Adelaide’s Hugh Greenwood gets a handball away in the Crows’ last win over Port Adelaide in Round 8. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

HAWTHORN v COLLINGWOOD (MCG, Friday 7.50pm local time)
This is looming as a fascinating encounter. One look at the ladder should make it seem pretty easy to choose a winner, but looks can be deceiving. Sure, the Magpies are sitting in second spot, but they are in a rut, having produced what was close to their worst performance of the year against the Bulldogs two weeks ago according to coach Nathan Buckley, before suffering their worst loss in three years against North Melbourne last round. Hawthorn is 15th, but its last four losses have all been by 19 points or less, and the Hawks’ last effort against West Coast was particularly gallant. Collingwood’s injury list continues to grow with Ben Reid (calf) and Levi Greenwood (back) the latest additions, although Jamie Elliott will make a very welcome return. The Hawks regain captain Ben Stratton from suspension and will no doubt fancy their chances given they’ve won 11 of their last 12 against the Pies. Collingwood should win but season 2019 has taught us that you should expect the unexpected.
RONNY’S TIP: Collingwood by 10 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Collingwood by 18 points.

ESSENDON v SYDNEY (MCG, Saturday 1.45pm local time)
Essendon could be the most unpredictable team in the AFL right now. The difference between its best and their worst is the size of the Grand Canyon, which makes it almost impossible to tip the Dons correctly. That level of inconsistency is a source of frustration for their legion of fans, but the positive is that it can produce stunning results like the one achieved against GWS last week. The Swans are on the improve at a rapid rate with five wins from their last seven games after enduring a short stint at the bottom of the ladder. And they will back themselves in this one given they beat the Bombers in round eight, like this time, without Lance Franklin, in a game which kick-started their run of good form. It was a game full of controversy as Dane Rampe inexplicably climbed the goal post – a move that should have handed the Bombers the win – and also featured a kick on the siren from David Myers which failed to score. In fact, this fixture is no stranger to last-gasp kicks with Myers, Gary Rohan, Adam Goodes, Courtenay Dempsey, Steven Alessio, Ricky Mott, James Hird and, of course, Tony Lockett, all having shots on goal at the death to decide the game in the past 23 years. Will we see the same level of excitement this week? It wouldn’t surprise, especially given the loser could very well kiss its finals hopes goodbye. But the Dons should be good enough to beat Sydney in what will be the Swans’ first game at the MCG this year.
RONNY’S TIP: Essendon by 11 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Essendon by 16 points.

GOLD COAST v RICHMOND (Metricon Stadium, Saturday 2.10pm local time)
This season is really starting to develop a heavy stench for the Suns, who have now lost their last 10 games in a row. After Carlton won on the weekend, Gold Coast is now at the foot of the ladder and it’s a fair reflection of how the Suns are travelling. It’s hard to see where their next win is coming from, and it certainly isn’t going to come this week. Richmond is now starting to near full strength, and a week after welcoming back seven players in a game in which it beat the Saints, the Tigers’ chemistry will only get stronger this week. It promises to be another long afternoon for the Suns, who have lost their last four matches to Richmond by an average of 52 points.
RONNY’S TIP: Richmond by 44 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Richmond by 58 points.

ADELAIDE v PORT ADELAIDE (Adelaide Oval, Saturday 4.05pm local time)
Showdowns are always must-watch events on the AFL calendar, and edition No.47 promises to be no exception. Maybe one day the league will realise how big these games are and schedule them on Friday nights rather than Saturday twilights? Port Adelaide is right up there with Essendon as one of the most wildly inconsistent teams in the competition. From handing Geelong its second loss of the year, to losing to the Bulldogs in the space of seven days – the Power really are an enigma. Adelaide, meanwhile, has been very impressive in the last 11 weeks following a shaky start to the season, and the Crows seem to have settled on a game plan with which their players are comfortable and can execute effectively. The Power are aiming to re-enter the top eight while the Crows are out to stay in touch with the top four. The form guide gets thrown out at the best of times when these two sides meet, but there’s very little separating them anyway. This should be an absolute cracker, but Adelaide looks like it will just have the edge and be able to claim its 27th Showdown triumph.
RONNY’S TIP: Adelaide by 12 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Adelaide by 6 points.

