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As the business end of the season approaches the early Saturday game between reigning premiers Richmond and third-placed Collingwood is a sell-out and expected to be an enthralling contest.
Some of the ‘fizz’ of the game will be missing due to the absence of two of Collingwood’s main contributors in Adam Treloar and Jordan De Goey, but it will be interesting to see how competitive the Magpies can be against the short-priced favourites for the game and the premiership.
One of the key players in the game will be Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy playing his 100th game.
Richmond will be missing Bachar Houli from their best 22, but one of the Tigers’ strengths is the quality of their replacement players, and David Astbury and Jayden Short (who plays his 50th game this weekend) have both risen to the challenge, and Dylan Grimes has now joined the top 100 all-time game-players at the club, the ninth current player to do so.
(Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Essendon are warm favourites to beat Sydney at Etihad Stadium on Friday night to keep their finals hopes alive and further dampen the Swans’ chances. In this game Mitch Brown will play his 50th AFL game, which includes his 15 games over four seasons for Geelong, and the recently returned David Zaharakis will pass Alan Noonan’s games record to become number 41 on the Bombers all-time top 100 game-players list.
Geelong will be hoping that the bookies are right as they currently have the Cats as the second-shortest-priced favourite to beat the much improved Brisbane Lions in the second Saturday game at the Cattery. At home Geelong has too much to lose to let this one slip. but they need to bring their A-game to the contest as the Lions will be strengthened and inspired by the return of Harris Andrews and Luke Hodge.
The battle of the cellar dwellers will see Jarrod Harbrow bring up 150 games for the Suns, and that should be enough inspiration for them to win at home against Carlton.
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The main focus of the Melbourne vs Adelaide game will be the 300th game of Jordan Lewis. Nine players finished their league careers on exactly 300 games, and it was considered a remarkable achievement. Some limped over the line. The first of these was John ‘Sam’ Newman in 1980, but the last, Kane Cornes, retired while in full flight in 2015. These players now fill positions 76 to 84 on the all-time AFL top 100 and will drop even further if Eddie Betts, David Mundy and Lance Franklin play on next year.
Despite Adelaide having their two most experienced players, Richard Douglas and David Mackay, unavailable, they will fight hard to remain relevant in 2018, and it is time for Melbourne to show their true worth.
On Sunday Port Adelaide and Hawthorn know what is required to get the job done, but North Melbourne, despite celebrating the 200th AFL game of Shaun Higgins, will have their work cut out trying to hold the rampant West Coast Eagles, where Nathan Vardy celebrates his 50th game.
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