Although the top eight is not 100 percent finalised -- hopefully the Saints can sneak in, while Port Adelaide are also still an outside chance -- it does appear as though the current top eight have their destiny in their own hands and will feature in September.Looking ahead to the finals, Ive been doing some thinking as to which individual players are most important to their clubs premiership hopes.As someone who has played in a lot of finals, you need so much to go right to win them - over a four-week stretch, you need everything going your way, especially the ability to keep your most important players on the park.It would be easy to assume teams striving for a flag simply cant afford to lose their best player, which is true for some sides, but for others theres a lot of things to consider - team structure, depth in certain positions, even the emotional aspect how well a player leads the group.Out of the below list, Id suggest only Lance Franklin and Patrick Dangerfield are their clubs best players; the rest though are who I believe to be the most important to their premiership hopes.Looking at my list, it becomes apparent how many key position players and ruckmen feature. Thats not a knock on the star midfielders who feature so strongly in all finals-bound outfits, but finals tend to be a bit of a different game - theres more pressure, more kicking long to contests, so your key talls need to be at their best.And Im not biased, because Im playing through the midfield this year! But theres no doubt most finals-bound clubs have three or four really strong midfielders, so they can cover that part of the ground a bit better, compared to losing a No. 1 ruckman or key position player.THE RACE FOR THE PREMIERSHIP - WHICH PLAYERS CAN THESE CLUBS LEAST AFFORD TO LOSE?HAWTHORN You could make a case for seven or eight Hawks here, and thats why theyve been such a great team over a sustained period, but for me the player I think they could least afford to lose is Jack Gunston. With Jarryd Roughead unfortunately not around this year, a lot of people had question marks over whether Gunston could be that No.1 go-to tall because hes not a traditional key forward. However, hes assumed that mantle this year, and in previous finals campaigns has performed well on the big stage. Hawthorn are so versatile in every other area of the ground but if they lost him, theyd be down to inexperienced duo James Sicily and Tim OBrien as their key forwards. Gunston isnt Hawthorns best player, but hes their most important.GWS Again, hes not in their best five or so players, but Shane Mumford is crucial to the Giants audacious premiership push. Theyre still a young group, and big Mummy is one of only a handful of guys with finals experience and the way his teammates talk about him, you can tell he allows them to play with more confidence. He provides a hard edge and physical maturity and hell make a lot of those players in their first finals campaign walk taller. Hes a bit of an old-school enforcer, which doesnt really exist any more but hes as close to the modern version as you can get. Aside from his physicality, hes also a premier ruckman, and if theres one area the Giants lack a bit of depth is through the ruck - if they lost a key midfielder, theyve got that many more quality options to chose from, but Mummy is clearly so crucial as their No. 1 ruckman.SYDNEY The Swans boast an enormous amount of depth through the midfield with the likes of Josh Kennedy, Tom Mitchell, Dan Hannebery, Luke Parker and Kieren Jack - they bat really deep through there so they can cover the loss of any of them if required. Up forward, theyve got one of the most electric players in the league, who is also their most important - Lance Franklin. Hes flying under the radar a bit this year -- he hasnt kicked massive bags of goals -- but this is one of his most consistent years, shown by the fact hes only one off the lead in the Coleman Medal race. Buddy provides the X-factor, the flare, and gets the crowd involved. I believe hes Sydneys best player. Prior to the weekend, he was the only Swan whos kicked more than 20 goals [59] - Isaac Heeney is now on 21 after booting four against Freo. So much rests on Franklins shoulders - the Swans have a huge reliance on him. If he goes down, Sydneys hopes may do the same.GEELONG Again, cant be too complicated here - Dangerfield is crucial to Geelongs flag hopes. The glamour boy of the competition is one of the leagues best players, and also Geelongs most important. His influence has been overwhelming this year. A lot of Geelongs resurgence in 2016 has been on the back of his efforts. His combination of inside and outside is as good as weve seen, and he can hit the scoreboard, break the lines, has a penetrating kick, and is so damaging. The likes of Joel Selwood, Cam Guthrie and the other Cats midfielders have benefitted enormously from Dangerfields arrival from Adelaide - theres been a huge flow-on effect for them. Dangerfield can also go forward and be a major threat in the 50; hes kicked 20 goals this year which gives Geelong an extra layer of versatility.ADELAIDE Daniel Talia is the man here. Adelaides forward line is obviously exceptional - theyve got four 30+ goal kickers this season, while their midfield is strong enough. However, their backline is young -- theyve got some good rebounders through Rory Laird and Brodie Smith -- but the one who rarely gets beaten as a shutdown key defender is Talia. Having a key defender who you can trust to beat the oppositions best key tall is invaluable, especially in finals. Talia just never seems to get beaten. Against Geelong a couple of weeks ago, Talia was injured late and Tom Hawkins then took the game by the scruff of its neck, so it shows how important he is.WEST COAST This one is more of a player they need back, rather than a player they cant afford to lose - Nic Naitanui. Theres been a lot of commentary about their current form but thats coincided with Naitanui being injured for the middle part of the season - he hasnt been seen since Round 12 and its really hurt them structurally. A lot of West Coasts famous defensive web, which isnt functioning as well this year, is built on field position - winning clearances, getting the ball into the forward line and setting up defensively from there. They really need Nic Nat back so they can start dominating clearances again - without him, I dont think they can compete for the flag. When hes on song, their midfielders can