ROUND 14Collingwood 96 def Sydney 91
Melbourne 143 def Brisbane 66
Essendon 136 def St Kilda 79
Carlton 71 def Fremantle 23
Geelong 111 def Port Adelaide 87
West Coast 110 def Richmond 97
Earlier in the year the Tigers went west and got the chocolates; in Round 14, the Eagles come to the MCG and return the favour, stamping their claim to true premiership favouritism.Meanwhile a second big win in a row sees the Max Gawn-less Demons suddenly placed third with two months left in the season. Then Braydon Preuss, who they looked like geniuses for recruiting, goes down hurt for a month.
LADDER (after Round 14)1. West Coast (10-3)
2. GWS Giants (9-4)
3. Melbourne (8-5)
4. Geelong (8-5)
5. Richmond (7-6)6. Hawthorn (7-6)
7. Brisbane (7-6)
8. Sydney (6-7)
9. Collingwood (6-7)
10. St Kilda (6-7)
11. Gold Coast (6-7)
12. Carlton (6-7)
13. Essendon (6-7)
14. Port Adelaide (6-7)
15. Western Bulldogs (6-7)
16. North Melbourne (6-7)
17. Adelaide (4-9)
18. Fremantle (3-10)
A ridiculously congested ladder sees just percentage between eighth and 16th. The Bulldogs are arguably the biggest disappointments, sitting in the bottom four amid an inconsistent year.
ROUND 15Brisbane 119 def Hawthorn 103
Western Bulldogs 179 def Essendon 118
Melbourne 115 def Gold Coast 69
Carlton 113 def Geelong 83
GWS 107 def Richmond 76North Melbourne 129 def West Coast 92
Adelaide 116 def Collingwood 76
Sydney 112 def St Kilda 76
Fremantle 117 def Port Adelaide 58
Showing just how tight this season is, the bottom four sides on the ladder all win in Round 15, including the Kangaroos’ upset of top-ranked West Coast.
Geelong, which also suffers an upset loss to Carlton, loses recruit Jack Steven for the year with a shoulder injury.
ROUND 16Hawthorn 120 def Essendon 102
Geelong 100 def West Coast 98
Collingwood 192 def Brisbane 95
Richmond 104 def Port Adelaide 74Western Bulldogs 56 def Sydney 55
Adelaide 173 def St Kilda 123
Carlton 147 def Gold Coast 134
North Melbourne 126 def GWS 90
Melbourne 214 def Fremantle 94
Continuing the trend, the Cats bounce back from a bad injury blow with a big win, becoming the latest team to upset the Eagles.
Collingwood appears certain to be the highest scorer of the round when it puts up 192 points against the Lions; but then Melbourne cracks the double ton against bottom side Freo, and puts up the biggest total in an AFL match since Geelong v Richmond in 2007.
ROUND 17Richmond 98 def Collingwood 93St Kilda 136 def Melbourne 75
North Melbourne 130 def Hawthorn 92
GWS 120 def Essendon 77
Western Bulldogs 156 def Fremantle 63
Brisbane 109 def Geelong 73
Port Adelaide 53 def Gold Coast 39
Carlton 136 def Sydney 101
Adelaide 115 def West Coast 113
The Bulldogs become the latest team to enjoy a meeting with the Dockers, notching up their third win on the trot, while GWS claims top spot on the ladder after the Eagles are upset by the Crows in the final game of the round.
The Power win a defensive struggle against the Suns, but in the process lose Robbie Gray to an ACL tear.
ROUND 18Geelong 118 def Collingwood 100
Hawthorn 118 def GWS 95
Richmond 63 def Gold Coast 37Sydney 104 def Port Adelaide 79
Western Bulldogs 154 def St Kilda 62
West Coast 141 def Fremantle 74
Essendon 123 def North Melbourne 84
Carlton 120 def Brisbane 70
Adelaide 117 def Melbourne 97
A big Western Derby win puts West Coast back on top of the table, with assistance from the Hawks taking down GWS, while the Bulldogs make it four wins in a row.
The Tigers hold off the Suns, who have faded badly from their 5-2 start, but lose Shane Edwards for the year with a shoulder injury.ROUND 19Port Adelaide 179 def Hawthorn 124
Carlton 95 def West Coast 90
Gold Coast 134 def North Melbourne 86
Geelong 121 def Melbourne 73
GWS 49 def Sydney 41
Essendon 132 def Adelaide 61
Western Bulldogs 44 def Richmond 43Brisbane 92 def St Kilda 91
Collingwood 58 def Fremantle 35
It’s a bittersweet day for the Blues as they win their 11th game of the year, meaning with a month to play they look set to return to September. But during their defeat of West Coast they again lose Patrick Cripps to an injury; and this time it’s a shoulder, and he won’t play again in 2020.
