The Easter weekend is upon us, which means five straight days of footy – yay!
But it also means no games on Saturday afternoon until 4:30 – aww.
It’s a bumper weekend that features surely the most important grand final rematch in decades, with Collingwood and Brisbane both winless to start the season and probably only one more loss away from things REALLY hitting the fan.
There’s also the annual Good Friday match between North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs Carlton (no I’m not bitter), and Easter Monday between Geelong and Hawthorn always delivers something memorable, even if it’s not necessarily a good contest.
Like last week, this is also a deceptively difficult round to tip – there are three or four games that could swing either way, and to get a perfect 8 you’ll almost certainly need to pick an outsider.
The only question is… which one to back?
Tim Miller
Last week: 5
Brisbane, Carlton, Fremantle, St Kilda, Port Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, Sydney, Geelong
A speed run of the easy games first – Carlton might get a scare but should be too powerful for North Melbourne, Sydney are just better than Richmond, Geelong have dominated Easter Monday in recent times and that should continue against Hawthorn, and if the Western Bulldogs lose to West Coast at home AGAIN I doubt I’ll survive the trip home.
That leaves four matches that have me pondering them nervously, and two which are genuinely line-ball.
The first of the latter is Thursday night – a grand final rematch with more at stake than ever. Collingwood are facing their toughest test since Craig McRae took over, while Brisbane seemed equally off the boil in the first few rounds.
It has been five years since the Pies beat the Lions at the Gabba, which is enough to sway me – Brisbane in a tight one, the Pies to 0-4.
I’m more comfortably picking Fremantle at home to knock off a 0-2 Adelaide, given their form – but the Crows have every reason to come out with a head full of steam, and with the Dockers’ first quarters poor in both their recent wins, things could really get worrying for them if they go down by six or seven goals instead of four or five.
Ditto Essendon and St Kilda, both minus suspended spearheads – St Kilda seem the stronger side on paper, but there’s something about the Bombers, particularly their newfound strength around stoppages, that suggests the Saints’ backline will be in for the fight of its life. Still, Saints for me.
That leaves the toughest game of all – Port Adelaide hosting Melbourne. If this was at the MCG, I’d have no hesitation backing the Demons, who have started 2024 in great shape and look a stronger outfit than the Power.
But it’s at the Adelaide Oval, and the Dees head over without Steven May. That’s enough for me to side with the home team – but if you’re picking a roughie this week to try and get ahead of the game, I’d recommend Melbourne.
Darcy Moore celebrates Collingwood’ 2023 premiership win. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
Dem Panopoulos
Last week: 7
Collingwood, Carlton, Fremantle, St Kilda, Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, Sydney, Geelong
Now we’re cooking.
We’ve got high-scoring games, winless grand finalists, suspensions making headlines and press conferences surrounding sagas that are just being uncovered – footy’s back.
It’s hard to look past tonight’s game as the best of the round, before the Easter Bunny hops its way into our lives. Typically, you’d think the Lions would win, with some extra motivation from the grand final, the fresh legs after a week off and a style of play that will challenge the Magpies’ deepest defenders, who have struggled so far this season. On the other hand, there’s a group in the reigning premiers that has so much to prove.
This game should be a classic – I think it’s time Darcy Moore stood tall, took the main match-up inside defensive 50 and proved why he’s one of the top three defenders in the league.
Friday night’s game is certainly intriguing too – the Dockers have been a dominant second-half team in the opening couple of weeks with elite pressure and good offensive ball movement to wrestle back momentum and take control, while Adelaide did the exact opposite to what was suggested last week and maintained a slow, uninspiring style of football.
Put simply, if Matthew Nicks doesn’t change things, the Crows absolutely cannot win in Perth. This one’s a really exciting game to tune into for that reason alone.
An unconvincing Power team comes up against a Melbourne outfit which is a bit undermanned and in the headlines once again.
I didn’t have Port in my top eight and they’ve done nothing to convince me that they could be in the opening fortnight of the season. At home, this is their opportunity.
Harry McKay. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Cameron Rose
Last week: 5
Brisbane, Carlton, Fremantle, Essendon, Port Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, Sydney, Geelong.
I’m loathe to tip Collingwood having a fourth loss in a row, but anecdotally, it feels like grand final rematches often have the reverse result when the two teams first meet the next season. Brisbane to win at home and consign the Pies to a 0-4 start.
Essendon has been unfairly maligned this week, and if they bring the same attitude and effort they did against Sydney, they can beat a St Kilda outfit that might be a bit happy with themselves right now.
