Schedule Preview & Breakdown
Gold Coast Suns v Geelong at Metricon Stadium, Saturday twilight game
The Suns finally return home after travelling far and wide for the first 10 weeks.
Metricon is restored after hosting the Comm Games and the Suns will relish being back there.
Suns fans will also be excited about the players returning.
Skipper and Star Forward, Tom Lynch is back after being out with that knee injury.
Fellow tall Day also returns along with the classy Jack Martin and this is suddenly a real danger game for the Cats.
Geelong's form has been bland to say the least of late and they were not all that convincing against Carlton last week.
Their much hyped Midfield has not really clicked as yet and Ablett is a shadow of the player he once was.
Duncan's whilst good, is not playing at last years level and either is Dangerfield who has been very slow out of the blocks this year.
Up Forward big Hawkins is struggling at times and they are missing the goal scoring nous of Menzel.
Early in the season the Cats were getting terrific output from their young players, especially Tim Kelly.
Unfortunately Kelly and a few others form has dropped off as late which is to be expected especially with 1st year players.
A road trip to Queensland for a tired looking Cats is not what they need right now and they will be desperate for the freshen up in Bye week.
I think the rested young Suns team with their main man Lynch back up front will have too many goals in them this week and will cause the upset.
Prediction: Gold Coast by 19 points
Essendon v Richmond at the MCG, Saturday Night
The marquee match up of Indigenous Round see's a suddenly in form Essendon play a suddenly shaky Tigers team coming in off the back of an unconvincing win over the Saints last week and a flogging from West Coast in Perth the week before.
A couple of weeks ago I would of said this game was a matter of how much will Richmond win by but now I don't know.
The Bombers pressure game is back with a bang and they have been incessant the last two weeks in victories over Geelong and GWS in Sydney.
Essendon also regain arguably their most important player in Hurley and will rely on his excellent marking and foot skills to spring board their attack off half back.
Hooker looks a much, much better player when down back and for mine they just need to leave him there.
Up Forward the Dons suddenly have options even without Daniher.
Mckernan has found a purple patch of form late in his career and probably just in time!
Stringer suddenly looks revitalized and is back to looking menacing both in the air and on the ground.
Fantasia is slowly building to his best and once it clicks for him, the Bombers will be even more dangerous.
The Tigers are going to need a lot more out of their Midfield if they are to win this match and namely from Dustin Martin.
Dusty is playing like a man that finds the game all too easy, has won everything that can be won and is now bored.
He has so many more gears to go and needs to get that hunger for the contest back.
A big Saturday night game under lights against a traditional enemy in front of a big crowd is probably just what the footy doctor ordered for him.
I am mindful Riewoldt is in serious doubt given that concussion last week and that could leave the Tigers Forward line a little exposed in the air.
However, I think Essendon might be in for a bit of a lesson on how you really apply the pressure screws this week from a team that has been doing it for longer and more successfully than they have.
The Bombers in form Midfield of Heppell, Zaharakis and Merrett will keep them in this game for a long time but I expect the Tigers to eventually break them and get clear on the scoreboard.
Prediction: Richmond by 20 points
West Coast v St Kilda at Optus Stadium, Saturday Night
I'll keep this one about as short as West Coast's odds are this week.
The Eagles haven't lost since Round 1 while St Kilda haven't won since Round 1.
On top of that this game is being played at Optus Stadium in Perth where even the reigning Premier got smashed and a ground where West Coast are close to invincible.
The Saints have about as much chance of winning this as the Aussie's do of winning the World Cup.
Prediction: West Coast by 60+
© Copyright 2018 by BRO Sports® Network