The AFL have scheduled six Saturday matches across five states for the concluding round of the home-and-away season in an attempt to maximise the break for likely finalists.

The only two games slated for Sunday, September 6 – Collingwood versus Essendon at the MCG and the Melbourne-GWS encounter at Etihad Stadium – feature teams currently outside the top eight.

The two WA teams are likely to finish atop the ladder and would normally have first claim on the Friday night fixture.

But as Fremantle and West Coast are both playing on Sunday in round 22, they have been slotted in for Saturday games in the final round to avoid being saddled with a five-day break.

The feature Friday night fixture will be between likely finalists Richmond and North Melbourne.

The six Saturday games will be spread across five states, beginning with a crucial 1305 (AEST) clash between Geelong and Adelaide at Simonds Stadium which could well decide which of those two teams claims a finals berth.