See who your club could come up against as the finals evolve

MATT WINDLEY takes a look in to the crystal ball to determine just who your team might come up against in September.

PLAYERS and coaches talk about taking things a week at a time, but fans are always gazing ahead and thinking about the "what ifs''. MATT WINDLEY takes a look in to the crystal ball to determine just who your team might come up against throughout September.

HAWTHORN
Qualifying final v Sydney, MCG, Friday 7.50pm

WIN: MCG preliminary final against any of Cats, Dockers, Magpies, Power.
LOSE: MCG semi-final against winner of Tigers v Blues elimination final. Would then play winner of Cats v Dockers qualifying final in the preliminary final.
- Assuming it gets past Sydney this Friday night Hawthorn must surely be hoping for a Geelong win against Fremantle the following day. That would set up a likely preliminary final against the Dockers or Collingwood at the MCG, a positive proposition for the Hawks given their recent record against those two sides. A loss for one of the Hawks or Cats this weekend would put the rivals on course for a preliminary final showdown.

LAST FIVE v SYDNEY
R23 2013, ANZ Stadium, Haw 17.10 (112) def Syd 16.4 (100)
R7 2013, MCG, Haw 18.11 (119) def Syd 12.10 (82)
GF 2012, MCG, Syd 14.7 (91) def Haw 11.15 (81)
R22 2012, SCG, Haw 15.12 (102) def Syd 14.11 (95)
R5 2012, Aurora Stadium, Syd 16.10 (106) def Haw 10.9 (69)

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Lance Franklin

GEELONG
Qualifying final v Fremantle, Simonds Stadium, Saturday 2.20pm

WIN: MCG preliminary final against any of Hawks, Swans, Tigers, Blues.
LOSE: MCG semi-final against winner of Magpies v Power elimination final. Would then play winner of Hawks v Swans qualifying final in the preliminary final.
- A win against Fremantle will, if favourites win each of the games, likely put Geelong on course for a MCG preliminary final against Sydney. Let's say for a minute the Cats lose though; what happens if Port Adelaide then also win? Will Simonds Stadium again be used for next week's semi-final? A dangerous precedent has been set by allowing the Cats to - rightly or wrongly - host the Dockers at the Cattery. Also, if the Cats lose to the Dockers and Collingwood defeat the Power, Cats fans won't relish a semi-final against a Magpies side it has lost three consecutive games to.

LAST FIVE v FREMANTLE
R14 2013, Simonds Stadium, Geel 11.19 (85) def Frem 7.2 (44)
EF 2012, MCG, Frem 14.12 (96) def Geel 11.14 (80)
R1 2012, Patersons Stadium, Frem 16.9 (105) def Geel 15.11 (101)
R2 2011, Patersons Stadium, Geel 13.11 (89) def Frem 10.18 (78)
SF 2010, MCG, Geel 20.15 (135) def Frem 10.6 (66)

RECAP MATT WINDLEY'S CHAT IN THE WINDOW BELOW:



FREMANTLE
Qualifying final v Geelong, Simonds Stadium, Saturday 2.20pm

WIN: Patersons Stadium preliminary final against any of Hawks, Swans, Tigers, Blues.
LOSE: Patersons Stadium semi-final against winner of Magpies v Power elimination final. Would then play winner of Hawks v Swans qualifying final in the prelim.
- It's not too outlandish to say that Fremantle's clash with Geelong this weekend will shape the direction that this year's finals series takes. A Fremantle win will give the Dockers a home preliminary final, which they will be odds-on favourites to win. A Dockers loss would throw Ross Lyon's men in to a possible home semi-final against an in-form Collingwood, while also making possible a Geelong-Hawthorn Grand Final (assuming the Hawks defeat Sydney).

LAST FIVE v GEELONG
R14 2013, Simonds Stadium, Geel 11.19 (85) def Frem 7.2 (44)
EF 2012, MCG, Frem 14.12 (96) def Geel 11.14 (80)
R1 2012, Patersons Stadium, Frem 16.9 (105) def Geel 15.11 (101)
R2 2011, Patersons Stadium, Geel 13.11 (89) def Frem 10.18 (78)
SF 2010, MCG, Geel 20.15 (135) def Frem 10.6 (66)

Fremantle vs Geelong

SYDNEY
Qualifying final v Hawthorn, MCG, Friday 7.50pm

WIN: ANZ Stadium preliminary final against any of Cats, Dockers, Magpies, Power.
LOSE: ANZ Stadium semi-final against winner of Tigers v Blues elimination final. Would then play winner of Cats v Dockers qualifying final in the preliminary final.
- Injuries have robbed Sydney of valuable firepower and momentum at the business end of the season, but did we see a bit if spark back in the Swans during last week's narrow loss to Hawthorn? Will John Longmire's men take confidence in to the re-match with the Hawks this Friday, or will they feel they fired their best shot and still lost? Kurt Tippett coming back in to the side at least keeps one ace up the sleeve. A home preliminary final at ANZ Stadium is on the line, a loss would see the Swans host Richmond or Carlton at the Olympic stadium next week.