Meanwhile the Hawks, a week after their upset of the ladder-leading Giants, fall to Port Adelaide and then lose James Sicily (quad) for the run towards the finals. The Power cop their own blow when Tom Rockliff (leg) is ruled out for the rest of the year.
LADDER (after Round 19)1. GWS Giants (12-6)
2. West Coast (11-7)
3. Western Bulldogs (11-7)
4. Carlton (11-7)
5. Geelong (11-7)
6. Melbourne (10-8)
7. Richmond (10-8)8. Brisbane (10-8)
9. Hawthorn (9-9)
10. North Melbourne (9-9)
11. Sydney (8-10)
12. Collingwood (8-10)
13. Adelaide (8-10)
14. Essendon (8-10)
15. Port Adelaide (8-10)
16. Gold Coast (7-11)
17. St Kilda (7-11)
18. Fremantle (4-14)
With four rounds left, every team except Fremantle has a chance of playing finals, while even top side GWS isn’t yet assured of September action. The Bulldogs are the big risers, having won five games in a row.
ROUND 20Richmond 116 def Adelaide 99Essendon 158 def Collingwood 141
Brisbane 111 def GWS 82
Western Bulldogs 127 def Geelong 64
St Kilda 155 def Hawthorn 150
West Coast 197 def Port Adelaide 125
Carlton 131 def North Melbourne 75
Melbourne 146 def Sydney 59
Fremantle 123 def Gold Coast 70
GWS fails to lock in September footy when it’s beaten by eighth-placed Brisbane, in a big boon to Chris Fagan's side’s finals chances.
The Magpies look in dire straits at 8-11 after a loss to the Bombers, while Freo’s win over Gold Coast means the wooden spoon race is alive.
The Bulldogs have won six games in a row and risen from the bottom four to the top two. For the second year in a row, they’re the hottest team in footy heading towards September.
ROUND 21GWS 111 def Geelong 92
Collingwood 123 def Melbourne 86
Brisbane 166 def West Coast 134
Hawthorn 125 def Adelaide 87
Sydney 54 def Gold Coast 35
St Kilda 165 def Fremantle 90
Carlton 117 def Richmond 60North Melbourne 106 def Western Bulldogs 89
Port Adelaide 160 def Essendon 95
The Giants regain top spot as the Eagles slip up against a surging Brisbane, while the Dockers move one loss away from a certain wooden spoon.
Incredibly, Carlton moves into second by defeating Richmond, and locks in a finals berth in the process - even without Cripps. The Bulldogs finally lose a game.
ROUND 22West Coast 105 def Collingwood 104
Western Bulldogs 118 def Port Adelaide 56
Melbourne 142 def Carlton 68
Fremantle 121 def GWS 77
Essendon 123 def Sydney 100
Gold Coast 151 def Brisbane 150
St Kilda 95 def Geelong 94
Richmond 127 def Hawthorn 126Adelaide 102 def North Melbourne 91
A heart-stopping Friday night clash ends Collingwood’s season and propels the Eagles to the top of the ladder with a round to play; they then hold onto first when 18th-placed Fremantle stuns GWS.
Unfortunately for Justin Longmuir’s side, they’re then locked in as wooden spooners when the Suns win an absolutely ridiculous 151-150 Q-Clash.
LADDER (after Round 22)1. West Coast (13-8)
2. Western Bulldogs (13-8)
3. Carlton (13-8)
4. GWS Giants (13-8)
5. Melbourne (12-9)
6. Richmond (12-9)7. Brisbane (12-9)
8. Geelong (11-10)
9. Hawthorn (10-11)
10. St Kilda (10-11)
11. Essendon (10-11)
12. North Melbourne (10-11)
13. Collingwood (9-12)
14. Sydney (9-12)
15. Adelaide (9-12)
16. Port Adelaide (9-12)
17. Gold Coast (8-13)
18. Fremantle (6-15)
We know seven finalists, but there remains a huge number of possible combinations for week one of September. The Hawks, Saints, Bombers and Kangaroos are all hoping Geelong slips up against Adelaide in the last round.
