AFL - Round 12
West Coast v Carlton
The Blues are on a roll – a very bad one. And now they roll all the way across the Nullarbor to play a slick Eagles side who’ve had a week of well-earned R and R. Oh dear. The Blues running style may well be assisted by the open spaces of Subiaco and they may well have the tall timber, but they still won’t get close. Dispirited and coming off a short break , Carlton are the guinea pigs in a Thursday night experiment which will yield a nasty result. Eagles by 42 points.
Adelaide v St Kilda
I always think of the `97 Grand Final when I see this fixture. And I reckon the result here will go the same way. This is a tremendous opportunity for the Crows to assert their authority. The Saints have a talented mid-field and some new-found pace, but the home side has these qualities by the bucket-load as well. I’ve got a feeling this is not a match for ageing (and slowing) stars, but it is a match for the Dangerfields and Sloanes of the world. The Saints may be building, but Scott Watters will have to pull a tactical rabbit from the hat to take the points here. Adelaide, in a top match, by 17 points.
GWS v Richmond
Well, they are the tragi-comic character of the AFL. No, not Shiraz Sheedy’s Giants. The Tiges.The Tiges can always find a way to keep themselves in the conversation and this week, while their fans are in tears, the footy world is smirking. Now, what if the Giants come out and kick the first three goals of this home fixture? Which they can. How do the Tiges wobble? If anyone can plan a crazy approach to exploit a mentally fragile opponent it is Sheeds and Choco Williams. This is an intriguing contest, and I reckon the Giants at the line are worth a ticket. But, then again, the Tiges might just bully them. Richmond by 44 points.
Gold Coast v North Melbourne
The Suns are starting to look like a bit of a shambles, much to the frustration of those who have put their hearts and souls into it. With GWS on the scene there is a tendency to forget how young this Gold Coast side is (and how old their senior players are). Meanwhile North need a win. This contest will be all about the level of motivation in the Suns and the sustained pressure they can bring to the Kangas. The Roos will be too strong in the big-man brigade and equally strong in the scraps. They should win easily. North by 52 points.
Hawthorn v Brisbane
The Hawks have all of the talent, and they have started to move the ball in a way which will trouble the Lions. Buddy is loving it. Add J. Roughead and D. Hale and you’ve got recurring nightmares for the visitors. Not to mention Cyril. Just too much firepower. The Hawks by 45 points.
Western Bulldogs v Port Adelaide
These two sides are in similar stages of their (re)development, although I reckon the nucleus of Dogs stalwarts puts them ahead. However, the Dogs last performance, against Sydney, was deplorable. The up side is that they have had a week off, while Port were being belted by the Hawks. The fresher side at home should prevail. The Doggies by 19 points.
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