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It hasn’t been a great start to season 2018 for the Adelaide Crows. After going limp in the final quarter against Essendon last week, they’ve had a poor week in the media with talk going around about a cult-like preseason camp.
There’ve been some positives – Rory Laird has signed on until the end of 2021, and captain Taylor Walker is expected to return to the side this week – but fair to say we have some nagging concerns ahead of the grand final rematch.
Richmond did get a win in Round 1 but would be left asking a question or two about their form. A more comfortable victory was probably expected over Carlton.
That said, they were dominant in the closing stages of the game and it may have been the wakeup call they needed to start the season off right – and it didn’t cost them the four points.
Thursday night’s match is definitely one of the hardest this week to tip, but I’ll go with the Tigers. They’re playing slightly better football and I suspect they’ve got the mental edge too.
Last week’s Water Ball game in Cairns will have left North sapped of energy and while St Kilda didn’t necessarily impress in Round 1, they shouldn’t struggle to get over the line on Good Friday.
Carlton and Gold Coast both impressed in Round 1. While Gold Coast got the win and the Blues didn’t, Carlton look to be a few years ahead of the Suns in their development and have the home ground advantage.
Collingwood have a decent historical record against GWS and do have the home ground advantage – it’s just not enough for me to tip against the Giants’ imperious form though.
Melbourne will need to put last week behind them when they travel to play Brisbane. If they apply themselves in the same way, they’ll get a far better result this time around.
I picked Fremantle for an upset last week… and won’t be making that mistake again. Essendon’s form to start the season was extremely encouraging and they should pick up another win here.
How much should Round 1 affect where we rank teams? Who we’re tipping in Bulldogs versus West Coast probably depends on that. I’ll go the hot hand and tip the Eagles but not with a lot of confidence.
Sydney versus Port Adelaide is probably the most promising match of the round given the rousing footy both sides played in Round 1. Home ground advantage and defensive prowess says Sydney for me but it could go either way.
With all due respect to Tom Mitchell, he’s no Dangerwoodblettfield. Cats should get a big win on Easter Monday.
As for a lock of the week? Hate to say it but it’ll be the Saints to thrash my boys on Friday. If any Saints players are reading and feel like getting way too confident and then putting in a terrible performance, though, go right ahead lads.
Adrian Polykandrites
Richmond, St Kilda, Carlton, GWS, Melbourne, Fremantle, West Coast, Sydney, Geelong
It doesn’t look like much has changed for the Tigers, but I’m a little worried about the Crows. The Sloane-Gibbs-Crouch midfield was fantastic, but without Lynch and Walker they broke down far too often across half-forward. They also looked vulnerable when the ball hit the deck in defence. Uh-oh.
Carlton got a lot of praise for their positivity against the Tigers, and that’s deserved. They leaked too much defensively, but should be too good for the Suns at Etihad.
GWS should likewise be too strong in each part of the ground for Collingwood at the MCG, though the Pies have a habit of randomly getting up for this kind of game.
Melbourne must beat the Lions if they’re serious. I think they’re serious.
I don’t know why I like the Dockers against the Bombers. Call it a gut feeling. Call me an idiot. Whatever you need to do.
Bulldogs versus Eagles is a coin toss but I can’t tip the Dogs after what they dished up in Round 1 – that was putrid.
Home-ground advantage is all that splits the Swans and the Power, who both impressed first up.
Easter Monday looks like the game of the round to me. I loved the way the Hawks moved the footy against Collingwood and their forward line seems to have its mojo back – inserting Cyril Rioli and Shaun Burgoyne will do that.
Despite all that praise, I like the Cats in a close one – aren’t they always?
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Cameron Rose
Richmond, St Kilda, Carlton, GWS, Melbourne, Essendon, West Coast, Sydney, Geelong
The grand final re-match is one of three games vying for “match of the round” status, and is a great way to kick off the Easter weekend of football.
Both Adelaide and Richmond played well for three and a half quarters in Round 1, but were completely asleep for the other 15 minutes – the Tigers at the start of the game, the Crows at the end.
Is Adelaide a bit mentally soft in the aftermath of last year, and the events that have made the press this week? Richmond to win a close one.
St Kilda should win Good Friday football against North. It’s hard to find an upset on Saturday based on what we saw in Round 1 – Carlton, GWS, Melbourne and Essendon should all be too good, even if the latter three are all travelling interstate. The Blues wouldn’t want to take Gold Coast too lightly, it must be said.
The final three games of the round all carry great meaning. Can the Bulldogs bounce back after a deplorable performance against GWS? Did West Coast play above themselves in the first game at their new home ground? I’m backing the Eagles, but with no confidence.
Sydney and Port looks like a cracker on Sunday evening. Buddy put on an awesome display, and has devastated against Port before at the SCG. Have to stick with the Swans to be able to blunt the Power attack.
On Easter Monday, we see the traditional Geelong versus Hawthorn clash, and both teams looked sharp to open the season, securing wins in the process.
We’ll get our first look at Dangerfield, Ablett and Selwood playing together, and given the Hawks are more of a solo act through the midfield, it has to be advantage Cats.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
TomC
Adelaide, St Kilda, Carlton, GWS, Melbourne, Essendon, Bulldogs, Sydney, Geelong
There are a lot of games this week where I’m sorely tempted to pick an upset, but have chickened out as usual.
I’ll tip the Crows to win the Grand Final rematch in front of a parochial crowd, but not with a great deal of confidence.
Carlton and Gold Coast looks like an interesting contest, but I’ll back the home team in the Blues after some good signs last week.
Fremantle at home to Essendon is more than a danger game for the surging Bombers; I see it almost as a coinflip.
The Dockers will get a boost from their fans at the new stadium, much as the Eagles did, and Perth is a difficult away trip for any Victorian team, particularly one pushed all the way in a tiring first round.
Nevertheless, the differences in the form from Round 1 and the teams on paper is just too great to go past, so I’ll lean towards Essendon.
The Bulldogs clearly have a few problems to work out, but I’ll still back them to beat the Eagles at the Docklands. The protected conditions play much better to the home team’s strengths than West Coast’s.
We might just get our first look at Geelong’s holy trinity in Dangerfield, Selwood and Ablett on Easter Monday, and I think they’ll be too much for the Hawks.
Elsewhere, St Kilda to have too much firepower for North, GWS to have a rare win at the ‘G over Collingwood, Melbourne too strong for Brisbane, and Sydney to continue Port’s run of losses against top sides.
| Round 2 | Josh E | Adrian P | Cam R | TomC | The Crowd |
| ADE vs RIC | RIC | RIC | RIC | ADE | RIC |
| NM vs STK | STK | STK | STK | STK | STK |
| CAR vs GCS | CAR | CAR | CAR | CAR | CAR |
| COL vs GWS | GWS | GWS | GWS | GWS | GWS |
| BL vs MEL | MEL | MEL | MEL | MEL | MEL |
| FRE vs ESS | ESS | FRE | ESS | ESS | ESS |
| WB vs WCE | WCE | WCE | WCE | WB | WCE |
| SYD vs PA | SYD | SYD | SYD | SYD | SYD |
| GEE vs HAW | GEE | GEE | GEE | GEE | GEE |
| Total | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 |