AFL Round 7: Ins and outs, preview and tips

I’ll bring you all the ins and outs from Round 7 of this year’s AFL premiership, as well as look at who’s going to come out on top in each game.

Carlton vs Collingwood (Fri. 7:50pm AEST, MCG)

Carlton In: Carrazzo
Carlton out: Yarran (hamstring)
Collingwood In: Dwyer, Williams
Collingwood Out: Fasolo (toe), Toovey (hamstring)

Games between these bitter rivals have rarely followed form in the past. However with Carlton missing Judd, Yarran, Kreuzer, Bell and Curnow I’ll have to stick with the in-form Collingwood.

Collingwood by 28 points

Hawthorn vs St Kilda (Sat. 1:45pm AEST, MCG)

Hawthorn In: Shoenmakers, Hartung
Hawthorn Out: Langford (back), Simpkin (omitted)
St. Kilda In: Simpkin, Weller, Longer, Schneider, Acres
St. Kilda Out: Bruce (omitted), Templeton (broken arm), Hickey (foot), Ross (omitted), Dunstan (concussion)

Hawthorn are starting to get their first choice defence back in place, which will only make it harder for the rest of the competition to try and catch this great team. Lots of changes for the Saints this week, unfortunately I can’t see it helping them much, I expect Hawthorn to win this one quite comfortably.

Hawthorn by 77 points

GWS Giants vs Port Adelaide (Sat, 2:10pm AEST, Startrack Oval)

GWS In: Greene, Shiel, Palmer, Kelly, Buntine
GWS Out: Hunt (knee), Plowman, Boyd, Bugg, Williams (all omitted)
Port In: Monfries
Port Out: Gray (omitted)

Can’t see GWS even threatening the Power, GWS hasn’t been the same without Mumford in the middle showing the young blokes how to show some aggression for the ball. Port impressive in last week’s win.

Port Adelaide by 63 points

Adelaide vs Melbourne (Sat. 4:10pm ACST, Adelaide Oval)

Adelaide In: Unchanged
Melbourne In: Unchanged

Both teams go into this match unchanged for the first time in many weeks.

Both teams have been missing key forwards for much of the season. Melbourne have recently been buoyed by the return of Chris Dawes, however, Adelaide looking much better with Jenkins playing. I find this match a bit harder to tip then the previous two but reckon with the home field advantage Adelaide will run away with this game.

Adelaide by 33 points

Brisbane vs Sydney (Sat. 7:40pm AEST, Gabba)

Brisbane In: Bewick
Brisbane Out: Hanley (back)
Sydney In: Reid, Jack
Sydney Out: Roberts-Thompson (Omitted), Franklin (Knee)

Congratulations to Rhyce Shaw on his 200th game! Sydney will be happy to get Reid back following an injury sustained in Round 2. The omission of Franklin is just precautionary, and if the opponent was a team higher on the ladder he may well have played. Either way it matters little, Sydney will run over the injury ravaged Lions side.

Sydney by 58 points

Essendon vs Western Bulldogs (Sat. 7:40pm AEST, Etihad Stadium)

Essendon In: Goddard, Hocking
Essendon Out: Gleeson (stiffness), Hardingham (omitted)
Bulldogs In: Bontempelli, Johannisen, Morris, Williams
Bulldogs Out: Giansiracusa, Jong, Young, Campbell (all omitted)

Both teams probably need to win this game after some early season stumbles. Goddard is a huge in for Essendon who I predict will be slightly too strong for the Doggies.

Essendon by 17 points

North Melbourne vs Gold Coast (Sun. 1:10pm AEST, Etihad Stadium)

Kangaroos In: Wright, Jacobs, Thompson
Kangaroos Out:
Suns In: Nicholls, Dixon, Murphy, Bennell, Taylor
Suns Out: Hutchins, Warnock (both omitted)

This should help us get a better read at where these two clubs are at.

For North this is the kind of game they should just come out and win at home. For the Suns this is the kind of ‘next step’ game they need to take if they are serious about playing finals this year. I think this game will be closer than many will be expecting.

North Melbourne by 8 points

West Coast vs Freemantle (Sun 2:40pm AWST, Patersons Stadium)

WCE In: Tunbridge, Glass, Butler, Hurn
WCE Out: Sheed (omitted)
Freo In: Silvagni, Ballentyne, Barlow, Hannah
Freo Out: de Boer (omitted)

Congratulations Aaron Sandilands on game 200! If the Eagles want to be taken seriously they year they need to find a way to start beating some of last year’s top finishers and no better time to start then now.

The Dockers get some very handy players back this week and despite their recent wobbles I expect them to come out and put the torch to the Eagles early.

Fremantle by 40 points

Geelong vs Richmond (Sun. 3:20pm AEST, MCG)

Cats In: Simpson, Motlop, Bews
Cats out:
Tigers In: Edwards, Stephenson, Thomas, Rance, Vickery, Deledio
Tigers Out: Grimes, Griffiths, Arnot (all omitted)

Congratulations to Steven Morris on his 50th game! Some very handy in for both sides, Tigers haven’t looked the same since Delidio went done with injury and Geelong will be very excited to welcome Steven Motlop back for his first game of the year. Tigers need a win badly but I don’t see it happening this week, the Cats will be coming out hungry to get back to their winning ways.

Geelong by 33 points