LAST FIVE v HAWTHORN
R23 2013, ANZ Stadium, Haw 17.10 (112) def Syd 16.4 (100)
R7 2013, MCG, Haw 18.11 (119) def Syd 12.10 (82)
GF 2012, MCG, Syd 14.7 (91) def Haw 11.15 (81)
R22 2012, SCG, Haw 15.12 (102) def Syd 14.11 (95)
R5 2012, Aurora Stadium, Syd 16.10 (106) def Haw 10.9 (69)

Hawks, Swans win time

RICHMOND
Elimination final v Carlton, MCG, Sunday 3.20pm

WIN: semi-final against loser of Hawks v Swans qualifying final. Would then play winner of Cats v Dockers qualifying final in the preliminary final.
- After all those years of finishing ninth, Richmond will this week play - and could lose to - the team that should have finished ninth. A last-start loss to Carlton will have Tigers fans a little nervous heading in to Sunday's blockbuster, but, as Damien Hardwick said, this week is a different ball game - and his players were dominant early-on in that game too. The winner will likely head to Sydney for a semi-final with the Swans, although Tiger fans who believe Hawthorn has now become their side's bunny will hope the Hawks lose to the Swans on Friday night.

LAST FIVE v CARLTON
R21 2013, MCG, Carl 16.10 (106) def Rich 14.12 (96)
R1 2013, MCG, Rich 14.22 (106) def Carl 15.17 (101)
R18 2012, MCG, Carl 14.11 (95) def Rich 13.13 (91)
R1 2012, MCG, Carl 18.17 (125) def Rich 12.9 (81)
R15 2011, MCG, Carl 28.16 (184) def Rich 12.9 (81)

COLLINGWOOD
Elimination final v Port Adelaide, MCG, Saturday 7.45pm

WIN: semi-final against loser of Cats v Dockers qualifying final. Would then play winner of Hawks v Swans qualifying final in the preliminary final.
- Collingwood is the hottest favourite of the weekend, but if it wins its semi-final prospects could well be decided by the game to be played earlier on Saturday. The Magpies will be up against it if they have to go to Perth to play Fremantle next week. The game will have to be played on Friday night because Patersons Stadium has been booked for a rugby game on Saturday night, that means back-to-back six-day breaks for Nathan Buckley's men. That's tough enough without having to also travel to meet one of the form teams of the comp, to whom they lost by five goals earlier in the year. Conversely, if Geelong lost to Fremantle this week, that would throw the Cats in to a Saturday night MCG semi-final. The Pies have not lost to the Cats since the 2011 Grand Final. A much better prospect.

LAST FIVE v PORT ADELAIDE
R14 2013, AAMI Stadium, PA 13.8 (86) def Coll 7.9 (51)
R4 2012, Etihad Stadium, Coll 14.13 (97) def PA 10.13 (73)
R20 2011, AAMI Stadium, Coll 23.21 (159) def PA 3.3 (21)
R1 2011, Etihad Stadium, Coll 24.11 (155) def PA 12.8 (80)
R15 2010, AAMI Stadium, Coll 16.9 (105) def PA 12.7 (79)

AFL - Power v Collingwood

PORT ADELAIDE
Elimination final v Collingwood, MCG, Saturday 7.45pm

WIN: semi-final against loser of Cats v Dockers qualifying final. Would then play winner of Hawks v Swans qualifying final in the preliminary final.
- Port Adelaide has been the fairytale story of 2013 and will go in to its clash with Collingwood this Saturday night full of confidence. The Power defeated the Magpies comfortably the only time they've met this season, while Ken Hinkley's men also won comfortably - albeit against Melbourne - in their only MCG appearance this year. Port has played, and lost to, both of its prospective semi-final opponents in the past month.

LAST FIVE v COLLINGWOOD
R14 2013, AAMI Stadium, PA 13.8 (86) def Coll 7.9 (51)
R4 2012, Etihad Stadium, Coll 14.13 (97) def PA 10.13 (73)
R20 2011, AAMI Stadium, Coll 23.21 (159) def PA 3.3 (21)
R1 2011, Etihad Stadium, Coll 24.11 (155) def PA 12.8 (80)
R15 2010, AAMI Stadium, Coll 16.9 (105) def PA 12.7 (79)

CARLTON
Elimination final v Richmond, MCG, Sunday 3.20pm

WIN: semi-final against loser of Hawks v Swans qualifying final. Would then play winner of Cats v Dockers qualifying final in the preliminary final.
- Carlton is the most unlikely of finalists for so many reasons. The Blues were meant to finish ninth, but jumped in after Essendon was barred from September. Then, in the game they had to win to get in, the Blues were down by 39 points only to get up by one after a Port Adelaide shot on goal hit the post in the last minute. That said, the Blues are there and many pundits are giving them a huge chance against a Richmond side it defeated at the MCG a few weeks ago. Blues fans already daring to dream will be excited by the prospect of possibly facing a faltering Sydney side in the semi-finals.

LAST FIVE v RICHMOND
R21 2013, MCG, Carl 16.10 (106) def Rich 14.12 (96)
R1 2013, MCG, Rich 14.22 (106) def Carl 15.17 (101)
R18 2012, MCG, Carl 14.11 (95) def Rich 13.13 (91)
R1 2012, MCG, Carl 18.17 (125) def Rich 12.9 (81)
R15 2011, MCG, Carl 28.16 (184) def Rich 12.9 (81)