Geelong beat Brisbane in last year’s preliminary final at the Gabba. This time, the Cats take on the Lions at home. Photo: AFL MEDIA

CARLTON v COLLINGWOOD (MCG, Thursday 7.20pm local time)
It might only be round two, but the pressure is already starting to build on these two famous clubs, with the loser to start the year 0-2. And when you throw in the fact this is the biggest VFL/AFL rivalry on an historic scale, it’s got all the elements of a “must watch”. The Blues were far from disgraced against reigning premier Richmond last week in a match that featured 10 lead changes, but the Pies, on the other hand, were probably flattered by the 16-point final margin in their meeting with the Bulldogs. Jack Martin (calf) and Zac Williams (suspension) are back for Carlton, while Steele Sidebottom (calf) returns to bolster Collingwood. The Pies have won 11 of their last 13 games against Carlton, including the last five in a row, and while their fans should expect a response this week, it could be the Blues’ time to turn the tables on them.
RONNY’S TIP: Carlton by 5 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Carlton by 12 points.

GEELONG v BRISBANE (Kardinia Park, Friday 7.50pm local time)
Who would have thought both of these teams would be heading into their round two showdown each with a loss next to their name? The Cats and Lions both entered the season as premiership threats, and so their clashes with 2020 bottom three sides Adelaide and Sydney respectively were dismissed by the footy public as regulation victories. But the Crows and Swans had other ideas, delivering last year’s runner-up and preliminary finalist a healthy serving of humble pie. If those results don’t spark the Cats and Lions into gear, it’s anyone’s guess as to what will, and both clubs will doubtlessly be relishing the opportunity to take make amends by beating a top-four threat. But the Cats have their concerns, and with Jeremy Cameron (hamstring) and Mitch Duncan (calf) already sidelined they now have to contend with the absence of superstar Patrick Dangerfield (suspension) and possibly Sam Menegola (shoulder) as well. Conversely, Brisbane basically has a full bill of health, aside from Cam Rayner (knee) who will take no part in season 2021. What an intriguing clash this promises to be – Geelong has won 20 of its last 23 meetings with Brisbane, and its last 11 at Kardinia Park against them in a streak dating back to 2004. But this is a very different Lions outfit and while they might not get the chocolates on this occasion, they’ll make the Cats earn it.
RONNY’S TIP: Geelong by 6 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Geelong by 20 points.

SYDNEY v ADELAIDE (SCG, Saturday 1.45pm local time)
In a twist of fate, the two teams responsible for the biggest upsets of the year will also be facing off this weekend. There’s nothing like youthful exuberance to revitalise a footy club, and both teams currently have it in spades. And it only gets better for the Swans, who finally welcome back Lance Franklin, who will play his first AFL game in 579 days. It looms as a potential baptism of fire for Adelaide’s Jordan Butts, who had the job on Tom Hawkins in just his third game last week. Both teams are full of beans, but the Crows paid a heftier price for their incredible victory with Jake Kelly (concussion), Luke Brown (achilles) and Mitch Hinge (shoulder) all joining Matt Crouch (groin), Daniel Talia (knee) and Wayne Milera (knee) on the sidelines. Sydney should make it two from two.
RONNY’S TIP: Sydney by 22 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Sydney by 28 points.

PORT ADELAIDE v ESSENDON (Adelaide Oval, Saturday 4.05pm local time)
Look away Bomber fans, this one is going to get very ugly. And as if a comprehensive defeat, as expected, isn’t bad enough, having former goalsneak Orazio Fantasia play a key role in it would just be adding salt to the wound. And based on his stellar performance against North Melbourne last week, that is a huge chance – just seven days after Essendon blew a 40-point lead against mortal enemy Hawthorn to lose by a solitary point. Yep, season 2021 sure hasn’t got off to the best of starts for Essendon, and this week promises to take an extremely brutal turn for the worse. The Power are humming along magnificently, and are primed to steamroll the Bombers at home in Adelaide.
RONNY’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 72 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 40 points.

