Melbourne might be on tenterhooks again until the last day of the regular season as they try to break their AFL finals drought.
The league has confirmed the draw for round 23, with Port Adelaide to host Essendon in a Friday night blockbuster.
Melbourne host GWS on Sunday at the MCG and that is the second-last game of the weekend, ahead of St Kilda-North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium.
Last year, the Demons lost control of their destiny on the Saturday of round 23 when they lost to Collingwood
A day later, Essendon beat Fremantle and in the last match of the weekend, West Coast beat Adelaide by 29 points.
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Melbourne started the round in seventh spot, but they fell below Essendon and West Coast, who took eighth from the Demons by just 0.49 per cent.
The Demons last made the finals in 2006.
With four rounds left Melbourne are sixth, ahead of three other teams with 11-7 records.
After four close losses this season, the Demons had an important 13-point away win on Saturday night over Adelaide.
Before their big game against GWS, Melbourne host Gold Coast and Sydney and play West Coast at Optus Stadium.
They will start strong favourites against the Suns and should beat Sydney, who are in free fall and have dropped out of the eight.
But the Eagles remain in the box seat for a top-two finish and the Giants are one of the league's most in-form teams.
The Port-Essendon game could decide whether the Power make the top four and if the Bombers scrape into the finals.
Sydney host Hawthorn at the SCG on Saturday night in the other round-23 match with major top-eight ramifications.
Other Saturday games are Geelong at home against Gold Coast, Richmond hosting the Western Bulldogs at their MCG fortress and Carlton-Adelaide at Etihad Stadium.
Brisbane will host West Coast in the early Sunday match.
