The AFL finals are only three weeks away, and Round 21 has plenty to offer in the lead-up to September. With a three way tie at the top between the Swans, Crows, and Pies, and open spots on offer in both the 4 and the 8, it is looking like an exciting end to the season.
Geelong vs St Kilda is the first match this weekend, taking place on Friday night at 7.50pm. Geelong were playing well until they suffered a loss against West Coast last weekend, taking away their top 4 chances. The Saints have not been looking that impressive of late, and the Cats will be keen to win this one and cement their spot in the top 8.
The first match on Saturday is between the Essendon Bombers and the Carlton Blues, kicking off at 1.45pm at the MCG. This should be a great match, with both sides hanging on to finals hope and having everything to play for. The Blues had a good win last weekend against the Lions, and should also be boosted by the return of Chris Judd from his 4 week suspension.
Greater Western Sydney vs Melbourne Demons kicks-off on Saturday at 2.10pm, in a match perhaps not quite as anticipated as the last two. While GWS will be keen to prove themselves before the season is out, the Demons looked OK against the Saints last weekend and will be hard to beat.
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The Fremantle Dockers take on the Richmond Tigers on Saturday afternoon at 4.40pm, with the Dockers just outside the 8 and desperate for a win. While the Tigers are out of the race, they looked quite good last weekend and will have a slim chance of spoiling the party for the Dockers.
Collingwood Magpies vs North Melbourne Kangaroos is the one to watch on Saturday night, kicking off at Etihad Stadium at 7.40pm. This should be a great game, with Collingwood likely to move to the top of the table if they can muster a win. While the Roos had a good win over the Bombers, they have lost their last four encounters with the Pies by about 80 points.
The other match on Saturday night is Brisbane Lions vs Adelaide Crows at the Gabba, also kicking off at 7.40pm. This match-up seems very uneven on paper, the season being over for the Lions while the Crows are looking for a top 2 position.
The first of Sunday’s games is between Port Adelaide Power and the West Coast Eagles, taking place at 1.10pm at AAMI Stadium. West Coast looked good in their narrow win against the Cats last week, while Port had yet another loss against Hawthorn. With the Eagles in 5th position at the moment, and an outside chance to make the 4, they will be hard to beat against an uncertain Port Adelaide.
Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans kick-off on Sunday at 3.15pm, with both teams coming off losses last week. The Swans look much more likely to improve however, especially if Sam Reid makes his return up front.
The last game of the round is between the Hawthorn Hawks and the Gold Coast Suns, kicking off at 4.40pm on Sunday. While the Suns will be keen to avoid the wooden spoon, with three tough games to go against the Hawks, Crows and Blues, last place is looking likely.
