St Kilda V Richmond: Etihad Stadium Friday 7.50pm
For years, the Tigers have been the laughing stock of the football world.
After being endlessly taunted for their failed draft picks, five-year plans and comical on-field errors, the yellow and black army can finally roar with belief.
Richmond did not just upset the premiership favourites last week, it humiliated them.
The young Tiger midfield of Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin, Shaun Grigg and Shane Tuck put their more decorated Hawthorn opponents to the sword.
Richmond convincingly won the contested possession count (+29) and had 15 more inside 50s.
Should Damian Hardwick’s side repeat the result tonight and with matches against Fremantle and GWS to come, September action will come calling.
However, it will not be easy against a St Kilda team that is enjoying a renewed hunger under the guidance of rookie coach Scott Waters.
The recruitment of Terry Milera (SANFL) and Ahmed Saad (VFL) in the off-season has injected a lightning pace into the Saints line-up that was absent in their failed three-year push for premiership glory.
So far this season, opposition backlines have struggled to cope with the awkward match up of the three lively smalls inside St Kilda’s forward 50.
Stephen Milne has also been in dangerous form with 19 goals for the year.
However, a blow for the Saints is their dwindling ruck stock with Ben McEvoy (knee) and Rhys Stanley (hamstring) out of action for at least another month.
It has left veteran Justin Blake shoulder the load in the middle.
This is an area the Tigers can exploit, given the impressive form of new recruitment Ivan Maric, who has averaged 29 hitouts and 16 disposals this season.
Prediction: Smaller Etihad ground will suit St Kilda but should be a cracking game. Saints by 9-points.
Geelong V Greater Western Sydney: Skilled Stadium Saturday 1.45pm
Geelong fans will still be breathing a sign of relief after last week’s narrow win over the Bulldogs.
The Cats midfield was again beaten in contested possessions (-18) and clearances (-16).
The reigning premiers are now ranked 16th in the competition for clearances. In their premiership years they were never ranked outside the top six.
Geelong will be without Tom Hawkins for the clash with the Giants after the key forward underwent surgery to fix a persistent knee problem.
However, the Cats expect the 23-year-old to return against Carlton next Friday night.
Greater Western Sydney was strong for the first half against the Bombers, again showing it would not be man handled around the contested ball and clearances.
Despite having more scoring shots at halftime, the Giants found themselves 26-points down after poor conversion in front of goal (2.9).
Promising young player Adam Kennedy has succumbed to a shoulder injury and will miss the trip to the Catery.
Geelong, on the other hand, will welcome back triple-premiership player James Kelly after the midfielder overcame the groin soreness, which saw him miss last week’s clash with the Bulldogs.
Prediction: Geelong get another week to record a much needed win. Cats by 45 points.
Hawthorn V North Melbourne: Aurora Stadium Saturday 2.10pm
Alastair Clarkson has been offered advice from all angles following the Richmond nightmare.
It seems every football analyst has offered a solution to the Hawks’ struggles this season.
By their own admission the Hawks thought they would be serious contenders in 2012.
However, after nine games they are clinging to 8th spot and already find themselves three games behind league leaders West Coast and Essendon.
Clarkson has said he is eagerly awaiting the return of Luke Hodge (knee) after the Hawks’ round 13 bye, although the red-hot preseason favourites may mind their top-four hopes well diminished by then.
North Melbourne is also clinging to its 2012 season.
The Kangaroos staved off another embarrassing second half capitulation to hold off the Lions by 16-points.
Despite leading by 52-points at half time, North managed just two of the last 11 goals.
Tomorrow’s clash is vital for both teams’ momentum.
If the Hawks think the criticism they have faced this week was stinging, a loss tomorrow will bring the sharks to circle even closer.
The Kangaroos cannot afford a 4-6 record heading into the second half of the year.
Even in a tightly contested season, a bare minimum of 10 wins is needed to hold any hope.
Prediction: Hawthorn in a tight one, the Kangaroos season is fast slipping away. Hawks by 12 points.
Fremantle V Adelaide: Patersons Stadium Saturday 2.40pm
Docker fans have been forced to endure a rude awakening to the defensive tactics of Ross Lyon.
Fremantle has reached the 100-point mark in just one game this season – its round 1 thrilling victory over Geelong.
Ross Lyon’s side has also failed to kick more than ten goals in four of its nine games this year.
Given St Kilda finished ninth in Lyon’s first year (2007) before being guided to three straight top-four seasons under his tenure, it appears patience will be needed by the purple haze.
However, for a side yet to taste premiership glory in its 17-year history, its fans can be forgiven for wanting to get there in a hurry.
The Crows were given a slight reality check against Collingwood last week.
In a contest that rarely allowed for time and space, Adelaide did not have enough A-graders with the game on the line, while the likes of Scott Pendlebury and Dale Thomas took control.
Given Adelaide’s impressive 7-2 start to the season and a favourable draw in the second half of the year, finals action is a growing certainty by the week.
The Crows last nine games of the season include matches against GWS, Port Adelaide, Fremantle (home), Brisbane, Melbourne and Gold Coast.
Provided its list remains healthy, Adelaide appears likely to secure a home final and be serious contenders in 2012.
Prediction: Adelaide is fit and firing- intriguing to see the reaction of Dockers fans if they go down. Crows by 21-points.
