The Roar's AFL expert tips and predictions: Round 2

Who’d be a tipster after that round?

Up was down, right was left and almost nothing made sense in an equally enthralling and demoralising weekend of upsets last week. Our expert panel got knocked around, The Crowd managed four, and AdelaideDocker’s normally pedestrian score of five was enough to see him top the ladder for the week.

Were Round 1’s outliers just that? Or are scary new trends emerging that we still don’t have a grasp on?

In any case, we’ve got to somehow dust ourselves off and hope the rest of the season proves slightly easier to pick.

Stirling Coates
Richmond, Adelaide, Essendon, Port Adelaide, Melbourne, West Coast, Brisbane, Hawthorn, Fremantle
A preliminary final rematch gets us underway in Round 2. You can’t help but look at Richmond and Collingwood and be reminded of Thursday and Friday last week – a simpler, bygone era when results made sense.

We’ll learn a lot about the Tigers this weekend, given Alex Rance’s unfortunate injury but, even in his absence, I’m picking them to avenge last season’s preliminary final defeat with a hard-fought victory.

Sydney versus Adelaide the following evening represents the other end of the Round 1 spectrum, with both sides disappointing. The Swans put together a blistering final quarter to make it close, but they were downright horrible for most the match on Saturday night.

(AAP Image/Joel Carrett)

Adelaide don’t get a pass mark for their effort a week ago either, but they do play at the SCG reasonably well. John Longmire has some tinkering to do, and it may see his side let another match slip.

The other big-ticket match would have to be the Cats taking on the Demons at that alphabet soup stadium of theirs. Melbourne simply could not have been any more disappointing last week. Given the constant swirlings of mental weakness at the club, there’s every chance it could be the catalyst for a miserable 2019.

That said, the Dees have proved they can play well in Geelong. This is their chance to make a big statement and I’m backing them in.

Saturday’s other matches see the lower-placed side bizarrely starting as the favourite in most cases. Essendon got wiped off the map on Sunday, but St Kilda fared worse in only defeating Gold Coast by a point – so you’d have to go with the Dons.

West Coast should be able to get off the mark and edge past a Giants team that doesn’t travel very well – but watch out if they don’t.

It would be such a Port Adelaide thing to do to back up last week’s heroics with a goose egg against the Blues, but I think they’ll avoid that fate.

Sunday’s suite of matches should see Brisbane – who are somehow the outsiders with the bookies – get over North Melbourne, Hawthorn should be able to down the Western Bulldogs, while Fremantle can dare to dream of first place with a win over the Suns.

Fun fact: Did you know that, outside their minor premiership season of 2015, Fremantle have been atop the ladder at the end of the round only once in club history?

Jabs at the Dockers’ colourful competitive history aside, they do earn the prestigious honour of being my Shoe-In of the Week.

Marnie Cohen
Richmond, Sydney, Essendon, Port Adelaide, Geelong, West Coast, North Melbourne, Hawthorn, Fremantle
I have spent far too long weighing up my tip for Thursday night; it’s the game I have struggled most with so far this year.

I don’t know if it’s wise to tip Richmond in week one without Alex Rance, but I simply cannot bring myself to go against them. The Tigers will be seeking revenge after they were embarrassed by the Pies in last year’s prelim and will be out to prove that their defence is good enough to stand up against a potential contender without Rance.

I have also tipped against Collingwood for the same reason I tipped against them last week – aside from their spectacular September, the club won just one game against a top-eight side in 2018. They came close to Richmond twice but were outrun and outclassed by a better side in the final quarter. It will be close, but my gut is telling me Richmond.

Essendon and North will bounce back after what was a deplorable start to the season for both sides. Neither are in for an easy day at the office, but they all have what it takes to bounce back. Same goes for Sydney.

(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/AFL Photos/Getty Images)

I loved the look of Geelong in pre-season, I loved that their form continued in Round 1 against the Pies and I expect it to roll on into week two. The Dees, on the other hand, were so disappointing after quarter time against Port and while they’ll respond on the field, I doubt it’ll come against the Cats.

West Coast have already had a big week off the field and that will roll into the weekend as the reigning premiers unveil a fourth premiership flag. As impressive the Giants were last week, I can’t see the Eagles losing this at home.

If Freo dismantle the Suns like they did North last week, they may just find themselves on top of the AFL ladder at the end of Round 2.

Daniel Jeffrey
Richmond, Adelaide, Essendon, Port Adelaide, Melbourne, West Coast, Brisbane, Hawthorn, Fremantle
Everyone knows Round 1 tipping doesn’t really count, right? Right!?

Unfortunately, this week doesn’t start off any easier. I’ll take the Tigers over the Pies tonight even with Alex Rance out. Surely Mason Cox can’t mark Collingwood to a victory for the second time in a row against Richmond.

Both Sydney and Adelaide were tremendously disappointing last week. I’ll take the Crows on a hunch they’re capable of improving more in a week than the Swans, and the fact they don’t have to worry about Alastair Clarkson tomorrow.

(Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

Essendon should beat St Kilda, but that’s got more to do with the opposition than their own quality. Port Adelaide will comfortably account for the Blues at home, and expect a bounceback performance from Melbourne after they didn’t show up last week. I’ll tip them in a tight one over the Cats.

West Coast versus GWS will be one of the games of the round. The Giants were mightily impressive last week, but it’s too early to tell if that was due more to them or their opponents. The Eagles away from home is a step up, and one which may prove too much.

If last week is anything to go by, Brisbane will be far too strong for the Kangaroos, even on the road. Hawthorn and the Bulldogs were two of the more impressive sides in Round 1, and their encounter promises to be a good one. I’ll take the Hawks thanks to the Clarko factor, but not by much.

If the Dockers have genuinely learnt how to score this year, and last week wasn’t just a one-off, they could challenge for a finals spot. They’ll beat the Suns, and easily.

AdelaideDocker
Collingwood, Sydney, Essendon, Port Adelaide, Geelong, GWS, Brisbane, Hawthorn, Fremantle
Oh, man. Last week was… interesting. Nevertheless, we must persevere.

Thursday and Friday night’s games feature four teams that underperformed last week. Richmond won, Collingwood didn’t, but I’m tipping that Collingwood will find something extra in a scrappy game.

I’ll also be backing Sydney to beat the struggling Crows – home ground advantage has to count for something, yes?

Essendon hosting St Kilda has all the signs of a potential upset – St Kilda wasn’t good last week, but the Bombers were worse. It’ll be disastrous if the Dons lose, but I’m, not quite confident enough to tip that result.

Sunday’s North versus Brisbane game is also a difficult one. Based on form, you’d expect the Lions to win, but it remains to be seen how ferocious the Kangaroos will be after last weekend’s loss. I like to be a little risky though, so Brisbane will make it 2-0.

Hawthorn will also win that day against what’ll be a competitive Bulldogs side, while Freo – god help me – should also beat the Suns, comfortably.

The remaining three games will see Port Adelaide easily account for the Blues, Geelong should defeat the Dees (who’ll be under a heap of pressure come Monday morning) and GWS will spring a surprise away win against the reigning premiers.

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