WIN AND they’re in.

That’s the equation for a number of sides with finals ambitions floating around the top eight.

As it stands, there are four teams guaranteed to make finals: North Melbourne, Hawthorn, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

Over the weekend, North Melbourne locked in the minor premiership with its 46-point win over St Kilda.

The other four spots are up for grabs.

There are six teams vying for the four remaining places – Carlton, St Kilda, West Coast, Adelaide, Sydney, and Fremantle.

The Wrap: North’s biggest challengers, Blues’ difference-maker, who will make finals?

Kate McCarthy and Sarah Olle dissect which team can challenge the Roos, the Blues’ return to form, and plenty more on The Wrap

Sydney and Fremantle, who sit outside the top eight, can still make finals if results fall their way.

“There is a chance for those two teams (Sydney and Fremantle),” explains The Wrap co-host Kate McCarthy.

“But the top four, they are sewn up. Those four teams will play finals, it just depends on where they finish up from one to four. One (North Melbourne) is obviously locked in. Two, three and four are still up for grabs.”

Carlton is one of the teams which if it wins, it’s in.

The Blues particularly impressed McCarthy over the weekend, with the former AFLW player claiming that they have the best performing forward line behind the Kangaroos.

“I think they have one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful forward line in the competition outside of North Melbourne,” McCarthy said.

“Tara Bohanna back in this team makes such a difference to them, not only for what we’re seeing there with her goalkicking, her marking, but just you can tell she is the leader of that group.

“She’s got youngsters around her… Poppy Scholz and Sophie McKay, they’re both in their first year.

“You’ve got those three players. We add in Erone Fitzpatrick as well, we’ve seen what she can do. Lila Keck as well, and Lily Goss had a huge game this afternoon.”

Why Carlton has ‘the best forward line in the competition’

Featuring the likes of Tara Bohanna, Poppy Scholz and Sophie McKay, it’s no wonder Kate McCarthy rates the Blues’ forward line so highly

The Blues play West Coast in their final game of the home and away season, with Daisy Pearce’s Eagles standing in the way of their first finals campaign since 2020.

West Coast lost to Sydney over the weekend, with star midfielder Ella Roberts a late withdrawal for the clash.

McCarthy and co-host Sarah Olle believe that Roberts is vital to the Eagles’ chances in the final round.

“She must play,” said McCarthy.

“They must win and if they lose and Sydney beat Essendon, which you think is most likely, they will be out.

“So you hope Ella Roberts pulls up OK after that hamstring awareness that kept her out … because she simply must play and they simply must win.”

Another finals-shaping game is the match between Adelaide and Fremantle, which is the last match of the round.

“(Adelaide) are clinging on here at the moment,” said McCarthy.

“It’s crazy because for so long of the season, they were sort of up and around that top four position.

“But yep, again, win and you’re in, lose and you are out, Adelaide.

“So the last game of round 12, they couldn’t have fixtured it much better, that is also an elimination final for both of those teams that are involved.