Opinion
The first game of Round 17 should be a ripper.
Melbourne who have regained their mojo and can again claim to be the best team in the comp will play one of the form teams of the comp and try to do the almost impossible: beat Geelong at home at Kardinia Park.
Both teams have a lot at stake. A loss by Melbourne would see their 4 point buffer disappear and whilst they would still likely be top of the ladder, a number of teams could make their top position shaky. For Geelong, a loss would most likely see them tumble down the ladder and the loss of the psychological advantage a win would give them. Mitch Duncan this week draws level in games played with Paul Chapman who won a best & fairest, a Norm Smith medal and 3 premiership medallions in his time at the cats from 2000 to 2013.
The returning Melbourne captain, Max Gawn will equal David “Ox” Schwarz’s games tally. Schwarz won the Demon’s best and fairest in 1999.
Game 2 sees two last round losers, separated by 2 positions, 4 points and 1.4 percent on the ladder in a game that could see their ladder positions reversed with one side in the top eight and the other one outside. Both Sydney and the Western Bulldogs will be desperate for a win. At Sydney, Luke Parker will tie with Mark Browning as the 11th greatest game player at the Swans. Browning was at the Swans when the move from South Melbourne to Sydney was made He was the club’s best & fairest in 1983 band captain for part of 1984 and all of 1985. Tom Liberatore, son of Bulldog star Tony, will draw level with 1967 best & fairest John Jillard.
Collingwood has won 3 out of every three games they have played against the Kangaroos and should extend their present winning streak against all comers. With the worst percentage of all 10 competitors for a final spot, the Magpies will be keen to follow most clubs this season and inflict another heavy loss on North Melbourne, but can they keep up their winning sequence?
(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Gold Coast – if the surprise results keep coming – are still an outside chance to make the finals but Richmond now have the second most efficient attack in the competition, and are gaining momentum and even at Metricon should prove too good. Meanwhile, Shane Edwards should continue to build his reputation, equalling the games tally of Wayne Campbell at Richmond, and both Campbell and Lenny Hayes on the AFL Top 100 game players list.
St Kilda and Fremantle will have a season shaping battle at Docklands with the winner being able to plan for a more certain September appearance. Jack Billings (St Kilda) will play his 150th game. And that will take him to level with 1930’s champion Jack Davis who won three Saint best & fairest. Darcy Tucker will equal Clive Waterhouse’s games total.
In the last four games of the weekend, only Brisbane and Carlton have some skin in the game and both would be expected to win despite the recent improved form of their opponents, Essendon and West Coast respectively.
At Brisbane, Ryan Lester will equal Chris Scott, at Essendon Dyson Heppell will equal Mark Mecuri, and at Carlton Patrick Cripps will equal Ken Baxter and Vin Waite. Eagle Josh Kennedy should return from being rested last week and – if he does – he will equal Guy McKenna as the 5th greatest game player of all time at the Eagles.
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