Captain Marcus Bontempelli will be central to the Western Bulldogs’ plans of upsetting Sydney. Photo: AFL MEDIA

WESTERN BULLDOGS v SYDNEY (Marvel Stadium, Thursday 7:30pm)
It wasn’t so long ago that the reign of Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge appeared to be nearing an end. But as he has done so often through the years, he has managed to right the ship after a bumpy start to the season with back-to-back wins over Richmond and, more significantly, former flag favourites GWS on the road. It’s been a stunning about-face from the Dogs, who had lost four of their previous five games, and all of a sudden they’re only a game outside the top eight. But if they want an accurate indicator of just how “back” they are, then they’re going to get it this week in the form of the white-hot Swans. Sydney is sitting on top of the ladder and the new premiership favourite for a reason. It has few weak links, if any, on the field, and is supercharged by a formidable midfield unit that seems to be getting better and better each week, as the poor old Blues found out last round. The Bulldogs’ dramatic form turnaround has been encouraging, but to take down the Swans, they’re going to have to be at their absolute optimum, which is something they have failed to prove they can maintain consistently all season.
RONNY’S TIP: Sydney by 15 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Sydney by 16 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Sydney by 17 points.

FREMANTLE v COLLINGWOOD (Optus Stadium, Friday 6:10pm)
A contender for match of the round, this promises to be an absolute ripper. The Dockers are only outside the top eight by percentage and are just half a game back from fifth-placed Collingwood. If Freo kicked straighter last week, they probably would’ve beaten the Saints by over 50 points. They have now kicked 13.33 in their past two matches, which is extremely concerning. And they’re going to have to take as many chances as they get this week because they face the awakened giant in the reigning premiers. After making their worst start to a season since 1999 (0-3), the Magpies are undefeated in their past seven matches to rocket back into flag calculations. A feature of their resurgence has been the return of their manic pressure, which their opponents have found nigh on impossible to cope with. And Collingwood’s ability to manufacture winning scores in the past two weeks in particular, with basically its entire regular forward line missing, has been marvellous. They will once again head into battle this week with a decimated attack missing Jamie Elliott (vascular), Jeremy Howe (groin), Will Hoskin-Elliott (hamstring), Reef McInnes (concussion) and Dan McStay (knee), but they do hope to regain Brody Mihocek (hamstring) and Beau McCreery (concussion). Their issues don’t stop forward of the ball, either, with Jordan De Goey (abdomen) back on the sidelines again alongside Tom Mitchell (foot). Can the Pies keep producing the goods with such a hefty injury list? A trip to Perth will provide the sternest test of that question yet, and the Dockers will back themselves to burst the black-and-white bubble.
RONNY’S TIP: Fremantle by 13 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Fremantle by 4 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Fremantle by 9 points.

NORTH MELBOURNE v PORT ADELAIDE (Blundstone Arena, Saturday 1:45pm)
Did the Power get out of jail last round or what? The famous train robber Ronnie Biggs in his wildest dreams couldn’t have devised such an audacious heist. Port Adelaide played terribly for most of its game against Hawthorn, but to its credit found a way to score one of the most unbelievably dramatic wins in recent memory. Ordinarily, such a performance would have raised concerns about the Power this week, but luckily for Ken Hinkley’s men, they won’t be subject to a meaningful acid test until Round 12, because they get to dine out on the competition’s easybeat North Melbourne more immediately. To the Kangaroos’ credit, they were definitely competitive for three quarters against Essendon on Sunday, but the problem was they got absolutely smashed in the third term, which decided the game. Until North finds away to string four quarters of footy together, it will likely continue to struggle to register its first win of the year. And with captain Connor Rozee (hamstring), Lachie Jones (hamstring) and Trent McKenzie (quad) all available again this week for the Power, the Roo boys look set for loss No.11 in a row as their worst start to a season since 1972 continues.
RONNY’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 27 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 58 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 45 points.

CARLTON v GOLD COAST (Marvel Stadium, Saturday 1:45pm)
The Blues are officially experiencing an injury crisis. They head into this match without Adam Cerra (hamstring), Sam Docherty (knee), Jack Martin (calf), Matt Cottrell (foot), Marc Pittonet (finger), David Cuningham (calf) and Jack Silvagni (knee), while serious doubts hover over Jacob Weitering (quad). There are also murmurings that Tom De Koning could be unavailable too. However, it’s not all doom and gloom with Adam Saad (hamstring), Lachie Fogarty (wrist) and Jesse Motlop (hamstring) pressing their claims for senior recalls. But even if all three get up, the Blues are missing a whole lot of man power. And it could open the door for the upstart Suns to continue the sensational form they’ve displayed at their new fortress up at Darwin where they absolutely took North Melbourne and Geelong to the cleaners in consecutive weeks. Marvel Stadium isn’t exactly a happy hunting ground for the Suns, who have lost five of their last seven games at the venue, and the Blues will probably still just be too good in the end. However, this is a danger game for 10th-placed Carlton whose season is teetering precariously at 6-4.
RONNY’S TIP: Carlton by 10 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Carlton by 20 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Gold Coast 11 points.

PLEASE HELP US CONTINUE TO THRIVE BY BECOMING AN OFFICIAL FOOTYOLOGY PATRON. JUST CLICK THIS LINK.

