Australian Football

Round 22

Premiership Season 2014 - Round 22 Review

Total Crowd 301,725 (Avg 33,525)

With just one round remaining, the 2014 AFL season is poised in what Channel 7's Bruce McAvaney could surely only describe as deliciously. Richmond's fairytale run home continues unabated, the Tigers now having one eight games in a row, with just one more required to see them make the eight, an amazing achievement given that they had just three wins after their first 13 matches. Should the Tigers fall at the last hurdle, there are several teams waiting to pounce on the last available place in the top eight, with Collingwood, Adelaide, West Coast and Gold Coast all mathematically a chance to sneak in.

Round 22 opened with an emphatic statement from Port Adelaide, the Power crushing Carlton to the tune of 103 points at the Adelaide Oval. Port remain outside the top four but like Richmond has its destiny in its own hands. The Power will move into the top four and earn a double chance if they can account for Fremantle at Subiaco next Saturday.

North Melbourne made certain it will be a player in this year's finals with a hard-fought win over Adelaide at Bellerive Oval on Saturday. The Crows were in with a big chance at three-quarter time, leading by five points, but North finished the stronger to sneak home by seven. The loss means the Crows' destiny is in the hands of others, regardless of whether they defeat St Kilda at home next Sunday. 

In a similar fashion to North, Essendon assured itself of a finals berth with a relatively close encounter against Gold Coast at Docklands on Saturday. The Suns were well within range at the last break and even took the lead briefly in the last term but faded to go down by 19 points. Only a huge win against West Coast next Sunday and several other unlikely results can see the Suns into the finals now.

Collingwood ensured it remains in the race with an inspiring and thrilling win against GWS at the Sydney Showground. The Magpies were down for the count at three-quarter time, having lost Brent Macaffer and Dane Swan to injury, but somehow managed to come good in the last 10 minutes of the match to snatch an exciting eight-point win. The Pies can still make the eight but will need to score an unlikely victory against Hawthorn at the MCG on Friday to have a chance of doing so.

Saturday night saw West Coast comfortably account for Melbourne, thereby also keeping the Eagles in with a chance of September action. Should the other results fall their way, the Eagles will be able to climb into the eight for the first time since round eight with a win over the Gold Coast Suns at Carrara next Sunday.

The other Saturday night game was between Hawthorn and Geelong and, while it did not produce the nail-biting finish we've seen from these two sides in recent years, it still produced several twists and turns, with Geelong leading at one stage in the third term by 33 points before the Hawks turned it on to win by 23.

Fremantle retained its place in the top four with a convincing win over Brisbane at the Gabba, Michael Walters and Hayden Ballantyne kicking three goals each in the 58-point thrashing. The Dockers will assure themselves of a top-four finish if they can defeat Port Adelaide in front of their home crowd next Saturday afternoon.

Sydney had a similarly convincing win over the Western Bulldogs at Docklands to retain top spot and even if it loses to Richmond at Stadium Australia next Saturday, is a reasonable chance of staying there. Either way, the Swans are certain host a final in the first week of September.

The round finished with Richmond's eighth consecutive win, against St Kilda, the side it defeated to start its amazing run. The Tigers' last loss was against Sydney in round 14, and it is the Swans that they will need to beat to ensure themselves of eighth place and a consecutive finals appearance for the first time since 1974-75.

With so many teams still a chance, round 23 could be the most exciting climax to a home-and-away season since 1987.

R-22, Ladder