Fremantle’s Lachie Schultz celebrates a goal in the Dockers’ win over Melbourne at the MCG last year. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

SYDNEY v CARLTON (SCG, Friday 7.50pm local time)
The second week of the Sir Doug Nicholls Round kicks off with a high-stakes battle royale between two teams desperately attempting to stay in touch with the top eight. The Swans’ season came within a minute of being dealt a mortal blow last week, but for a North Melbourne interchange infringement at the death which served as a life preserver for them to latch onto. Before scraping past the hapless Kangaroos by three points, 12th-placed Sydney had lost six of their previous seven games, including four on the trot. Meanwhile, Carlton, which is just half a game in front of the Swans in 11th spot, has slid dramatically down the ladder, losing five of its last six after emerging from the opening month undefeated. And while both teams have faced their fair share of premiership threats in their form slumps, it has served as cold comfort for their fan bases. However, the SCG is not the Swans fortress it has been historically and if the Blues can speed up, and sharpen up, their ball use and get it in quickly to their forward 50, they will give themselves a huge chance of winning. With two Coleman Medalists in Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay up against a depleted Sydney backline missing Tom McCartin, Paddy McCartin and Dane Rampe, and featuring Lewis Melican playing his first game since the 2021 elimination final, the four points are there for the taking for the underperforming Blues.
RONNY’S TIP: Carlton by 14 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Carlton by 2 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Carlton by 29 points.

ST KILDA v HAWTHORN (Marvel Stadium, Saturday 1.45pm local time)
The Hawks are certainly heading into this game with an improved feeling about themselves after mercilessly obliterating a pathetic West Coast outfit by 116 points. The winning margin was the Hawks’ biggest ever against the Eagles in 56 meetings, and their score of 22.10 (142) was their second greatest against West Coast. Their average winning margin for 2023 has skyrocketed from 19 points to 68. But let’s not get too excited, because that sharp increase has occurred as a result of them having only won two matches from 10 this year. Suffice to say, they are going to be coming up against a very different outfit this week in Ross Lyon’s well-drilled Saints. St Kilda concedes just 68 points on average per game this season, making it the No.1-ranked defensive team in the competition, and should have few issues overcoming Hawthorn and staying in touch with the top four.
RONNY’S TIP: St Kilda by 25 points.
ROCO’S TIP: St Kilda by 28 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: St Kilda by 21 points.

MELBOURNE v FREMANTLE (MCG, Saturday 2.10pm local time)
All of sudden this match is looking a lot more attractive than it did four weeks ago. In that time, Fremantle, which will once again be adopting the moniker Walyalup this week, has won three games in a row to display the kind of form that had most pundits predicting a return to the finals for Justin Longmuir’s men in the pre-season. Meanwhile, Melbourne, who will again be referred to as Narrm, had its four-match winning run snapped by Port Adelaide last week in one of the games of the season. And let’s not forget that this corresponding fixture last year sparked the Demons’ spiral from red-hot premiership favourites to September also-rans. Prior to facing the Dockers in Round 11 last year, the Dees were riding high with a 10-0 record, but would only win six more games for the season after being stunned by Freo at the MCG and would ultimately be bundled out of the finals in straight sets. Could lightning strike twice? Why not? Especially with Melbourne prime mover Clayton Oliver (hamstring) out due to injury. Although, the Dockers have suffered a big blow themselves with revitalised small forward Michael Walters (calf) also missing. Resurgent Fremantle isn’t without a shot here, and will be buoyed by last year’s heroics at this very ground, however Melbourne is five from five at the MCG in 2023 by an average of 52 points, and will probably be just too good in the end.
RONNY’S TIP: Melbourne by 17 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Melbourne by 6 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Fremantle by 11 points.

GEELONG v GWS (Kardinia Park, Saturday 4.35pm local time)
Speaking of clubs with happy memories in enemy territory, the Giants have won their last two games at Kardinia Park. And when you consider the Cats have won 108 of their last 122 games on their home turf, it further highlights how incredible the Giants’ achievement is. However, this time around, you suspect coach Adam Kingsley is going to have to draw heavily on those memorable experiences at the Cattery, because they head into this clash without three of their most important players in Josh Kelly (hamstring), Nick Haynes (concussion) and Harry Himmelberg (concussion) who join Sam Taylor (hamstring), Isaac Cumming (calf), Adam Kennedy (knee), Phil Davis (calf), Leek Aleer (ankle) and Braydon Preuss (back) on a lengthy injury list. The Cats aren’t exactly full strength either, but while they are still without captain Patrick Dangerfield (hamstring), Mitch Duncan (hamstring), Cam Guthrie (toe), Max Holmes (knee), Rhys Stanley (eye socket), Gary Rohan (hamstring), Sam Simpson (rested) and Jack Bowes (calf), they do regain Sam De Koning and Ollie Henry. The Cats’ midfield has looked incredibly vulnerable in recent weeks without Dangerfield, Duncan and Guthrie, but GWS just doesn’t appear to have enough weaponry at its disposal to exploit the situation. A lot will be left to the likes of Stephen Coniglio, Tom Green and Callan Ward.
RONNY’S TIP: Geelong by 18 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Geelong by 32 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Geelong by 43 points.

