The race for the AFL minor premiership, top two and finals double chance could all come down to percentages this season but at least one coach says there’s no focus on running up scores this month.
Geelong, West Coast and Brisbane have all tallied 14 wins so far, with Richmond rounding out the top four with a win less.
With just three matches to play in an intoxicating campaign, finals match-ups and venues seem certain to be decided by the finest of margins.
Which is why Eagles and Lions fans could both be left even more disappointed not to blow away their opponents on Sunday when big wins seemed on.
At Marvel Stadium, West Coast put on 12 goals to Carlton’s four in the middle two quarters and looked set for a thumping win.
Instead, the Blues found resolve to edge the final term and lose by only four goals.
At the Gabba, the red hot Lions won a seventh-straight match but the Western Bulldogs reeled them in from a 43-point lead to cut that margin to just three goals by the siren.
Second-placed West Coast and third-placed Brisbane are separated by just 0.8 per cent.
Put another way, if the Eagles had conceded one more goal, and the Lions kicked one more, Chris Fagan’s side would be second.
Despite that, West Coast coach Adam Simpson says extra effort to produce bigger margins isn’t his focus going into September.
“We don’t even talk about it,” he said.
“We just want to keep winning. We want to finish as high as we can.
“It’s hard to concern yourself about percentage.
“I thought we left a couple of goals out there at stages. Both teams were really tired in the last quarter (which) wasn’t a great spectacle.
“If we keep winning we’ll be right.”
Each of the leading sides have matches at home that they will be expected to win this weekend.
Then in round 22, the top four meet each other in a bumper fixture to shape September.
Brisbane host Geelong on Saturday afternoon at the Gabba in a clash that will potentially send the underdogs top, before Richmond square off with West Coast at the MCG in Sunday’s early fixture.
RUN TO THE AFL FINALS FOR THE CONTENDERS
1. GEELONG, 56 points, 130.5 per cent.
Next: North Melbourne (GMHBA), Brisbane (Gabba), Carlton (GMHBA).
2. WEST COAST, 56 points, 117.3 per cent.
Next: Adelaide (OS), Richmond (MCG), Hawthorn (OS).
3. BRISBANE, 56 points, 116.5 per cent.
Next: Gold Coast (Gabba), Geelong (Gabba), Richmond (MCG).
4. RICHMOND, 52 points, 111.3 per cent.
Next: Carlton (MCG), West Coast (MCG), Brisbane (MCG).
