After round 22
| # | Club | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | Pts | Last 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fremantle | 20 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 1,983 | 1,346 | 147.33 | 72 | LWWWW |
| 2 | Sydney | 20 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 2,141 | 1,653 | 129.52 | 60 | WLL |
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 | 20 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 2,003 | 1,619 | 123.72 | 58 | LWWWW |
| 4 | Adelaide | 20 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 1,861 | 1,582 | 117.64 | 52 | WWWLW |
| 5 | Brisbane | 20 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 2,120 | 1,847 | 114.78 | 52 | WWWWL |
| 6 | Melbourne | 20 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 1,969 | 1,826 | 107.83 | 52 | WWWLW |
| 7 | Geelong | 20 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 1,980 | 1,689 | 117.23 | 48 | LLWWW |
| 8 | Western Bulldogs | 20 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 1,634 | 1,723 | 94.83 | 48 | LWWWL |
| 9 | Collingwood | 20 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 1,716 | 1,625 | 105.60 | 46 | WWWWL |
| 10 | Carlton | 20 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 1,700 | 1,752 | 97.03 | 40 | WLLWW |
| 11 | St Kilda | 20 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 1,794 | 1,720 | 104.30 | 36 | WWLWL |
| 12 | GWS | 20 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 1,784 | 1,802 | 99.00 | 36 | WWLLW |
| 13 | North Melbourne | 20 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 1,652 | 1,850 | 89.30 | 32 | LLLLL |
| 14 | Gold Coast | 20 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 1,776 | 1,876 | 94.67 | 28 | LLLLL |
| 15 | Port Adelaide | 20 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 1,573 | 1,654 | 95.10 | 24 | WLLLL |
| 16 | West Coast | 20 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 1,415 | 1,998 | 70.82 | 16 | LLLLL |
| 17 | Richmond | 20 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 1,308 | 2,083 | 62.79 | 12 | LLLLW |
| 18 | Essendon | 20 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 1,380 | 2,144 | 64.37 | 8 | LLWLL |