PREVIEW OF ROUND-SIX AFL MATCHES (ALL TIMES AEST):
FRIDAY, April 27:
Western Bulldogs v Carlton at Etihad Stadium, 7:50pm
Head to head: Bulldogs 53 Blues 87 Drawn 4
Last clash: Round 17, 2017 – Bulldogs 12.10 (82) bt Blues 9.8 (62) at the MCG
TAB Sportsbet odds: Bulldogs $1.42 Blues $2.90
William Hill odds: Bulldogs $1.43 Blues $2.90
This one is hard to pick, given Carlton are yet to win this season and the up-and-down Bulldogs are coming off a 54-point loss to Fremantle. The Blues will fancy their chances after a much-improved performance against West Coast. Significantly, after bleeding more than 100 points in the first three rounds, the Blues’ defence kept the Eagles to 79.
Key: Marcus Bontempelli was one of the Bulldogs’ better players last weekend, but Dockers star Nat Fyfe dominated the midfield. If the ‘Bont’ can step up on Friday night in his dual role around the stoppages and in attack, he’ll be a tough player for the Blues to stop.
Tip: Bulldogs by 20.
SATURDAY, April 28:
Geelong v Sydney at GMHBA Stadium, 1:45pm
Head to head: Cats 121 Swans 100 Drawn 0
Last clash: Semi-final, 2017 – Cats 15.8 (98) bt Swans 5.9 (39) at the MCG
TAB Sportsbet odds: Cats $1.40 Swans $3.00
William Hill odds: Cats $1.40 Swans $2.95
The Swans are obviously at a disadvantage with Lance Franklin (heel) and Dan Hannebery (groin) sidelined, but Daniel Menzel (groin) is also a big out for the Cats, having booted 15 goals this season. The venue formerly known as Kardinia Park is a graveyard for visiting teams – the Cats have won 18 of their past 20 games there – but those two losses have been to the Swans.
Key: The last time Sydney captain Josh Kennedy had less than 20 touches in consecutive games was late in 2013. The Swans insist there’s nothing wrong with him and they badly need a lift from one of the game’s premier midfielders.
Tip: Cats by 10 points
North Melbourne v Port Adelaide at Etihad Stadium, 2:10pm
Head to head: Kangaroos 21 Power 11 Drawn 0
Last clash: Round 17, 2017 – Power 19.13 (127) bt Kangaroos 8.9 (57) at Adelaide Oval
TAB Sportsbet odds: Kangaroos $2.50 Power $1.55
William Hill odds: Kangaroos $2.50 Power $1.52
It’s been a week from hell for the Power – Lindsay Thomas suspended for four games, ongoing fallout from the Sam Powell-Pepper investigation and Hamish Hartlett might be gone for the season with an ACL injury. And they’ve lost their past two games. Now they face North, the league’s big surprises after five rounds, whose confidence is soaring after doing a number on Hawthorn. After a 3-0 start that was full of promise, the Power badly need to dig in and grind out a win. The Kangaroos are without clever forward Shaun Higgins (concussion).
Key: While Port won two games without Paddy Ryder, they continue to struggle without their All-Australian ruckman. North ruckman Todd Goldstein lowered his colours to Max Gawn in round three, but he’s returned to form since and will be a major headache for Port at the stoppages.
Tip: Power by 20 points
GWS v Brisbane at Spotless Stadium, 4:35pm
Head to head: Giants 4 Lions 2 Drawn 0
Last clash: Round 14, 2017 – Giants 22.14 (146) bt Lions 12.14 (86) at The Gabba
TAB Sportsbet odds: Giants $1.11 Lions $7.00
William Hill odds: Giants $1.10 Lions $7.00
Well into the second half last Saturday, the Giants had managed just one inside-50 tackle against St Kilda and commentator Wayne Carey was deriding them for playing a “pretty” brand of footy. They still should have iced the game and were lucky to escape with a draw. It’s their first Spotless Stadium game this season and they will be too good for the Lions, who are winless. But Giants coach Leon Cameron will want a harder edge to his team’s efforts.
Key: The Giants will have taken careful note of how Touk Miller was all over Lions star Dayne Zorko, restricting him to just 10 possessions. GWS will also remember the one blight on Zorko’s All-Australian season last year was his five disposals against them.
Tip: Giants by 40 points
Hawthorn v St Kilda at University of Tasmania Stadium, 7:25pm
Head to head: Hawks 80 Saints 72 Drawn 2
Last clash: Round 6, 2017 – Saints 19.16 (130) bt Hawks 8.7 (55) at University of Tasmania Stadium
TAB Sportsbet odds: Hawks $1.33 Saints $3.40
William Hill odds: Hawks $1.36 Saints $3.20
What sort of contest this is will hinge largely on which St Kilda fly south. If it’s the Saints who took it right up to the Giants last weekend, they’re every chance. If that was just a tease and they lapse back to what they’d produced in the previous three weeks, Hawthorn will enjoy a non-contest. North showed last week that the resurgent Hawks are gettable and St Kilda enjoyed a big win last year in Launceston. While James Sicily’s suspension hurts the Hawks, Shaun Burgoyne is a welcome return.
