Essendon’s Michael Hurley and North Melbourne’s Jack Ziebell during the clubs’ last meeting in Round 5. Photo: AFL MEDIA

WEST COAST v COLLINGWOOD (Optus Stadium, Friday 6.10pm local time)
The Magpies might be experiencing their worst form slump for a couple of years, but what better way to snap out of it then by hitting the road, travelling interstate as a group and escaping the Melbourne bubble. Collingwood’s road record is the envy of the AFL, with eight wins from their last 11 matches outside of Victoria. The only problem is that they come up against the Eagles, who have not only had the measure of Collingwood in recent times, having won their last four meetings, but are now looking so good with Nic Naitanui back in the team that some experts have them as premiership favourites. In their last three games at Optus Stadium they have smashed Fremantle, Essendon and the Bulldogs, and if Collingwood continues its trend of conceding on average 22 more inside 50s to the opposition per game in the past three weeks, then the Pies are no hope – especially with Josh Kennedy back in the side for West Coast. Collingwood is still missing close to half its best team, while the Eagles are almost at full strength. It will take a huge effort for the Magpies to avoid three losses in a row for the first time in two years, putting their grasp on a top-four spot at risk.
RONNY’S TIP: West Coast by 36 points.
ROCO’S TIP: West Coast by 22 points.

SYDNEY v CARLTON (SCG, Saturday 1.45pm local time)
All of a sudden, this fixture promises to be an intriguing one. Both teams have vastly improved their output in recent times with the Swans winning five of their last eight games (their average losing margin just 13 points in that period) and the Blues winning two matches under caretaker coach David Teague while losing the other two by less than a kick. And while Carlton loses Caleb Marchbank (neck), Jacob Weitering (nose) and Mitch McGovern (managed), the Blues do welcome back Patrick Cripps and Harry McKay. Carlton is a different outfit in the last month, and the Blues certainly aren’t the pushovers they were in the opening three months. The continued absence of Sydney stars Lance Franklin (hamstring), Jarrad McVeigh (hamstring), Sam Naismith (knee), Callum Sinclair (shoulder) and Nick Smith (hamstring) doesn’t hurt Carlton’s chances either. But Charlie Curnow, Sam Docherty and David Cuningham are all still missing for the Blues with knee injuries. Sydney has won 10 of its last 11 games against Carlton by an average of 40 points and hasn’t lost to the Blues at the SCG since 2011. That trend should continue this week.
RONNY’S TIP: Sydney by 16 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Sydney by 28 points.

HAWTHORN v FREMANTLE (Launceston, Saturday 2.10pm local time)
The Hawks are another side who have enjoyed a mini-burst of improvement in recent weeks with impressive performances against last year’s grand finalists, pushing West Coast to within a goal and pipping Collingwood by four points. The Hawks seem to be slowly turning the corner in what has been a disappointing year for them and the returns of Chad Wingard and Grant Birchall will serve as further boosts. Birchall’s recall, in particular, is huge given the four-time premiership defender hasn’t played at AFL level for two years due to injury. Conversely, it seems to be all falling apart for the Dockers, who have now lost three in a row to strugglers Melbourne and Carlton as well as arch rivals West Coast, who thumped them by 91 points, restricting them to two goals in the process. Freo seems to be struggling to cover injuries to key players Jesse Hogan (foot), Alex Pearce (ankle), Aaron Sandilands (calf) and Matt Taberner (foot), but the Dockers do regain Stephen Hill. Amazingly, Freo has only beaten Hawthorn eight times since the club entered the AFL in 1995, and has lost all nine meetings with the Hawks in Launceston. The Hawks should be good enough to keep that streak going.
RONNY’S TIP: Hawthorn by 21 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Hawthorn by 40 points.

ESSENDON v NORTH MELBOURNE (Marvel Stadium, Saturday 4.35pm local time)
This is an old-fashioned eight-pointer. Ninth versus 10th and traditional rivals from the northern suburbs of Melbourne. The winner will stay in touch with the top eight while the loser will have the momentum they’ve built up over the last month-and-a-bit dented. The Bombers and Kangaroos have both recovered from ordinary starts to the season to win five of their last seven and five of their last six respectively to return to the finals frame. Although it must be said that North Melbourne has probably looked the more impressive of the two sides in their recent upturns in form. On top of that, Essendon is still missing five of its most important players to injury in Dyson Heppell, Joe Daniher, Devon Smith, Tom Bellchambers and Patrick Ambrose. The absence of Bellchambers, in particular, should be of huge concern for the Bombers, because the out-of-sorts Zac Clarke could get absolutely smashed by Todd Goldstein this week. North continues to fire on all cylinders under caretaker Rhyce Shaw and its ruthless aggression may be too much for the Bombers to handle.
RONNY’S TIP: North Melbourne by 17 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Essendon by 2 points.

