons (21, Deakin University); lost Port Melbourne (7, Deakin University); def Essendon (2, NEC Hangar), def Darebin (29, La Trobe University); lost Collingwood (3, Deakin University).

TO COME: Box Hill Hawks (Deakin University); Collingwood (AIA Centre); Williamstown (DSV Stadium).

SUMMARY: Back-to-back home defeats have seen the Cats slip from top spot to now being vulnerable for a finals place with three tough games against challengers to come. The fact all four of their losses have come at Deakin University (they are 2-4 down the highway and 5-0 on the road) adds another dimension. Their league-best percentage could come in very handy.

PREDICTION: 8-6 (4th)

3rd, 7-4, 125.2%

STREAK: Won 1

PAST FIVE ROUNDS: def Darebin (59, Genis Steel Oval); lost Western Bulldogs (16, ETU Stadium); lost Southern Saints (5, Victoria Park); def North Melbourne (10, AIA Centre); def Geelong (3, Deakin University)

TO COME: Carlton (AIA Centre); Geelong (AIA Centre); North Melbourne (Arden Street Ovalreet Oval).

SUMMARY: When they’re on, they’re right on, but when they’re off, they’re vulnerable to most teams. The absence of livewire forward Nyakoat Dojiok on representative duties this week (the Blues won’t have Madeleine Di Cosmo) robs them of a lot of scoring power, but the Magpies still have their destiny in their own hands.

PREDICTION: 8-6 (5th)

4th, 7-4, 123.3%

STREAK: Won 2

PAST FIVE ROUNDS: def Western Bulldogs (4, ETU Stadium); def Geelong (7, Deakin University); lost Williamstown (4, ETU Stadium); lost Southern Saints (3, Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval); lost North Melbourne (2, ETU Stadium).

TO COME: Darebin (La Trobe University); Essendon (ETU Stadium); Casey Demons (Casey Fields).

SUMMARY: The Borough will be looking to boost their percentage this week ahead of two tough games to finish off the season. They wouldn’t want to be needing to win both to secure a top-six berth. They have been giving their fans heart attacks for more than a month and it looks like that isn’t going to change.

PREDICTION: 8-6 (7th)

5th, 6-4-1, 113.5%

STREAK: Lost 1

PAST FIVE ROUNDS: lost Williamstown (3, Box Hill City Oval); def North Melbourne (22, Arden Street Oval); def Carlton (1, Box Hill City Oval); lost Essendon (18, Box Hill City Oval); def Darebin (27, Genis Steel Oval).

TO COME: Geelong (Deakin University); Casey Demons (Casey Fields); Southern Saints (Box Hill City Oval).

SUMMARY: A thrilling loss to the Seagulls is the difference between second and fifth spot heading into a challenging finish. The Cats will be desperate to turn around their mini slump, the Demons may still be playing for their season, and then the miserly Saints will provide a big test if the Hawks still need to lock in their spot.

PREDICTION: 9-4-1 (2nd)

6th, 6-4-1, 100.6%

STREAK: Lost 1

PAST FIVE ROUNDS: lost North Melbourne (8, NEC Hangar); def Darebin (34, La Trobe University); lost Geelong (2, NEC Hangar); def Box Hill Hawks (18, Box Hill City Oval); def Southern Saints (8, NEC Hangar).

TO COME: Casey Demons (Casey Fields); Port Melbourne (ETU Stadium); Western Bulldogs (Windy Hill).

SUMMARY: Given how close this competition is, the surprise loss to the Kangaroos last round hasn’t crippled the Bombers’ premiership defence, but it has certainly left them walking a tightrope with the next two games against desperate opponents before a long-awaited return home to Windy Hill in Round 14.

PREDICTION: 9-4-1 (3rd)

7th, 6-5, 120.0%

STREAK: Won 3

PAST FIVE ROUNDS: def Box Hill Hawks (3, Box Hill City Oval); def Carlton (38, DSV Stadium); def Port Melbourne (4, ETU Stadium); lost Casey Demons (6, DSV Stadium); def Western Bulldogs (5, ETU Stadium).