be so proactive because they know theyll get first use. Hes just such a massive weapon for them.WESTERN BULLDOGS Jake Stringer hasnt had a great year, but with Jack Redpath out injured and Tom Boyd still finding his way as a key forward at AFL level, hes the man who the Bulldogs must keep fit through the finals. Stringer isnt a traditional key forward, hes not a huge contested marker, but hes got that X-factor that can win a final off his own boot. His season got off to a flyer but hes been quieter in recent months, but you just know hell explode at some point. The Bulldogs are such a brilliant defensive team but they need to find a way to kick winning scores, and Stringer gives them that chance. He could be the difference between winning a final and losing one.NORTH MELBOURNE Their drop-off in form before their two recent wins coincided with Todd Goldstein losing a bit of form. Hes rediscovered a bit of that and the Kangaroos really need him up and going. Up forward they have multiple options, theyve got real strength through the midfield and down back but Goldstein needs to provide them with first use, and he can also spread forward and kick goals. At the start of the year, when they were flying, it was a battle between him and Max Gawn for All Australian ruckman, before for whatever reasons Goldsteins output dropped a touch. He looks to be getting back to his best and if he has a huge month through September, it gives the Roos a sniff. Kerryon Johnson Lions Jersey . -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Barry Sanders Womens Jersey . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. http://www.lionsfanspro.com/Black-Will-Harris-Lions-Jersey.html?cat=972 . Perhaps Carroll was so prepared for a break because he believes there is very little the Seattle Seahawks need heading into the off-season. "I dont see anything that we need to add. We just have to get better," Carroll said. Jahlani Tavai Jersey . It was the second consecutive win for the Pacers (2-5), who lost their first five preseason games. Jeff Teague led the Hawks (1-5) with 17 points and eight assists and Al Horford had 12 points and seven rebounds. Mike Scott scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half. Austin Bryant Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Trevor Bauer was already in a foul mood when he learned he would start the Cleveland Indians first game of the AL Division Series on Thursday against the Boston Red Sox.After giving up two runs and three hits in the sixth inning of the Indians 6-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, Bauer was told by manager Terry Francona in the dugout he would start the postseason opener.I told him why I was taking him out -- because he was going to start Game 1, Francona said. But he was kind of in the middle of beating up the dugout. So much for that feel-good moment.Bauer threw 96 pitches, tuning up for the postseason by striking out nine over six innings of three-run ball.I have a lot of confidence in my teammates and hopefully they have confidence in me, Bauer said. It should be fun. Like I said before, they tell me when to pitch and I go out there and pitch. Game 1, Game 2, Game 3, or whatever, theyre all important.Cy Young Award candidate Corey Kluber will pitch Game 2 on Friday after throwing a bullpen session Sunday. Kluber has not pitched since leaving a start Monday with a quadriceps injury.Hell throw an extended side on Tuesday, which will line him up for Friday, Francona said. Klub really wanted to pitch Thursday. Weve been talking about it for three or four days, but I just kind of overruled him.In fact, I know its the right thing for everybody. I dont think its fair for Kluber to have him sit for 10 days and have him pitch two games in four days (possibly in the postseason). He certainly wanted to. I kind of -- again not just me -- but talking to everybody -- I just took it out of his hands. Now he can prepare for Game 2. He can do that without the anxiety and worry or rushing.Francisco Lindor hit a two-out two-run double during an eighth-inning rally, helping the Indians beat Kansas City.All three Indians runs in the eighth were unearned after second baseman Whit Merrifields error on pinch-hitter Abraham Almontes grounder, which allowed Rajai Davis to score with one out.Royals rookie left-hander Matt Strahm (2-2) issued Davis a leadoff walk and Davis stole second, his AL-leading 43rd steaal.ddddddddddddalks killed us, Royals manager Ned Yost said. Four runs scored off of walks. That got us a little bit.Kevin McCarthy replaced Strahm and walked the bases loaded before Lindors double over third base.Mike Clevinger (3-3) won for the AL Central champs by retiring the only two batters he faced. Cody Allen worked the ninth for his 31st save in 34 opportunities.Tyler Naquin singled home Coco Crisp in the second for the Indians first run. Lonnie Chisenhall tripled in the third and scored on Edinson Volquezs wild pitch. Chisenhalls sacrifice fly in the fifth scored Lindor, putting the Indians up 3-1.Bauer yielded two runs in the sixth on successive doubles by Kendrys Morales and Paulo Orlando to lead off and Alcides Escobars RBI single. Merrifields two-out single in the third scored Drew Butera for the first run off Bauer.Volquez finished the season winless in his final seven starts. He was charged with three runs, five hits, four walks and a hit batter over five innings. It could have been Volquezs final Royals start as he is eligible for free agency after the season.I hope not, Volquez said. You have to wait until the World Series and see what happens.UNSUAL BACK-TO-BACKCarlos Santana doubled and tripled in back-to-back games. The last Indian to accomplish that was Ordell Hale on July 19 and 21, 1936. Santana has tripled in consecutive games for the first time since Sept. 15-16, 2012 against Detroit.TRAINERS ROOMIndians: RHP Danny Salazar could throw a simulated game Monday. He has been idle since Sept. 9 with a forearm strain.Royals: All-Star C Salvador Perez was not in the lineup for the third straight game because of a sore knee and hamstring strain. ... RHP Dillon Gee, who was treated for two blood clots after pitching Sept. 25, tweeted, Got the blood clot out of my vein. Another step done, on to the next one!!UP NEXTIndians: RHP Josh Tomlin will start the season finale on six days of rest.Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy has failed to complete six innings in four of his past seven starts. ' ' '