GOLD COAST v ADELAIDE (Metricon Stadium, Saturday 7.25pm local time)
If the bottom hadn’t fallen out from underneath the Suns prior to last weekend, then it certainly did after the Tigers were done with them, as Damien Hardwick’s men delivered an almighty hammering to the hapless expansion club in a game which saw the Tigers register their third-biggest half-time score of 16.7 (103). Gold Coast has now lost its last 11 games and it’s getting to the stage where the question should genuinely be asked – what are the Suns still doing in the AFL? Do enough people care about them enough to justify their existence? They’re an absolute basket case, and Adelaide will have no trouble rebounding from its Showdown humiliation as the Crows attempt to hang on to their spot in the top eight.
RONNY’S TIP: Adelaide by 57 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Adelaide by 60 points.

GEELONG v ST KILDA (Kardinia Park, Saturday 7.25pm local time)
This is another game that has “thrashing” written all over it. Since their 4-1 start to the year, the Saints have hardly done anything to suggest they’re finals material. St Kilda has now lost eight of its last 10 games and its only wins in that period have come against bottom-two sides Carlton and Gold Coast by 13 and four points respectively. With the Cats on the rebound after their shock loss to the Western Bulldogs last week, things could get very ugly, very quickly for St Kilda. Only two teams have beaten Geelong at Kardinia Park in the last four years, and the Saints certainly aren’t one of them. Indeed, it’s been 20 long years since St Kilda tasted victory there, and the drought definitely won’t be broken this week.
RONNY’S TIP: Geelong by 65 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Geelong by 52 points.

RICHMOND v GWS (MCG, Sunday 1.10pm local time)
Hasn’t Greater Western Sydney experienced a dramatic change in fortunes? Two weeks ago, the Giants looked destined for the top four, but after shock losses to Essendon and Brisbane at Giants Stadium – their first loss at home for the year, the Giants are looking seriously vulnerable. With games against Richmond (away), Collingwood and Port Adelaide (away) to come, they could slip out of the top eight if they’re not careful. The first of those assignments looms as a very tough one, because the Tigers look as though they’re nearing their full capabilities as a team. They’ve finally got access to most of their best team, with Jack Riewoldt, Josh Caddy, Jack Higgins and Liam Baker all included in their squad of 26. And while GWS welcomes back Lachie Whitfield, the Giants lose Josh Kelly (calf). The Giants are still yet to prove beyond doubt that they are a good MCG team, and their record on the road this year is 4-4. With the top four back in reach and momentum on its side, Richmond should get the chocolates.
RONNY’S TIP: Richmond by 25 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Richmond by 18 points.

WESTERN BULLDOGS v MELBOURNE (Marvel Stadium, Sunday 3.20pm local time)
Form resurgence seems to be the theme of this round, because the Doggies are another side which has confounded the naysayers in recent weeks with superb victories against the Power in Adelaide and Geelong, while they also pushed Collingwood to within nine points three weeks ago. Over the course of the year, the Dogs have been one of the tougher teams to get a read on, but they come up against a team this week whose good performances in 2019 you can count on one hand. The season can’t end quickly enough for the Demons, and while it would be so typical of the Dogs to lose this game after how well they’ve been playing recently, they should make Melbourne’s first appearance at Marvel Stadium this year an unsuccessful one.
RONNY’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 20 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 20 points.

PORT ADELAIDE v BRISBANE (Adelaide Oval, Sunday 4.10pm local time)
Speaking of unpredictable sides, good luck trying to tip the Power properly! Their last eight games have gone loss-win. In between impressive victories against Gold Coast, St Kilda, Geelong and Adelaide, they suffered defeats to Hawthorn, Fremantle and the Bulldogs at home. It’s that pattern that should give Brisbane a stack of confidence heading into this game, especially after scoring its best win of the year last week against GWS. It’s been 13 years since the Lions won back-to-back road trips, but the double loss of Eric Hipwood (knee) and Luke Hodge (managed) will hurt them at either end of the ground for different reasons. Oscar McInerney has the potential to be a capable replacement for Hipwood if he survives the final cut, but he’s not the same. The Power have added Travis Boak and Paddy Ryder to their squad, and the selection table might be just enough to tip the scales slightly in the hosts’ favour.
RONNY’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 4 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 10 points.

RONNY’S SEASON TOTAL: 80
ROCO’S SEASON TOTAL: 87