[AFL-Preview] Round 10

AFL PREVIEW ROUND 10
Last Week 5 from 8 = 51 / 72 = 70.8%
 
Tipsters, apologies for the two misleading tips given to you over the past two rounds. Overcome with greed and a desire to secure top spot in a couple of tipping comps the tips of Richmond last week and Adelaide the week before were just rubbish. On the other hand there were a couple of tips that were not favored by the experts which I did give you to make up for them. When we have about 12 of the teams on almost the same number of wins then you know there might be some form reversals from week to week. It's simply a matter of picking them. The Collingwood win was rather meritorious and the argument is that they should travel more often so they would win more games. My two sons, who attended the game in my absence and were rightfully inebriated with both joy and amber liquid, telephoned me in Kalgoorlie as I watched the game on the box. There was much celebration. The Adelaide win over the Blues can show you just what a form reversal means with both teams having opposite results from the previous round and just about cancelling out the loss margin with an equally impressive win margin. Carlton did not kick a goal in a half of footy. That was fun to watch. My tip of Richmond beating Essendon would have had you readers in awe of my foresight until after half time. The possibility of Ben Cousins playing for the Tigers back here in Perth has the press once again salivating with comments of incredible stupidity and irrelevance, just when you thought it was safe to buy the local newspaper again!
Beware this week tipsters, the games look reasonably straightforward but remembering the consistent reversal of form – there's an oxymoron – anything can happen. The Bulldogs nearly beat the Cats and the Lions almost did the same to the Saints last week and what a nasty fright that would have given us all. Thanks to a couple of readers for their feedback last week. Apparently there is a subscriber that still thinks this preview is coming from the East. Now I'm in Kal that's almost right. Good luck.
 
Carlton V West Coast Eagles Telstra Dome Friday Night
 
West Coast were shocking last week against the Pies, thank heavens, but likewise the Blues were atrocious against the Crows. Based on that summary we expect the game to be shocktrocious and it will be only Carlton fans staying up after 10.30pm here in the west where we wait hours for a coverage on Friday night. But no! Wait! It's the Eagles so it will be an early night after all. Probably just an hour delay for the telecast. Waite suffered a serious knee injury and is out for the season but the loss of one player shouldn't help West Coast's cause. If they don't hold Fev who hasn't kicked too many goals in the last two weeks then this will be a blowout. Actually, Carlton really isn't as good as their press so it could be tight. But, the Blues will win.
 
Carlton by 33
 
Western Bulldogs V Sydney Manuka Oval Canberra Saturday
 
This is definitely the game of the round with both teams playing well last week. Unfortunately Johnno missed that goal on the last kick of the game and the Bullies were just pipped at the post by 2 lousy points. I would have been happy to drop the tipping point to see the Cats lose one but alas, it wasn't to be. Just file that game away in your minds when we get to the pointy end of the season. Okay, we might have to dip into some stats and history to work through this tip. Bulldogs apparently have won a couple here but so has Sydney. It's a matter of which team can throw off the icicles the quicker in the Canberra cold. Will the Bulldogs be suffering a downer after the close loss last week? Will the Swans be still on a high from their thrashing of the Power last week? Let me put it this way for you. The Bulldogs almost beat Geelong. That's good. The Swans annihilated Port Adelaide. That's average. Akermanis needs to shut up. I think that will help. Gotta go Bullies.
 
