WITH 20 rounds of the home-and-away season finished, Melbourne sits 11th on the ladder.  

With all still to play for, Melbourne will face Footscray (Western Bulldogs), Port Adelaide, Gold Coast and Collingwood in its remaining games.  

Just two games split fourth and twelfth on the ladder, increasing the importance in games left in the year to be a close finish for those valuable top eight positions. 

Footscray (Western Bulldogs)  

Melbourne crosses the CBD for its first and only game at Marvel stadium this year, facing an in form Bulldogs side charging home. 

Looking back over the last three times Melbourne faced the Dogs, the Demons are looking to continue in winning fashion, taking home the last two matchups by 45 points in Round 1 of this year and 50 points in Round 1 of 2023.  

Having won four of their last five games, including knocking off the current ladder leaders in Sydney at the SCG, Footscray are aiming to finish their season off strong. 

A win for Melbourne would take them level on points, leaving both teams on 44 points with all to play for in the remaining three games. 

Port Adelaide  

Round 22 sees Port Adelaide make the trip over from South Australia, Port sit seventh on the ladder at the end of Round 20 on 48 points.  

Also coming off winning four of their last five games, Port are looking to bolster their finals opportunities with a win away from home. 

Melbourne faced the Power in Round 3 at Adelaide Oval taking home the four points in dramatic style, with a seven-point win in Jack Viney’s 200th game. 

Before Round 4, Port had taken the chocolates in the clash the year before in wet and wild conditions during Sir Doug Nicholls round.  

A fixture which usually brings an exciting and tough contest, this year’s clash will have lots riding on it.  

Gold Coast Suns 

Round 23 and a trip to the Gold Coast ahead, sunny Queensland welcomes Melbourne for its third away game against the Suns in three years. 

The last two clashes against the Suns have seen close contested battles in dewy, slippery conditions with both games being settled by 5 points in 2023 and 13 points in 2022. 

With a new coach at the helm, Gold Coast have had a nearly flawless record at home, winning seven of eight games at their home ground of People First Stadium.  

Sitting just outside the eight in thirteenth, Gold Coast can still make the top eight with a flawless run home.  

Collingwood 

Finally, Melbourne takes on Collingwood a game set to be a blockbuster finish to the 2024 home and away season.  

Depending on results, this game could settle the final ladder positions and is set to be a climatic finish.  

Struggling for form recently, only notching up one win in the last five, Collingwood face a tricky run home, facing fourth placed Carlton, first placed Swans and second placed Brisbane. 

Collingwood currently sit twelfth on the ladder tied on 40 points after Round 20, with only percentage splitting the difference.  

With a challenging run home ahead for Melbourne and a ladder split by only a few wins, there is lots to play for in the remaining weeks ahead.