Essendon and the Bulldogs haven’t come to grips since round three 2018, almost a year-and-a-half ago. Photo: AFL MEDIA

GWS v HAWTHORN (Manuka Oval, Friday 7.50pm local time)
With their finals hopes all but over for the second time in three years, the Hawks head to Canberra with both eyes on the future and they could get an exciting glimpse with debutant Changkuoth Jiath becoming the latest South Sudanese product to join AFL ranks. As for securing the four points? That promises to be a tough ask. While the Giants aren’t exactly in sparkling form, having won their past two games by a total of three points against bottom-10 sides, they are aiming to stay in touch with the top four. They’ve lost some key players this week to injury in Jeremy Finlayson (hamstring) and Harry Himmelberg (calf), but Jeremy Cameron and Adam Kennedy are more than competent replacements. With Hawthorn also having to do without Ben McEvoy (abductor) and Grant Birchall (hamstring), its first trip to Manuka Oval is unlikely to end in victory – a ground where GWS has won 10 of its last 11 games.
RONNY’S TIP: GWS by 28 points.
ROCO’S TIP: GWS by 20 points.

MELBOURNE v COLLINGWOOD (MCG, Saturday 1.45pm local time)
The same old sad story of 2019 continued for Melbourne last week – competitive for decent chunks, but ultimately undone by poor skill level and inefficiency. It’s quite amazing how many games have played out like that for the Demons this year, and with just two wins from their past 11 matches, the second-from-bottom side have their work cut out to topple Collingwood. The Magpies haven’t been in great form the past six weeks, either, and are “gettable” with roughly half their best side still missing, but like the Suns proved last week, you still need the cattle to be able to “get” them, and as the Pies are another side desperate to stay in the double-chance race, they can ill-afford to drop this one.
RONNY’S TIP: Collingwood by 20 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Collingwood by 32 points.

PORT ADELAIDE v SYDNEY (Adelaide Oval, Saturday 1.40pm local time)
Make no mistake, the Power could easily lose this game. As one of the most unpredictable sides in the competition, it would border on being counterintuitive to back them to win after impressively smashing Essendon by 10 goals last week in Melbourne. And despite losing their last five games, the Swans have been competitive, with four of those defeats by 10 points or less. Sydney is very capable of causing an upset, and the return of Dane Rampe doesn’t hurt, but the Power will probably get the job done in the end as their battle for a finals spot continues.
RONNY’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 4 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 16 points.

BRISBANE v GOLD COAST (Gabba, Saturday 4.35pm local time)
The less said about this game probably the better. It’s quite sad to see the state the Suns are in after they made such a promising start to the season. But unfortunately for them, they sit rock bottom on the ladder after 20 rounds and are heading for a 16th straight loss. And their next loss promises to be another thumping, because they are heading straight into a runaway freight train called Brisbane, which is young, hungry, talented and gunning for a top-two finish and a pair of home finals. If Chris Fagan’s men get the job done, as they’re expected to, it will be the first time the club has won eight matches in a row since their famous 20-game winning streak in 2001-02. The biggest margin in the history of “Q-Clashes” is 65 points, and there’s a very real chance that will be bettered this week.
RONNY’S TIP: Brisbane by 82 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Brisbane by 62 points.

ESSENDON v WESTERN BULLDOGS (Marvel Stadium, Saturday 7.25pm local time)
A couple of weeks ago, the Bombers were almost universally being touted as a certain finalist, but as we all know, one week is a long time in football, and although they still enjoy a two-game cushion inside the top eight, they must win one more game to make a certainty of their involvement in September. And they don’t have an easy run home, with the Bulldogs, Fremantle (away) and Collingwood to come. Exacerbating things for them is their injury list, which has reached critical levels. Adam Saad (hamstring), Darcy Parish (concussion), Aaron Francis (whiplash) and Matt Guelfi (knee) are the latest best-22 players to head to the sidelines, where they join Joe Daniher (groin), Michael Hurley (shoulder), Devon Smith (knee) and Tom Bellchambers (calf). The Dons do regain skipper Dyson Heppell and Shaun McKernan this week, but most teams will struggle missing eight members of their best side. The Dogs definitely have their injury concerns, too, with Caleb Daniel (hamstring) and Tom Liberatore (knee) joining Mitch Wallis (ankle) out of the team, but it’s a far cry from what the Dons are contending with. Luke Beveridge’s team is also playing better footy at the moment, and should be able to get the job done and keep their finals hopes alive in the process in what will be the first meeting between these two teams since round three last year.
RONNY’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 11 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Essendon by 2 points.

