west coast (12-9) vs brisbane (10-1-10)
eagles leave lions vulnerable to miss the 8 but hold on by 39. west coast (13-9) play adelaide. brisbane (10-1-11) play st kilda week one of the finals.
| West Coast | 2.2 | 6.6 | 12.10 | 18.12 | 120 | Fri 29-Aug-1997 8:40 pm | W.A.C.A. | 29,402 |
| Brisbane | 2.6 | 6.11 | 7.13 | 11.15 | 81 | West Coast won by 39 points | ||
carlton (10-11) vs richmond (9-12)
tigers break drought against blues by 2 ending the blues hopes. richmond (10-12) finish 13th. carlton (10-12) finish 11th.
| Carlton | 7.1 | 10.5 | 13.6 | 13.11 | 89 | Sat 30-Aug-1997 2:10 pm | Princes Park | 34,922 |
| Richmond | 2.3 | 6.7 | 10.10 | 13.13 | 91 | Richmond won by 2 points | ||
hawthorn (8-13) vs bulldogs (13-8)
dogs beat hawks by 18. bulldogs (14-8) host sydney in finals week 1. hawthorn (8-14) finish 15th.
| Hawthorn | 4.2 | 6.5 | 8.7 | 13.9 | 87 | Sat 30-Aug-1997 2:10 pm | Waverley Park | 35,706 |
| Western Bulldogs | 3.4 | 8.8 | 12.12 | 15.15 | 105 | Western Bulldogs won by 18 points | ||
melbourne (3-18) vs freo (10-11) uor
dees stun dockers by 40 costing them a finals berth. melbourne (4-18) finish last. freo (10-12) finish 12th.
| Melbourne | 1.4 | 5.8 | 12.9 | 18.11 | 119 | Sat 30-Aug-1997 2:10 pm | M.C.G. | 15,036 |
| Fremantle | 3.4 | 4.5 | 6.9 | 11.13 | 79 | Melbourne won by 40 points | ||
sydney (12-9) vs geelong (14-7)
cats beat swans by 10. geelong (15-7) host north. sydney (12-10) play bulldogs. in the first finals week.
| Sydney | 2.5 | 5.7 | 9.9 | 13.12 | 90 | Sat 30-Aug-1997 7:40 pm | S.C.G. | 46,168 |
| Geelong | 4.3 | 6.5 | 10.8 | 15.10 | 100 | Geelong won by 10 points | ||
collingwood (9-12) vs north (12-9)
pies stun roos by 11. collingwood (10-12) finish 10th. north (12-10) play geelong in finals week 1.
| Collingwood | 6.2 | 11.4 | 14.7 | 18.14 | 122 | Sun 31-Aug-1997 2:10 pm | M.C.G. | 43,660 |
| North Melbourne | 6.2 | 9.8 | 13.14 | 15.21 | 111 | Collingwood won by 11 points | ||
essendon (8-13) vs adeliade (13-8)
dons stun crows by 4. essendon (9-13) finish 14th. adelaide (13-9) host west coast in the first week of the finals.
| Essendon | 4.0 | 4.2 | 11.4 | 16.6 | 102 | Sun 31-Aug-1997 2:10 pm | Princes Park | 25,636 |
| Adelaide | 6.4 | 8.9 | 10.11 | 14.14 | 98 | Essendon won by 4 points | ||
port (10-1-10) vs st kilda (14-7)
saints beat power by 33 to finish on top for just the 2nd time. st kilda (15-7) host brisbane. port (10-1-11) just miss the finals in their first year finishing 9th.
| Port Adelaide | 3.3 | 7.8 | 9.11 | 12.12 | 84 | Sun 31-Aug-1997 5:40 pm | Football Park | 38,589 |
| St. Kilda | 2.1 | 8.1 | 11.5 | 17.15 | 117 | St. Kilda won by 33 points | ||
ladder
| LP | Club | P | W | L | D | For | Agn | % | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Kilda | 22 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 2294 | 1918 | 119.60 | 60 |
| 2 | Geelong | 22 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 2111 | 1791 | 117.87 | 60 |
| 3 | Western Bulldogs | 22 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 2100 | 2062 | 101.84 | 56 |
| 4 | Adelaide | 22 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 2151 | 1769 | 121.59 | 52 |
| 5 | West Coast | 22 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 1969 | 1770 | 111.24 | 52 |
| 6 | Sydney | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2093 | 1801 | 116.21 | 48 |
| 7 | North Melbourne | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2051 | 1835 | 111.77 | 48 |
| 8 | Brisbane | 22 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 2076 | 1973 | 105.22 | 42 |
| 9 | Port Adelaide | 22 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 1852 | 2017 | 91.82 | 42 |
| 10 | Collingwood | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 2138 | 1919 | 111.41 | 40 |
| 11 | Carlton | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 1978 | 2045 | 96.72 | 40 |
| 12 | Fremantle | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 1748 | 1902 | 91.90 | 40 |
| 13 | Richmond | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 1883 | 2253 | 83.58 | 40 |
| 14 | Essendon | 22 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 2004 | 2170 | 92.35 | 36 |
| 15 | Hawthorn | 22 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 1873 | 2144 | 87.36 | 32 |
| 16 | Melbourne | 22 | 4 | 18 | 0 | 1477 | 2429 | 60.81 | 16 |
finals week 1
adelaide v west coast
bulldogs v sydney
geelong v north
st kilda v brisbane
Harrison’s world 