Mason Cox, who could be back in the Magpie line-up, during his five-goal effort last Queen’s Birthday. Photo: AFL MEDIA

RICHMOND v GEELONG (MCG, Friday 7.50pm local time)
Just as the Tigers looked like they were nearing their very best footy, they suffered a huge upset loss to North Melbourne last week which brought them back to earth. It’s not the first time that’s happened to them this year either – a month earlier, the Western Bulldogs also routed them after they’d won three games in a row. And compounding things for them is a serious double blow to their backline, with David Astbury (hamstring) and Brandon Ellis (groin) ruled out. But they do regain Daniel Rioli and Jack Graham. However, Richmond is still missing eight of its best 22 and the ladder-leading Cats have only further bolstered their stocks with the returns of Gary Ablett and Rhys Stanley. The Tigers have won their last three against Geelong, but the Cats have only lost one game this year for a reason. They’re a seriously good football team and most importantly they’re very settled. They’ll be hard to beat, and their record at the MCG this year is a perfect three from three as well.
RONNY’S TIP: Geelong by 21 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Richmond by 6 points.

CARLTON v BRISBANE (Marvel Stadium, Saturday 1.45pm local time)
You only have to look to last week to see the effect a coaching change can have on a side. North Melbourne caused one of the upsets of the season against Richmond in caretaker Rhyce Shaw’s first game in charge, and Carlton will naturally be hoping for a similar outcome this week when David Teague takes the reins less than a week after Brendon Bolton’s sacking. But the difference between the Kangaroos and Blues is that the Roos’ form was actually on an upward curve before Brad Scott departed. The same cannot be said for Carlton, which has been woeful of late with its last three scores all under 60 points and its last six matches all losses – three of which were nothing short of insipid. The returns of Dale Thomas, Mitch McGovern and Kade Simpson will no doubt help a young Carlton side that desperately lacked direction against the Bombers last week, but the Blues’ opponents are a serious outfit. The new-coach effect will probably release the shackles for Carlton, but it would be a great effort if the bottom-placed, one-win Blues, who have lost 39 of their last 43 games, managed to topple the Lions.
RONNY’S TIP: Brisbane by 17 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Brisbane by 24 points.

GOLD COAST v NORTH MELBOURNE (Metricon Stadium, Saturday 4.35pm local time)
How long will the new-coach effect last for the Kangaroos? They are enjoying one hell of a honeymoon period under Shaw, and they’ll be hoping it will last as long as possible – and certainly for at least another week against the Suns. After putting up meaningful resistance for the first two months of the year, the cracks are starting to appear at Gold Coast, and they’re widening by the week. In fairness, injuries to many key players are probably starting to take their toll, but Jarrod Harbrow and Touk Miller are good inclusions for them. Having said that, it’s hard to see how they can rein in a North Melbourne outfit brimming with confidence and appearing to have a new lease of life under Shaw.
RONNY’S TIP: North Melbourne by 20 points.
ROCO’S TIP: North Melbourne by 18 points.

ADELAIDE v GWS (Adelaide Oval, Saturday 7.10pm local time)
The Crows are just hanging in there in the finals race, but their last three weeks have been unconvincing, with losses to Brisbane and West Coast, as well as a victory against Melbourne that was snatched from the jaws of defeat. Well, there’ll be no margin for error against this week’s opponent. The Giants are humming along nicely, winning five of their last six games by an average of 57 points. GWS loses star Lachie Whitfield (collarbone), but its defensive stocks receive a nice boost with Zac Williams and Sam Taylor returning. Adelaide coach Don Pyke has raised some eyebrows at the selection table again with Bryce Gibbs dropped for the third time this year, along with David Mackay and Hugh Greenwood. However, big names Matt Crouch, Richard Douglas and Kyle Hartigan are their replacements. Will they be enough to beat GWS? Probably not. Leon Cameron’s men have a great record at Adelaide Oval, too, with three wins out of their last five there, including the last two, so the ground holds no fears for them. The Giants are just a better team, and that fact alone should be enough to separate the two sides when the final siren sounds.
RONNY’S TIP: GWS by 22 points.
ROCO’S TIP: GWS by 10 points.

SYDNEY v WEST COAST (SCG, Sunday 3.20pm local time)
The Swans’ last month hasn’t been too bad, and there has definitely been a lift in output from them. But they’re still stuck in the bottom four with just three wins, and they face an enormous task in attempting to stop the Eagles in their tracks. With five wins on the trot, West Coast is officially in premiership defence mode. The Eagles are looking more and more dangerous with each passing week, and should really make light work of the struggling Swans, even with the losses of Shannon Hurn (hamstring) and Oscar Allen (ankle). It’s been 20 years since the Eagles won at the SCG, but that drought should break on the weekend as they look to hang on to their spot in the top four. The fact that Sydney has now lost eight of its last 10 at its home ground should also give West Coast an extra confidence boost.
RONNY’S TIP: West Coast by 25 points.
ROCO’S TIP: West Coast by 28 points.

COLLINGWOOD v MELBOURNE (MCG, Monday 3.20pm local time)
It’s fast-becoming one of the highlights on the footy calendar, and the fifth edition of the “Big Freeze” should be no exception as the footy community gets behind the inspirational Neale Daniher in his quest to raise funds and awareness to fight motor neurone disease. Fundraising aside, there’s an intriguing match shaping up at the MCG as well. Melbourne has been one of the most frustrating teams of 2019. In many of the Demons’ losses, they’ve had their fair share of the play, but have just been undone by their wastefulness – last week against Adelaide a prime example. However, coach Simon Goodwin has been insisting that a host of key players aren’t far away from returning to the senior team, and after battling injuries all year, the Dees could receive a massive influx on Monday with Steven May, Jake Lever, Christian Salem, Braydon Preuss, Marty Hore and Alex Neal-Bullen all named. The squad of 26 will be trimmed, but all six could quite conceivably be named in the final team. Collingwood suffered a big blow with Dayne Beams (hip) undergoing surgery, but grand final players Mason Cox and Brayden Sier have been added to the Pies’ squad. An upset victory for Melbourne is certainly not out of the question. Both teams are also on the rebound from agonising last-gasp losses, but Collingwood probably just has too much talent across the park.
RONNY’S TIP: Collingwood by 16 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Collingwood by 20 points.

RONNY’S SEASON TOTAL: 60
ROCO’S SEASON TOTAL: 66