The main courses are mouth-watering and there are enticing side dishes but AFL fans might want to skip a flavourless entree on the penultimate menu before finals.
THE ENTREE
Melbourne versus Sydney, Friday night, MCG. When scheduling, AFL honchos figured both would be finals-bound. But both are digesting tough campaigns, leaving this prime-time fixture without appeal. There’s not even the tasty prospect of Swan Lance Franklin’s 300th AFL game – he’s injured – to lure fans or eyeballs to the television. The Swans (15th) and Demons (17th) have won just 11 games between them this season.
THE MAIN COURSES
Brisbane versus Geelong, Saturday afternoon, the Gabba. The Cats hold top spot by a healthy chunk of percentage from the Lions. This salivating fixture looms as the main meal which could decide who tops the table entering the finals. The Lions will sample finals action for the first time in a decade and should they beat the Cats, they’ll likely start with a home course in week one of the playoffs.
Richmond versus West Coast, MCG, Sunday afternoon. The third-placed Eagles travel to meet the bookies’ flag favourite, the fourth-placed Tigers. They’re the two most recent premiers with the Tigers’ 2017 triumph followed by West Coast’s last year. Both hunger for more and boast dazzling star power to ensure a truly spicy offering.
THE SIDE DISHES
Adelaide versus Collingwood, Adelaide Oval, Saturday twilight. The Magpies hold fifth spot and are still a chance of a coveted top-four finish, while the ninth-placed Crows must win to stay in finals contention. But both have been serving inconsistent offerings of late. The Magpies have feasted on Gold Coast and Melbourne in the past two weeks but Adelaide on home turf are often hard to stomach for opposition sides.
Fremantle versus Essendon, Optus Stadium, Saturday night. The Dockers’ finals bid has fallen flat and while the Bombers retain seventh spot, they have been hammered in their past two games and are no certain finalists. How Essendon respond to their embarrassing loss to the Bulldogs last weekend and try and arrest their slide will be insightful to their playoff hopes.
GWS versus Western Bulldogs, Giants Stadium, Sunday afternoon. The Bulldogs are the flavour of the week after their ruthless dismantling of Essendon last-start. The Dogs enter this match out of the eight on percentage only. The Giants are sixth and assured a finals berth but their lowest-ever score in a loss to Hawthorn last Friday night poses question marks about what they can serve up in September.
North Melbourne versus Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium, Saturday night. The Power have snuck into eighth with consecutive wins and control their own destiny: win their last two games, starting with North and they’ll probably reach the playoffs. And they’re catching the Roos on the hop after their record-low score when defeated by Geelong last Saturday night.