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GOLD COAST v WESTERN BULLDOGS (TIO Stadium, Saturday 6.55pm local time)
The crowning jewel of the second part of Indigenous Round is this now annual Darwin match. This year the Bulldogs will serve as the Suns’ opponents, and they’ll be sure to provide a sterner test than what Hawthorn did during its 67-point loss to Gold Coast in the corresponding fixture last year. The Suns have proven to be competitive again this year, but are still yet to claim a big scalp (while Geelong is big in name, it was not travelling well at all when the two sides met in Round 3). The Dogs are quietly one of the form teams of the competition, having won seven of their last eight games, and should extend their winning streak to six matches this week, even without Jason Johannisen (hamstring).
RONNY’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 22 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 22 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 15 points.

WEST COAST v ESSENDON (Optus Stadium, Saturday 5.30pm local time)
It’s hard to remember a lower time in West Coast’s long and rich history. Perhaps the day it was held to one goal at Windy Hill in a 142-point smashing at the hands of Essendon? As fate would have it, they take on the Bombers this week, and while they’ve only won three of their last 36 games, one of those rare victories was against Essendon last year at this very ground. It’s a fact that will no doubt make sections of the red-and-black faithful a bit nervous. But this is a very different Bombers side to that one. Under new coach Brad Scott, Essendon has provided consistent effort and performance over the first 10 weeks, and the rollercoaster ride of commitment and intensity that has plagued its recent history is non-existent. The Eagles regain Tom Barrass, Shannon Hurn and Elliot Yeo, but the Bombers are also boosted by the return of key trio Dylan Shiel, Jayden Laverde and Matt Guelfi. The Eagles are a shell of a team bereft of any confidence, while the Dons look to be in the process of building something very meaningful, fuelled by rising belief. Essendon easily.
RONNY’S TIP: Essendon by 49 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Essendon by 30 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Essendon by 41 points.

RICHMOND v PORT ADELAIDE (MCG, Sunday 1.10pm local time)
To say it’s been a dramatic week at Punt Road would be the mother of all understatements. With coach Damien Hardwick resigning with immediate effect, the club’s most recent golden era has come to an abrupt end. The triple premiership mastermind has ridden off into the sunset and interim coach Andrew McQualter has taken the reins. Teams historically perform pretty well when there’s a change of coach, just look at North Melbourne last week against Sydney, so it might provide the Tigers with an extra surge of energy they’ll desperately need against one of the AFL’s hottest teams. Port Adelaide, which will be called Yartapuulti for the second week in a row, and coach Ken Hinkley have defied the critics to ride a seven-game winning streak into the top four. If the Power can withstand the emotional bump that Richmond will undoubtedly experience, then there’s no reason why they can’t make it eight consecutive wins for the first time since 2014.
RONNY’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 19 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 6 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 27 points.

COLLINGWOOD v NORTH MELBOURNE (Marvel Stadium, Sunday 3.20pm local time)
Full credit to the Kangaroos for showing some genuine fight for the first time in a long time last week. If not for a devastating interchange infringement, they’d be heading into this match on the back of a victory. Alas, it was not to be, and their losing streak has now stretched to eight games. They’ll once again be led by stand-in coach Brett Ratten, as Alastair Clarkson continues to take time away from the job, but truth be told, even if they bring that same level of competitiveness that they did against the Swans, they’ll still be no match for the white-hot Magpies. Collingwood is one of the most skilful and well-drilled teams in the AFL right now, and the premiership favourite will have no issue brushing aside the Kangas.
RONNY’S TIP: Collingwood by 54 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Collingwood by 42 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Collingwood by 39 points.

ADELAIDE v BRISBANE (Adelaide Oval, Sunday 4.10pm local time)
Another team travelling almost as well as the Magpies are the Brisbane Lions, who have now won their last seven matches to solidify their status as a flag fancy. They take on an Adelaide outfit that threatened to take the competition by storm early on, but has now hit a snag, losing three of its last four games to cling onto eighth spot heading towards the halfway mark of the season. Both teams have brought back the big guns for this one, with the Crows naming Taylor Walker, Riley Thilthorpe and Tom Doedee in their extended squad, while the Lions have added Daniel Rich and Darcy Gardiner, who looms as a like-for-like replacement for Jack Payne (concussion). The Crows almost took down the Magpies at Adelaide Oval a month ago, and if not for horrible goalkicking they would’ve done so. That fact will be at the front of their minds, and if they can put on a goalkicking display similar to the ones they produced against St Kilda, Carlton, Fremantle and Port Adelaide, they have what it takes to burst Brisbane’s bubble. Also, the last time the Lions travelled to this venue they were smashed by Port Adelaide in Round 1.
RONNY’S TIP: Adelaide by 15 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Brisbane by 8 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Adelaide by 17 points.

SEASON TOTALS
RONNY 65
ROCKET 60
ROCO 56