St Kilda v Sydney, Hawthorn v North Melbourne, Port Adelaide v Greater Western Sydney, Carlton v Brisbane, AFL round 21 2026

ST KILDA and Sydney open a huge Saturday of action, while Carlton and Brisbane close the night in a massive match for finals implications.

St Kilda continued to show it is a class above the sides in the bottom half of the ladder as it overcame a North Melbourne challenge then pulled away late to hang on to 10th place.

SAINTS v SWANS Follow it LIVE

The Saints are well-placed to claim a wildcard spot with games to come against the Blues, Tigers and Suns but need to make the most of their last chance to take a big scalp this year before any finals campaign.

Sydney maintained its stranglehold over cross-town rivals Greater Western Sydney last week and at the same time tightened its grip on a top-two spot.

St Kilda v Sydney at Marvel Stadium, 1.05pm AEST
NO LATE CHANGES

The Swans have not lost to a side from the current bottom half of the ladder this season but will be wary of a Saints outfit that pushed them all the way less than two months ago, especially with the Hawks and Lions eyeing off a second-place finish.

Max King is out of the Saints side with a hamstring injury he picked up in his return game last week, along with Dan Butler, who is managed, but Ross Lyon regains Rowan Marshall and Campbell Lake against the unchanged Swans.

Hawthorn continued to steamroll its way towards finals as it put rivals Essendon to the sword to build on back-to-back crushing wins over Richmond and Carlton.

The Hawks must be wary of maintaining their momentum against the gradually improving Roos even after they have won the past seven clashes between the teams by an average 55 points.

HAWKS v KANGAROOS Follow it LIVE

North Melbourne missed another opportunity to show it is ready to take some leaps forward and start to beat sides sitting above it as it failed to keep pace with St Kilda when the game was on the line.

The Kangaroos’ fourth consecutive defeat leaves them with a point to prove on the run home while all but ending their finals hopes with the Hawks, Bulldogs, Cats and Swans still to come.

Hawthorn v North Melbourne at UTAS Stadium, 1.35pm AEST
NO LATE CHANGES

Sam Mitchell has handed a debut to Aidan Schubert with Finn Maginness the other inclusion as the Hawks lose Mitch Lewis to concussion and Noah Mraz to a lacerated kidney.

The Roos have included Wil Dawson and Tom Blamires, with Matt Whitlock and Cooper Harvey omitted.

Port Adelaide was blown away for the first time since round one as it gave Brisbane a scare before being on the wrong side of a 14-goal blitz in the second half last week.

The Power are back in their own weight division as they look to demonstrate the positive strides they have taken this year while facing a Giants outfit that is now on the ropes.

POWER v GIANTS Follow it LIVE

Greater Western Sydney has seen the most topsy-turvy season quickly unravel as a Sydney Derby drubbing followed its humiliating loss to Essendon.

The Giants could revive their campaign with three crushing victories and a much-needed percentage boost from games against the Power, Suns and Eagles but with the Crows to come in the last round, their finals hopes are hanging by a thread.

Harrison Ramm and Will Lorenz are in for the Power, with Logan Evans (shoulder) and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (omitted) out of the side, while the Giants will be without star midfielder Finn Callaghan (ankle) and Conor Stone (omitted) with Joey Delana and Kieren Briggs the inclusions.

Carlton gave its finals hopes a huge jolt with a victory over Gold Coast that was more impressive than the scoreboard suggested, although a tough run home from this week now looms large.

The Blues have little margin for error in the race to claim a wildcard spot with the Lions up next and the Dockers to come in the last round with the Saints and Bulldogs sandwiched in between.

BLUES v LIONS Follow it LIVE

Brisbane continued on its merry way towards a double chance and perhaps even a pair of home finals as it toyed with Port Adelaide for a half before blowing it away with a 14-goal blitz after the main break.

The Lions have won seven consecutive matches by an average 43 points and appear to be the second-most in-form side at the moment with the Blues, Hawks, Suns and Pies to come.

Harry McKay returns in a big boost for Carlton but it has lost Nic Newman to a hamstring injury, while the Lions bring in star recruit Oscar Allen alongside Keidean Coleman and Bruce Reville, while Ty Gallop is out suspended, Dayne Zorko managed and James Tunstill omitted.