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Round 6 is here, seemingly only moments after Round 5 came to an end, but who’s complaining? Time for this week’s edition of our AFL expert tips.
The Giants host the Bulldogs in the Friday night opener and while both teams are around the same spot on the ladder it’s fair to say GWS have been a class above in their performances this year. Expect them to win comfortably.
Hawthorn and St Kilda as the early Saturday match is without a doubt the toughest to pick of the lot. Are the Saints capable of knocking off a mature opponent? Are Hawthorn really back, or are West Coast just that bad? Hard to tell.
My thinking is that the Saints just haven’t been consistent enough over four quarters this week and the Hawks, who have the home ground advantage, are more likely to take advantage of that than not. I’m tipping them but without any confidence at all.
Sydney you’d expect should get their first win of the season over Carlton, though personally I’ll be wearing my Blues hat hoping for an upset to prevent North Melbourne being left the last winless team in the comp. Port Adelaide, if they are serious, should breeze past Brisbane with a relative level of comfort.
Tipping North Melbourne is up there with wrestling a bear, eating lots of bacon, and trying to tackle Dustin Martin in terms of potential health risks at the moment and yet for some reason I’m doing it again this week. I look forward to finding out which obscure Gold Coast player it will be that ruins my Saturday night.
West Coast and Fremantle’s form would suggest the Dockers should win the derby, but the absence of Stephen Hill robs Fremantle of one of their best weapons and West Coast at home should find good enough form to see them off.
I still have a sneaking suspicion that Essendon are actually a good side, though the physicality of Melbourne can trouble them. I’m going with the Bombers to win but this should be a great match that could go either way.
Geelong versus Collingwood looks fairly straightforward and probably will be. Collingwood’s potential advantage over most teams is their excess of midfield star power, but the Cats are more than a match for them in that regard.
Lastly, it’s arguably the match of the round on Sunday afternoon when one of Adelaide or Richmond will see their unbeaten streak end (barring a draw, of course). I’m tipping the Crows at home as I imagine most will, but Monday night reminded us all that you’d be mad to write off the Tigers.
Looking for a lock of the week, I’ll have to go Geelong to give the Pies a bake, and if the margin is big then expect more media speculation to come about Nathan Buckley.
Maddy Friend
GWS, Hawthorn, Sydney, Port Adelaide, Gold Coast, West Coast, Melbourne, Geelong, Adelaide
Friday night will be the Giants’ first Friday night game, and one suspects the first of many to come. If it’s anywhere near as good as last year’s preliminary final, it will be an absolute cracker. I’m tipping the Giants by 10 points.
If the Hawks win in Tassie, they’ll become the first team to win 20 in a row at the same venue – a ridiculous stat.
It’s a massive game for the Saints, who need to prove their credentials against a rival, but it could be difficult without David Armitage. I think the Hawks will be too good at their home away from home.
Sydney should get its first win of the year over Carlton, while I expect Port to account for Brisbane in what should be an exciting game.
North needs a win over Gold Coast to kick start its season, but the Suns are in good form and I think they’ll get the job done, even if it is away from home.
Form counts for nothing in the Derby, but I’m tipping West Coast – I think the loss of Stephen Hill hurts Freo, and I’d backing West Coast’s midfielders to get the job done.
A Jordan Lewis-led Melbourne should beat Essendon, while Geelong and Collingwood shapes as the biggest blowout of the round – Geelong in a canter.
Who would have thought at the beginning of the season that the final game of the round would see two undefeated teams come up against each other?
Adelaide should be too good, given the form they’ve displayed so far, but expect the Tigers to give them a stern challenge.
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Cameron Rose
GWS, St Kilda, Sydney, Port Adelaide, Gold Coast, West Coast, Melbourne, Geelong, Adelaide
It’s all footy, footy, footy at the moment, and our heads are spinning. We probably wouldn’t have it any other way, but it’s nice to get back to a Friday-Sunday round.
The Giants are clearly going better than the Bulldogs, despite both sides having the same 4-1 record, and should be winning in Canberra. It’s great to see GWS and the location getting a Friday night game.
I’m sticking to my guns in thinking St Kilda have gone past Hawthorn, and will tip them to prove that on Saturday down in Tassie.
Everyone is assuming the Swans will start winning as their draw opens up, but it won’t be as easy as that. They should still be too good for a Carlton that will make them earn it.
Port may find themselves in the top four come the end of the year, and won’t be dropping one at the Gabba.
North are due for that win, but Gold Coast will match up well against them. Tipping the Suns here, but mainly just to get up Josh.
What a Derby we have waiting for us on Saturday night, with more at stake for West Coast than Fremantle.
The Eagles have to respond with ferocity after another limp MCG performance, while the Dockers want to keep their momentum going. West Coast for mine.
Melbourne should be too strong for Essendon and Geelong for Collingwood on Sunday.
The match of the round is the last of the weekend with the unbeaten Adelaide and Richmond facing each other.
All we keep hearing is that this is a big test for the Tigers, but fair to say it’s a test for the Crows too.
Have to stick with Adelaide, but the Tiges will give themselves a sneaky chance.
| Round 6 | Josh Elliott | Maddy Friend | Tim Lane | Cam Rose | The Crowd |
| GWS vs WB | GWS | GWS | GWS | GWS | GWS |
| HAW vs STK | HAW | HAW | STK | STK | HAW |
| CAR vs SYD | SYD | SYD | SYD | SYD | SYD |
| BRI vs PA | PA | PA | PA | PA | PA |
| NM vs GWS | NM | GCS | NM | GCS | NM |
| WCE vs FRE | WCE | WCE | WCE | WCE | WCE |
| ESS vs MEL | ESS | MEL | ESS | MEL | ESS |
| GEE vs COL | GEE | GEE | GEE | GEE | GEE |
| ADE vs RIC | ADE | ADE | ADE | ADE | ADE |
| Last week | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 |
| Total | 29 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 32 |