Which teams will make and shape the final eight?

The SEN Crunch Team have debated which team could miss the eight and the teams that could influence it as the AFL home and away season nears its conclusion.

With finals only seven rounds away, the competition is heating up for a spot.

Compared to the last three years, where the top eight consistently fluctuated until the final round, it appears that there will be fewer variables coming in 2025.

With seven rounds to go after this week in the home and away season and a three-match gap between 9th and 10th (as of Round 16), this will mean nine teams are a realistic chance of making finals, which will mean there will be one unlucky side at the end of August.

And with their being such a stark difference between the top nine and the bottom nine, there is a possibility that a 13-win or even a 14-win team could not play in September.

“It’s going to be a very good team that misses the eight,” Cornes said on SEN’s Crunch Time.

“ I mean, the Giants looked powerful last night without Hogan, but it was against the Eagles.

“If they miss, they’re going to be a good side. Same with Gold Coast. And if Fremantle miss, they’re in good form, they’re a good side.

“So, that’s the exciting thing that we're probably going to hang our hats on as we get to the end of the season is that’s the storyline more so than how poor the other sides are.

“There’s going to be a side that slips up. Could Adelaide miss? I don’t know.”

While Nick Dal Santo wasn’t able to select a side to miss out, he does think that there is only nine sides with a chance.

Dal Santo also hopes that it is not the Gold Coast Suns that finish 9th.

“It doesn’t go down to 10th,” Dal Santo noted.

“I reckon we’re only discussing nine teams, so there’s only the possibility of a good team, one that sneak out.

“I hope the Gold Coast make it. I just want to see them play some September football. They started the season like a house on fire.

“They dropped that game a few weeks ago against the Giants, and they shouldn’t have, but I want them. I don’t mind who comes out after that."

While AFL Hall of Fame Inductee Luke Hodge had the newest expansion side missing finals.

“I went through the predictor to see, and I’ve already got a couple wrong,” Hodge quipped.

“I’ve got the Giants missing.”

Cornes also pointed out the impact that there are teams outside of the top nine that could shape how the final eight looks.

"This is where Sydney comes into it as well as those ladder shapers," he said.

"Port Adelaide at home, they're still going to be a hard out to knock off if they are playing the sort of footy they did last week (against Carlton).

"If Melbourne gets it together and if Gawn and Petracca and their back six become more rock solid.

"North Melbourne, when they get some players back. They can upset someone. So there's some teams (that) can completely ruin the rest of the year for some of the top sides."