Brisbane veteran Charlie Cameron (left) and Gold Coast’s Wil Powell fight for the ball in Round 8 at the Gabba. Photos: AFL MEDIA

HAWTHORN v CARLTON (MCG, Thursday 7:30pm)
The Blues got a morale-boosting win against Melbourne last week which mercifully ended their horror month of form which put a fork in their season, but that result looks very likely to serve as momentary respite. The Hawks are humming along nicely with five wins from their last six matches, and are within touching distance of the top four. The return of star midfielder Will Day from a long layoff due to a foot injury will only serve to bolster Hawthorn’s already-healthy chances of beating Carlton. The Blues get back a star of their own from injury in Harry McKay, but it won’t be enough to cause a shock result.
RONNY’S TIP: Hawthorn by 31 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Hawthorn by 22 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Hawthorn by 27 points.

ESSENDON v WESTERN BULLDOGS (Marvel Stadium, Friday 7:20pm)
The Bombers get routinely smashed by the Bulldogs when they’re at full strength, so heaven help Essendon when it fields a glorified VFL team against them. Brad Scott’s side should regain Nate Caddy (groin), but its injury list remains comically long and jampacked full of best-22 players. The Dogs have developed a reputation as flat-track bullies for good reason. Their record against the top eight is a lamentable 1-8, yet they’ve won their last seven matches against bottom-10 sides by an average of 11 goals – in amongst that was a 91-point demolition of the Bombers in Round 10. A similar result and margin should be expected this time around.
RONNY’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 84 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 52 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 65 points.

GWS v SYDNEY (Giants Stadium, Friday 7:50pm)
The 31st Sydney derby is now highly-anticipated thanks to the Swans’ late-season resurgence which has seen them win five of their last six matches to sneak themselves ever so slightly into the finals frame. A lot would have to go right for them considering they’re two games outside the top eight with just five rounds to play, and the fact the eighth-placed Suns have a game in hand, but where there’s life, there’s hope and at the very least Dean Cox’s mean would love to put a spanner in the works of their crosstown rivals who are chasing a coveted top-four spot. GWS is also in good touch, having won eight of its last 10 outings, including an active five-game unbeaten run, but even though it beat Essendon comfortably in the end last week, it wasn’t the most convincing performance from the Giants. If the badly-depleted Bombers kicked straight early on, it might not have been such an easy night at the office for Adam Kingsley’s side. Essendon smacked the Giants at the contest and in the turnover game, and against a side that is in far better shape like Sydney, a repeat of that effort could cost GWS dearly. The potential return of firestarter Tom Papley (hamstring) would be a massive boon for the Swans as well. The Giants are hopeful that star trio Jesse Hogan (foot), Sam Taylor (toe) and Josh Kelly (hip) will all return, but they’ll have to pass fitness tests. Sydney has won seven of its past eight against GWS, including the last five, and is certainly capable of spoiling the Giants’ party again.
RONNY’S TIP: Sydney by 13 points.
ROCO’S TIP: GWS by 20 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: GWS by 25 points.

GOLD COAST v BRISBANE (Carrara, Saturday 1:20pm)
The Brisbane Lions have also hit a nice patch of form at the right time of the year, stringing four wins in a row for the first time since Round 5. But there were definitely some concerning signs in their most recent effort against the Western Bulldogs. Brisbane almost blew a 22-point lead as its infamous goalkicking yips came back to haunt it. Inaccuracy remains arguably the Lions’ biggest issue that tends to rear its head at the worst times. And if they strike again on the weekend, Brisbane may not get away with it. The Suns are fresh from a “kick in the nuts”, according to coach Damien Hardwick, which saw them thrashed by the rampaging Crows in Adelaide, but they’re a different side at home, as they showed a week earlier against premiership favourite Collingwood. Sam Collins (calf) and Lachie Weller (cork) should return for the hostsr, but the loss of Daniel Rioli (leg) is a big blow. Zac Bailey is a massive boost for the Lions, but Gold Coast is teetering on the edge of the top eight and has much more to play for. A far hungrier version of the Suns can be expected to show themselves this week in the 29th Q-Clash.
RONNY’S TIP: Gold Coast by 10 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Brisbane by 14 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Brisbane by 29 points.

