Preview of AFL round three matches

Preview of AFL round three matches (all times AEST):

FRIDAY, April 8

COLLINGWOOD V CARLTON, MCG 7.40pm

Head to head: Collingwood 114 Carlton 123 Drawn 4

Last time: Collingwood 15.15 (105) bt Carlton 9.3 (57) R18 2010, MCG

TAB Sportsbet: Collingwood $1.28 Carlton $3.60

Sportingbet: Collingwood $1.25 Carlton $4.10

Finally a clash between the two old protagonists that fully deserves all the accompanying hype. It will be the the first time since 1988 they’ve gone head-to-head as the top two teams on the ladder. The Magpies welcome back skipper Nick Maxwell and Leon Davis – reinvented as a rebounding defender – for their first games of 2011. The Blues’ defence is stiffened by the return of fullback Michael Jamison from suspension.

Key: Jamison will take either Travis Cloke or Chris Dawes. And second gamer Matthew Watson probably gets the other one. But who takes Alan Didak? Or Andrew Krakouer? The Pies have too many guns up forward. And everywhere else, for that matter.

Tip: Collingwood by 35 points.

SATURDAY, April 9

WESTERN BULLDOGS V GOLD COAST, Etihad Stadium, 2.10pm

Head to head: Yet to play

TAB Sportsbet: Western Bulldogs $1.02 Gold Coast $11

Sportingbet: Western Bulldogs $1.02 Gold Coast $15

The Western Bulldogs go into this match as one of the shortest-priced favourites in AFL history. That will happen when your opposition begin their AFL life on the wrong end of a 119-point drubbing. This one could get ugly too. Barry Hall has been passed fit and the Dogs’ defence will be stiffened by the inclusion of Brian Lake and Lindsay Gilbee. Suns defender Jarrod Harbrow is expecting a hot reception from his former teammates.

Key: The Suns will probably win a few games in their debut season, just not against the top sides. And the Bulldogs are a top-four side.

Tip: Western Bulldogs by 70 points.

ADELAIDE V FREMANTLE, AAMI Stadium, 3.10pm

Head to head: Adelaide 16 Fremantle 10 Drawn 0

Last time: Adelaide 16.9 (105) bt Fremantle 12.10 (82) R11 2010 AAMI Stadium.

TAB Sportsbet: Adelaide $1.55 Fremantle $2.35

Sportingbet: Adelaide $1.52 Fremantle $2.55

There will be plenty of interest in how the Crows perform coming off the bye so early in the year. The Crows get spearhead Kurt Tippett back for his first game of 2011, but lose four big names to injury including Michael Doughty (thigh) and forward Jason Porplyzia (shoulder). The Dockers will get a lift from seeing their greatest-ever player Matthew Pavlich break the retired Shane Parker’s record of 238 games in purple and white.

Key: Hard to split two teams with genuine finals aspirations. Home ground advantage might just swing it for the Crows.

Tip: Adelaide by six points.

RICHMOND V HAWTHORN, MCG, 7.10pm

Head to head: Richmond 82 Hawthorn 66 Drawn 0

Last time: Hawthorn 13.11 (89) bt Richmond 13.8 (86) R8 2010, MCG.

TAB Sportsbet: Richmond $3.30 Hawthorn $1.30

Sportingbet: Richmond $3.80 Hawthorn $1.27

Hawthorn’s third-quarter demolition of Melbourne last Sunday is being hailed as one of the most dominant 30 minutes of football in living memory. Cyril Rioli and Shaun Burgoyne were the sparks for the Hawks, although they will miss Rioli badly last weekend after he copped a one-match suspension for a love tap on Nathan Jones. The Tigers were unlucky to have to share the points against St Kilda in round two. Having Jack Riewoldt stationed back in the goalsquare rather than concussed and cranky on the sidelines can only be another plus.

Key: Rioli is a big out for the Hawks, but Richmond have also copped a beating from the match review panel with key defenders Luke McGuane and Alex Rance both rubbed out. Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead could have a field day against young Tigers David Astbury and Dylan Grimes.

