Patrick Cripps celebrates Carlton's win over Port Adelaide in R18, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

SIX ROUNDS rounds to play, eight finals spots available, 15 teams left in the race. Not everyone's going to be happy. Welcome back to The Run Home.

Carlton made a big move in round 18, moving to two points outside of the top eight with a game against West Coast to come next weekend.

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

St Kilda, the Western Bulldogs and Essendon all remain in the eight despite tough losses, but the Blues, Giants, Tigers and even the Swans are piling on the pressure.

Incredibly, eight teams are within just one win of each other, from the Saints in sixth right down to the Suns in 13th.

Who's in the box seat, and who's facing an uphill battle to finish inside the eight? Check out your club's finish to the season below.

Hawthorn, North Melbourne and West Coast have not been considered.

OPINION
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1. Collingwood

60 points (15 wins, two losses), 139 per cent
The comfortable win over the Dockers has the Magpies flying high and three games clear of third-placed Brisbane. Their minor premiership hopes may rest on next week's blockbuster against Port Adelaide, a clash that will mark their final trip outside of Victoria this home and away season. Collingwood plays four of its final five games at the MCG and will be hard to beat in all of them, with a top-two finish almost certain. They will take some stopping in 2023. – Dejan Kalinic

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

The run home
R19: Port Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval
R20: Carlton @ MCG
R21: Hawthorn @ MCG
R22: Geelong @ MCG
R23: Brisbane @ Marvel Stadium
R24: Essendon @ MCG

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

2. Port Adelaide

56 points (14 wins, three losses), 114.7 per cent
With their club-record 13-game winning streak ended by the Blues, the Power have two massive clashes at Adelaide Oval to come – a blockbuster against Collingwood next week, when they may get a few players back from injury, before a Showdown against the Crows. A tricky trip to Geelong follows before a somewhat easier final three games, including two at home. With an eight-point advantage over third-placed Brisbane, it's hard to see Port not wrapping up a top-two spot, but the gap could tighten if they slip up in the next fortnight. – Dejan Kalinic

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

The run home
R19: Collingwood @ Adelaide Oval
R20: Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval
R21: Geelong @ GMHBA Stadium
R22: Greater Western Sydney @ Adelaide Oval
R23: Fremantle @ Optus Stadium
R24: Richmond @ Adelaide Oval

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

3. Brisbane

48 points (12 wins, five losses), 130.4 per cent
There was mixed news for Brisbane after round 18. The last-gasp loss to Melbourne closed the gap to just one game between the two teams in third and fourth, but a rare Port Adelaide stumble has stopped the gap to the top two from widening again. A win against an in-form Geelong at the Gabba will go a long way to locking in that top-four spot, considering the three simpler games to come after the Cats. A top-two finish isn't out of the question completely, but they can't afford too many more slip-ups. – Sarah Black

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

The run home
R19: Geelong @ Gabba
R20: Gold Coast @ Heritage Bank Stadium
R21: Fremantle @ Optus Stadium
R22: Adelaide @ Gabba
R23: Collingwood @ Marvel Stadium
R24: St Kilda @ Gabba

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

4. Melbourne

44 points (11 wins, six losses), 125.1 per cent
Melbourne has now knocked off the fifth-placed St Kilda and third-placed Brisbane in the space of a fortnight, crucial victories in shoring up its chances of a top-four finish. Adelaide next week could be dangerous, but less so on the road, while the Dees should have too much top-line talent for Richmond a week later. It's a very straightforward final month for Melbourne, who even have the chance to push for top two should Port Adelaide and Brisbane seriously slump for a few weeks – Sarah Black

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

The run home
R19: Adelaide @ MCG
R20: Richmond @ MCG
R21: North Melbourne @ Blundstone Arena
R22: Carlton @ MCG
R23: Hawthorn @ MCG
R24: Sydney @ SCG

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

5. Geelong

38 points (nine wins, seven losses, one draw), 122.9 per cent
The reigning premiers have some momentum after thrashing Essendon, moving them up to fifth amid a four-game unbeaten run, but they have a tricky month ahead with three games against top-four opposition as they chase a crucial double chance. Geelong is six points outside the top four, so there's minimal margin for error, starting with a journey north to face third-placed Brisbane, which it beat in last year's preliminary final at the MCG. Geelong hosts out-of-sorts Fremantle before welcoming second-placed Port Adelaide to GMHBA Stadium and then tackling Collingwood at the MCG. The Cats' final two games are against sides currently inside the top eight, so their run to the finals won't come easy. - Ben Somerford

