With the finals just two weeks away everybody is trying to work out just who will play who in the opening week of the finals. We thought we might look into the crystal ball and try and give Bomber fans some idea of who Essendon's likely opponent will be in the qualifying final. There is still plenty that can happen over the next two weeks and there are a couple of crunch games that will certainly shape the finals' action - three of those matches this weekend are the Richmond v Kangaroos match, the Carlton v Collingwood match and the Adelaide v Hawthorn match.

If results for the remainder of the season go according to ladder position the final eight will finish in the following order:

Essendon
Brisbane
Port Adelaide
Hawthorn
Carlton
Richmond
Sydney
Adelaide

Should this eventuate, the match-ups in the opening week of the finals would be:

Essendon v Hawthorn
Brisbane v Port Adelaide
Carlton v Adelaide
Richmond v Sydney

But nothing is certain in football. If we assume that Essendon wins one of its final two matches to secure top spot it could play one of four sides in the first week depending on how results fall in the final two rounds.

Hawthorn will finish fourth if results go according to ladder position and they defeat Adelaide at Football Park and St Kilda at the MCG.

Richmond will finish fourth if it defeats the Kangaroos and Essendon and Hawthorn drops one of the above games.

Carlton will finish fourth if it defeats Collingwood and Geelong and Hawthorn and Richmond lose at least one of their final two matches.

Sydney could possibly finish fourth should Hawthorn, Richmond and Carlton all lose their final two matches and the Swans defeat StKilda and Brisbane.

The Bomberland tipster believes the following results could occur over the coming weeks. Adelaide could get over Hawthorn - they are in form and the match is at Football Park. Carlton should win its last two against Collingwood and Geelong while Essendon will want to go into its finals campaign with a win over Richmond in round 22. So what does the Bomberland tipster beleive the final eight will look like at the completion of the home and away season.

Essendon
Brisbane
Port Adelaide
Carlton
Hawthorn
Richmond
Adelaide
Sydney

This would mean the first week of the finals would see the following games:

Essendon v Carlton
Brisbane v Port Adelaide
Hawthorn v Sydney
Richmond v Adelaide

It will be an interesting two weeks!!