WESTERN BULLDOGS v GEELONG (Marvel Stadium, Saturday 7.25pm local time)
The Bulldogs are up and about after scoring arguably their best win of the year last week against Port Adelaide, and all of a sudden they are back in the finals frame, just one game outside the top eight. However, Caleb Daniel (hamstring) is a huge loss, and the Dogs need everything going for them when they face the best team in the competition. The Cats have made no changes this week (at least for the moment anyway – we know how much coach Chris Scott loves a late change) in a sign of just how settled they are. The Dogs managed to stun the Cats last year by two points, but Geelong is a vastly better team in 2019, and with 11 wins from their past 12 encounters with the Doggies, it’s fair to say they don’t mind taking on the “Sons of the West”.
RONNY’S TIP: Geelong by 27 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Geelong by 30 points.

FREMANTLE v WEST COAST (Optus Stadium, Saturday 6.10pm local time)
The competition’s other huge local rivalry is also on show this weekend in what is a real treat for footy fans around the country. “Western Derbies” almost always provide fireworks, and you need look no further than 2018 for arguably the most infamous incident, when Andrew Gaff made a mess of Andrew Brayshaw’s face. But there’s also a real sense of urgency attached to this, the milestone 50th edition of the Derby, for Fremantle, because all of a sudden the Dockers are not looking as likely to make the finals as they did a fortnight ago. They were riding high with huge wins over finals hopefuls Collingwood, Brisbane and Port Adelaide, but defeats to bottom-three sides Melbourne and Carlton, compounded by injuries to many key players, have them clinging to eighth spot by a thread. Luckily for them, they welcome back Rory Lobb and Aaron Sandilands, who will play his first game of the year. But they are running into a West Coast side that really looks like it is starting to get its act together, and with Nic Naitanui better for the run after his first game for 2019 last week, the Eagles should claim a record-equalling ninth Derby victory in a row – something which hasn’t happened for 20 years.
RONNY’S TIP: West Coast by 25 points.
ROCO’S TIP: West Coast by 12 points.

CARLTON v MELBOURNE (MCG, Sunday 1.10pm local time)
If you’d said heading into the season that this game would almost be a flip-of-the-coin job, you would’ve been laughed at. Yet here we are, 16 weeks later, and just one win and one spot on the ladder separates these two teams. It’s been an extraordinary fall from grace for the Demons, who have the misfortune of taking on a Carlton side which is now brimming with belief and confidence under caretaker coach David Teague. The Blues have their issues, though, with Patrick Cripps, Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay all unavailable. But Melbourne isn’t exactly spoilt for choice at the selection table, either, and with Max Gawn and Nathan Jones both under injury clouds, this match has all the makings of a thriller. If Gawn plays, Melbourne should win. If he doesn’t, the Blues could make it three wins from four under Teague. That’s how important Gawn is. So for now, with Gawn named, it’s the Dees.
RONNY’S TIP: Melbourne by 3 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Melbourne by 22 points.

NORTH MELBOURNE v ST KILDA (Blundstone Arena, Sunday 3.20pm local time)
The Kangaroos’ honeymoon period under Rhyce Shaw is showing no signs of ending anytime soon. So brilliant has their run been that they incredibly find themselves with a sniff of finals in their nostrils. In the past five rounds they are league leaders in many key statistics, and their brutal attack on the footy, especially in victories against highly fancied Richmond and Collingwood, has been very impressive. And it would take something special for the Saints to bring the Roos’ wave of momentum to a halt in Hobart, where only three teams have ever beaten them in eight seasons. The Roos are riding high, and unfortunately for Alan Richardson, the pressure on the Saints coach will only intensify.
RONNY’S TIP: North Melbourne by 31 points.
ROCO’S TIP: North Melbourne by 36 points.

GWS v BRISBANE (Giants Stadium, Sunday 4.40pm local time)
This has legitimate claims to be match of the round as one premiership contender which is now a perennial finalist faces off against a raw top-four aspirant which hasn’t been to September in 10 years. It has all the makings of an intriguing encounter and promises to finish off the round with a bang. As impressive as Brisbane has been this year, the biggest knock on the Lions is their ability to regularly win on the road, with a record of 3-4 (2-4 outside of Queensland), including losses to bottom-10 sides Essendon, the Bulldogs and Carlton not exactly flattering. GWS at Giants Stadium is one of the toughest assignments in football, and Leon Cameron’s men have won eight of their last nine games there, including all four in 2019 by an average of 74 points. Lachie Whitfield is a huge inclusion for the hosts and the Giants should be able to highlight the gap between the two sides by the time the final siren sounds.
RONNY’S TIP: GWS by 29 points.
ROCO’S TIP: GWS by 32 points.

RONNY’S SEASON TOTAL: 75
ROCO’S SEASON TOTAL: 82