Collingwood celebrates the final siren and its narrow win over Carlton at the MCG in Round 11. Photo: AFL MEDIA

BRISBANE v MELBOURNE (Gabba, Friday 7.50pm local time)
It might not be the biggest game of the round (more on that later), but this match will almost certainly ensure that the final weekend of the home-and-away season kicks off with an almighty bang. The stakes in this contest are massive, the winner securing a double chance and the loser at grave risk of slipping out of the top four as it would need both Collingwood and Fremantle to lose their games to Carlton and GWS respectively to hang on to a double chance. The Demons have been in a holding pattern in the past seven games, going win-loss during that whole period, while the Lions have recovered from a very similar two-month block to win four of their last five games. Melbourne might have scraped past Carlton at the death last week, but they still appear to have significant issues up forward as they once again won the inside-50 count comfortably (58-48), yet almost lost. And while Brisbane has looked better in the last five weeks, it has been making a habit of either giving up big leads, or having them eaten into significantly – it is far from a four-quarter team. A few weeks ago against Fremantle, though, Melbourne started showing the first real signs of its premiership-winning best at the right time of the year. The Demons have the wood over Brisbane, having won their last three encounters by an average of 40 points, and if they can produce a similar performance to the one they put on show against the Dockers a fortnight ago, which they’re perfectly capable of doing, they will put a huge spanner in the works of Brisbane’s top-four hopes.
RONNY’S TIP: Melbourne by 17 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Brisbane by 2 points.

GWS v FREMANTLE (Manuka Oval, Saturday 1.45pm local time)
On the face of it, this seems like a non-descript match in the nation’s capital, but the reality couldn’t be further away from that. This is a huge match for Fremantle, which simply must win to keep its top-four chances alive. Currently in sixth spot, if the Dockers win, and Carlton beat Collingwood, they will earn the double chance. But Freo is up against a tricky customer indeed. In the two games since caretaker coach Mark McVeigh pondered whether his players had “checked out” or not, the Giants have woken from their slumber by convincingly beating the then in-form Bombers and pushing finals aspirant the Western Bulldogs right to the finish line in Melbourne. And while the Dockers lose Rory Lobb to a double whammy of chest and shoulder injuries, they regain dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe after a month out due to a hamstring injury. GWS welcome back Tim Taranto, but there’s too much on the line here for the Dockers to slip up. The Giants would be a better chance if the game was played at their traditional home ground in Sydney, because they have a wretched record at their alternate Canberra base, losing their last six there and seven of their last eight.
RONNY’S TIP: Fremantle by 16 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Fremantle by 18 points.

NORTH MELBOURNE v GOLD COAST (Marvel Stadium, Saturday 2.10pm local time)
Canberra is where the high stakes end on Saturday, as the Kangaroos and Suns kick off a run of virtual practice games for the rest of the day/night. There’s not much riding on this one at all, with both teams well and truly out of the finals picture. The Kangaroos, though, do have the chance to avoid the wooden spoon if they beat Gold Coast, because 17th-placed West Coast will have no hope of beating the Cats in Geelong in the twilight fixture. Victory would see North overtake the Eagles and avoid the ignominy of back-to-back wooden spoons for the first time in 87 years. And they would hope to get a decent turnout considering this is club favourite Ben Cunnington’s first game in front of home fans since overcoming two bouts of testicular cancer. If their first three quarters against Adelaide are anything to go by, they’d have to be considered a decent chance of winning, too. Unfortunately for them, a lack of rotations, with three players going down with injury in the second half, counted against them in the end. And the Suns have completely run out of steam, losing six of their last eight games to finish yet another season with a whimper. The only thing that will probably save Gold Coast is the fact that North has lost four of its most important players in Jaidyn Stephenson (back), Jack Ziebell (shoulder), Paul Curtis (shoulder) and Jed Anderson (concussion).
RONNY’S TIP: Gold Coast by 9 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Gold Coast by 6 points.

GEELONG v WEST COAST (Kardinia Park, Saturday 4.35pm local time)
Another game with little riding on it, considering the Cats have already sewn up the minor premiership and the Eagles are guaranteed a bottom-two finish. Even if North Melbourne beats the Suns, giving West Coast added motivation to win and avoid the wooden spoon, the Eagles wouldn’t have the capabilities to get anywhere near defeating Geelong – especially considering this is Patrick Dangerfield’s 300th AFL game. If the Cats looked like absolute morals already heading into this game, there’s no way they’re going to embarrass one of their favourite sons by losing to one of the worst teams the league has ever seen. Geelong by plenty.
RONNY’S TIP: Geelong by 72 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Geelong by 80 points.

ESSENDON v RICHMOND (MCG, Saturday 7.25pm local time)
“Dead Rubber” Saturday continues into the evening as the Tigers, already guaranteed a finals berth, face the embattled Bombers, who find themselves in familiar territory, having not only missed the top eight again, but also mired in turmoil. Tullamarine was the scene of crisis yet again during the week as a civil war on the board led to a change of presidents and the Bombers audaciously pursuing four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson – and the kicker is that, as of Thursday night, they still hadn’t sacked incumbent coach Ben Rutten. It truly is one of the more bizarre situations in living memory. However, there is a game still to be played, and in some good news for the long-suffering Essendon faithful, one of their most popular players Michael Hurley will make it back for his first game in two years, having finally overcome the effects of a serious hip infection. It will also be his last, as he has announced his retirement. But that’s about as much joy as Bomber fans will get out of this one. The Tigers have sharpened their claws big time ever since that disastrous fortnight which saw them lose to Gold Coast and North Melbourne. They’ve won their last three matches in impressive fashion, after holding Fremantle to a draw, and should have few issues extending their record winning run against Essendon to 13 games.
RONNY’S TIP: Richmond by 44 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Richmond by 26 points.

