Port Adelaide vs Collingwood
Port’s little resurgence hit a speed bump against Brisbane. After knocking off Adelaide and West Coast, the Power were pretty flat and never really looked like pinching it.
Collingwood was much worse. Sydney absolutely smoked them and had the game basically cooked before the Pies had settled in.
Back at Alberton, Port should be too strong and keep its slim finals hopes alive.
St Kilda vs Brisbane
St Kilda actually showed plenty against Fremantle. The Saints hit the front in the last quarter and looked a genuine chance of making it two wins in a row before Freo steadied and got the job done.
Brisbane finally stopped the bleeding as well, snapping a five-game losing streak against Port. It wasn’t vintage Lions stuff, but they looked much tougher and harder to score against.
The Saints should make them work for it, but Brisbane should have too much class.
Geelong vs Fremantle
Geelong is absolutely humming. West Coast had been playing some really good footy and the Cats went across to Perth and completely belted them, blowing the game apart after half-time.
Fremantle got an important win over St Kilda, although it was anything but comfortable. The Dockers needed a big finish after the Saints actually hit the front late.
GMHBA against this Geelong side is a horrendous follow-up assignment. The Cats should make it 10 straight.
Gold Coast vs Richmond
Gold Coast finally had its winning streak snapped, but losing a cracker to Adelaide hardly changes what the Suns have done this season. They were right in it until the end.
Richmond, on the other hand, got absolutely flogged by Melbourne. The Tigers have now copped some ugly hidings against the better sides and look like they’re crawling towards the finish line.
Back at home, Gold Coast should bounce straight back.
Western Bulldogs vs Melbourne
This is easily the game of the round.
The Bulldogs are flying. Carlton had won three straight and looked like a serious top-four side, then the Dogs came in and absolutely smacked them. That makes it five wins on the trot and they look seriously dangerous.
Melbourne responded to its Gold Coast loss by belting Richmond. The market clearly loves the Demons here, but the Dogs are playing far too well to write off.
Sydney vs West Coast
Sydney needed a response after losing to North and Carlton and certainly produced one. The Swans absolutely smashed Collingwood, with the game basically over before quarter-time.
West Coast got the opposite treatment. Their nice little winning run came crashing to a halt as Geelong belted them and gave them a proper reality check.
The Eagles are better than that performance, but Sydney at home looks the much safer pick.
North Melbourne vs Adelaide
Essendon actually gave North a proper scare early last week. Then the Roos apparently got bored of that idea and absolutely destroyed them after half-time.
Adelaide arrives in good form though. The Crows ended Gold Coast’s winning streak in a cracker and looked much more like the dangerous side we expected this season.
Adelaide can make them work, but tipping against North still feels like an unnecessary hobby.
Hawthorn vs Essendon
Hawthorn absolutely butchered last week. Beat GWS and they jump back into the eight. Instead, they lost by a point to a side that had won once all season.
Essendon at least showed some fight against North. They jumped the Roos and hung around for a while before getting absolutely belted once North woke up.
Hawthorn should be filthy with itself and simply has to win this.
Carlton vs GWS Giants
Carlton got a pretty nasty reality check against the Bulldogs. The Blues had been looking excellent for a few weeks, then got smashed around the contest and struggled badly to put a score on the board.
GWS finally had something go their way. The Giants knocked off Hawthorn by a point and looked far more dangerous than their record suggests.
That makes this slightly more interesting than it looked a week ago, but Carlton should respond strongly.


