Praise the saints!
Supporting St. Kilda to overthrow Geelong last week served as an absolute attraction – and I was rewarded with a new leadership – but only through a single suggestion. Of the roar AFL tipping competition.
It calls for a celebration – silent monastic style.
But for me to reign forever and ever, as the song goes on, I need one more strong week as a make-or-break round. Three or four games appear as final even-appearances: a clear choice of games, but one where you can make a case for being absolutely upset.
As it turns out, I went for one of the three just to do it – although my choice of Carlton for Friday night may also be annoying depending on who you’re asking, so it’s probably two. Either way, I would lose my leadership if both went belly up; But fix both, and suddenly I clean the three!
If you get a 9/9 this week, let’s be honest: it won’t just be silent monks (and Dwayne Russell whenever a team hits a goal after a long drought) will sing: Hallelujah!
But have a bad week, and it will be like the version that made us all cry Shrek.
Tim Miller (last week: 7)
Carlton, Geelong, Western Bulldogs, Melbourne, Adelaide, Richmond, GWS, Brisbane, Fremantle
Touch wood – * Body-Slams Mason Wood * – But finally it seems, in the end, we’ve had a terrible Friday night clash.
The Blues have been remarkably impressive throughout the year, and have been submissive to teams throughout their midfield. That’s exactly what they did against GWS, defying the threat of a ‘sacked coach factor’ and sending Leon Cameron the winner with a great start and end.
I still remember the bulldogs in the Round 3 bullying the swans on the coal face; Although they and especially Callum Mills are better equipped to face the challenge this time around, the Blues’ midfield could be strong enough for another great win.
Saturday afternoon saw two more exciting matches, with the Bulldogs and the Gold Coast squatting in Ballarat while Geelong hosts Port Adelaide. With three of the four knocking on the top eight doors and the cats clinging to seventh place, it already has the feeling of a final-shaped afternoon.
I’m advocating for dogs to hold on to the sun based on something other than blind faith – if the sun can do what it did in Fremantle and Sydney and match up closely with the Bulldogs, their backline Mabio Chol and Levi Casbolt easily kick the winning score.
In other matches, zeal at home has never been easier, especially in Travis Bok weather. Also, who in power is big enough to handle Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron?
Two more interesting Saturday nights in Melbourne at dusk on Saturday night made a million to fill the gap. Richmond has dominated Ascendon in Dreamtime on the G for years, and it’s hard not to see that trend continue. Expect the bombers to have a fight – perhaps literally – albeit a week after being called soft.
I think Adelaide Hosting St. Kilda promises to be the most exciting match of the week. I have to thank the Saints for my new leadership in this tipping contest, but the Cuckoos seem to have won another statement a month later and for a glimpse into the first half against Brisbane. Life without Jack Steele could be a rough start for Brett Rotten.
Mark McVeigh’s tenure as GWS coach should start with a win over the West Coast Rable – I mean, the Eagles; Tassi’s trip to Brisbane to face Hawthorne is more exciting than you might think. The Hawks know UTAS Stadium as the back of their hands and knocked out the Lions when they played here last year. I’m still supporting the Lions, though – the Crows meet my annoying quota on the weekends.
After all, the Dockers should be very good for Collingwood at home, especially with a bunch of players under the weather in the Magpies. After scoring so little against the Sun, Magpies’ backline will almost certainly leak even more.
Lachi Neal (Chris Hyde / Getty Images)
Dame Panopoulos (last week: 6)
Sydney, Geelong, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Adelaide, Richmond, GWS, Brisbane, Fremantle
This is one of the rare rounds where the fixtures get worse and worse with each passing day, which is almost understandable if you want to close the foot before starting next week.
To celebrate, I’ll tip back.
Fremantle’s rate to the sun was a significant hiccup, but it was a notoriously dangerous fixture for them in the past. Collingwood has played eight times at Optus Stadium but only twice against the Dockers. Expect flags to bounce back to competitors.
The Lions have won two of their last three at UTAS Stadium, but hopefully it will be a really close encounter with Hawthorn. Wouldn’t be a upset here, but I’m playing it safely with Brisbane.
Mark McVeigh should start his coaching career with a win but please, please, play the stars
Suitable location. The Giants are a solid watch otherwise.
Saturday night’s title is Dreamtime at G, one of my favorite fixtures on the calendar. Even an outspoken pessimist couldn’t tip the bombers here, though you can expect a few more tackles than 30 against Sydney.
The other match also provides a lot of conspiracy and there is a lot to prove here for the Saints against Adelaide. They’re hyped a lot at the moment and a star win is coming off.
The Crows have a great record in this game and obviously the place is in their favor. I’ll give the house a nasty tip to be fascinated by St. Kilder – we’ll see how they cope without Jack Steele.
Unfortunately there are no Saturday twilight matches this week, although Melbourne get a chance to stretch their legs and have an extra training session against the VFL side: * check note * North Melbourne Kangaroos.