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ST KILDA v MELBOURNE (Marvel Stadium, Saturday 7.25pm local time)
What better way to kick off your season than with a backs-against-the-wall victory over an interstate side on its home ground. That’s exactly what the Saints did, missing nine key players, against the Giants last week, and a result like that can only work wonders for the belief of a side, let alone one that fancies itself as a premiership smoky in 2021. The Dees also got off the mark in round one, but were less convincing, taking longer than expected to finally put away a Fremantle team ravaged by injury at the MCG. The good news for the Saints is that Max King and Zak Jones are expected to return, while Jack Viney (foot), Michael Hibberd (ankle) and Jake Melksham (hamstring) should all be available for Melbourne, too. The Saints were really impressive last week and proved they also have a hardened edge to their game, as well as that blistering run-and-gun style. Expect them to be 2-0 by the time the final siren sounds.
RONNY’S TIP: St Kilda by 21 points.
ROCO’S TIP: St Kilda by 8 points.

GOLD COAST v NORTH MELBOURNE (Metricon Stadium, Saturday 7.10pm local time)
The Suns gave a good account for themselves against West Coast in Perth last week before being overrun by the top eight threat. But the loss was compounded significantly for Stuart Dew’s men with golden child Matt Rowell (knee) expected to miss another big chunk of footy after only managing five games in 2020 due to a serious shoulder injury. Meanwhile, North was good for a quarter-and-a-bit before being blown away by Port Adelaide. The Kangas could welcome back Jed Anderson (calf), Taylor Garner (calf) and Aaron Hall (adductor), but those potential additions still probably won’t be enough to overcome the promising Suns.
RONNY’S TIP: Gold Coast by 15 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Gold Coast by 22 points.

HAWTHORN v RICHMOND (MCG, Sunday 1.10pm local time)
Morale boosters don’t get much bigger than coming back from 40 points down to win, and Hawthorn will take all of that energy into its meeting with the Tigers this week. And it’s a task that won’t overawe Alastair Clarkson’s men either, considering they smashed Richmond by 32 points last time the two sides met. The Tigers haven’t exactly been fast starters in the last couple of seasons, so this time of year would appear to be the best time to try and snag the four points against them. Richmond was nowhere near its best last week against Carlton and runs the risk of getting burnt this week if it brings similar energy levels. Nick Vlastuin (knee) is in doubt, but could be replaced by Bachar Houli (calf) if he fails to come up. Damien Hardwick’s side should be good enough, but this might not be as easy as it appears to be on paper.
RONNY’S TIP: Richmond by 17 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Richmond by 32 points.

WESTERN BULLDOGS v WEST COAST (Marvel Stadium, Sunday 3.20pm local time)
Both sides got off to scratchy starts last week, with the Doggies definitely not getting bang for their buck on the scoreboard against Collingwood, while the Eagles were challenged strongly by the Suns before finally securing victory. However, West Coast does have a superb recent record against the Dogs, winning five of the last six meetings, including the last two at Docklands. The Eagles’ tall timber has traditionally troubled the Bulldogs, and they present a good early test for Luke Beveridge’s team, which has been pumped up considerably over the summer now that it boasts arguably the best midfield in the AFL. The Dogs did scrape by the Eagles last year in a thriller at Carrara, but this match offers up a perfect opportunity for them to show that they are a legitimate contender in 2021. If they do beat their bogy side under normal match conditions, it will be a huge fillip for them.
RONNY’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 12 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 2 points.

FREMANTLE v GWS (Optus Stadium, Sunday 3.10pm local time)
The Giants were missing some key players of their own last week, but that really was a grim way to start the campaign for them. There was really no excuse for them to lose to such an under-strength St Kilda side on their own dung heap, and now they face the daunting task of travelling across the country to face a Fremantle side that is expected to be a big improver this year. But unfortunately for the Dockers, their injury crisis worsened on the weekend with Alex Pearce (knee) and Joel Hamling (ankle) set for more lengthy stints on the sidelines. Sean Darcy should return, but they’re still missing some 10 players who would be considered best 22 material. But GWS is still considerably undermanned as well, and in the war of attrition this is shaping up to be, Freo might just pull off a stirring win.
RONNY’S TIP: Fremantle by 2 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Fremantle by 6 points.

RONNY’S SEASON TOTAL: 5
ROCO’S SEASON TOTAL: 5