We have two Sunday games left to go in Round 9.
Here are the selections and analysis for the remaining fixtures.
Sunday, 3:35pm, Metricon Stadium
GWS has owned the battle of the expansion teams since 2015, winning their last eight encounters with Gold Coast. During that time, the Giants launched to the top while the Suns wallowed down the bottom. Now, Gold Coast actually sit higher on the ladder than GWS.
Gold Coast has been tough to take down at Metricon Stadium this year, with only Port Adelaide and the Bulldogs beating them there. The Giants meanwhile are yet to win a game away from their home turf and their win over Richmond papered over the cracks of a team that cannot move the ball from one end to the other and cannot get it inside 50. Toby Greene singlehandedly bailed them out to that end.
However, the Giants have been able to get games on their terms despite these issues whenever they get on top in the clearances – as we saw on Friday night – and they should have midfield ascendency over the Suns if they can limit Jarrod Witts’ inevitable ruck dominance.
Expect a tight game with Gold Coast no longer the prey of top teams, though recent weeks suggest one of GWS’ star forwards will catch fire and it may be enough to separate the two teams.
Tip: GWS by 9 points
Nic Negrepontis
Sunday, 6:10pm, Optus Stadium
Fremantle will look to spring another surprise against Collingwood in their Round 9 encounter in Perth.
The Dockers caused a boilover by stunning the Magpies by four points at the MCG last season thanks to a late goal from Michael Walters, snapping a four-game winless run in the process.
Nathan Buckley’s side were on the end of a 66-point hiding to West Coast at Optus Stadium last time out, their first loss since relocating to a Perth hub.
Already without Steele Sidebottom (suspended), Jordan De Goey (finger) and Jeremy Howe (knee), the understrength Pies were further depleted when captain Scott Pendlebury pulled out minutes before the opening bounce with a tight quad.
Pendlebury will miss the next two weeks after scans discovered a slight strain to his quad.
With four games in 13 days spread across three cities, it’s set to be a testing period for Collingwood but also a good opportunity considering all four opponents – Fremantle, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne – sit outside the top eight.
It’s the third of five straight home matches for the Dockers who have shown signs of improvement under rookie coach Justin Longmuir.
They could only muster just two goals in Monday night's dour loss to Geelong.
The Magpies have won their last two games against Freo at Optus Stadium by an average margin of 19.5 points.
Tip: Collingwood by 21 points
Alex Zaia
