Brayden Maynard (left), Archie Perkins (top middle) and John Noble (right) fight for the ball in front of Sam Durham on Anzac Day this year. Photo: Paul Rovere

ESSENDON v COLLINGWOOD (MCG, Friday 7:50pm local time)
Another season that promised so much for Essendon has crashed and burned in devastating fashion. Few could’ve predicted the 21-goal walloping it copped at the hands of GWS last week with a finals spot on the line, and it now means the cue is in the rack for the Bombers. Had they lost by a respectable margin, this match would’ve still been alive, but the smashing their percentage copped means it’s yet another in a long line of late-season dead rubbers for Essendon in the past two decades. It’s a fact that is reflected in the Bombers’ selection this week with key players Sam Draper (hip), Peter Wright (TBC), Jake Stringer (foot), Jye Caldwell (hip), Jake Kelly (TBC) and Matt Guelfi (hamstring) all out injured. What little juice that still remained in this contest about a week ago has well and truly evaporated. Collingwood should win comfortably as it looks to seal its 20th VFL/AFL minor premiership, but you’d think Essendon would put in an improved effort as it farewells retiring duo Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti and Andrew Phillips.
RONNY’S TIP: Collingwood by 36 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Collingwood by 36 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Collingwood by 39 points.

HAWTHORN v FREMANTLE (MCG, Saturday 1:45pm local time)
With neither side in the running for the finals, pride is all that’s on the line in this match. The Hawks have been in decent form recently, beating Collingwood and the Bulldogs, before pushing Melbourne until early in the final quarter, only to be ultimately overrun. Meanwhile, Freo’s last month hasn’t been too shabby either with impressive wins over Geelong and West Coast mixed in with gallant defeats to Brisbane and Port Adelaide. This also presents a rare opportunity for the Dockers to play at the MCG and provides them with the perfect stage to rehearse their desired game style in the hope that they return to finals footy promptly. Hawthorn welcomes back ball magnet Jai Newcombe while Fremantle regains Michael Walters and Joel Hamling, although Jaeger O’Meara (calf) will miss an engagement with his old team. Freo are in with a big shot here, but the Hawks look more likely to finish the season on a high note.
RONNY’S TIP: Hawthorn by 11 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Hawthorn by 20 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Hawthorn by 9 points.

NORTH MELBOURNE v GOLD COAST (Blundstone Arena, Saturday 1:45pm local time)
Another match with little riding on it, although cynically there is much at stake for the Kangaroos. Now that they’ve dropped to the bottom of the ladder, after West Coast’s stunning win over the Bulldogs last week, they are in pole position for pick No.1 at this year’s draft and the highly-touted Harley Reid. For that reason, unfortunately, it’s in North’s best interests to have its dreadful losing streak extend to 21 matches down at Hobart. The Suns are a better team, and would probably emerge victorious in normal circumstances anyway. But the perverse scenario that this game is being played in will all but guarantee a victory for caretaker coach Steven King in his final game in charge of the Suns before handing over the reins to Damien Hardwick.
RONNY’S TIP: Gold Coast by 25 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Gold Coast by 28 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Gold Coast by 21 points.

BRISBANE v ST KILDA (Gabba, Saturday 4:35pm local time)
Both of these teams have qualified for the finals, but there is still much at stake for the Lions and Saints. Brisbane must win to guarantee itself a top-two spot and the sought-after pair of home finals, while St Kilda has to win to avoid the potential of a road final first up. The Lions have the opportunity to stay in Brisbane until grand final day if they’re good enough, so the prize attached to a win here is enormous. Meanwhile, St Kilda runs the risk of playing either the Swans or Giants in Sydney in a cut-throat elimination final if it fails to beat Brisbane. And unfortunately, for Ross Lyon’s men, defeating the Lions at the Gabba is no mean feat. Brisbane has won all 10 games at its home fortress this year by an average of 37 points. Meanwhile, the Saints’ interstate record in 2023 is a bang average 3-3. And with key duo Max King (managed) and Seb Ross (hamstring) out of action, St Kilda’s task has become even more difficult.
RONNY’S TIP: Brisbane by 31 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Brisbane by 12 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Brisbane by 15 points.