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

The run home
R19: Brisbane @ Gabba
R20: Fremantle @ GMHBA Stadium
R21: Port Adelaide @ GMHBA Stadium
R22: Collingwood @ MCG
R23: St Kilda @ Marvel Stadium
R24: Western Bulldogs @ GMHBA Stadium

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

6. St Kilda

36 points (nine wins, eight losses), 104.3 per cent
On the surface, the draw looks good, but the Saints are battling following their 26-point loss to Gold Coast. Wins in the next fortnight against the battling Kangaroos and Hawks are a must to keep them in the thick of the top eight, before a potentially season-defining fortnight against the improving Carlton and the always dangerous Richmond. The good news for St Kilda is it will play the next five matches at Marvel Stadium – can some home cooking get them on the right track? - Michael Whiting

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

The run home
R19: North Melbourne @ Marvel Stadium
R20: Hawthorn @ Marvel Stadium
R21: Carlton @ Marvel Stadium
R22: Richmond @ Marvel Stadium
R23: Geelong @ Marvel Stadium
R24: Brisbane @ Gabba

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

7. Western Bulldogs

36 points (nine wins, eight losses), 103.5 per cent
The Western Bulldogs' push for a top-four spot took a big hit on Thursday, with a two-point loss to Sydney keeping the Dogs stuck in the logjam in the middle of the ladder. However, they could feasibly win five of its final six games, with Hawthorn and West Coast yet to come and three of their games in the run home under the roof of Marvel Stadium. Their next three, however, will likely dictate their final position as they face Essendon, Greater Western Sydney and Richmond, who will all be vying for spots in the final eight as well. - Gemma Bastiani

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

The run home
R19: Essendon @ Marvel Stadium
R20: Greater Western Sydney @ Mars Stadium
R21: Richmond @ Marvel Stadium
R22: Hawthorn @ University of Tasmania Stadium
R23: West Coast @ Marvel Stadium
R24: Geelong @ GMHBA Stadium

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

8. Essendon

36 points (nine wins, eight losses), 101.2 per cent
Saturday night's defeat to Geelong couldn't have gone much worse for the Dons, with the 77-point margin seeing them lose almost six per cent to slip from fifth to eighth, below St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs, the latter whom they face next weekend at Marvel Stadium in another crunch clash. The Bombers' next four games are at Marvel, where they boast a 4-0 record this season, and they'll likely go in as favourites against Sydney, West Coast and North Melbourne. That offers them a great opportunity to push for a top-eight berth before a tough final two games away to in-form GWS then Collingwood at the MCG, which could determine their fate. - Ben Somerford

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

The run home
R19: Western Bulldogs @ Marvel Stadium
R20: Sydney @ Marvel Stadium
R21: West Coast @ Marvel Stadium
R22: North Melbourne @ Marvel Stadium
R23: Greater Western Sydney @ Giants Stadium
R24: Collingwood @ MCG

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

9. Greater Western Sydney

36 points (nine wins, eight losses), 99.4 per cent
Five wins on the bounce has the Giants on the edge of the top eight, with only their poor percentage separating them in ninth from the Saints in sixth. They'll start hot favourites against the Suns next week before they face two tough road trips to Ballarat and Adelaide either side of a derby against the Swans. Games against the Bombers and Blues to finish the season could well determine the fate of all three clubs. - Martin Smith

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

The run home
R19: Gold Coast @ Manuka Oval
R20: Western Bulldogs @ Mars Stadium
R21: Sydney @ Giants Stadium
R22: Port Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval
R23: Essendon @ Giants Stadium
R24: Carlton @ Marvel Stadium