Port v Melbourne is probably the match of the round, and with no Steven May, I’m siding with the home team.
Liam Salter
Last week: 6
Brisbane, Carlton, Fremantle, St Kilda, Port Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, Sydney, Geelong
Tipping went swimmingly last weekend, with my faith in the Suns – or rather, faith against the Dogs – my most significant miss.
It’s easy not to make that mistake this weekend, as the Dogs host the Eagles – anything less than a comfortable win here is very bad indeed.
My other miss, shared with all my colleagues except Dem, was backing the reigning premiers Collingwood in. They face an equally ‘lowly’ club this week, with the Lions also not having won this season.
The ultimate comedy result? A draw. What my head says? The Lions, in a thriller.
The South Australian sides face intriguing clashes. The Crows have never beaten a top-eight side away from home in the Nicks era – while calling Freo a top-eight side remains foreign to me, that is technically what they are and the Crows’ streak should stand, with the Dockers running high on confidence after two strong wins (first quarters excluded, of course).
The Power host the Demons, and while the have looked strong, their opposition hasn’t exactly been sterling – Port to win at home here.
The Swans, Blues, Cats and Saints are my remaining picks – in order of confidence.
Shai Bolton fends off a Jake Lloyd tackle. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
| Round 3 | Tim | Dem | Cam | Liam | Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BL vs COL | BL | COL | BL | BL | ? |
| NM vs CAR | CAR | CAR | CAR | CAR | ? |
| FRE vs ADE | FRE | FRE | FRE | FRE | ? |
| ESS vs STK | STK | STK | ESS | STK | ? |
| PA vs MEL | PA | MEL | PA | PA | ? |
| WB vs WCE | WB | WB | WB | WB | ? |
| RCH vs SYD | SYD | SYD | SYD | SYD | ? |
| HAW vs GEE | GEE | GEE | GEE | GEE | ? |
| LAST WEEK | 5 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| ROLLING TOTAL | 13 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 15 |
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13th Man
Roar Rookie
What’s wrong with playing games on Good Friday? It’s a public holiday, nothing controversial about it… About time something happens on Good Friday - it’s impossible to go to the shops which is a bit of a joke in this day and age.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I've always done fine with the tips...apart from when I don't get around to putting them in. You'll see. North is on the way up.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Yes, I get you now. If footy dictated to TV more, they'd realise they have more power than they realise. Just tell them our times. Footy's a cash cow. They'll crumble.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Hahaha. That’s why you never do any good at the tips. Brisbane scored no goals in the second and one in the third. This is never good football.
RT
Roar Rookie
I mean when they have 5 30 pm start times at Peeth Stadium on a Friday. Ridiculous for people attending.
Laurie
Roar Rookie
Allen Jakovich 9 games
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Who does that? I love the 4pm start. It's all over by 7.30. Everyone's happy because I can then watch a RomCom with the missus.
RT
Roar Rookie
Yes. And we don't care if you miss the start of a game on a Friday night either.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
We don’t rely on them because we don’t care either.
Laurie
Roar Rookie
Well done picking Saints and Cats last week
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
I dunno, just wondered
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Was it? Pretty good, hey? Were Nick Larkey, the King boys, Charlie Curnow, Jeremy Cameron there? I wonder if he’ll be conceded as a threat before the mid-season bye. The best thing about him is for every goal he kicks, he gives off at least that with a handpass or a pin-point foot pass. Then there are his lightning chase downs and block/shepherds.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Since 1990?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Don't imagine that says anything about Freo. It is an indictment of those pundits. But...for those of you who rely on those pundits for any knowledge of Freo games, you're not being well serviced.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Brissy was actually very good. Quick and hard on the tackle. The press hardly touched that game in review…The Roar completely ignored it. I get why folk don’t recognise it’s quality. North was very good. They will beat the Cats when they meet. Freo has had 2 very good wins.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
It is also the most ridiculous time of the day for games at Optus in early autumn. The declining sun interferes with players' vision and its glare is a challenge for TV vision between shade and sunshine. Yet, apparently, it is more important for east coast families to not stay up late than to have an unimpeded game of footy.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
It was on AFL 360 the other day. Lockett and Hawkins were 2 of them. I think Jack Anthony might have been one...that's a worry.
PriddisJunior
Roar Rookie
Who is the other 4?
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
This bye nonsense is annoying aF
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
We need to get the NRL attendance numbers up.