AFL Qualifying Finals: Minor Premiers Face Heightened Jeopardy, Fremantle to Play Hawthorn

Summary

The article discusses how the gap between the top-ranked AFL teams and those in fourth place has narrowed significantly in qualifying finals over the past decade, especially since the introduction of the pre-finals bye in 2016. It highlights several instances where minor premiers faced tough challenges or were defeated by lower-ranked teams, suggesting that Fremantle, as minor premiers, will face a difficult qualifying final against Hawthorn.