Sydney Sixers, Adelaide Strikers, Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Thunder join the Stars in the new-look knock-out stage
Melbourne Stars have progressed as winners of the Big Bash League group stage but they are far from the team to beat as the competition reached the knock-out stage.
Glenn Maxwell's side secured top spot with three games to spare, and are one match - which will take place on home turf at the MCG - away from the final.
Opener Marcus Stoinis hit 607 runs during the preliminary phase, including the tournament's best-ever score of 147 not out.
But having lost their final three matches, the Stars may rue losing momentum at a crucial stage.
Group runners-up Sydney Sixers will be their opponents after qualifying with a record of nine wins and four defeats - alongside one no result.
But with Steve Smith back in the fold and a recent victory over Stars by seven wickets at the SCG under their belt, Moises Henriques' team are arguably the favourites.
The knock-out stage kicks-off with Hobart Hurricanes taking on Sydney Thunder at the Blundstone Arena, with the winner facing third-place Adelaide Strikers.
Steve Smith's return makes the Sixers real contenders
A run of five matches without a win appeared to have killed Hurricanes' hopes of finishing in the top five, particularly due to their woeful net run-rate.
However, they produced a remarkable counter-attack with three straight wins to claim fourth place - a streak which included what could be a psychologically seismic win over Thunder.
Perth Scorchers will be wondering how they allowed Thunder to leap-frog them during the final round after looking on course for the playoffs.
They failed to chase down 182 to beat Strikers before in the key do-or-die clash with Thunder they succumbed by seven wickets in a rain-affected game. Their fate was sealed when Hurricanes beat Strikers in the penultimate game in the group.
Big Bash organisers got the finale to the first phase that they wanted when Brisbane Heat faced Melbourne Renegades, with the former knowing victory would take them through.
Despite a run of three successive defeats, Heat had qualification in their own hands and completed one half of the task by overcoming Stars.
The defending champions Renegades have propped up the table throughout and should have been easy pickings.
Mitch Marsh will be wondering how Scorchers did not qualify
But after setting just 155 to win, Aaron Finch inspired Renegades to victory, to leave captain Chris Lynn wondering what might have been.
Having lost their first nine games, Renegades were always up against it in the race for the top five, with their fate sealed when they lost for a 10th time to Hurricanes.
Organisers will hope interest in the competition picks up upon the knock-out stage beginning, with attendances suffering another downturn during the ninth edition.
Figures in mid-January were estimated at 19,456, the lowest since the 2013-14 edition which coincided with an Ashes summer.
As an example of the further regression in popularity, just 30,388 turned up for a Melbourne derby which had attracted 80,883 in 2016.