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Essendon players celebrate during the AFL Round 20 match between the Essendon Bombers and the St Kilda Saints at the Docklands Stadium. Slattery Images
We’ve had the fantastic St Kilda and Geelong, who have looked amazing, and apart from the match involving the two of them, have 35 wins from 38 matches between them in 2009. Then there is the chance that the eighth team in the finals could be there with as few as ten wins.
Seemingly none of Port Adelaide, Sydney or Hawthorn want to be there, leaving Essendon as the only one who wants it.
Hawthorn have lost its last four and seven of its last nine, but yet somehow are still in the running.
If the Hawks win this week, and all of Sydney (away to Collingwood), Port (away to Brisbane)and Essendon (away to Fremantle) lose, in Round 22, it will be playing Essendon for the final spot in the eight.
Crazy!
19-1
St Kilda and Essendon produced one hell of a match. It may have even have surpassed the stunning Geelong – St Kilda game.
Jobe Watson was sensational as he led the Bombers to victory, despite the Saints rallying from seven goals down late in the third term.
The loss could be a blessing in disguise for the Saints as they are now free of the pressures of going through the season undefeated. With North Melbourne and Melbourne in the final two weeks, the Saints should enter the finals with all guns firing.
Dignity in Defeat
It has been a funny two weeks for the Swans. They have played the Saints and Cats in consecutive weeks and gone down by a collective six points. Rumors of their death may well be exaggerated and they may find themselves back in an upwards swing as early as next year.
The return of some injured players, plus the infusion of some fresh blood, could see the Swans back up there. The retirement of Barry Hall could be the best thing that happened to the Swans in 2009.
The problem for them is the Catch-22 they tend to find themselves in – in that they play their best football when they have been completely written off
Blues return to glory days
Carlton is back in the finals and could finish the season as high as fourth. It currently occupies fifth position, and with home games against Melbourne and Adelaide to come, should enter the finals full of confidence.
The big question mark will be their ability to make the transition to finals football and the pressures that come with it.
It has been eight years since they were last in the finals. Now Richmond alone has the longest finals drought.
Go West
There seems to be no turning back on the Greater Western Sydney Team. The point of no return has been passed.
It seems odd that there will be two extra teams in the competition, when there are already too many teams in Melbourne.
The draw is compromised with 16 teams, and who knows how it would work with 18 teams. It would have to be some sort of conference system, wouldn’t it?
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.