TO COME: Western Bulldogs (DSV Stadium); Southern Saints (Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval); Geelong (DSV Stadium).

SUMMARY: The first finals appearance in the Seagulls’ short history is within reach after a stunning six wins in their past eight matches. Remember their previous best season is two wins and a draw. Williamstown’s stocks continue to rise in Liam Cavanagh’s first season at the helm and Seagulls would love to still be in the mix heading into a big clash with the ladder-leading Saints next week.

PREDICTION: 8-6 (8th)

8th, 5-6, 124.7%

STREAK: Lost 3

PAST FIVE ROUNDS: lost Southern Saints (6, IKON Park); lost Williamstown (38, DSV Stadium); lost Box Hill Hawks (1, Box Hill City Oval); def Western Bulldogs (36, IKON Park); def Casey Demons (20, IKON Park).

TO COME: Collingwood (AIA Centre); Western Bulldogs (ETU Stadium); Darebin (IKON Park).

SUMMARY: Three losses in a row has left the Blues’ hopes of a maiden finals berth on life support, but if they can beat the old enemy this week they will be confident of getting the three wins they need to at least put themselves in the picture, given they finish against the bottom two teams.

PREDICTION: 8-6 (6th)

9th, 5-6, 114.4%

STREAK: Won 1

PAST FIVE ROUNDS: def Geelong (21, Deakin University); lost Southern Saints (8, RSEA Park); def North Melbourne (13, Casey Fields); def Williamstown (6, DSV Stadium); lost Carlton (20, IKON Park).

TO COME: Essendon (Casey Fields); Box Hill Hawks (Casey Fields); Port Melbourne (Casey Fields)

SUMMARY: Have recorded three wins out of their past four to retain a pulse heading into the final stretch. Couldn’t ask for a more suitable run, with their last three games being at home against the three teams sitting fourth, fifth and sixth on the ladder. The Demons are driving along a narrow mountain track, however, and a single misstep will send them over the cliff.

PREDICTION: 6-8 (9th)

10th, 5-6, 83.9%

STREAK: Won 1

PAST FIVE ROUNDS: def Essendon (8 (NEC Hangar); lost Box Hill Hawks (22, Arden Street Oval); lost Casey Demons (13, Casey Fields); lost Collingwood (10, AIA Centre); def Port Melbourne (2, ETU Stadium).

TO COME: Southern Saints (Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval); Darebin (Arden Street Oval); Collingwood (Arden Street Oval).

SUMMARY: Kept their hopes alive with a stunning win over Essendon but given their lowly percentage they will need to win all three remaining games to be a chance. If they can knock off the ladder leader this week, however, Round 14 could potentially be an elimination final.

PREDICTION: 6-8 (10th)

11th, 3-8, 98.1%

STREAK: Lost 1

PAST FIVE ROUNDS: lost Port Melbourne (4, ETU Stadium); def Collingwood (16, ETU Stadium); def Darebin (34, ETU Stadium); lost Carlton (36, IKON Park); lost Southern Saints (5, Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval).

TO COME: Williamstown (DSV Stadium); Carlton (ETU Stadium); Essendon (Windy Hill).

SUMMARY: A golden opportunity to play finals spoilers – three of them, in fact. Already boasting wins over hopefuls Collingwood and North Melbourne, they can end the seasons of the Seagulls and Blues, or even open the door for them if they can stun the Bombers.

PREDICTION: 3-11 (11th)

12th, 0-11, 23.0%

STREAK: Lost 11

PAST FIVE ROUNDS: lost Collingwood (59, Genis Steel Oval); lost Essendon (34 La Trobe University); lost Western Bulldogs (34, ETU Stadium); lost Geelong (29, La Trobe University); lost Box Hill Hawks (27, Genis Steel Oval).

TO COME: Port Melbourne (La Trobe University); North Melbourne (Arden Street Oval); Carlton (IKON Park).

SUMMARY: There’s no club prouder than the Falcons and their malaise would be stinging everybody in blue, red and white. Hard to see a way out of it this season, but anything can happen after that.

PREDICTION: 0-14 (12th)