AFLW 2023: Where your team could finish and how the final round of AFLW will shape the finals series

With a super Sunday of AFL Women’s games looming that will shape the finals series, where will your team finish? We take a look at what each team needs for their dream ladder position.

Just one round of AFL Women’s remains and the finals permutations at hand in the final weekend of home and away football are plentiful.

One team could go from the top four to out of the eight, while others could rocket firmly into double-chance contention.

Take a look at what each team needs — and more importantly, needs to avoid — as the finals series looms.

The Demons pocketed the inaugural $1 million McClelland Trophy but there’s still plenty to play for with top spot still on the line this week. It’s a grand final rematch at Springfield and the Lions have the chance to exact some sense of revenge on their home turf – albeit of the home and away variety – and potentially topple the Demons’ top-spot hopes. Win and they maintain it, lose and it could mean second place.

Will the Demons have more to celebrate this weekend? Getty Images

Beat West Coast this week and top spot is in play for the dominant Crows – win big and it could be theirs even if Melbourne beats Brisbane. If the percentage isn’t enough, Adelaide can’t drop from second place.

Unfortunately last week’s narrow loss to Adelaide spelled an end to their top-two chances – now it’s about holding firm on the top four. Could drop to fifth if Brisbane and Essendon both win, but should beat the Dogs to remove any risk.

Kangaroo Jasmine Garner will be looking to cap her brilliant individual season with team success. Picture: Getty Images

Can’t get a top-two spot from where they sit but astoundingly despite being fourth, the Lions could – theoretically – even drop out of the top eight. It would take some doing – they would have to lose heavily to Melbourne, and St Kilda, Sydney and Geelong win by hefty enough margins to overtake them. Unlikely, but the chance still remains. Beat the Demons and could stay fourth if Gold Coast beats Essendon, or on percentage if the Bombers salute in Mackay.

Could be top four, could miss completely. It could go either way for the Bombers who have one of the biggest trips in AFLW on the cards when they travel to Mackay on Friday night to face the Suns. If they win, they could earn a double-chance but if Geelong, St Kilda and Sydney all win, they might have to rely on percentage. Could be a nervous weekend for Natalie Wood’s charges, who are treating Friday night like a final in its own right.

Essendon is eyeing its first AFLW finals series. Picture: Getty Images

Could finish as high as fourth should they beat the Bombers and Melbourne beats Brisbane, with their draw coming in extra-handy given the log-jam that is fighting to get into the eight. Will be without young gun Charlie Rowbottom (ankle) and Elise Barwick (concussion).

The highest the Cats can finish as sixth but they could just as easily slip out of the finals.

Midfielder Becky Webster said this week that players know it’s like finals starts a week early and they’re rapt to be at home – beat the Hawks to put themselves in the box seat. If St Kilda, Richmond and Sydney win and Geelong loses to Hawthorn, the Cats could slide down to ninth.

Cats skipper Meg McDonald will be hoping she’s all smiles this weekend. Picture: Getty Images

Talk about the feel-good story of the season – from winless last yeast to potentially up to sixth, depending on other results. If they lose, like so many sides around them, it could be game over and Fremantle is no sure thing over west. Expect Chloe Molloy to step up yet again – this is the kind of occasion she came to the harbour city for.

Strap in for this one. Have to beat Carlton, and have Gold Coast lose to Essendon in Mackay for their first final series to be on the cards. Could get up to seventh if both of those things happen and Geelong lose to Hawthorn. Though if Geelong, St Kilda, Sydney and Collingwood either all win or all lose, it’ll come down to percentage. A super Sunday looms large.

Have to beat the Tigers and need Carlton to beat St Kilda on Sunday – just as they take the field, no less – and Essendon to beat Gold Coast on Friday night. Could get to seventh if Fremantle beats Sydney, or even sixth if Geelong also loses to Hawthorn. Got that?

Unfortunately Collingwood needs the mathematicians — and a few opposition teams — on their side in the final round. Picture: Getty Images

Have to beat St Kilda at Ikon Park on Sunday, and need Geelong, Sydney and Collingwood to all lose by enough to make up the percentage differential. It’s slim, but the chance is there nonetheless.