GEELONG v NORTH MELBOURNE (GMHBA Stadium, Saturday 7.25pm local time)
What has happened to the Cats? They could be the most out-of-form side that has ever held top spot after round 20. Their seven games since the bye have gone loss-win, and an alarming pattern is starting to emerge. Their four losses in that period have all been against sides outside the top eight, too. It looks as though their game plan has been worked out, and if that is the case, they face a problem against North Melbourne, which has maintained a high standard of footy since Rhyce Shaw took over as coach. But as bad as the Cats have been going, they can still rely on their Kardinia Park fortress, where they’ve still only lost one game all year – by four points. In fact, only two teams have beaten them there in the last four years, so it would take Shaw’s finest coaching performance to date to bring the chocolates back home to Arden Street.
RONNY’S TIP: Geelong by 15 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Geelong by 22 points.

ST KILDA v FREMANTLE (Marvel Stadium, Sunday 1.10pm local time)
And now we arrive at the coin-flip game of the round. In one corner, we have a St Kilda team that is clearly enjoying a spike in output since caretaker Brett Ratten took over the reins, and in the other we have a Fremantle side that has also won two of its last three games, including arguably its best performance of the year last week in defeating Geelong. The Dockers are still a chance of playing finals, but the game is being played at Docklands, where they’ve only won two of their last 10 games. Conversely, the Saints have a 6-4 record at the ground this year and they’ve also bolstered their squad with Jack Steven, Blake Acres, Dan Hannebery and Jack Newnes, although they do lose Jade Gresham (eye socket). It promises to be a tight affair, but the Saints should hang on to deliver a body blow to Freo’s finals hopes.
RONNY’S TIP: St Kilda by 3 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Fremantle by 6 points.

RICHMOND v CARLTON (MCG, Sunday 3.20pm local time)
The Blues have gone to a new level under caretaker David Teague, but the acid test was always going to come their way in the final month when they faced a string of top-four contenders, and they were outclassed last week by West Coast in the first of those examinations. This week, they take on arguably the hottest team in the competition in Richmond and in the last round they head down the highway to face Geelong. Of more immediate concern is the Tigers, who are now equal favourites for the flag, having won six games in a row for the first time since late last year. They are looking every bit like a premiership side now, and while they still have a few injury concerns, they’ve nonetheless managed to add Sydney Stack, Toby Nankervis, Kamdyn McIntosh, Jack Ross and their much-hyped mid-season draft pick Marlion Pickett to their squad. There are hardly any weaknesses in their team now. The Blues have included some important players this week too with Liam Jones, Matthew Kreuzer, Mitch McGovern and Dale Thomas all being named, but it won’t be enough to save them from consecutive losses.
RONNY’S TIP: Richmond by 32 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Richmond by 40 points.

WEST COAST v ADELAIDE (Optus Stadium, Sunday 3.20pm local time)
For a team that has barely got out of second gear all season, the Eagles are a pretty formidable unit, and they flexed their considerable muscle again last week against Carlton. They, too, are equal flag favourites, and it’s not hard to see why. Like the Tigers, they have hardly any weaknesses across the ground, and when they’re up and about, they’re just about the most enjoyable team to watch in the AFL. Is there a more complete forward line in the competition? It’s doubtful. It’s been slim pickings for the Crows, who have only won two of their last six games and are battling seemingly constant off-field drama, all the while clinging on to eighth spot for dear life. A loss this week will almost certainly tip them outside the top eight, and it’s hard to see them avoiding that fate given how much firepower the Eagles possess.
RONNY’S TIP: West Coast by 28 points.
ROCO’S TIP: West Coast by 34 points.

RONNY’S SEASON TOTAL: 102
ROCO’S SEASON TOTAL: 113