The natural ups and downs of football and the vagaries of the so-called "premiership window" means the chances of finding three particular teams at or near the top of the AFL ladder at the same time can vary widely.
We are seven rounds down in 2023, less than a third of the way through the season, but at this early stage we are on track for something to happen that has not occurred in more than 80 years — with the Magpies, Demons and Saints all finishing in the top four.