Geelong and GWS both have their eyes on a top two spot as they face off, while Port Adelaide needs a big win over Gold Coast to pinch a double chance.
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Geelong v GWS
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Port Adelaide v Gold Coast
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Buddy goes bananas as Swans destroy Blues
Lance Franklin has one hand on a fourth Coleman medal after booting 10 goals at the SCG, where Sydney warmed up for AFL finals with a crushing 81-point win over Carlton.
Franklin's most productive game in the red and white lifted his season tally to 69 goals, also ensuring the Swans made it 14 wins from their past 16 games.
The Buddy blitz included bombs, a couple of belters from deep in the pocket and even a back-heel in the goal square.
Franklin became the 10th player in VFL/AFL history to kick 850 goals, helping Sydney prevail 21.12 (138) to 8.9 (57).
Franklin outscored the opposition and ruthlessly dominated Liam Jones on Saturday.
The 30-year-old's bid for a fourth Coleman medal will be decided on Sunday, when Essendon young gun Joe Daniher (60 goals) and West Coast's Josh Kennedy (64 goals) have a chance to overhaul him.
"It was nice to hit them well tonight. It's always nice to kick a bag," Franklin told Fox Footy.
"We got off to a terrible start to the season ... we've got a lot of work to do."
Sydney had already made history before the opening bounce, becoming the first club in VFL/AFL history to start a season with six straight losses then qualify for finals.
The Swans climbed into the top four after belting Carlton but will not hold onto a double chance in September unless both Port Adelaide and Richmond flounder this weekend.
Ruckmen Kurt Tippett and Callum Sinclair threw a major scare into the Swans' camp on Saturday, when they limped off during the first half with ankle injuries.
Tippett and Sinclair both spent a long time in the rooms but returned to the fray late in the second quarter.
The Blues lifted in the absence of the big men, especially Matthew Kreuzer, and reduced the hosts' lead to five points late in the second term.
The visitors' hopes of an upset eroded after half-time, when Luke Parker, Zak Jones, Josh Kennedy and Jake Llloyd won plenty of the ball and helped Franklin put on a clinic.
Brisbane v North Melbourne
The Brisbane Lions will finish the season with the wooden spoon after losing to North Melbourne by 51 points at the Gabba.
The battle between the bottom two sides at the start of the final round was unsurprisingly lacking in quality but the Kangaroos' superior desire saw them run out 19.16 (130) to 11.13 (79) winners in front of a crowd of 15,416.
Ben Brown was the star man kicking seven goals for North Melbourne to move within one of Coleman Medal leader Josh Kennedy of West Coast.
The Kangaroos will now likely finish the campaign in 15th spot on the ladder, leapfrogging Carlton and Gold Coast.
The Lions will have the first pick in the AFL draft for the first time in 19 years, after selecting second after the past two seasons.
Despite their lowly position, Brisbane has received plaudits for its improved play this season.
But there will be little for Chris Fagan to take from this match which was likely the worst of their campaign.
Their malaise was epitomised by a boundary throw-in which their smallest player Dayne Zorko was left to contest and the first 10 minutes of the third quarter when they mustered only 14 disposals.
The Kangaroos dominated clearances and territory early on but got little reward scoring 1.8 against the Lions' five goals straight from just nine Inside 50s.
The second quarter was a role reversal as the Lions could only muster 0.5 and the visitors kicked 4.2, including two from Brown.
The Lions came out of the long break even more lackadaisical and their scoreless run went on until the 18 minute-mark of the third term.
In contrast the Kangaroos kicked nine straight goals to all but seal the game, ending the quarter 33 points in front.
Debutant Kangaroo Ben McKay had a horror early end to his AFL bow when he was carried off on a stretcher in a neck brace after a collision with teammate Sam Durdin late in the third quarter.
He will be taken to hospital for precautionary scans.
Dees to sweat on results as Pies pull off upset
Melbourne faces an anxious wait to learn if it will qualify for the AFL finals after suffering a shock 16-point loss to Collingwood.
Needing a win to confirm the end of an 11-year wait for finals football, the Demons lost 14.15 (99) to 12.11 (83) to Nathan Buckley's Magpies.
Brayden Maynard was a revelation in Collingwood's midfield, Taylor Adams put in a strong shift and Jamie Elliott kicked three goals.
Melbourne was lacklustre for most of the afternoon but came alive at the death with seven of the last nine goals.
With luckless forward Jesse Hogan sidelined again with a hamstring issue, the Demons were unable to reel in the strong-starting Magpies and now lose control of their finals fate.
They must hope either Essendon or West Coast lose (or the Eagles fail to beat Adelaide by enough to go ahead of Melbourne on percentage) on Sunday — and St Kilda fail to win by 100 points — to play in September.
But on the evidence of the first three quarters, Simon Goodwin's side would not last long.
Collingwood slammed on six first-quarter goals to one for its best opening term of the season.
Josh Daicos kicked his first AFL goal as the Magpies ran rings around their higher-ranked opponents.
Two mark of the season contenders from Jeremy Howe and Elliott before another goal showed the difference in vitality between the sides.
In a damning indictment of their effort, it took Melbourne 11 minutes to lay its first tackle.
Jeff Garlett started the Demons' engine after the break, finishing a flowing move to announce their arrival in the match but their momentum stalled with a string of behinds.
Elliott made the Demons pay with a stunning snap, maintaining Collingwood's control.
Its lead peaked at 42 points in the third term before four straight majors gave Melbourne a glimmer of hope.
The late charge continued, with Cam Pedersen putting the Demons remarkably within eight points with 10 minutes remaining.
Will Hoskin-Elliott slammed the door shut with the final goal of the game after a madcap goal scramble.
As Melbourne waits to learn if its season is over, Collingwood's attention will turn to Buckley's future.
The Magpies legend is out of contract as coach, with the club's board to decide his fate within days.
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