Another shortened round looms large with a Thursday night blockbuster between the Cats and Crows kicking things off.
The Pies are back in action on Friday against a Giants team desperate for a win, while the same can be said of the Lions on Saturday when they take to Marvel to face the Saints.
Later that same night, it could be do-or-die time for Brad Scott and the Bombers, although an equally disappointing loss could land Alastair Clarkson right back on the hot seat at Arden Street.
There’s just as much at stake on and off the field for the winner of Sunday’s Carlton vs Melbourne fixture back at the ‘G, and you can find our tips for all seven games in our Round 3 Preview here!
There’s suddenly a bit of pressure on Matthew Nicks and the Crows to get things right. Last week’s spirited fourth quarter fight back against the Dogs resulted in a six-point loss, a disappointing result that has shone a large spotlight on Adelaide’s slow ball movement and inability to lay a tackle inside their defensive 50. Those kinds of glaring issues might be compounded even further on Thursday against a well-rested Cats team playing its second game in a row at GMHBA Stadium. Geelong staged its own fourth quarter comeback two weeks ago against the Dockers and have enjoyed a week off to rest some injured stars. The Crows last win in Geelong came way back in 2003 and we’re yet to see them really dominate a second half like they did last year. Ranking low in the tackles and clearances department through two games, I’m siding with the Cats at home.
The last two meetings between this pair have resulted in blowout margins the way of GWS, but with the Giants nursing a long injury list, it’s no shock to find the Pies favoured heavily fresh from the bye. Credit where it’s due, the Giants came out with a wet sail to trim the margin to only four points in last week’s loss to St Kilda, but we’ve already noticed a growing trend with Adam Kingsley’s side giving up 19 combined first half goals over the last fortnight. Fortunately, the Pies are guilty of playing some slow, low-scoring footy that some have labeled boring. Collingwood ranks bottom six in inside 50 entries to start the year, and with the Giants still acting as the walking wounded, the Under is the way to go here.
How much can you really take away from St Kilda’s four-point win over the Giants last week? Ross Lyon’s squad led by as many as five goals before GWS mounted a comeback, although it was encouraging to watch the Saints build on two agonising performances against Collingwood and Melbourne in the week’s prior. The Lions, on the other hand, return from the bye with some key faces set to return to the side. Darcy Gardiner, Logan Morris and potentially Hugh McLuggage all stand a chance at playing, and the timing couldn’t be any better with the Lions still searching for their first win. It’s a big game down back for the Saints against a Brisbane forward line loaded with attacing weapons. Just like in years past, the Saints have allowed just under 10 goals a game – good for the sixth-fewest in the league. The Marvel factor is worth considering here, but with the Lions still less than full strength and the Saints leaving a lot to be desired, a low-scoring afternoon is how I’d play this one.
The Dockers have enjoyed the spoils of an extra week at home after taking care of the Demons last Saturday by 48 points. After promising all offseason to play more attacking footy, Freo smacked Melbourne for seven early goals in the first term as Andrew Brayshaw, Connor Treacy and Shai Bolton had their hands all over the footy. Things weren’t quite as pleasant for the Tigers, who went down by 10 goals to the relentless Suns. Sitting 18th in points per game, Richmond continues to dispose of the ball efficiently and win the clearances when it matters most. For the Dockers, last week’s win was important, but so to is a blowout victory against an inferior opponent on Saturday. Expect Justin Longmuir to have his side revved up and ready to make a statement.
By far the most fascinating game of the round, even if it’s for all the wrong reasons. There’s a ‘Loser Leaves Town’ type vibe with coaches Brad Scott and Alastair Clarkson firmly on the hot seat, although it’s fair to argue the leash on the latter is longer after North opened its season with a promising win over Port Adelaide before last week’s meltdown against West Coast. On the back of another lifeless performance against Port themselves last week, the Dons have dominated the news cycle with their lack of effort, leadership and culture on full display. Scott offered little for Bombers fans to feel good about post-game as he now faces some serious decisions ahead of team list Thursday. It’s worth noting the Bombers have won 12 in a row over North dating back to 2017, but aside from Nate Caddy and Dyson Sharp, how could you possibly feel good about anything Essendon is serving up right now? If Harry Sheezl finds plenty of the Sherrin and Nick Larkey dominates up forward like he has over the first two weeks, North should be winning.
Big game for two clubs that no one really fancied to finish anywhere near the top eight. The old saying “you’re only as good as your last game” firmly applied to the Eagles on Sunday as Andrew McQualter’s side improved sharply on a strong second half against the Suns the week prior, walking away 17 point winners against North Melbourne with the likes of Harley Reid and Elliott Yeo coming up big. Likewise, several of Port’s key veterans stood up in a handy 63-point win over Essendon, setting up what could be a close fought game on Sunday. The loss of Connor Rozee to a hamstring really hurts the Power through the midfield, which was an area of the ground West Coast began to exploit as the game went on against North. Several of West Coast’s goals came off centre clearance wins to go with 59 entries into the forward half of the ground. It was only one game, but we got a serious glimpse into the Eagles’ future and there was plenty to be excited about.
The Blues have held the wood over the Dees for the better part of three seasons, although it’s worth factoring in that each of their last four wins against Melbourne have come by no more than eight points. Whether an early bye after beating Richmond by a small margin a fortnight ago was what the Blues needed is debatable, especially on the back of another forgettable second half. Melbourne, meanwhile, heads home following a blowout loss to Fremantle in Perth. The Dees were on the back foot early and failed to lead at any point in the game, a stark contrast to their emotional win over St Kilda the week prior. Melbourne’s growing injury list makes this an even bigger ask for first-year coach Steven King, although the wayward Blues aren’t exactly the healthiest team themselves. Struggling to string together four solid quarters with Michael Voss still under scrutiny, I’m backing the Under – which has saluted in eight straight between these two sides.