Richmond star Tim Taranto makes his long-awaited return to the Tigers line-up after a two-month injury layoff. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

ADELAIDE v RICHMOND (Adelaide Oval, Thursday 7pm)
What a meek way for the AFL to wave goodbye to Thursday night footy for season 2024. A bottom-five clash between two sides who have five wins from 24 matches combined. With their season on the line last week, the Crows waved the white flag against Hawthorn at the MCG. They’re now 10 points adrift of the top eight at the halfway mark of the season, and a year that promised so much in the off-season is now all but reduced to rubble already. And the Tigers are travelling even worse. They might have been smashed by injuries all the year, but the fact remains that they have made their worst start to a VFL/AFL season since joining the competition in 1908. ‘Baptism of fire’ would be an understatement for first-year coach Adem Yze. But at least his team gets some respite this week on the injury front. They might have lost Dustin Martin (managed), Marlion Pickett (calf) and Mykelti Lefau (knee), but mercifully they have regained Shai Bolton, Tim Taranto and Dion Prestia. Meanwhile, Adelaide has copped its fair share of injuries this week with Taylor Walker (back), Matt Crouch (shoulder) and the promising Brayden Cook (knee) joining Izak Rankine (hamstring), Josh Worrell (arm), Riley Thilthorpe (knee) and Wayne Milera (knee) on the sidelines. The Crows should still be good enough to get the win, but this has ‘danger game’ written all over it. If they’re not careful, Richmond could spring a surprise and put the final nail in their coffin.
RONNY’S TIP: Adelaide by 2 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Adelaide by 32 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Adelaide by 21 points.

WESTERN BULLDOGS v BRISBANE (Marvel Stadium, Friday 7:40pm)
After making a rocky 3-5 start to the year, the Bulldogs have slowly but surely put together their rescue mission under the radar and have now won three of their last four games to sit just four points outside the top eight. They take on a Brisbane team which, like Adelaide, has almost certainly kissed its finals hopes goodbye early. And while the Lions will be boosted by the return of Brandon Starcevich (calf), the Bulldogs could welcome back Tom Liberatore (concussion) and Ed Richards (concussion), although Laitham Vandermeer (hamstring) is in doubt and James Harmes (hamstring) has been ruled out. If Brisbane brings the same inconsistent effort levels that it did against Hawthorn before its bye, it is no chance of winning. Both of these sides are far from reliable propositions, but the Dogs appear to be on an upward trajectory.
RONNY’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 16 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 16 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 9 points.

HAWTHORN v GWS (Launceston, Saturday 1:45pm)
The Hawks’ form in the last two months has been unrecognisable from their first five games which all ended in defeat. Coach Sam Mitchell has got his developing side playing an exciting, attacking brand of footy which has seen them win five of their last seven games. With its confidence sky high, Hawthorn will back itself to beat anyone at the moment, including one-time flag favourite GWS. The Giants’ season has been a mirror image of Hawthorn’s. After winning their first five matches, they’ve lost five of their last seven to tumble to the nether regions of the top eight. Last time out, GWS won a thriller over the Cats in Geelong, but its injury list remains massive. It will bring back Callan Ward (illness) and Callum Brown (suspension), but these young Hawks have their tails well and truly up right now.
RONNY’S TIP: Hawthorn by 17 points.
ROCO’S TIP: GWS by 6 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: GWS by 7 points.

WEST COAST v NORTH MELBOURNE (Optus Stadium, Saturday 2:35pm)
It’s been a sobering two weeks for West Coast which first got thrashed by Adelaide by 99 points, and then dropped a game at home to St Kilda that many expected it to win. And things have only got worse for the Eagles with teenage sensation Harley Reid suspended this week. But luckily for them, they’re up against competition easybeat North Melbourne this week in Perth. With surprise Coleman Medal contender Jake Waterman in line to return, West Coast should comfortably claim win No.4, which would already be its return since 2021.
RONNY’S TIP: West Coast by 40 points.
ROCO’S TIP: West Coast by 28 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: West Coast by 29 points.