Tip: Hawthorn by 20 points.

WEST COAST V SYDNEY, Patersons Stadium, 7.40pm

Head to head: West Coast 19 Sydney 22 Drawn 0

Last time: Sydney 17.13 (113) bt West Coast 9.9 (63) R5 2010, SCG

TAB Sportsbet: West Coast $1.85 Sydney $1.90

Sportingbet: West Coast $1.85 Sydney $1.97

Surely no-one outside Perth – and not many who reside there – would have tipped the Eagles to be 2-0 after two rounds. And they are a real chance of starting the season with a third straight win against the club they met in consecutive grand final nailbiters in 2005 and 2006. Beau Waters’ serious elbow injury is a big blow. It’s early days yet but the Swans under John Longmire are looking every bit as hard to beat as they were during the Paul Roos era.

Key: West Coast have every right to be pleased with their start to 2011 – but Sydney are a much different prospect to a below-strength North Melbourne and Port Adelaide.

Tip: Sydney by eight points.

SUNDAY, April 10

MELBOURNE V BRISBANE, MCG, 1.10pm

Head to head: Melbourne 8 Brisbane 10 Drawn 0

Last time: Melbourne 11.8 (74) bt Brisbane 9.10 (64) R18 2010, Gabba

TAB Sportsbet: Melbourne $1.20 Brisbane $4.25

Sportingbet: Melbourne $1.17 Brisbane $5

Melbourne have been under the blowtorch this week following the capitulation to Hawthorn – and rightly so. But the draw has been kind to the Dees with successive matches against Brisbane (at home) and Gold Coast. The Demons struggled to get it out of their defensive 50m arc for long periods against the Hawthorn press. The Lions would love to think they could replicate that type of pressure, but it seems most unlikely.

Key: Surely Melbourne tall forwards Liam Jurrah and Jack Watts can provide more for the cause than they did against the Hawks.

Tip: Melbourne by 28 points.

GEELONG V PORT ADELAIDE, Skilled Stadium, 2.10pm

Head to head: Geelong 13 Port Adelaide 8 Drawn 1

Last time: Geelong 23.21 (159) bt Port Adelaide 10.4 (64) R4 2010 Skilled Stadium

TAB Sportsbet: Geelong $1.07 Port Adelaide $7.50

Sportingbet: Geelong $1.10 Port Adelaide $7

During the heyday of the Mark Thompson/Gary Ablett era, this is just the sort of match the Cats would have won by a huge margin, seemingly without breaking sweat. And it would be a shock of epic proportions if they didn’t win this one too, although it may be more of a blue-collar performance. The ins are significant, including Matthew Scarlett, Joel Selwood and Cameron Mooney. Ruckman Dean Brogan takes over the captain’s duties for Port, as Dom Cassisi is out with a knee complaint.

Key: The Cats hold the aces all over the field, nowhere more so than in the midfield. There will be times in 2011 when they badly miss Ablett, but this is unlikely to be one of them.

Tip: Geelong by 38 points.

ST KILDA V ESSENDON, Etihad Stadium, 4.40pm

Head to head: St Kilda 63 Essendon 137 Drawn 4

Last time: Essendon 16.12 (108) bt St Kilda 11.9 (75) R18 2010, Etihad Stadium.

TAB Sportsbet: St Kilda $1.72 Essendon $2.05

Sportingbet: St Kilda $1.78 Essendon $2.05

Even when St Kilda were flying in the last couple of years and Essendon were floundering, it was the Bombers who had the better of this fixture, having won the last three. Now the positions are reversed it will be interesting to see if Essendon can continue that dominance. David Hille (hip) misses again for the Bombers while the Saints will look more potent in attack due to the recall of Justin Koschitzke and Adam Schneider.

Key: The Saints simply have more to play for, with critics lining up to claim that time has passed them by, having twice come up just short in grand finals.

Tip: St Kilda by 10 points.

BYE: NORTH MELBOURNE

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