Preview Round 9
Well tipsters teams like St Kilda, Essendon, Melbourne, West Coast Eagles and at times North Melbourne continue to provide us with a challenge when we come to making that selection. Inconsistency in form makes the job that little bit harder but not as hard or as impossible when we have total form reversals from one week to the next. The beauty of teams like Geelong, Collingwood and Richmond is that you are almost guaranteed a tipping point when you select them, or, in Richmond’s case, ignore them. So, it will be with great interest to see how the experts and the average tipster (and there isn’t a lot of difference) will approach the big game tomorrow night.
Some more drug stuff to spook the AFL but you really have to ask the question about some of the players and what goes through their minds when they succumb to the temptation of drugs. You play AFL, you train all week, play on the weekend, you have the adoration of fans young and old, everybody wants to talk to you when you go out.......I’d be pretty high on that. Go figure.
Quite a few tricky games this week tipsters so be alert. Good luck.
Collingwood V Geelong MCG Friday
This is certainly the game of the round and the 2nd consecutive week that the Pies have been involved in top of the ladder match. Both teams are playing very well and we all expect a close, pressure game. This game will prove the Magpies are the real thing. Whether it is actually a preview of the Grand Final is debatable but it’s a fair call based on the form. The Cats pulverised the Pies last year so one hopes that will not be repeated in this game. Both Collingwood and Geelong know how to apply pressure and the scores these two teams have kicked in the last couple of games show potent forward lines. Swan and Ablett might get 80 possessions between them and it is assumed Ling will take him or Pendlebury. Too excited to write any more.
Collingwood by 11
North Melbourne V Western Bulldogs Etihad Saturday
North is doing well, make no mistake, and they will bring it right up to the Bulldogs but don’t expect the result to reflect effort is better than class. Scott has his charges playing reasonable football but up against the experience and bigger bodies of the Bulldogs they will struggle after half time.
Western Bulldogs by 39
Sydney V Fremantle SCG Saturday
The Swans have suffered 2 big losses in a row. Swans captain Kirk has decided to retire at the end of the season and Johnson of Freo has decided to take a 6 week break effective immediately. Neither means anything to the make ups of the teams but both events will affect the mental motivation of both teams. Freo has been travelling well but it’s been a while since they have won at the SCG. Pav is on fire and so is Adam Goodes for the Swans. Sandilands will have it all his own way in the ruck but the Docker small men have to capitalise. Should be a close game but the Swans need to get back into the winning circle and with the home ground advantage they should prevail.
Sydney by 18
Essendon V Richmond MCG Saturday
The Tigers came close last week to winning their first game and Essendon did their usual mind numbing form reversal to beat the Saints. Regardless of all that, it is difficult, nay impossible, to pick Richmond.
Essendon by 33
Melbourne V Port Adelaide TIO Saturday
This is the Darwin game with Melbourne giving away a home game to take the AFL to the NT. It’s time to come off the Demon support base and look realistically at form. The Power faded in the last quarter against the Blues. They might do the same this week but expect them to be well ahead at that time. In fact Port Adelaide has great experience at this ground so it’s almost a home game for them.
Port Adelaide by 32
Adelaide V Brisbane AAMI Sunday
The result of this match is almost impossible to tip. The Lions are playing poorly and the Crows are playing even worse than that. The game is at AAMI but that hasn’t meant a lot for Adelaide so far this year. I don’t think the Crows can kick as many goals as Brisbane. Voss is putting the screws on Fevola to participate more and against a weaker Adelaide side the Brown Fevola combination might get the chance to kick their normal 8. Far too many goals for an Adelaide team that has kicked over 100 points only once this season. Johncock and Vince were suspended for having a couple too many at the local and Burton has a knee problem – again. Not looking good for the Crows at all. Fortunately for them the Lions seem to have come off the boil.
Brisbane by 7
Carlton V Hawthorn Etihad Sunday
Ummm, why is this game at Etihad and not the MCG? Based on form the selection here is the easy one this week. The Blues have been in rather good form of late and although they don’t seem to like playing the Hawks in the past the contrast in form between the two sides so far this season doesn’t give you much confidence to think that Hawthorn will be able to win this game to turn their season around.
Carlton by 41
West Coast V St Kilda Subiaco Sunday
The Saints have lost 3 of their last 4. West Coast has won 2 of their last 3. The game is at Subiaco. Every indicator points to an Eagles win.
St Kilda by 15
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