And then there were six. The Giants and Dockers are no longer in the premiership race, and only four clubs will still be in contention after next weekend’s matches. Here is our early look at the two AFL semi-finals.

Crows forward Josh Rachele is expected to return from his knee injury.Credit: Getty Images

Adelaide v Hawthorn
Adelaide Oval, Friday, September 12, 7.40pm AEST

Storyline to watch: No minor premier in the current top-eight system – which started in 2000 – has exited the finals in straight sets, so the Crows have a lot of pressure on them. The Hawks, on the other hand, have already gone further than many expected after upsetting the Giants in Sydney, and ending their drought at Engie Stadium.

Could Nick Watson be Hawthorn’s match-winner?Credit: AFL Photos

Adelaide qualified for the finals this year for the first time since losing the 2017 grand final, so this season is a success in that regard, but that will be cold comfort if they lose to Hawthorn.

The Crows’ loss to Collingwood did give suspended star forward Izak Rankine a chance to play in the grand final. He still has two games to serve, so Adelaide will have to win without him, but they are set to welcome back Josh Rachele, who last played in early July because of a knee injury.

Head to head: Round 14: Hawthorn 6.11 (47) d Adelaide 5.14 (44). Round 21: Adelaide 15.11 (101) d Hawthorn 13.9 (87).

Form: The Crows’ performances have been a bit patchy since their back-to-back thumpings of Gold Coast and Port Adelaide. They won a seesawing encounter with the Hawks in Adelaide the next week before narrow, but unimpressive, victories over West Coast, Collingwood and North Melbourne to end the home-and-away........

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