With only four AFL matches today I feel a little cheated. There is a bit of consolation, however, as they should all be close (with the exception of Carlton). GWS will take on St Kilda, West Coast get easy points against Carlton, Port Adelaide face off against Geelong and Freo play Footscray.
Tipping this season in all Aussie sports has been horrifically difficult. Teams have been plagued by inconsistency, and pre-season predictions have been worth less than the paper they are written on. After all, who would have picked the Magpies outpecking the Crows by 48 points last weekend in the AFL?
I’m going to try and pick the winners for today’s matches, but with very little confidence. Common sense and form should tell us how the games will go – but they haven’t been much help as a guide so far this AFL season!
In the first match up today an in form Giants lineup travel down to Docklands to face St Kilda. Last weekend GWS gave Fremantle a belting, while the Saints were thrashed by the Cats. That said, the Giants don’t have a great record (or much support) in Melbourne. This game will be closer than many are predicting, and while I think GWS will be too good that doesn’t mean they will be.
The second game will see Carlton at home against West Coast. West Coast are second on the ladder, with three wins from four games and a for/against percentage of 136.1. Carlton are at the bottom of the ladder, with no wins from four games and a percentage of 61.2. In a normal season this would be another thrashing for the struggling Blues – but this year, of course, it means they have a good chance.
The third clash is at the Adelaide Oval, when the Power take on the Cats. Port Adelaide has the stronger side, but they copped a street mugging from Essendon last week. Geelong have largely flown under the radar this year, but they are still a dangerous team with some champion players left. Port should win at their home ground, but Geelong will make them work.
The final game will take place at the new Optus Stadium in Perth. Fremantle and the Western Bulldogs will be a good match – close, if not especially skilful. The Doggies have a team that is very high on potential, but currently low on experience. If they can get on a roll they will be hard to stop, but in a tense match they may not be able to handle the pressure yet. The Dockers should win this one in the fourth quarter.