We head into Round 2 after a terrific first round of football which saw upsets, embarrassing losses, and the best teams proving they were the best.
There are a series of mouth-watering contests in round two with it all kicking off with an under-fire Carlton taking on a rampaging Hawthorn at the MCG.
The round ends with a Fremantle team who were embarrassed in Round 1 taking on a 0-2 Sydney team who desperately need a win before their bye.
Let’s assess how your team can win and why in this week’s Round Preview!
Carlton vs Hawthorn
There will be plenty of pressure applied to the Blues this week and that generally brings a lift of intensity the next week for most teams. That loss against the Tigers was embarrassing.
Hawthorn were sloppy throughout against Essendon and did enough to get the job done thanks to their their potency inside 50 and key defenders being dominant in the air.
The Blues can get on top in this area throughout the game, but they also need to lower their eyes and hit targets. They went inside 50 65 times against the Tigers and just didn’t get a reward for effort.
The way they win the game is to dominate the contest, control possession, and be smarter with how they use it. We know they can do it, and Carlton’s best is very good. It all starts with pressure and winning the contest.
Prediction: I really want to tip Carlton, but it is hard to ignore the confidence and arrogance of these young Hawks. I think it will be an incredibly close contest. Hawthorn by under two goals.
Western Bulldogs vs Collingwood
What a cracking game this shapes up to be. The Dogs celebrate their 100th anniversary and are hoping for a rare home game win at the MCG against a Magpies outfit who bounced back in a big way from their Opening Round loss when beating Port Adelaide by 91 points.
If the Dogs can break even in the contest and at stoppages it will allow them to create good ball movement going inside 50, and we have seen over the last twelve months that these Magpie defenders are weak one-on-one.
If they get it in quickly and with quality, the likes of Reef McInnes and Jeremy Howe may struggle against one of Sam Darcy, Aaron Naughton, or the resting Tim English.
It is simple for the Magpies. When they break even at the contest they win most games. They were back to their best against Port Adelaide when spreading quickly and creating an open inside 50 which allowed them to have 31 scoring shots.
PREDICTION: I think the Pies will do enough to get over the line. Marcus Bontempelli and Adam Treloar will both miss again, and there are only so many injuries you can cop. Magpies by five goals.
Brayden Maynard celebrates a goal. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Essendon vs Adelaide
The glaring issue for the Bombers seems to be how they are going to stop the Adelaide attack with their best defender and interceptor in Jordan Ridley out injured.
Essendon must dominate the contest and gain control from there to win the game. I can’t see them having any other avenue of winning.
Prediction: I think this will be a comfortable win for the Crows. The likes of Jordan Dawson, Jake Soligo, James Peatling and Izak Rankine just need to break even in the midfield to see them record a comfortable victory. Adelaide by five goals.
Port Adelaide vs Richmond
Port Adelaide were horrendous last week against the Magpies and run into a young Richmond team with a bit of confidence about them after beating Carlton.
The Tigers set themselves for that round one game against the Blues and ambushed them. The question is, can their midfield stand up again in what is sure to be a hotly contested game. They were horrible in this area in 2024 but the likes of Tim Taranto, Jack Ross, and Toby Nankervis stood tall last week.
It is hard to say which offensive group will rise to the occasion. The smalls for the Tigers in Mansell, Lalor, and Campbell will have a big part to play. As will the smalls for the Power in Rioli, Richards, and Powell-Pepper.
Prediction: Port Adelaide should be able to bounce back at home. I don’t think it will be a huge margin, though, considering Zak Butters and Dan Houston are missing (or have left) who usually dominate Richmond. Port Adelaide by around three or four goals.
Ken Hinkley. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
St Kilda vs Geelong
The Cats were at their brilliant best when beating premiership hopeful Fremantle by ten goals at GMHBA Stadium, whilst the Saints looked like potential wooden spooners against the Crows when losing by a similar margin.
The St Kilda midfield in Jack Macrae, Jack Steele, Marcus Windhager and Hugo Garcia simply must win the contested ball and clearance battle if the Saints are to do any damage in the game. They are playing with a depleted forward line and need repeat inside 50s to be any chance.
They also need to be smart when entering forward 50. If they bomb it long, I highly doubt the likes of Anthony Caminiti and Rowan Marshall are going to compete with Jack Henry, Tom Stewart, Zach Guthrie and Sam De Koning in the air.
PREDICTION: With the Saints’ outs and the class of the Cats it is hard to see Geelong not winning this game with relative ease. Geelong by 40.
Brisbane vs West Coast
Is there a way the Eagles win? Probably not. The clearance and contested ball issues of the past struck again for them in Round 1 when losing the clearances by to Gold Coast by 17 and the contested possession by 43.
Unluckily for the Eagles, they now face the premiership midfield which is renowned for their clearance and contested ball work. It is hard to see the likes of Tim Kelly, Harley Reid and Jack Graham being able to match it with Lachie Neale, the Ashcroft brothers, Hugh McCluggage and the rest.
Nobody expects them to win, but their supporters expect some pride in the jumper and for them to be harder at the contest and that is what they need to provide.
Prediction: Brisbane by plenty.
North Melbourne vs Melbourne
The midfield battle in this game is fascinating. The superstars of the Giants in Tom Green, Finn Callaghan, and Toby Greene took over around the ball late to take the game away from Melbourne last week, whilst the North Melbourne midfield beat the Bulldogs last week led by Jy Simpkin, Harry Sheezel and Luke Davies-Uniacke.
I think this game will be won and lost in this area. The outs for North Melbourne aren’t ideal, but it isn’t like the Demons have great key forwards to take advantage of it.
The Melbourne key forwards need to lift and that could decide the game against a weakened Kangaroos defence.
Jacob Van Rooyen had six disposals and a goal last week, Matthew Jefferson had five disposals and kicked a couple, and Aidan Johnson had seven disposals and kicked a goal. If the young North Melbourne defence can keep these three quiet, the Demons will struggle to score.
Prediction: I think this will be another frustrating day for Kangaroo fans as their forward line connection lets them down against a good defence. Melbourne should do enough to hold them at bay with experience counting for a lot here. Demons by 20 points.
Fremantle vs Sydney
The game of the weekend wraps up Round 2 with the Dockers, who were embarrassed by the Cats last week, hosting the 0-2 Swans who are desperate to get a win on the board.
It is a hard game to predict due to how bad Fremantle played in Round 1. They were terrible, fumbly, and cost themselves about eight goals out of pure stupidity.
Sydney on the other hand, did a lot right against Brisbane and were denied late.
The question surrounding the Swans is how they are going to score. It is expected that Tom McCartin is going to swing back to help a depleted back six, which leaves Joel Amartey and potentially Peter Ladhams to spear head the forward line.
The midfield battle should in some ways cancel each other out. Sydney have their stars in Isaac Heeney and Chad Warner, but the Dockers also have Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw, and potentially star recruit Shai Bolton. If one of the midfield groups can get a significant advantage on the other, it is curtains.
Both defensive structures struggle under fire, and if there is repeat ball coming inside 50 without pressure, they won’t be able to handle it.
Prediction: I think the Dockers bounce back to win a close one at home. If they break even in the midfield the Swans will feel the outs defensively and concede a losing score off the back of that. Fremantle by two goals.
William Cornwillhttps://https://ift.tt/Z8U0HCV Round 2 preview: Is Sunday night already an eight-point game?
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