Schedule Preview & Breakdown
Adelaide v West Coast
Two suddenly out of form sides meet and both will be desperate for a win.
It could almost be curtains for 2018 if the Crows do not take advantage of home ground and a decimated West Coast Forward line.
The Crows get important soldiers back for this clash which swings the game in their favour.
Sloane and Laird are two massive ins plus the under rated Luke Brown.
Both Laird & Brown's run off the half back line will be very important for the Crows as it also frees up Seedsman to go further up the field to the Wing where he is arguably more damaging.
Where the goals will come from is West Coast's problem now since they are without Darling, Kennedy and Lecras.
Waterman has struggled without support from the two big Forwards and McInnes has found the step up from WAFL football too much so far.
The Midfield battle looks very even and is highlighted by Sloane, Crouch, Gibbs v Gaff, Shuey and Yeo.
If anything I give the Eagles the slide edge due to in-form Nit Nat who will give Jacobs the run around and be dangerous in the clearances.
Despite the loss of Betts I just think the Crows Forwards will outscore their counterparts as Tex is working back into some great form and so is Jenkins.
Prediction: Crows to get a much needed victory by 10 points.
Gold Coast v Collingwood
It is hard to put up a case for Gold Coast in any football match this year and the end of the seasons cannot come quick enough for them.
Star Forward Tom Lynch has been ruled out for the rest of the season in an all too familiar injury blow for the Suns.
New coach Dew will be seriously tested on the run home to keep his side competitive and I can't see them getting anywhere near Collingwood in this match.
Looking at the match ups, despite the loss of Treloar, the Pies still have the Suns seriously out gunned.
Newly resigned De Goey, Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Adams, Phillips and a surprisingly in form Mayne will be an overwhelming force for poor Lyons and Swallow who desperately need Gold Coast to recruit them some help in the off season.
Down back for the Pies Howe is a general and with no Lynch or Day you can expect him to give the Pies complete aerial supremacy with Dunn set to get the job on 2 metre Peter.
The Suns defence will be strengthened by May and Thompson returning but the Pies do not rely on their Key Forwards for goals as get so many from their Midfield plus smaller Forwards.
Hoskin Elliott, star first-round pick Stephenson, De Goey, Thomas, there are just so many goal-kicking options for the Pies these days and they will win this one comfortably.
Prediction: Collingwood by 50 points
GWS v Hawthorn
This is a match of huge importance for both GWS & Hawthorns finals chances.
Both teams have a live chance for September action but it's by no means a certainty so they need to keep winning.
GWS job got harder this week with the heavy five week suspension to star Forward Cameron for his brutal hit on Andrews.
Lobb is a very handy Forward replacement though and has recovered from injury just in time.
The Giants will also need Himmelburg & Patton to stand up in Cameron's absence to help GWS kick winning scores in not just this game but also the weeks to come.
Key Forward is an area that has troubled Hawthorn this year as well.
Roughy battles manfully and will always give an honest performance but is understandably not the star he once was.
Sicily is far better as a Defender and O'Brien is not coming on as hoped which leaves a lot of the scoring responsibility to Gunston and Breust who both struggle for the consistency they had in their Premiership years.
Shaw, Davis and Haynes make for a very stingy GWS defence and I struggle to see the Hawks getting enough goals to win this one unless their Midfield can get right on top.
Getting on top of the GWS Midfield that has Superstar Josh Kelly back in form is much easier said than done.
Kelly, Shiel, Coniglio, Whitfield are a big four players and are now getting some supported further by Griffen and a fast developing Hopper.
Burgoyne going out only further hurts the Hawks rotations which is going to make this trip to Spotless Stadium difficult.
GWS with home ground advantage and too many guns should win this comfortably but I am always nervous when I pick against Hawthorn.
Prediction: GWS by 24 points
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