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

10. Carlton

34 points (eight wins, eight losses, one draw), 111.4 per cent
The Blues are back in a big way after registering their fourth win on the bounce, their latest victory coming against a rampaging Port Adelaide on a 13-game winning streak. It's a massive turnaround after the Blues were languishing in the bottom four just five rounds ago. While next week's match against lowly West Coast shouldn't trouble them, the Blues' next big test comes against arch-rival Collingwood in round 20, which kicks off a three-match run against top-eight teams. But with five of its final six games in Melbourne, Carlton is well placed to make that long-awaited step back into September. – Alison O'Connor

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

The run home
R19: West Coast @ Marvel Stadium
R20: Collingwood @ MCG
R21: St Kilda @ Marvel Stadium
R22: Melbourne @ MCG
R23: Gold Coast @ Heritage Bank Stadium
R24: Greater Western Sydney @ Marvel Stadium

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

11. Richmond

34 points (eight wins, eight losses, one draw), 99.8 per cent
The Tigers are lurking just two points outside the finals spots and with Hawthorn to come in round 19, they could find themselves in the eight by the end of next week. They also have the Roos on the run home, but blockbuster games against Melbourne and Port Adelaide (away) will be true tests as September approaches. Games against the Bulldogs and Saints will have a major say in the make-up of the final eight. - Martin Smith

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

The run home
R19: Hawthorn @ MCG
R20: Melbourne @ MCG
R21: Western Bulldogs @ Marvel Stadium
R22: St Kilda @ Marvel Stadium
R23: North Melbourne @ MCG
R24: Port Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

12. Adelaide

32 points (eight wins, nine losses), 114.8 per cent
Another disappointing defeat has left the Crows playing catch up, with three games to come against top four teams in the next six weeks. Games against the Suns and Swans at home and the Eagles away to finish are absolute must wins, while a victory over their crosstown rivals in two weeks could well get their season back on track. The Crows have the fifth-best percentage in the competition, which could help, but what they need is wins and they need them fast. - Martin Smith

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

The run home
R19: Melbourne @ MCG
R20: Port Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval
R21: Gold Coast @ Adelaide Oval
R22: Brisbane @ Gabba
R23: Sydney @ Adelaide Oval
R24: West Coast @ Optus Stadium

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

13. Gold Coast

32 points (eight wins, nine losses), 94.6 per cent
And somehow the flame still flickers for the Suns after beating St Kilda in the same week the club sacked coach Stuart Dew. In all likelihood, they'll need five wins from the final six matches to help compensate for their poor percentage, with next weekend's game against the Giants a must-win. There's only two home games left for Steven King's team, but with only one opponent – Brisbane – inside the top six, you never know. - Michael Whiting

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

The run home
R19: Greater Western Sydney @ Manuka Oval
R20: Brisbane @ Heritage Bank Stadium
R21: Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval
R22: Sydney @ SCG
R23: Carlton @ Heritage Bank Stadium
R24: North Melbourne @ Blundstone Arena

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

14. Sydney

30 points (seven wins, nine losses, one draw), 110.3 per cent
The Swans still have a finals pulse after their dramatic two-point win over the Western Bulldogs on Thursday night. That being said, it's still must-win each week for John Longmire's side over the coming six weeks. They have a more than winnable month ahead, with matches against Fremantle, Essendon, Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast, but four victories from four starts will be required to stay in the hunt. Added to this, their next three weeks are on the road, including a trip west. They have a pulse - it's faint, but it's there. - Gemma Bastiani

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

The run home
R19: Fremantle @ Optus Stadium
R20: Essendon @ Marvel Stadium
R21: Greater Western Sydney @ Giants Stadium
R22: Gold Coast @ SCG
R23: Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval
R24: Melbourne @ SCG

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

15. Fremantle

28 points (seven wins, 10 losses), 89.3 per cent
The Dockers' finals chances took another huge hit with Saturday's loss to Collingwood, their fifth defeat in six matches. They will be glad to return to Optus Stadium, where they play four of their final six games, but among them are still huge tests, with Geelong, Brisbane and Port Adelaide three of the teams visiting. Next week's meeting with Sydney is a big one, with Freo's finals chances are fading fast and their injury list also growing. – Dejan Kalinic

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

The run home
R19: Sydney @ Optus Stadium
R20: Geelong @ GMHBA Stadium
R21: Brisbane @ Optus Stadium
R22: West Coast @ Optus Stadium
R23: Port Adelaide @ Optus Stadium
R24: Hawthorn @ MCG

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS