West Coast officially secured its spot in the 2020 finals series with a thrilling 15-point win over St Kilda last night, meaning the club will have an opportunity to vie for its fifth premiership title.
But there’s still plenty to play out in final two rounds of the year and it is mathematically possible for the Eagles to finish anywhere from first to fifth on the ladder depending on how things pan out in the next 10 days.
Take a look at what needs to happen for us to either secure a qualifying final, top four finish or host an elimination final.
WEST COAST WILL HOST A QUALIFYING FINAL IF…
There is a chance, albeit an extremely slim one, that the Eagles could finish in the top two at season’s end. It would require West Coast beating North Melbourne by a considerable margin and Port Adelaide and/or Brisbane losing their final two matches of the year by a significant amount. The Eagles would also need Geelong to lose its final two games of the year and for Richmond (should they beat Geelong tonight) to fall short in its final game of the year against Adelaide.
WEST COAST WILL FINISH IN THE TOP FOUR IF…
There are four scenarios in which the Eagles can secure a top-four berth.
If West Coast registers a win over the Roos next Thursday, there are three scenarios in which the Eagles can secure a coveted double chance for this year’s finals series.
The first involves Geelong toppling Richmond in tonight’s blockbuster at Metricon Stadium. If the second-placed Cats prevail against the reigning premiers, West Coast can lock up a top-four spot with a victory over the Roos.
Should Richmond prevail tonight, the Eagles could still sneak into the top four if they beat the Shinboners and the Tigers slipped up against the Crows next Saturday.
West Coast could also finish in the top four if they won next week and the Cats fell short against Richmond tonight and Sydney next Sunday, leaving them stranded on 44 points.
Even if the boys happen to drop their round 18 fixture against North Melbourne, they could still earn a double chance if Richmond fails to beat Geelong tonight and Adelaide next weekend.
WEST COAST WILL HOST AN ELIMINATION FINAL IF…
As it stands the Eagles cannot finish any lower than fifth on the ladder following their gutsy win over St Kilda.
West Coast now has 44 points in the bank, so the sixth-placed Saints (36 points) cannot catch them. The same goes for Collingwood, who are currently placed seventh on the ladder with 34 points. The Pies have a game in hand, but even if they record wins this weekend and next they cannot leapfrog the Eagles.
In short, West Coast will host an elimination final if Richmond finishes the season with two wins and Geelong musters one win from its final two games (due to their league-leading percentage of 145.1).
