For those without a vested or emotional interest, the first week of a finals series is as good as football gets. And this year, it might be even better than usual.

Even if your team's season finished over the weekend, if you love the game, you'd be foolish to tune out now. Because it's hard to remember too many qualifying and elimination final draws as appetising as what awaits us next weekend.

Not one team of the bottom four in the eight – Richmond, Western Bulldogs, Adelaide and North Melbourne – can't mount a compelling case that their appearance will be far more than token.

And for two of the top four in particular, qualifying finals might as well be grand finals, such is the scale of difference between the consequences of victory or defeat.

Sydney go into their Saturday clash with Fremantle at Domain Stadium the clear flag outsider of the top four. Victory will see those odds slashed, with a home preliminary final at ANZ Stadium, where they've won their last eight finals appearances.

The price of a loss is in stark contrast. The Swans would host either Richmond or North Melbourne the following week, but with a win would then (if West Coast beats Hawthorn) face the prospect of a return trip across the Nullarbor for a Perth preliminary final just to get to the premiership play-off.

Hawthorn, despite their finish of third, are still flag favourite. They'll be close to unbackable if they beat the Eagles on Friday night. Lose, and they'll be desperate for the Swans to upset the Dockers in order to similarly avoid the prospect of a second game in Perth. That's provided, of course, they can overcome either the Bulldogs or Crows in week two.

Fremantle and West Coast could conceivably lose this week and still only have to leave their home state for a grand final provided their local rival were to win their qualifying final. That, though, would see either taking a path only three other teams have been able to traverse to reach the final day of the football year in 15 seasons under the current final-eight system.

The Eagles themselves did so in 2006, but one of the two road trips required en route to their last premiership was only halfway to Melbourne, a successful preliminary final against Adelaide.

Speaking of the Crows, their geographic positioning between the two coasts of Australian might prove handy indeed if they're to bat deep into the finals in a year when travel might play a bigger factor than previous finals series.

But even the bottom half of the eight teams could find themselves in Perth twice over the next three weeks should only one of the Dockers or Eagles prevail this weekend.

Which premiership candidate is going in best-prepared? I still fancy Hawthorn, despite the doubts over Isaac Smith this week.

While his run would be missed, Billy Hartung would be a decent replacement, and the Hawks already have Cyril Rioli and Luke Breust to squeeze back into a 22 which, while only going half-power, still managed to beat Carlton by near enough to 10 goals on Saturday.

None of the Hawks' three flags under Alastair Clarkson have involved finals anywhere other than the MCG. But a famous Hawthorn flag in 1991 involved a qualifying final win on the road against West Coast. One on Friday night wouldn't be nearly as big a surprise.

Sydney face a bigger task upsetting Fremantle the following afternoon, particularly now without co-captain Kieren Jack in addition to Luke Parker, and with Lance Franklin still looking affected by his back complaint.

But history offers plenty of consolation for the Swans in this case. Three times already in the modern era – against Port Adelaide in 2003, West Coast in 2006 and Adelaide three years ago – Sydney have won a qualifying final on the road and against the odds.

Jarrad McVeigh and important defender Nick Smith will return, Ben McGlynn and Craig Bird are also more than handy potential inclusions. Only the foolish will dismiss the Swans' chances. Freo coach Ross Lyon certainly won't be.

Which team beyond the top four has the best chance of having a serious crack at a flag? I reckon it's Richmond who tick the most boxes, provided they can get past a far truer representation of North Melbourne than they shrugged off last Friday night.

Neither a road trip to Perth nor Sydney to play Fremantle or Sydney in week two would worry the Tigers unduly, given they've already won at both venues this season.

The bulk of Richmond's victories in 2015 have been on the back of a steely defensive mindset and the sort of tough contested brand which stands up well in September.

But the Tigers' forward set-up is functioning as well right now as it has for a long time. Ty Vickery's last month has had plenty to do with that, allowing Jack Riewoldt further afield without robbing Peter to pay Paul so much, but Richmond's goalkicking spread has been impressive, too, with 10 or more individual goalkickers in three of their past four games.

The Tigers are entitled to go into Sunday's elimination final favourite. But only marginally. And on a weekend when you could easily tip the card or end up with zero. Not great if you're a punter. But music to the ears of the AFL.