After round 21
| # | Club | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts | Last 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fremantle | 19 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 1,905 | 1,305 | 145.98 | 68 | WLWWW |
| 2 | Sydney | 19 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 2,034 | 1,565 | 129.97 | 56 | LWL |
Top six go straight to the finals; seventh to tenth play the wildcard round. Four points for a win, two for a draw; ties on points are split by percentage.
| 3 | Hawthorn | 19 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 1,904 | 1,536 | 123.96 | 54 | WLWWW |
| 4 | Brisbane | 19 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 2,042 | 1,693 | 120.61 | 52 | WWWWW |
| 5 | Adelaide | 19 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 1,716 | 1,509 | 113.72 | 48 | LWWWL |
| 6 | Melbourne | 19 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 1,855 | 1,721 | 107.79 | 48 | LWWWL |
| 7 | Western Bulldogs | 19 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 1,593 | 1,645 | 96.84 | 48 | WLWWW |
| 8 | Collingwood | 19 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 1,644 | 1,528 | 107.59 | 46 | WWWWW |
| 9 | Geelong | 19 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 1,883 | 1,617 | 116.45 | 44 | LLLWW |
| 10 | St Kilda | 19 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 1,706 | 1,613 | 105.77 | 36 | LWWLW |
| 11 | Carlton | 19 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 1,546 | 1,674 | 92.35 | 36 | WWLLW |
| 12 | GWS | 19 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 1,709 | 1,739 | 98.27 | 32 | LWWLL |
| 13 | North Melbourne | 19 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 1,569 | 1,751 | 89.61 | 32 | WLLLL |
| 14 | Gold Coast | 19 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 1,671 | 1,762 | 94.84 | 28 | LLLLL |
| 15 | Port Adelaide | 19 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 1,510 | 1,579 | 95.63 | 24 | WWLLL |
| 16 | West Coast | 19 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 1,342 | 1,914 | 70.11 | 16 | LLLLL |
| 17 | Essendon | 19 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 1,307 | 1,999 | 65.38 | 8 | LLLWL |
| 18 | Richmond | 19 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 1,224 | 2,010 | 60.90 | 8 | LLLLL |