Swan Districts is holding on to its chances of a top-two finish - just!
With five goals on the board and trailing by 31 points at the final break, they looked gone against Perth on Saturday.
However a 6.9 final term saw them over the line against the Demons by just six points.
The Swans remain in third spot on the ladder, on equal points to second-placed Subiaco, but with an inferior percentage.
The fight for second spot, which brings with it a second chance in the first week of the finals, should be the highlight of the remainder of the WAFL home and away season.
While the Lions and Swans don't play one another in the run home, there are plenty of games between the top four still scheduled over the remaining five rounds. And both Subiaco and Swan District have fixtures against top side East Perth and fourth-placed East Fremantle.
The Sharks have a fantastic preparation for their finals campaign, with games in the last two rounds against the sides they have a chance of playing in the first semi-final.
With some luck in results and if they are in form at the right time, wins could even see them snatch third-place and the home advantage for that game.
Top spot may not be quite secured by East Perth either, who is one win ahead of Subiaco and the Swans, but the Royals have played one fewer game.
Plus form would suggest they are good enough to hold on, having not lost since round 5 when Subiaco beat them by 24 points.
Here's the run home for the finals aspirants:
(East Perth) v Subiaco / Swan Districts / Perth / Peel Thunder / Claremont
(Subiaco) v East Perth / bye / Claremont / South Fremantle / East Fremantle
(Swan Districts) v West Perth / East Perth / South Fremantle / East Fremantle / bye
(East Fremantle) v South Fremantle / West Perth / bye / Swan Districts / Subiaco
WAFL ladder after round 18
(played-wins-%-points)
East Perth (15-13-136.7%-52)
Subiaco (16-12-130.62%-48)
Swan Districts (16-12-115.94%-48)
East Fremantle (16-10-100.69%-40)
------------------------------
Claremont (16-7-78.81%-28)
West Perth (15-6-104.73%-24)
South Fremantle (15-4-85%-16)
Perth (16-3-84.23%-12)
Peel Thunder (15-3-78.89%-12)
Round 18 results
EAST PERTH 2.3 3.4 4.8 5.9 (39)
WEST PERTH 1.0 1.2 1.3 2.6 (18)
GOALS – EAST PERTH: Sinclair, McInnes, Smith, Johnson, Cripps. WEST PERTH: Kerr, Bartholomew.
BEST – EAST PERTH: Sinclair, Payne, Lee, Wulff, Wilson, Blee. WEST PERTH: Kerr, J Jones, Black, Adams, Tedesco, Nelson.
UMPIRES: M Adams, T McPhee, N Williamson.
CROWD: Bout 1000 approx at Medibank Stadium
SWAN DISTRICTS 2.0 4.1 5.2 11.11 (77)
PERTH 2.3 7.3 9.9 10.11 (71)
GOALS – SWAN DISTRICTS: Cary 3; Elari 2; Ugle, Rogers, Jetta, Davis, Anderson, Geappen. PERTH: Bateman 3; Deaves 2; Ugle, Florio, Hug, Smith, Collard.
BEST – SWAN DISTRICTS: Jetta, Elari, Howard, Ugle, Faulkner, Boekhorst. PERTH: Hug, Tropiano, White, J Morton, Bateman, Ugle.
UMPIRES: P Pitchers, J Power, J Mann.
CROWD: About 1500 at Steel Blue Oval.
CLAREMONT 2.4 3.5 5.7 7.10 (52)
EAST FREMANTLE 1.5 1.6 1.9 4.11 (35)
GOALS – CLAREMONT: Neates, Abbott 2; Taylor, Yeo, Bradshaw. EAST FREMANTLE: Eardley, B O’Brien, Dalziell, J Bristow.
BEST – CLAREMONT: Blackwell, Ledger, Davies, Breakey, Handley, Yeo EAST FREMANTLE: Eardley, R O’Brien, Dodd, Stephen, Dalziell..
UMPIRES: T McPhee, T Norton, S Parry.
CROWD: About 1500 at Claremont Showground.
SUBIACO 1.4 5.6 8.10 13.15 (93)
SOUTH FREMANTLE 1.3 4.1 10.9 12.12 (84)
GOALS - SUBIACO:Waters, McDougall, Boland 2; Yarran, Twomey, Horsley, Phelan, Bristow, Hilderbrandt, Moore.SOUTH FREMANTLE:White 3; Gillespie, Saunders, Collica 2; Kelly, Mugambwa, Schloithe.
BEST - SUBIACO:Horsley, Bristow, McDougall, Waters, Twomey, Hampson. SOUTH FREMANTLE:Parry, Gillespie, Schloithe, B Verrier, Higgins, Kelly.
UMPIRES: R McCaw, J Wright, M Worobec.
CROWD: About 1200 at Fremantle Oval.