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ST KILDA v GOLD COAST (Marvel Stadium, Saturday 7:30pm)
The Suns appear to be coming of age under master coach Damien Hardwick, but to transform into a legitimate finals threat, they have one big box they have to start ticking – winning away from home. Their 7-5 record is impressive, but all five of their defeats have occurred on the road. Well, this week they have a golden opportunity to not only do something about that big away donut that’s still hovering over them, but also strengthen their bid for a maiden finals berth. The Saints did well to arrest a disastrous three-week stretch last round in beating the Eagles, but with Max King (knee) in doubt to line up this week, Gold Coast looks on track to register its first win on the road since Round 9 last year.
RONNY’S TIP: Gold Coast by 16 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Gold Coast by 22 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Gold Coast by 25 points.

SYDNEY v GEELONG (SCG, Sunday 3:20pm)
Last week, the Cats managed to snap their four-game losing streak, which was unprecedented in the Chris Scott era, but they hardly did it in convincing fashion, needing the better part of three quarters to finally overcome the injury-smashed Tigers at Kardinia Park. And this week they go from one end of the spectrum to the other, in terms of opponent quality, as they head up to Sydney to take on the rampaging Swans. At the halfway mark of the season, the Swans are the clearcut benchmark team, having won 10 of their first 11 games to sit pretty in top spot. And they are set to be further boosted with the return of defender Tom McCartin from concussion. Patrick Dangerfield (hamstring) is on the verge of a recall, but the Cats are a shadow of the team that won their first seven games, and it’s hard to see how they stop the red-and-white juggernaut.
RONNY’S TIP: Sydney by 23 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Sydney by 8 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Sydney by 27 points.

ESSENDON v CARLTON (MCG, Sunday 7:20pm)
A few hours later, another top-five clash takes place between two of league’s biggest arch rivals in what promises to be the match of the round. The Bombers have been the surprise packet of the year so far to sit second on the ladder on the back of a seven-game undefeated streak which was ended last week by Gold Coast. But even in that game, the Dons were far from disgraced and had plenty of chances to hand the Suns their first loss at home this year. They take on a Carlton outfit which has returned to form in recent weeks, with back-to-back convincing wins over Gold Coast and Port Adelaide. The Bombers will have to make do without Mason Redman (hamstring), while sharpshooter Kyle Langford (hip) is in doubt too. However, Todd Goldstein (ankle) and Will Setterfield are in the frame to return. The Blues are still battling a big injury list, but they still have their star midfield duo Patrick Cripps and Sam Walsh to rely on, as well as key forwards Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay, who, after nine years of waiting, will finally play against twin brother Ben for the first time. Essendon’s strong performances in the midfield have tapered off in recent weeks, and if that trend continues, Carlton will make the Bombers pay dearly.
RONNY’S TIP: Carlton by 13 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Carlton by 24 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Carlton by 17 points.

COLLINGWOOD v MELBOURNE (MCG, Monday 3:20pm)
The long weekend finishes off with a must-win clash between two teams who have been widely tipped to be top-four contenders. The Pies (ninth) and Demons (10th) find themselves outside the top eight at a relatively late juncture in the season. The prize for the winner is a return to the eight, while the loser could drift a game outside with just 10 games to go in what would be an unenviable position to be in. Melbourne’s 92-point capitulation to Fremantle last week was extraordinary. As good as Freo was, to be brutally honest, the Demons looked like they didn’t give a stuff. The performance continued an extremely inconsistent season for Simon Goodwin’s men who also got thumped by minnow West Coast a few weeks back. Conversely, when it comes to effort levels, there is arguably no side in the AFL that tries harder on a consistent basis than the Pies. While battling a monstrous injury list, they still managed to extend their unbeaten run to eight matches, before gallantly losing to the Bulldogs last week. Will Hoskin-Elliott (hamstring) and Reef McInnes (concussion) could return, but Collingwood’s list of outs is still way too long and star-studded, and might end up being the key factor that propels Melbourne back into the winners’ circle by default.
RONNY’S TIP: Melbourne by 19 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Collingwood by 2 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Melbourne by 5 points.

SEASON TOTALS
RONNY 66
ROCO 65
ROCKET 65

*all times are local