Geelong’s Tom Hawkins collects Melbourne’s Steven May during the teams’ Round 4 meeting. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

WESTERN BULLDOGS v PORT ADELAIDE (Marvel Stadium, Friday 7.50pm local time)
One of the tightest finishes to a VFL/AFL season reaches its climax this weekend, with the jockeying for spots inside the top eight far from over. An epic battle for a top-four berth kicks things off on Friday night as the fourth-placed Bulldogs tackle the Power, who are third. Unlike the Bulldogs however, Port Adelaide has already sewn up a double chance. If the Dogs don’t beat the Power this week, they run the serious risk of being leapfrogged by Brisbane at the final hurdle – what a blow that would be for Luke Beveridge’s side after spending 20 weeks inside the top four. But back-to-back losses to Essendon and Hawthorn, of all teams, have put the Dogs in this predicament. There’s a lot at stake for the Power, too. Not only are they looking for their first victory against a top-four side this year, but a win will sew up a top-two spot for them, which will likely see them secure a home final in the first week (COVID restrictions permitting) – a crucial leg-up given the Victorian and NSW sides will likely be forced to play on neutral territory throughout September. The Bulldogs have picked the wrong time of the year to experience a form slump, but three losses in a row on the eve of finals would be jaw-dropping. They’ve got more to play for, and will take confidence from having beaten the Power on their home deck earlier this year.
RONNY’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 12 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 2 points.

RICHMOND v HAWTHORN (MCG, Saturday 1.35pm local time)
The Tigers are in Lloyd Christmas (“Dumb and Dumber”) territory when it comes to their finals hopes, needing to beat the Hawks, St Kilda to defeat Fremantle, Brisbane to beat West Coast and Collingwood to upset Essendon. On top of all that, the Tigers need to also make up 10 percentage points on the Bombers, which would require Richmond and Collingwood to both win their games by approximately 80 points. So, yes, we’re saying they’re a chance, but as Mary Swanson famously pointed out to Lloyd before he erupted ecstatically, that chance is more like one out of a million. And their approach to selection pretty much reflects that, with a whopping nine confirmed changes to their side this week, and with Trent Cotchin (knee), Shane Edwards (ankle), Kane Lambert (achilles), Toby Nankervis (finger/foot/knee) and Dion Prestia (calf) among the forced omissions, it doesn’t augur well for them in David Astbury’s final game. The Hawks are finishing the year with a wet sail, and in what will be the final game for both Alastair Clarkson as coach and Shaun Burgoyne, with Jaeger O’Meara, Luke Breust and James Worpel all returning, the legendary Hawthorn duo should get a fitting send-off.
RONNY’S TIP: Hawthorn by 27 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Hawthorn by 6 points.

SYDNEY v GOLD COAST (Marvel Stadium, Saturday 1.45pm local time)
The Suns have made an art form out of undoing their good work this season. Just as soon as they produce an impressive performance full of grit and tenacity, and make you think they might have turned the corner, they don’t waste any time in reminding you why they’ve been such a disappointment for over a decade. That trend continued last week when they backed up their gutsy victory over Carlton with a 68-point shellacking at the hands of Essendon, a putrid display which saw them manage just four goals to register the equal-fifth lowest score of their history (three of their seven lowest scores have been recorded this season, further highlighting the massive disparity between their best and worst). And it would take a brave punter to suggest the season will end on a high note for Gold Coast, as it runs into a Sydney side that is one of the in-form teams in the competition, preparing for yet another finals campaign under coach John Longmire. With Lance Franklin, Callum Mills and Jake Lloyd all back in the side, the Swans should have few issues avenging their shock loss to the Suns from earlier this year, even without Josh Kennedy (hamstring) and Nick Blakey (leg) in the team.
RONNY’S TIP: Sydney by 33 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Sydney by 42 points.

BRISBANE v WEST COAST (Gabba, Saturday 4.35pm local time)
Stick a fork in the Eagles. They’re done. Arguably the most disappointing side of 2021 will have its underwhelming campaign emphatically come to an end this weekend. Taking on a Brisbane team at the Gabba that has well and truly rediscovered its ruthless, killer edge in recent weeks, and could quite easily be playing for a top-four spot if the Bulldogs lose to the Power, is hard enough as it is. But to do that without Josh Kennedy (finger), Jeremy McGovern (hip), Tim Kelly (knee) and Brad Sheppard (concussion) in the line-up, on top of Shannon Hurn (hamstring) and Liam Duggan (knee), who are already sidelined, makes the mission nigh on impossible. And let’s not forget how pathetic the Eagles have been on the road on multiple occasions this year already. This one could get very ugly.
RONNY’S TIP: Brisbane by 76 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Brisbane by 20 points.

