[babytiger2001]

Will the current top eight be the same eight teams that will play finals in September, which is just five weeks away? Or will an outsider sneak in? With some losses incurred by teams just within the top eight last weekend, that could open up opportunities for others... provided they take their chances well.

With just 40 matches collectively left in the current home-and-away season, every game means something much more than ever now.

This weekend's fixtures...

Friday, 31 July
North Melbourne v Carlton -- at the Docklands stadium -- 7:40 p.m. Melbourne time

Saturday, 1 August
Western Bulldogs v Fremantle -- at the Docklands stadium -- 2:10 p.m. Melbourne time
Geelong v Adelaide -- at Kardinia Park, Geelong -- 2:10 p.m. Melbourne time
Sydney v St. Kilda -- at the Sydney Cricket Ground (S.C.G.) -- 7:10 p.m. Sydney time
Collingwood v Brisbane -- at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (M.C.G.) -- 7:10 p.m. Melbourne time

Sunday, 2 August
Melbourne v Richmond -- at the M.C.G. -- 1:10 p.m. Melbourne time
Port Adelaide v Hawthorn -- at AAMI Stadium -- 2:40 p.m. Adelaide time (3:10 in Melbourne)
West Coast v Essendon -- at Subiaco Oval -- 2:40 p.m. Perth time (4:40 p.m. in Melbourne)

And for the U.S. audience tuning in on Setanta Sports USA, here's what is scheduled:

• Geelong v Adelaide, live
• West Coast v Essendon, live

Also, there are other viewing options for the overseas audience -- last weekend, the AFL's official website offered free streaming webcasts via its BigPond commercial online affiliation to air all eight games to the U.S., Canada, Ireland and the U.K., and that is expected to continue this coming weekend.

Otherwise, Manian on the justin.tv streaming webcast service has the following offerings, via the free-to-air originations:

• North Melbourne v Carlton, live
• Geelong v Adelaide, live
• Collingwood v Brisbane, live
• Port Adelaide v Hawthorn, live

All the news, information and squads to be contained here, as the week unfolds.

And for those involved in our weekly tipping competition, the deadline for getting your tips in is just ahead of Friday night's North Melbourne v Carlton match at the Docklands stadium.

Enjoy the footy, everyone!!

[el-capitano]

In!

[RichardL]

North Melbourne v Carlton
Western Bulldogs v Fremantle
Geelong v Adelaide
Sydney v St. Kilda
Collingwood v Brisbane
Melbourne v Richmond
Port Adelaide v Hawthorn
West Coast v Essendon

[mrsbabytiger2001]

Carlton
Western Bulldogs
Geelong
St. Kilda
Collingwood
Richmond
Port Adelaide
West Coast

[ChrisH]

Carlton
Western Bulldogs
Geelong
St. Kilda
Collingwood
Richmond
Port Adelaide
Essendon

[babytiger2001]

The squads for the weekend were unveiled last night...

"]Teams story: Blues drop five -- Herald Sun's "SuperFooty" site

Teams story: Bombers lose four guns -- sportal.com.au

Some highlights:

• Carlton vice-captain Nick Stevens makes his long-awaited return for the Blues, alongside Setanta O'hAilpin and Andrew Walker, highlighting six changes made by Brett Ratten for tonight's match against North Melbourne.
• Geelong will be missing key defenders Matthew Scarlett and Harry Taylor, but will get Tom Harley back to bolster the back line -- and key forward Steve Johnson returns from a month-long injury spell.
• Daniel Bradshaw returns for Brisbane against an unchanged Collingwood team, replacing the suspended Tim Notting, among four overall changes rung in by Lions coach Michael Voss.
• Essendon have yet to finalize a squad, since they're playing on Sunday night awat to West Coast, and coach Matthew Knights has named the obligatory 25-man squad before making four cuts later today -- but the Bombers will be missing captain Matthew Lloyd (heel) as well as Mark McVeigh (leg), Alwyn Davey (knee), Jason Winderlich (back).

[babytiger2001]

My tips...

North Melbourne v Carlton
Western Bulldogs v Fremantle
Geelong v Adelaide
Sydney v St. Kilda
Collingwood v Brisbane
Melbourne v Richmond
Port Adelaide v Hawthorn
West Coast v Essendon

[NoodlesMacintosh]

North Melbourne vs Carlton
Western Bulldogs vs Fremantle
Geelong vs Adelaide
Sydney vs St. Kilda
Collingwood vs Brisbane
Melbourne vs Richmond
Port Adelaide vs Hawthorn
West Coast vs Essendon

[krudmonk]

North Melbourne v Carlton
Western Bulldogs v Fremantle
Geelong v Adelaide
Sydney v St. Kilda
Collingwood v Brisbane
Melbourne v Richmond
Port Adelaide v Hawthorn
West Coast v Essendon

a couple upset specials

[Spartacus]

Friday, 31 July
North Melbourne v Carlton

Saturday, 1 August
Western Bulldogs v Fremantle
Geelong v Adelaide
Sydney v St. Kilda
Collingwood v Brisbane

Sunday, 2 August
Melbourne v Richmond
Port Adelaide v Hawthorn
West Coast v Essendon