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PORT ADELAIDE v ADELAIDE (Adelaide Oval, Saturday 7pm local time)
Even though this is a Showdown, there’s also zero on the line in this one, with both teams out of finals contention. Bragging rights are the only things up for grabs, which is still a strong motivating force considering how much these two clubs despise each other. And the Crows, especially, would love to secure the four points given they haven’t completed the double against their arch enemy since 2017. But it’s going to take a hell of an effort to stop the Power, who are desperate to send off one of their greatest players Robbie Gray in style, after he announced his retirement earlier this week. And what a fitting way it is for Gray to depart, considering he has won no fewer than five Showdown medals. The Crows are sprinting to the finish line, having won their last three games, but Port Adelaide is the better team, and should prove it with an emotion-filled victory for Gray.
RONNY’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 20 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 12 points.

HAWTHORN v WESTERN BULLDOGS (Launceston, Sunday 1.10pm local time)
The meaningless games out of the way, we now head to “Super Sunday”, and the first match sees the Bulldogs take on Hawthorn in what is a do-or-die contest for Luke Beveridge’s men. Quite simply, the ninth-placed Dogs have to beat the Hawks and then hope Collingwood beats Carlton later in the day in order to sneak into the finals. And although Hawthorn got thumped by Richmond last week, it is not a team to be taken lightly, especially down in Tasmania. The Hawks have only won eight games, but have been pretty competitive almost all season, which is a credit to first-year coach Sam Mitchell. And they will also be farewelling retiring captain Ben McEvoy for added motivation. The Bulldogs aren’t exactly in sparkling form, and almost blew it last week against another bottom-six side in GWS. The Hawks have won four of their last five games in Launceston, while the Dogs are chasing their first win down there against Hawthorn since 2008. The Hawks should provide a stern test, but with so much to play for, the Doggies should fall over the line.
RONNY’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 2 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 16 points.

CARLTON v COLLINGWOOD (MCG, Sunday 3.20pm local time)
Here it is. The reason the Brisbane-Melbourne clash isn’t the match of the round. This is the one the footy world has been waiting for since the AFL released the Round 23 fixture last month. In what is the biggest clash in the league’s most famous rivalry in over 30 years, the Blues are set to tackle the Magpies in front of approximately 90,000 fans. On the final day of the home-and-away season, the stakes are enormous for both of these teams. Eighth-placed Carlton has to win to qualify for the finals for the first time in nine years, especially if the Bulldogs get the job done against Hawthorn. And fifth-placed Collingwood has to win to make the top four – a loss would almost certainly see the Pies play Richmond in an elimination final in two weeks’ time (talking about massive matches). The Blues have gone all out, naming Adam Cerra (adductor), Zac Williams (calf), George Hewett (back) and Tom De Koning in their extended squad, but whether or not all four of them play is another issue, especially the first three men who are all coming back from injury. Meanwhile, the Pies have included Jordan De Goey (hip) and, surprisingly, Jack Ginnivan (hamstring). The Blues were 11 seconds away from booking themselves a finals spot last week, before Melbourne’s Kysaiah Pickett snatched their reservation away from them. Carlton played great, finals-like footy against the Demons, but how much of a mental setback will that heartbreaking result be? As for the Pies, their incredible 11-game winning streak came to an end last week at the hands of the Swans. Both teams are so evenly matched, but if it goes down to the wire, which it could very easily do, then the team with the most experience in those situations will be favoured, and the Pies are 8-1 in games decided by seven points or fewer this year.
RONNY’S TIP: Collingwood by 4 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Collingwood by 4 points.

ST KILDA v SYDNEY (Marvel Stadium, Sunday 4.40pm local time)
There’s quite a bit on the line in this game too, especially for the Swans, who need to win to guarantee a top-two finish and, more importantly, two home finals. An upset loss for John Longmire’s men could see them drop out of the top four, so tight is the upper echelon of the ladder. Meanwhile, the Saints have a faint pulse, but in order to make the finals, they would have to annihilate Sydney and then hope Hawthorn beats the Bulldogs and Collingwood obliterates Carlton – not the likeliest of scenarios, but as Lloyd Christmas once said, “So you’re telling me there’s a chance?” However, without three of their most important players in Brad Crouch (suspension), Jimmy Webster (hamstring) and Mason Wood (hand), that incredibly slim chance got even slimmer. The Swans are the real deal and they are charging towards the finals with a head full of steam, having now won nine of their last 11 games, including the last six in a row. Fittingly, St Kilda’s injury-plagued Dan Hannebery will play his final game against his former club, where he enjoyed far greater success and luck from an injury perspective. The Swans faithful will likely give him a louder ovation than St Kilda’s fans, and that won’t be the only thing they’ll be cheering about at the end of the game.
RONNY’S TIP: Sydney by 35 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Sydney by 22 points.

RONNY’S SEASON TOTAL: 128
ROCO’S SEASON TOTAL: 135