AFL finals race wide open with two rounds to play

With two weeks remaining in the AFL home-and-away season, the battle for finals spots is poised to go right down to the wire.

Heading into round 23, no fewer than four teams sitting outside the top eight still have a chance of playing September footy.

By the same token, every team from fifth to eighth could slip out if things go askew in the next fortnight.

The Carlton Blues, sitting fifth after their big win over Melbourne last weekend, are all but locked in at $1.01 to play finals.

Top AFL bookmakers also have the seventh-placed Sydney Swans ($1.45) and eighth-placed Western Bulldogs ($1.50) as odds-on chances to make the cut.

The St Kilda Saints, in sixth place, are $1.80 with tough fixtures against Geelong and Brisbane left to play.

Of the teams outside the eight, the 11th-placed Cats have plenty of support at $2.10 as they look to keep their premiership defence alive.

The 12th-placed Adelaide Crows are next best at $2.25, owing to their strong percentage and a soft closing fixture against the rock-bottom West Coast Eagles.

The GWS Giants ($3.50) have slipped to 10th place after their heavy defeat to Port Adelaide on Sunday, and games against Essendon and Carlton make for a tricky run home.

The Bombers sit ninth on the AFL ladder, but a last-round clash with Collingwood – the soon-to-be minor premiers – leaves them as the only double-digit chance in the market at $10.

AFL 2023 finals odds, ladder & fixtures

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