GEELONG v MELBOURNE (Kardinia Park, Saturday 7.25pm local time)
It’s the big one we’ve all been waiting for. The battle for the minor premiership between the top-of-the-ladder Demons and second-ranked Cats. What a game this promises to be. And Melbourne is definitely heading into this one in better form than Geelong, having hit its stride again at the perfect time of the year with three wins on the trot, albeit against sides which aren’t going to figure in the September action. But the same can’t be said for the Cats, who in that same period, have scored unconvincing wins against North Melbourne and St Kilda while also stunningly dropping the four points to a depleted GWS outfit in Geelong in what was arguably the upset of the season. The Demons will be bolstered by the return of key trio Steven May, Jack Viney and Tom McDonald, and the Cats welcome back Gary Rohan, Gryan Miers and Tom Atkins. However, there’s something about Kardinia Park without fans in recent weeks which seems to have diminished Geelong’s customary massive home-ground advantage. The Giants did them in, and the Saints came close. That should give the Demons plenty of confidence heading into this match. Simon Goodwin’s men also have been exceptional against the top teams this year, a fact which should make them even more fearless against the Cats this week.
RONNY’S TIP: Melbourne by 10 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Geelong by 8 points.

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CARLTON v GWS (Marvel Stadium, Saturday 7.40pm local time)
This tumultuous season cannot end quickly enough for the Blues. The ongoing review into the football department has dragged on for half a season and has served as a sizeable distraction for the club, and in particular coach David Teague, who has been shabbily treated by Carlton to say the least. All signs point to this being his final game in charge. And with nothing to play for, the spirit seemingly sucked out of the side, as evidenced by 19 consecutive goals conceded against Port Adelaide last week, and the red-hot Giants, boosted by the return of superstar Toby Greene, still playing to shore up a spot in the finals, the Blues will receive a fitting end to their wretched season in what looms as a sad way for Eddie Betts’ career to finish, just like Marc Murphy’s did last weekend.
RONNY’S TIP: GWS by 75 points.
ROCO’S TIP: GWS by 46 points.

ST KILDA v FREMANTLE (Blundstone Arena, Sunday 12.15pm local time)
When you take a fleeting glance at the Saints’ recent form line, it doesn’t make for great reading considering they’ve lost four of their last five games. However, upon closer inspection, they’ve seriously tested Port Adelaide, West Coast (in Perth) and Geelong, while beating finals-bound Sydney quite comprehensively. Their only stinker in that stretch was a five-goal loss to Carlton. They’ve definitely been around the mark, and they come up against a Fremantle side that achieved an emotional high last week when, despite being severely depleted, it finally ended arch-rival West Coast’s 11-game Western Derby winning streak. The Saints will have to do without in-form forward Max King (adductor), while the Dockers welcome back emerging midfield gun Andrew Brayshaw from suspension. This promises to be a tight affair, but down in Tasmania, the Saints should be able to reward themselves for a fairly decent block of form.
RONNY’S TIP: St Kilda by 15 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Fremantle by 14 points.

ESSENDON v COLLINGWOOD (MCG, Sunday 3.20pm local time)
For the second time in five rounds, the Bombers have their finals destiny in their own hands. As they did in Round 18, they head into this weekend in eighth position, needing to keep winning to secure their spot in September. They might have failed the test last time, when they were overrun by the Giants in the second half, but as they head into this contest with some great form behind them, and their midfield firing on all cylinders, you can expect them to learn from their lessons against GWS and make sure of the result against a struggling Collingwood outfit destined for its lowest finish on the ladder since 1999.
RONNY’S TIP: Essendon by 32 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Essendon by 18 points.

ADELAIDE v NORTH MELBOURNE (Adelaide Oval, Sunday 4.10pm local time)
In the same round that first and second are doing battle, it’s perhaps only fitting that 17th and 18th also lock horns. And both sides are finishing the season fairly strongly by their standards, despite failing to frank that form with victories. So, with the wooden spoon already decided and in North Melbourne’s keeping, both sides will be hungry to end the year with a win. Adelaide could actually move up to 15th if they down the Roos. There isn’t a whole lot between these two sides, but playing in front of a home crowd could be the difference in the end for the Crows.
RONNY’S TIP: Adelaide by 12 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Adelaide by 12 points.

RONNY’S SEASON TOTAL: 119
ROCO’S SEASON TOTAL: 121