The semi finals: One week of finals gone, three to go, and this is the first week where everything's on the line. Win and you book a place in a preliminary final with a chance to play off for the flag. Lose, and you lick your wounds, make the trip home, and contemplate what could have been.

Hawthorn v Sydney (2nd Semi Final, Friday, 7:45pm, MCG)

On Friday night, with fewer than nine minutes left in the game, Lance Franklin went down after hyperextending his knee, an injury that might have opened the door for their opponents this Friday, the fiercely persistent Swans. With only swelling, bruising and bleeding in his knee, Buddy may not need a knee reconstruction, but you can't imagine he'll line up this week, or even again this season. Given how totally second-rate they were able to look against a rampaging Geelong side, it was the worst possible news for the Hawks as they look to salvage their season.

On the flip side, Sydney was brilliant last night - quick, intense, brave and full of fight. Their hero and captain Adam Goodes, in peak form, will play his 300^th game this week, and the Swans will wisely use that as motivation. Goodes and Shane Mumford dominated their St Kilda counterparts, and given the Hawks will now be an extra tall down with the loss of Franklin, the Swans will gain a lot of confidence off the back of that. Indeed, it was as if the areas Hawthorn most struggled, Sydney excelled: winning the clearances and the contested ball.

TAB Odds: Hawthorn $1.63, Sydney $2.56

Tip: Let's not be too quick to write-off the Hawks - they demolished the Swans at the SCG earlier this year, and even though it was Buddy that led the way with six goals, it will be tough for Sydney to turn that result around. The Hawks, for their part, will need to shut down Goodes and hope that Luke Hodge gets up, and that Sam Mitchell and others can lift and shake off their disappointing effort on Friday night. If they do that, they should keep their premiership campaign alive. Hawks by 25 points.

West Coast v Carlton (1st Semi Final, Saturday, 5:50pm, Subiaco Oval)

Astonishingly, the Eagles have turned around a wooden spoon last year to make a semi-final this year. The Blues, coming off a 62-point win, will now make the difficult trip to Perth, and will do so on only a six-day turnaround. Of course, this will be the first time that Blues captain Chris Judd will play against his old side in a final.

Carlton will look back on their solid victory over Essendon and take that confidence west with them. Eddie Betts, Bryce Gibbs and Andrew Walker all performed well this afternoon, and they'll need to be at their best again on Saturday evening. The Eagles too will take lots of positives from their clash against premiership favourites Collingwood. They were able to push the Pies in the last quarter to get within a goal - before losing by three - and really made them earn their victory.

The Eagles will sweat on Dean Cox who was subbed off the ground during the third quarter with a hip complaint. Until getting injured, he and Nic Naitanui were both very dangerous, if given how easily they were able to dispense of the challenge from Darren Jolly and Leigh Brown, it could give serious concerns to the Blues. West Coast also expects Daniel Kerr to play next week after he was a late withdrawal for the qualifying final. The Blues too have relatively injuries, with only Bryce Gibbs, who looked to injure his shoulder late in the game, to offer any concern.

Odds: West Coast $1.32, Carlton $3.10

Tip: The Blues may have been good against Essendon, but you can't imagine they'll get away with the same against a better side like West Coast. The Eagles' transformation has been brilliant, and between their superior form and a one-sided Subiaco crowd, you will expect them to be back in Melbourne next week playing Geelong for a spot in the grand final. Eagles by 30 points.

Collingwood and Geelong

The two top teams have what they wanted - the prized week off. While Collingwood may have been a little concerned with the Eagles comeback midway through the final quarter, their ranks will be bolstered with 'Daisy' Thomas and (hopefully) Ben Reid to return, and Heath Shaw and Nick Maxwell to be much improved with a game under their belts.

Geelong annihilated Hawthorn on Friday night in a game many thought would be closer than it ultimately was. They're now through to the penultimate week of the year for the fifth time in as many years and their experience with the week off will hold them in good stead.