Port Adelaide shored up their AFL finals berth, Melbourne’s September drought is just about over and St Kilda’s fate is out of their hands.

The Demons had a massive win over the Saints and Port Adelaide held off Collingwood on Sunday, adding a couple of pieces to the top-eight jigsaw with two rounds left.

The 11th-placed Saints are the lowest team still in finals contention, but they have the worst percentage of the contenders and will need plenty to go right from here.

They face North Melbourne and Richmond in the last two rounds.

Melbourne opened up a 40-point lead and then held off St Kilda’s rally to win by four goals.

The 14.12 (96) to 10.12 (72) win was massive for the Demons, who had lost their last two games.

They are seventh on 11 wins and with MCG games to come against Brisbane and Collingwood, the Demons looked set for their first finals series since 2006.

Coming off their Showdown shocker, the Power kicked five goals to two in the last quarter for a comfortable 14.14 (98) to 10.11 (71) win.

That leaves them sixth and they can still snare the double chance – they are only a game behind fourth-placed Richmond and have a better percentage.

But their more likely outcome is a home elimination final.

Port head to Ballarat next Saturday for a pivotal match against the Western Bulldogs.

Friday night’s 48-point loss to GWS left the Bulldogs ninth and they are well down on percentage behind eighth-placed West Coast.

The last defending premiers to miss the finals were Hawthorn in 2009.

If anyone will break into the top four, the most likely candidates are Sydney.

The Swans demolished Fremantle by 104 points – the worst losing margin of Ross Lyon’s senior coaching career – to continue their barnstorming run.

After losing their opening six matches, Sydney have won 12 out of 14 and are now fifth.

Their Friday night away blockbuster against top side Adelaide is a potential grand final preview.

Geelong upset the Tigers at Simonds Stadium by 14 points, with Richmond coach Damien Hardwick later saying the crowd influenced a lopsided free kick count.

That result meant the two teams swapped spots, with Geelong improving to third.

The only lowlight of the Giants’ impressive Friday night performance was that star forward Toby Greene is in tribunal trouble again.

He was booked for rough conduct, after his foot caught Luke Dahlhaus high and left him with a cut lip.

Essendon’s 43-point loss to Adelaide on Saturday night means the Bombers, like the Saints, are dangling off the precipice.

Essendon, who are 10th, and St Kilda sit a game behind Melbourne, West Coast and the Bulldogs.

But the Bombers’ run home is favourable, with Gold Coast (away) and Fremantle (Etihad Stadium) to come.

West Coast stayed in the top eight with a 17-point home win over Carlton, while Hawthorn beat North Melbourne in Launceston on Sunday by 27.

Dean Solomon’s tenure as caretaker Gold Coast coach started badly, with Brisbane belting them by 58.