It's been another fantastic year of AFL football and as as the pointy end of the season looms large it appears to be the closest finals series for years. Up until recently it seemed to be a two horse race between the St Kilda and Geelong clubs.The two juggernauts were unbeaten until finally meeting each other inround 14, a classic encounter that came down to the wire with St Kilda finally shaking off the persistant Cats in the final seconds.

 St Kilda had finally come of age and looked a certainty to capture their first flag since 1966.Strange things have happened since this meeting though.

Geelong seemed to lose momentum straight away and with injuries to key members of the defensive personnel lost a few should have won games and look decidely fragile especially with an injury to key forward Steve Johnson. Their midfield remains potent, however with the patchy form of forwards Cameron Mooney and Tom Hawkins, lack the firepower upfront  to kick winning scores.

 St Kilda also have gone off the boil recently and enter a final series with a lukewarm perfomances in the last few games, surprisingly losing to both Essendon and North Melbourne.Nick Reiwoldt looks to be carrying injuries into the finals series and is as out of sorts as the Saints appear to be at the present time.

 Football is a game of momentum and the teams carrying the most momentum into the finals are the Bulldogs,Collingwood and after their massive win against the Blues on the weekend Adelaide.

The Bulldogs looked impressive after their 24-point win over Collingwood at the weekend however the Magpies weren't disgraced and could easily turn the table on the Dogs given the open spaces of the MCG.

 Adelaide will struggle coming from fifth spot,a top four finish is a huge advantage in this game, and the Blues still look underdone and too immature.Same story  goes for the Brisbane Lions And Essendon who lack the depth of the top four finishing clubs.Essendon also face suspensions to key players Matthew Lloyd and Paddy Ryder in the week to come.

Could it possibly be the Year of the Dog.Having been in premiership drought since 1954 the Bulldogs  must be the sentimental favourite closely followed by St Kilda but there are a few other teams that may mysteriously find form as the final series heats up and September draws to an end.

Have St Kilda and Geelong been foxing the past month and if so how easy will it be for them to put their foot down on the throttle now final time has arrived.

It promises to be a fascinating finals series.