Key: Paddy McCartin. Saints coach Alan Richardson notes this is the first time the No.1 draft pick has played five-successive AFL games. While the Saints continue to struggle in attack, he kicked three goals against GWS. He can play.
Adelaide v Gold Coast at Adelaide Oval, 7:40pm
Head to head: Crows 10 Suns 0 Drawn 0
Last clash: Round 5, 2017 – Crows 23.15 (153) bt Suns 13.8 (86) at Metricon Stadium
TAB Sportsbet odds: Crows $1.08 Suns $8.50
William Hill odds: Crows $1.10 Suns $7.00
If this was at Metricon Stadium, given the Crows’ long injury list and Gold Coast’s encouraging start to the season, this might be a danger game for Adelaide. But the Crows at Adelaide Oval are a nightmare proposition, especially given they are coming off a morale-boosting upset win over Sydney. While Gold Coast certainly have shown this season they can make this a genuine contest, Adelaide have too much depth. It’s the upset of the season if the Suns get up.
Key: Suns co-captain Tom Lynch has made a solid start to the season with 14 goals, putting him sixth on the Coleman Medal tally. But Crows key defender Daniel Talia is also in excellent form, conceding just one goal last week to Lance Franklin.
Tip: Crows by 60
SUNDAY, April 29:
Essendon v Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, 1:10pm
Head to head: Bombers 129 Demons 82 Drawn 2
Last clash: Round 6, 2017 – Demons 17.10 (112) bt Bombers 10.14 (74) at Etihad Stadium
TAB Sportsbet odds: Bombers $2.05 Demons $1.80
William Hill odds: Bombers $2.00 Demons $1.80
Neither of these teams has lived up to the considerable hype they attracted during the off-season. The Demons showed some encouraging signs on Anzac Eve, albeit in a comprehensive 46-point loss to Richmond. They should fare better against the Bombers, who looked way off the pace during their Anzac Day defeat to Collingwood. Tom Bellchambers was well beaten in the ruck by Brodie Grundy and faces another stern test from Demons star Max Gawn.
Key: Jesse Hogan has spent more time rotating through the Melbourne midfield this season but there’s no denying his best impact is up forward. His presence should go a long way towards keeping Bombers playmaker Michael Hurley accountable.
Tip: Demons by 26.
Collingwood v Richmond at MCG, 3:20pm
Head to head: Magpies 117 Tigers 88 Drawn 1
Last clash: Round 2, 2017 – Tigers 14.15 (99) bt Magpies 11.14 (80) at MCG
TAB Sportsbet odds: Magpies $2.65 Tigers $1.50
William Hill odds: Magpies $2.60 Tigers $1.50
The stage is set for an absolute classic with the two biggest teams in the league firing on all cylinders. In fact, Collingwood’s Anzac Day demolition of Essendon means this is arguably the biggest match between these two bitter rivals since the 1980 grand final. Both sides must contend with short turnarounds, although the Tigers will have an extra few hours up their sleeve. The reigning premiers are in ominous form, but the resurgent Magpies look to have rediscovered their mojo after a miserable 2017.
Key: No one plays the MCG better than Richmond, who have won their past 11 games at the home of football. And no team in the league is more difficult to score against, as Melbourne – who were steamrolled in the final quarter on Anzac Eve – can attest.
Tip: Tigers by 16.
Fremantle v West Coast at Optus Stadium, 4:40pm
Head to head: Dockers 20 Eagles 26 Drawn 0
Last clash: Round 17, 2017 – Eagles 11.8 (74) bt Dockers 5.14 (44) at Subiaco Oval
TAB Sportsbet odds: Dockers $2.30 Eagles $1.65
William Hill odds: Dockers $2.30 Eagles $1.62
The western derby hasn’t provided much genuine rivalry of late, but a strange feud over the Ross Glendinning Medal might add some much-needed spice. Fremantle banked a solid 54-point win last week over a woeful Western Bulldogs outfit, but their form has been fleeting. The Eagles are sitting pretty in second on the ladder, although their 10-point win over Carlton last week was far from convincing. Josh Kennedy was quiet but would love to feast on the Dockers with just one major needed to overtake Peter Sumich as West Coast’s leading goalkicker.
Key: Nat Fyfe looks to be back to his best and simply must fire if the Dockers are to have any chance of avoiding a sixth-straight derby loss. Look for Elliot Yeo to again run with the 2015 Brownlow Medallist in the hopes of restricting his influence.
Tip: Eagles by 23.