GEELONG v GWS (Kardinia Park, Saturday 4:35pm)
The Giants are in one hell of a hole having now lost four of their last five games and dropped to sixth on the ladder. But if one thing could cheer them up, it’s their record at the Cattery. For decades, it has proven to be a graveyard for almost every AFL team, but not GWS. The Giants have remarkably won their last three games at the feared venue, which almost sounds like a made-up statistic given the Cats’ sheer dominance at Kardinia Park over such a long period of time. However, to continue that streak going, Adam Kingsley’s men are going to have to undergo a form transformation similar to the one that their most recent vanquishers the Bulldogs experienced. Low on confidence, energy and desire in recent times, it’s hard to see how the Giants get it done. And with Jack Buckley (calf) and Darcy Jones (hamstring) joining Josh Kelly (calf), Lachie Ash (calf), Callum Brown (suspension) and Isaac Cumming (hamstring) on the sidelines, the enormity of the task becomes even more pronounced. With Jeremy Cameron (concussion), Tom Hawkins, Mitch Duncan and Sam De Koning (hamstring) all potentially returning for the Cats, it would be surprising if their unexpected losing streak stretched into a fourth game.
RONNY’S TIP: Geelong by 15 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Geelong by 18 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Geelong by 15 points.

RICHMOND v ESSENDON (MCG, Saturday 7:40pm)
The Bombers are second on the ladder after 10 games. That’s right, the Bombers are second on the ladder after 10 games. It’s a remarkable achievement for a team that not many picked would make the finals in the pre-season, especially in one of the most wide-open premiership races of all time with so many other teams seen to be genuine flag fancies. But Essendon is right in the thick of it nearing the halfway mark of the season, and it has been able to do it thanks to its newfound grunt, hardness, pressure and attack on the ball – or, dare we say, the ‘Essendon edge’. But it’s more than that. The Dons’ backline is as cohesive as it’s been for many years, and is set to get another boost with star defender Jordan Ridley (quad) back for his first game of the season, while their forward line is multi-pronged and contains numerous threats. That all spells disaster for the Tigers who have been smashed by injuries and resemble a team that has had the bottom completely fall out of it. They’ve lost their past two games by an average of 105 points and are as non-competitive as they’ve been in almost 20 years. The Bombers should have few issues beating the Tigers in back-to-back games for the first time since 2012.
RONNY’S TIP: Essendon by 52 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Essendon by 28 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Essendon by 45 points.

HAWTHORN v BRISBANE (Marvel Stadium, Sunday 1:10pm)
How will the Hawks react to losing the unlosable game last week? Will they come out breathing fire fuelled by rage? Or will they slink back into their shells, still traumatised by the final 30 seconds from hell? It had better be the former option, because they are running into a pride of Lions fresh from a merciless kill and with the taste of blood still in their mouths. Brisbane’s brutal 20-goal takedown of the lame Tigers last week sent a message to the rest of the competition that Chris Fagan’s men are still here and not an outfit to be taken lightly. The Hawks have been very impressive and much more competitive in their past five games, after a terrible 0-5 start, but they’re going to have to bring that fight, and then some, against last year’s runner-up who look set to regain star forward/midfielder Zac Bailey (ankle). Hawthorn could be bolstered by the returns of Chad Wingard, captain James Sicily (shoulder/ankle) and Ned Reeves (hand), but will probably struggle to return to the winners’ list.
RONNY’S TIP: Brisbane by 21 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Brisbane by 16 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Brisbane by 11 points.

MELBOURNE v ST KILDA (MCG, Sunday 3:20pm)
The Saints have become almost unwatchable. They have the fourth-worst attack, with only Hawthorn, North Melbourne and Richmond below them, and cannot kick a decent score. In their past two matches they have averaged a paltry 54 points and alarmingly one of those efforts was under the roof at Marvel Stadium in perfect conditions against Fremantle. Coming up against a seething Melbourne outfit on the rebound from its shock loss to West Coast in Perth last round, it’s hard to mount a case for St Kilda whose only victory in the past six games has been against the winless Kangaroos. Melbourne has its issues to be sure, with star defender Jake Lever (concussion/knee) out and fellow premiership backman Jake Bowey (ankle) also in doubt. But surely the Demons will still have too much class and flair for the dour, bland Saints.
RONNY’S TIP: Melbourne by 32 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Melbourne by 24 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Melbourne by 23 points.

ADELAIDE v WEST COAST (Adelaide Oval, Sunday 4:10pm)
Seeing West Coast competitive more consistently has been one of the highlights of season 2024 after its horrendous previous two years. The Eagles are now back to a level where they are very dangerous at home, but they still have a lot of work to do to become as ominous on the road. Their average losing margin outside of WA is 51 points this year and as exciting as No.1 pick Harley Reid has been in their three wins, he is yet to crack 20 disposals on the road and has only kicked one goal away from Perth Stadium so far. The challenge now for both Reid and his Eagles is to translate their scintillating home form elsewhere. Will they be able to do that against the Crows? It’s going to be a tough task considering they came so close last week to beating the Magpies before yet again falling short by under a kick. But the loss of Izak Rankine (hamstring) is a hammer blow for Adelaide after his magnificent performance in Round 10, and the potential return of Elliot Yeo (groin) certainly boosts West Coast’s chances. The Crows have been in very good form since Round 4 without getting maximum reward and they should have the Eagles covered at Adelaide Oval.
RONNY’S TIP: Adelaide by 17 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Adelaide by 22 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: West Coast 9 points.

SEASON TOTALS
ROCO 57
RONNY 57
ROCKET 56

*all times are local