The halfway mark of the 2014 AFL home-and-away rounds has just been reached, and another fascinating set of fixtures lies before us.
There are some interesting and unpredictable games coming up this weekend.
Melbourne versus Collingwood and Fremantle versus Adelaide are ready to impress viewers, while Geelong versus Carlton and Hawthorn versus West Coast will entertain us in one way or another.
I’ll do my usual preview and tips fof another week of AFL footy. Enjoy.
Can the Cats prove themselves in a Friday night fixture?
For the first time since perhaps the end of 2012, Geelong is under the pump. Their 2012 season ended when they lost unpredictably to Fremantle in an elimination final. Yet they managed to rebound and produce a brilliant 2013 season, where they were a goal away from getting to the grand final.
Now they have the blowtorch back on them, as they look to finally be slipping away from the fantastic footy that brought them three premierships since 2007.
A loss to Fremantle was followed by a close win against North, yet they managed to fall back against the Swans last week and got punished for it. Here is another chance for the Cats to rebound as they play a Blues side coming off a controversial week after losing to the bottom side in Brisbane and axing one of their players.
Geelong will come out hard and have something to prove. They will record a 41-point victory. If the Cats can get on a streak they could make the top four, but Carlton are now close to out of the finals race.
Can Gold Coast show how good they are?
Gold Coast can be one of the better teams of the season when they are on form. They showed that this season until they fell to a Crows side that has found some form.
Before last round, Gold Coast were beating everyone and looked likely to make the finals for the first time in their short history. But now they face their test as they take on the form team of the competition in Sydney, who are looking good after a complete demolition job on Geelong.
The Swans look likely to kick on and produce a solid away victory, but if Ablett can match Sydney’s midfield then it will be quite close. Sydney by 36 points.
Finally, an intriguing Queen’s Birthday clash
For years Melbourne have been the main joke team of the competition. They have been picked on and treated like dirt. Yet here is the year where they can start to rebuild and show the other teams what they can produce.
Collingwood have completely dominated the Demons since 2011, with the Demons stuck to the bottom end of the table and the Pies consistently playing finals footy. Melbourne are now in dangerous form since, but the Magpies are still a gear or two ahead of the Demons. Collingwood have the class and poise to grab another win and storm towards the top four. Pies by 25 points.
Tips:
Geelong by 41
Hawthorn by 30
Port Adelaide by 66
Bulldogs by 18
Essendon by 33
Sydney by 36
Fremantle by 10
North Melbourne by 48
Collingwood by 25
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