But all eyes are on an incredible Round 23 blockbuster: Western Bulldogs v West Coast at Marvel Stadium. First v second. Winner is your likely minor premier.
ROUND 23Port Adelaide 104 def GWS 71
North Melbourne 93 def Melbourne 88
Geelong 121 def Adelaide 68
Western Bulldogs 93 def West Coast 92
St Kilda 105 def Carlton 76
Collingwood 120 def Gold Coast 117
Richmond 128 def Fremantle 54Hawthorn 65 def Sydney 64
Essendon 88 def Brisbane 60
If this was real life, the AFL would’ve tried to schedule these games a bit more dramatically. The Cats might’ve gone on Saturday night or Sunday. Instead, their win over the Crows on Saturday afternoon locks them into the finals; and they in fact leapfrog Brisbane for seventh when the Lions drop the round’s final game, against Essendon.
The biggest game of the round lives up to its billing, with the Dogs pipping the Eagles by a point - and thanks to Carlton and GWS losing, that ensures Luke Beveridge’s side the minor premiership.
Richmond’s big win over wooden spooners Fremantle in the west propels it into the top four at the expense of GWS.FINAL LADDER1. Western Bulldogs (14-8)
2. West Coast (13-9)
3. Richmond (13-9)4. Carlton (13-9)
5. GWS Giants (13-9)
6. Melbourne (12-10)
7. Geelong (12-10)
8. Brisbane (12-10)
9. Hawthorn (11-11)
10. St Kilda (11-11)
11. Essendon (11-11)
12. North Melbourne (11-11)
13. Collingwood (10-12)
14. Port Adelaide (10-12)
15. Sydney (9-13)
16. Adelaide (9-13)
17. Gold Coast (8-14)
18. Fremantle (6-16)
The bottom four ends up like a lot of people predicted it in real life, though 17th winning eight games is somewhat ridiculous, while only one team wins more than 13 games. A bizarre, equal year.
Despite losing in Round 23, the Blues hold onto the double chance, as a completely unpredictable qualifying final against the Bulldogs looms.
Elsewhere, we have two tasty elimination finals with rematches of Septembers years gone by - GWS v Brisbane and Melbourne v Geelong - while
the last two premiers, West Coast and Richmond, clash in the other qualifying final.FINALS WEEK 1QF1: Carlton 152 def Western Bulldogs 97
EF1: GWS 133 def Brisbane 47
EF2: Melbourne 92 def Geelong 84
QF2: Richmond 62 def West Coast 42Week one of September begins in the west, with the third meeting between Richmond and West Coast for 2020. It’s a dour, low-scoring affair, but for the second time this year the Tigers beat the Eagles at Optus Stadium.The stunner is on Friday night, where fourth-placed Carlton - without Patrick Cripps - sets up a home preliminary final by belting the Bulldogs in a shootout.
On Saturday, the Demons get past the Cats and set up a trip to Optus Stadium for their semi-final - uh oh - while the Giants demolish the Lions to end the weekend.
SEMI FINALSWestern Bulldogs 98 def GWS 76
West Coast 122 def Melbourne 71
It’s not quite the epic of 2016, and this time it’s in Melbourne, but the Bulldogs make amends for their qualifying final loss by taking care of GWS on Friday night.
On Saturday night, the Demons again fall flat in September against the Eagles. Our top four are our final four.
PRELIMINARY FINALSWest Coast 133 def Carlton 46
Richmond 128 def Western Bulldogs 117For a fortnight, Blues fans had been dreaming of an unlikely flag under David Teague, but their hopes are dashed in a horrific 87-point loss to the Eagles in their home preliminary final.
A day later at the MCG, the Tigers set up the Grand Final many predicted pre-season by winning one of the great prelims against the Bulldogs.
The flag decider is set: Richmond v West Coast. 2019 premier v 2018 premier. They’ll meet for the fourth time this year, with the tally Tigers 2-0 at Optus Stadium, but the Eagles 1-0 at the MCG.GRAND FINALRichmond 127 def West Coast 63
It’s Tiger time once again.
Yes, after all of the crazy things in this simulation, Richmond just goes and wins the 2020 flag anyway.
They are confirmed as a dynasty.https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2020-afl-evolution-2-simulation-of-2020-afl-season-what-would-have-happened-without-coronavirus-carlton-richmond/news-story/9dce54d9ef39f354842e5997caed5a25