With only Round 22 left in the 2004 AFL season it has come down to the last role of the dice for the Essendon Football Club. With one game remaining, the Bombers sit ninth on the ladder with 11 wins and a percentage of 101.7, only 0.6 per cent behind Fremantle who also have 11 wins.

Essendon face the Bulldogs on Sunday at The Pressure Cooker with a number of permutations hanging on the result.

If the Bombers win:

  • And Fremantle lose to St Kilda AND/OR West Coast lose to Melbourne then they are assured a finals berth and could finish as high as seventh.
  • And Fremantle and West Coast win then the Bombers must rely on percentage to edge out the Dockers.
  • Possible finish: 7-9.

If the Bombers lose:

  • They must rely on Fremantle to get whitewashed by St Kilda and hope the Kangaroos lose to Brisbane at the Gabba to have a chance of sneaking in by percentage.
  • Possible finish: 8-10.

AFL Ladder heading into Round 22:

Position W L Pts %

  1. Port Adelaide 16 5 64 132.1
  2. Brisbane Lions 15 6 60 131.9
  3. St Kilda 15 6 60 127.7
  4. Geelong 14 7 56 116.8
  5. Melbourne 14 7 56 114.9
  6. Sydney 12 9 48 104.0
  7. West Coast 12 9 48 101.8
  8. Fremantle 11 10 44 102.3
  9. Essendon 11 10 44 101.7
  10. Kangaroos 10 11 40 106.1
  11. Carlton 9 12 36 80.7
  12. Adelaide 8 13 32 96.7
  13. Collingwood 8 13 32 90.8
  14. Western Bulldogs 5 16 20 79.3
  15. Hawthorn 4 17 16 71.5
  16. Richmond 4 17 16 70.6

Click here to predict the final ladder for 2004.

Fixture for Round 22:
Friday
Collingwood v Carlton, MCG

Saturday
Richmond v Sydney, MCG
West Coast v Melbourne, Subiaco
Brisbane Lions v Kangaroos, Gabba (N)
St. Kilda v Fremantle, Dome (N)

Sunday
Port Adelaide v Adelaide, AAMI Stadium
Essendon v Western Bulldogs, The Pressure Cooker
Geelong v Hawthorn, Skilled Stadium