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FREMANTLE v WEST COAST (Optus Stadium, Saturday 2:15pm)
The Eagles have forgotten how to win. It’s as simple as that. From their perspective, there should have been absolutely no excuse to lose to fellow struggler Richmond at home last week, yet not only did they get done, they got absolutely smashed by 49 points in what was one of their most soul-destroying results for the year. Incredibly, West Coast’s last 90 games (11-79) are worse than University’s (12-78), underscoring how horrendous the Eagles have been over the past four seasons on an historic scale. Conversely, their arch rivals are having no such issues. The Dockers are enjoying a sensational purple patch (excuse the pun), which has seen them win eight of their past nine games. During that period they have taken the scalps of GWS, Gold Coast and, most recently, ladder-leading Collingwood on the road, as well as Hawthorn. The one-point win over the Magpies last round was one of the best in Fremantle’s 31-year history, and while strange things can happen in Western Derbies, West Coast should prove to be no obstacle for the red-hot Dockers in their 61st meeting.
RONNY’S TIP: Fremantle by 51 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Fremantle by 40 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Fremantle by 47 points.

NORTH MELBOURNE v GEELONG (Marvel Stadium, Saturday 7:30pm)
That recent glimmer of hope which saw the Kangaroos suffer only two losses in a six-game stretch already seems like an eternity ago. Since then, they’ve lost four on the trot by an average of 50 points, and regular transmission has resumed unfortunately for the long-suffering Shinboners. North isn’t travelling much better than West Coast, with a 12-77-1 record from their last 90 matches, and therefore stands little to no hope of troubling the Cats in any meaningful way as they, yet again, find themselves in the running for a double chance for the umpteenth time in the past two decades.
RONNY’S TIP: Geelong by 55 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Geelong by 36 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Geelong by 41 points.

ADELAIDE v PORT ADELAIDE (Adelaide Oval, Saturday 7:40pm)
This contest looms as the second lopsided affair of the day between local arch rivals. It might be Power coach Ken Hinkley’s final Showdown appearance, but his side is well out of finals contention and even though ladder positions are almost always irrelevant when these two sides face off against each other, it really is hard to mount an argument for Port Adelaide. The Crows aren’t just gunning for a top-two spot, all of a sudden they look like premiership material after the way they ruthlessly disposed of a fellow finals contender last week in Gold Coast. The Crows have now won seven games this season by at least 10 goals (two more than the next best Bulldogs on five) and are the most balanced side in the league as they feature in the top three for both points scored and points conceded. They’re miles ahead of the Power and it should show in the 58th edition of the Showdown.
RONNY’S TIP: Adelaide by 37 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Adelaide by 28 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Adelaide by 25 points.

RICHMOND v COLLINGWOOD (MCG, Sunday 2:10pm)
The Tigers might be enjoying a rare patch of form which has seen them win back-to-back games for the first time in two years, but the party is about to come to a screeching halt this week against the competition’s pacesetters who, in that same period, have lost consecutive matches. Making that skid even more surprising for the Magpies is that both defeats were by a goal or less, and they are usually the kings of the close ones. But Collingwood shouldn’t despair too much. It did a lot right last week against Fremantle, dominating inside 50s, contested possessions, tackles and all round pressure, but just failed to finish off its good work in attack. The Pies will have few issues righting those wrongs against plucky, but bottom-three, Richmond this weekend.
RONNY’S TIP: Collingwood by 48 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Collingwood by 46 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Collingwood by 47 points.

ST KILDA v MELBOURNE (Marvel Stadium, Sunday 3:15pm)
With just 11 wins between these two sides from a combined 36 matches, to say the end of the season can’t come quick enough for them would be an understatement. The Saints have now lost 12 of their last 14 games, and the Demons six of their last seven. It makes for grim reading whichever you slice it. But while they’re not getting the results, the Saints have actually been in decent form recently, having tested Fremantle, Hawthorn, Sydney and Geelong to varying degrees. As for the Demons, they’re just playing like shells of themselves, and the loss of Steven May (suspension) will only make things worse. St Kilda should finally break through for a long-awaited win, especially if superstar Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera runs amok.
RONNY’S TIP: St Kilda by 17 points.
ROCO’S TIP: St Kilda by 16 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: St Kilda by 15 points.

SEASON TOTALS
ROCO 120
RONNY 112
ROCKET 107

*all times are local