Collingwood supporters, don’t give up hope just yet. The Pies are still a possibility to play in the finals, even though they will require a string of improbable outcomes to win the last regular season game.

Following Sunday’s victory over West Coast by an injury-plagued Carlton team, the Magpies, now in 10th place, are four points and 10.6% behind the Blues for the crucial eighth berth.

Four teams, including Craig McRae’s team, have the potential to conclude the home and away season with 52 points. Nevertheless, with one game remaining, Collingwood’s percentage of 100.1 is lower than that of Carlton (110.7), Hawthorn (111.8), and the Western Bulldogs (123.8).

This situation leaves the Magpies requiring a miracle on grass this weekend — but where there is a desire, there is a path.

First, the Magpies sneak in if the Pies defeat the Demons by a large margin on Friday night, the Blues lose to the Saints on Sunday afternoon, and the Power beats Freo in the round’s last game.

The exact margin required for Collingwood to “do a Bradbury” on Carlton and the other clubs will depend on how many points Carlton loses against St Kilda and Collingwood scores in their combined victories over Melbourne and Melbourne.

This implies that a trip to the finals is still possible if the Pies defeat the Demons by 100 points and the Blues fall to the Saints by 100.

Jimmy Bartel informed Eddie McGuire on Nine’s Eddie and Jimmy podcast that the Pies, who are Eddie’s favorite team, must “win by 180 points and hope a couple of teams lose” in order to finish in the top eight.

Bartel is hoping that McRae would give his side the order to attack the scoreboard in order to secure a commanding victory over the Dees.

“I actually want to see ‘Fly’ McRae go, ‘Let’s try and kick 200 points,” he stated.

“To be honest, I’d rather see him devise a strategy [to kick 200 points].

“I am aware that you will respond, ‘No, exercise restraint; you must show decency.'” This week, I want Craig McRae to show me complete contempt.

“It would be fun to see, so I want him to say, ‘Nope, we might actually try to run with three defenders and just drive everyone forward.

“Show me every harebrained idea you’ve got in your book.”

McGuire laughed as he said: “If your job is to make the finals and you’ve got to win by 180 points, you’ve got to come up with something to win by 180 points” .

On Friday night, Melbourne takes on Collingwood at the MCG.