WHILE the footy world debates whether Fremantle should hit the lead then throw up the white flag against Melbourne to ensure it finishes eighth, another bizarre possible ladder anomaly has emerged.

If results fall a precise way in round 23, three teams could see themselves tied on 14 wins, with the exact same percentage.

Admittedly you could write your own ticket on the odds of that happening, but consider these plausible results:

- Sydney Swans 14.8 (92) defeated Geelong 14.4 (88)
- North Melbourne 22.11 (161) defeated GWS 11.14 (80)
- Fremantle 15.10 (100) defeated Melbourne 7.7 (49)

Leaving the ladder:
                                    
6. Geelong                   22  14  8  2185  1900   115%
6. Fremantle                22  14  8  1955  1700   115%
6. North Melbourne    22  14  8  2415  2100   115%
 
So just how are ladder standings judged if teams are tied?

"If two teams are tied on wins and percentage we go back to matches of club A v club B during the season and see who beat who," AFL statistician and historian Col Hutchinson said. 

"If the two teams are still tied on wins then a percentage compiled from their head-to-head clashes determines the final standings."

Hutchinson confirmed the rule extends to a three-way tie, and a mini-ladder would be formed from the three teams' matches in 2012, which would read as follows:
                                   
1. Fremantle                 2  2  0  237  180   131.7%  
2. North Melbourne     2  1  1  210   246    85.4%
3. Geelong                    2  0  2  215   236    91.1%

Seeing Fremantle finish sixth and claim a home final.

Remarkably, the incident isn't without precedent and in fact is the reason behind the finals series as we know it today.

In 1896, one year before the formation of the VFL, Collingwood and South Melbourne were tied at the head of the table, equal on wins and percentage.

With the winner always the ladder leader at season's end, and with no contingency plan in place, the then-VFA ordered a historic elimination final between the two clubs.

"The premiership play-off generated so much publicity and interest they decided to continue it the next year [in the VFL]," Hutchinson said.

"They then thought, 'we should have more of these', and it was extended and more play-off finals were added.

"It was the first code in the world to have a finals series."