Western Bulldogs by 22
 
North Melbourne V Brisbane Lions Telstra Dome Saturday
 
Did anyone, other than dedicated Docker supporters watch the game between them and North last week? It was mighty average. I watched the Lions game against the Saints sitting in the front bar of the Broad Arrow pub last Sunday. Broad Arrow is about 40 kms north of Kalgoorlie and this little bar is a biker or bikie hangout on Sundays. There were a few bikies there on a poker run (look it up) with lots of Harleys  and the place was pretty well buzzing. The wind off the desert was freezing but it was okay if you could find a seat in the sun. Every conceivable inch of walls, ceilings, bar, outdoor  tables, urinals, whatever, had writing on it from the visitors and patrons over the past 100 years or so. Signatures, messages, obscenities, jokes, all with dates and nicknames or real names for the brave in texta, pencil, pen and paint covered the areas. If the game between the Saints and the Lions wasn't so close I could have wasted away a few hours just reading Broad Arrow history! What character! Back to the tip – Brisbane, although they are playing in Melbourne, should win this game in the third quarter. It will be tight up to then because North is coming off a win and a high and the Lions are coming off a very frustrating and disappointing loss to the AFL leaders.
 
Brisbane Lions by 24
 
Fremantle V Richmond Subiaco Saturday Night
 
Did you all know that Ben Cousins will be back to play this game in front of a home crowd and that the pundits are predicting that even Eagles supporters will go to the game just to watch the return of a prodigal son? Utter nanny goat poo. Did Collingwood supporters go to Vic Park just to watch Des Tuddenham front the Magpies dressed in Essendon strip? Not bl**dy likely! Coughlan out for the Tigers, Richo still out for the Tigers, Hayden out for the Dorks and Harvey loves Wallace. Should be a good game. Can you in your right mind tip the Dockers? Can you in a moment of insanity tip the Tigers? Terry Wallace is coaching his 500^th game. It might be his last. It might be draw.
 
Fremantle Dockers by 4
 
St Kilda V Melbourne Gold Coast Saturday Night
 
The Demons will eventually win another game. This isn't it. Melbourne coach and players will receive another encouraging pat on the back for a brave loss. Sigh.

St Kilda by 55
 
Adelaide V Hawthorn AAMI Stadium Sunday
 
What was the reason the AFL have allowed the Crows to play two consecutive games at AAMI? I must have missed that one. After their win against the Blues here last week, the fact that the game is at home again gives them a pretty good chance of back to back victories. After half time Hawthorn were far from impressive and when you consider that a) they were playing Melbourne and b) Buddy and Roughy had 7 goals between them to that stage of the game how come they didn't advance that situation to win by 10 goals with those two forwards kicking 12 or 13 between them? Injuries causing fewer rotations through the interchange is what I heard being explained. Okay. The Hawks are sort of progressing slowly up the ladder with some hard fought wins but Adelaide is not all that far behind them. McLeod, with over 312 games, an Adelaide FC games record under his belt, continues to play good footy and the rest of the team play well, coached well by Craig. Bock is returning to the back line to take on one of the Hawthorn goal kickers and I guess the question is can they provide their loving supporters with a repeat performance at home? The Hawks need the win to maintain contact with  Geelong and St Kilda. They will find this tough. When in doubt go for the home team.
 
Adelaide by 11
 
Essendon V Geelong Telstra Dome Sunday
 
I made ladder predictions for the year and I had the Bombers a lot lower than they currently are. One can only hope that the Cats will prick the Essendon balloon and help drop them down to a more realistic level. It's annoying.
 
Geelong by 39
 
Collingwood V Port Adelaide Sunday
 
The Magpies versus the 'wannabe'' Magpies. Port get to play away from home two weeks in a row which fits in with the Crows playing at home two weeks in a row. The Pies might find this a bit harder than last week against the Weagles because the Power can actually play the game sometimes. Inconsistency and their gap between their winning margins and losing margins must be a point of frustration for the coach and supporters (apart from the game against Richmond). The Pies injury list is a source of frustration for the supporters and it would be nice to see their best team on the field. If they can snag Didak, Medhurst and Thomas from their injury list that might be enough to get them over the line. Then again, the Pies have had the wood on Port Adelaide over the years and with the game being at the MCG it might be enough positives to keep them in favour for the tip. Regretfully didn't tip them last week and hope they can get up this week.
 
Collingwood by 25


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