On Saturday, Arvo sees the team that likes to grab the most balls against the league’s most direct team – the Bulldogs and the Sun.
Much of this will depend on the availability of Aaron Nutton, especially given four of the last five games.
The two teams are scheduled to score less than two goals. 50/50, but wins over Sydney and Freo after leaning towards the sun.
Geelong will have to win at home, and hopefully they will start leaning to the defensive side against Port.
Finally, or first, it’s a round match.
Carlton is ticking nicely, while the swan is finally back on track after a month. I think the Blues’ forward line will be tested against a tough defense, while the Swans will be swimming at Marvel Stadium. Ripper Sydney.
(Photo by Robert Sianflon / Getty Images)
Cameron Rose (last week: 6)
Sydney, Geelong, Western Bulldogs, Melbourne, St. Kilda, Richmond, GWS, Brisbane, Fremantle
This version of the Sydney Swans likes a quick deck, and I think Carlton is going to drop a game after going 7-2 last week. Despite it being in Melbourne, Sydney will have a chance to beat the Blues in football on Friday night.
Geelong vs. Port at GMHBA Stadium There is more plot about it than a month ago. The Cats have been on a winning-losing streak for the past six weeks, and are starting to lose their aura, while flying high with four wins in a row. Although Katari has to stick with Geelong.
The Western Bulldogs host the Gold Coast in Ballarat and after a series of victories against Sydney and Fremantle, the Sons are bringing with them a new ‘anywhere, anytime’ mantra.
The people of Stuart Dew are hunting skulls, and this will be another huge feather in their hat. Dogs in a tight one.
Melbourne will obviously beat North Melbourne in the twilight game on Saturday, but at night we see the two teams on top of confidence, with Richmond and St Kilda, Adelaide and Ascendant, respectively, facing a low tide.
It’s tempting to make a shaky back, but these particular underdogs show signs of turning around their form until I go with the favorites.
On Sunday, Mark McVeigh will get his first win as caretaker coach with a stunning start against the West Coast. Hopefully he can help bring some jolt from the most annoying team in football.
Hawthorn feels like a collar skin for well-proven teams, even if they don’t win for a month. Although you want to be very professional for them in Brisbane in Tasmania.
Free host Collingwood would be wise to finish the round, and the Sons would be wise from the rate at which they scored just four goals for the game and could score just 0.2 across the middle two quarters. Sadly, it was.
They represent a new form of maturity in 2022, though, and a convincing win against Magpies would be a great opportunity to ensure that.
Rory Lob can go back to GWS. (Photo by Daniel Carson / AFL via Getty Images)
Liam Salter (last week: 6)
Sydney, Geelong, Western Bulldogs, Melbourne, St. Kilda, Richmond, GWS, Brisbane, Fremantle
It’s been a really busy week for you, so this is a quick fire tipping round: less fluff, more predictions to be proven right and wrong.
Let’s go easy first. Melbourne will win, and there is no need to negotiate. GWS – Intermediate coach and everyone – Eagles should be defeated. There should be a lot more class for the St. Killer Crows, even without Jack Steele, while Richmond is obviously a good team that is totally frustrating bombers.
As much as I want to be upset in the next match, I doubt it will happen. So Brisbane over the Hawks with confidence. It has a real chance of blowing in my face, but let’s roll with it.
Carlton and the Swans are the game of the round (imagine how many times this sentence can be said in the last few years!) I’m going to go blues, but not the slightest bit confident. Like, not at all.
Geelong Hosting The Power is a fascinating battle. Port is apparently no longer a bad team – and thus no longer ‘cool’ for relentlessly criticizing AFL talking heads – while the Cats have dropped two so-called winning games in a row. Cardinia Park has an awesome record of harboring, so the form suggests otherwise, history leans me towards cats.
Speaking of seemingly no worse teams, the Sanra are on a somewhat late form streak. But Ballard’s Bulldogs are neither wet freo nor swans in the SCG – I’m supporting the Dogs to win here.
Finally, my own team. Freo has proven that they can still ‘Freo’ a very winning game last week, and this week scares me: the Pies have a few easy ins, and Perth’s forecast for rain. I’m going back to Dockers regardless; They are one level above the Pies this year, especially at home.
| Round 10 | Team | Per | Cam | Liam | The crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAR vs. SYD | CAR | SYD | SYD | SYD | SYD |
| GEE vs. PA | GEE | GEE | GEE | GEE | GEE |
| WB vs. GCS | WB | GCS | WB | WB | WB |
| NM vs. MEL | MEL | MEL | MEL | MEL | MEL |
| ADE vs. STK | ADE | ADE | STK | STK | STK |
| RCH vs. ESS | RCH | RCH | RCH | RCH | RCH |
| GWS vs. WCE | GWS | GWS | GWS | GWS | GWS |
| HAW vs. BL | BL | BL | BL | BL | BL |
| FRE vs. COL | FRE | FRE | FRE | FRE | FRE |
| Rolling score | 56 | 48 | 47 | 51 | 55 |