Essendon V Melbourne: MCG Saturday 7.40pm
Melbourne was within shot of its first win of the year against Carlton last week before a seven-goal to none final quarter by the Blues dashed any hope of an upset.
Mitch Clark has continued to battle manfully up forward for the Demons with 20 goals for the season but it has been with little support.
Clark has kicked 25 per cent of the club’s total goals for the year, with midfielder Nathan Jones second on the goalkicking tally with ten.
It the opposite tale at Windy Hill, where the Bombers have six players who have kicked ten or more goals for the season – the equal most of any side in the competition (tied with West Coast).
Adding to the already abundance of good news for the second-placed Bombers, ruckman Paddy Ryder committed to the club for a further four-years this week.
Essendon will be bolstered by the return speedster Leroy Jetta and veteran Dustin Fletcher.
The Demons have handed Colin Sylvia another opportunity after the 26-year old spent last week in the VFL after a string of poor performances.
Tomorrow night’s clash bears all the hallmark of a blowout.
Essendon has averaged the most scoring shots per game this season (31), while Melbourne is ranked last in the competition for points against.
Prediction: Melbourne fans may want to pray for mercy. Bombers by 58 points.
Port Adelaide V Carlton: AAMI Stadium Saturday 7.40pm
For the first time since 2010 the Power recorded back-to-back wins last week.
It has temporarily released the intense pressure valve on embattled coach Matthew Primus.
Speculation has grown during the week over the future of Power midfielder Travis Boak, as the 23-year-old Victorian tussles between his career at Alberton and the lure of home.
Tomorrow night’s game against Carlton begins a tough stretch for the Power, who faces Hawthorn, the Bulldogs, Geelong and Adelaide.
Consistency is vital for Matthew Primus’s team, who must win back a lot of the faith lost from its supporters.
The Blues again looked unconvincing against the Demons before a stellar final quarter saw them coast to a 58-point victory.
Much-maligned midfielder Brock McLean put in his best performance in navy blue, collecting 33 disposals including 17 contested possessions.
The performance has granted him another week to impress, with tomorrow night to be just his 13th game since joining the Blues three years ago.
Carlton fans should be confident ahead of tomorrow night given their side’s impressive interstate record in recent years.
The Blues have won six of their past seven games on the road.
Prediction: Power streak ends but need to put up a fight in front of its supporters. Blues by 16 points.
Brisbane V West Coast: The Gabba Sunday 1.10pm
The Eagles last week emphatically staked their position as the number one team in the West with a 48-point demolition of Fremantle.
Despite being without its two leading goal kickers from last year, Mark LeCras (knee) and Josh Kennedy (ankle), West Coast is ranked second in goals scored this season.
New recruit Josh Hill, who has thrived up forward, has so far covered the hole left by the season-ending injury of LeCras.
The former Bulldog is the club’s leading goal kicker with 20 for the season.
Last year Hill managed just five goals in 12 games for the Dogs.
Brisbane last week kicked nine of the last 11 goals of the game against North Melbourne but it was not enough to overturn a horrendous first half.
The Lions fought their way back from 52-points down at halftime to lose by just 16.
However, a worry for Brisbane will be its performances against strong opposition this year.
In their matches against Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon this season, the Lions have lost by an average of 75 points.
They will need to shake this slump to have any chances against the league-leading Eagles.
Prediction: West Coast continue to go from strength to strength. Eagles by 27-points.
Sydney V Western Bulldogs: SCG Sunday 3.15pm
A poor first-half from the Swans proved costly in their loss to the Saints.
Sydney managed just 15 forward-50 entries in the first half with the 21-point deficit proving too great to overturn.
After winning its first five games of 2012, John Longmuire’s side has since lost three of its past four games.
It has the opportunity to regain control of its season with this Sunday beginning a run of four home games out of its next five.
They will face a Bulldogs side that continues to show plenty of heart.
It trailed by just four-points midway through the final term last week against the Cats before going down by 20.
With home games against Brisbane and Port Adelaide to come, an upset win on Sunday for the Bulldogs could set it up for a strong season.
History will be against the Dogs though who have lost three of their last four against Sydney.
Prediction: Sydney, but don’t expect these Dogs to role over. Swans by 17-points.
Collingwood V Gold Coast: MCG Sunday 4.40pm
The Magpies’ stirring interstate win against Adelaide served as a reminder to the football world – this is an exceptional football team.
Collingwood made the trip without key players Dane Swan, Ben Reid, Chris Tarrant and Nathan Brown and lost another key defender in Lachlan Keeffe (knee) early in the last quarter.
However, midfield stars Scott Pendlebury (29 disposals) and Dale Thomas (also 29) rose to the occasion as the Magpies kicked five unanswered goals in the final term to record a memorable win.
Keeffe has become the fourth Collingwood player, joining Andrew Krakouer, Brent Macaffer and Luke Ball, to suffer a season -ending knee injury.
Keeffe’s injury makes the return of premiership defender Nathan Brown all the more timely.
Brown has not played since injuring his knee in round seven against Brisbane.
The Suns will play just their second game at the MCG in history.
A third quarter capitulation against the Power that saw it surrender seven unanswered goals, ensured it succumbed to a 0-9 record.
The losing streak of Gold Coast now extends to 16, with its last win dating back to round 17 last year against Richmond.
As the $34 odds offered for a Suns win suggest, the streak is sure to continue to 17.
Prediction: Collingwood in a cakewalk. Magpies by 73-points.