GEELONG v WESTERN BULLDOGS (Kardinia Park, Saturday 7:25pm local time)
It’s not often that we say this about the Cats at this time of year, but the perennial contenders are already looking towards next season after becoming the fourth reigning premiers in 15 years to fail to qualify for the finals. And that is a situation which has given the Bulldogs’ finals hopes an almighty free kick, following their calamitous defeat to battling West Coast last week, because Geelong heads into this final-round contest missing a galaxy of stars. Jeremy Cameron (AC joint), Tom Hawkins (hamstring), Mark Blicavs (hamstring), Mitch Duncan (suspension), Brad Close (ankle), Jack Henry (foot), Gary Rohan (ankle) and Cam Guthrie will not be lining up, while Zach Tuohy will be the starting sub. That gives the Dogs some hope of climbing back into the top eight from ninth position. Luke Beveridge’s team will be without Jack Macrae (concussion), Bailey Smith (illness) and Taylor Duryea (suspension), but the return of superstar Tom Liberatore couldn’t have come at a better time. By virtue of the fact that they still have something to play for, the Bulldogs should win this game. Yes, that theory did not hold true last week in their game against the Eagles, but the Cats are clearly signalling no fierce intention of winning this weekend, even if it is Isaac Smith’s last game. If the Dogs win, they would then need Carlton to beat GWS on Sunday to make the finals.
RONNY’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 14 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 2 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 13 points.

PLEASE HELP US CONTINUE TO THRIVE BY BECOMING AN OFFICIAL FOOTYOLOGY PATRON. JUST CLICK THIS LINK.

WEST COAST v ADELAIDE (Optus Stadium, Saturday 6:10pm local time)
Another game which could’ve had so much riding on it if not for a catastrophic goal umpire error which knocked the Crows out of the finals race. Adelaide should be heading into this game in ninth spot with its hopes of a finals berth still alive. Instead, it sits eight points adrift of eighth position in 13th after Ben Keays was denied a spectacular goal from the boundary against Sydney last weekend which should have been the match winner. Now, unfortunately, there is nothing on the line in this match. The only points of interest are Crows spearhead Taylor Walker’s unlikely pursuit of the Coleman Medal (he heads into the round eight goals behind Carlton’s Charlie Curnow) and, of course, the farewell matches for West Coast premiership stars Luke Shuey and Shannon Hurn. It will almost certainly also be Eagles coach Adam Simpson’s final game in charge, but as this story was published, no announcement had yet been made on his future. Besides all of that, this game is largely a non-event, but Adelaide should still be far too good, despite West Coast’s massive upset against the Dogs last week.
RONNY’S TIP: Adelaide by 34 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Adelaide by 30 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Adelaide by 21 points.

PORT ADELAIDE v RICHMOND (Adelaide Oval, Sunday 12pm local time)
The Power will find themselves in an interesting situation on Sunday. If Brisbane loses to St Kilda, second spot and two home finals will all of a sudden be up for grabs. But if the Lions and Magpies get up, as is expected, then what will the Power want to do? Will they want to beat Richmond and face the Lions at the Gabba in a qualifying final? Or is it in their interests to lose and potentially drop to fourth and try their luck against Collingwood at the MCG first up? After all Port Adelaide played one of the games of the season against the Magpies in Round 19 before going down by just two points in an absolute thriller. The truth is, a loss to the Tigers wouldn’t guarantee Port fourth spot anyway, because Melbourne could easily lose to the Swans at the SCG later in the day. Ultimately, winning form is good form, and the Power will be far too good for the out-of-contention Tigers.
RONNY’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 27 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 38 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 35 points.

SYDNEY v MELBOURNE (SCG, Sunday 3:20pm local time)
Arguably the match of the round. And given the Magpies, Lions and Power should all win their games, Melbourne’s killer instinct might be dulled considerably, because that scenario would have the Demons locked into fourth spot with nowhere to go. Meanwhile, the seventh-placed Swans would still have plenty to play for, because victory over the Demons would have see them leapfrog St Kilda, and potentially Carlton, and guarantee them a home elimination final in a fortnight’s time. Sydney is in spectacular form. Incredibly, on the back of six consecutive wins, it is on the verge of finishing this home-and-away season the way it did 2022 when it won its final seven matches (before storming to a grand final). The Swans have timed their run to perfection after finding themselves in the bottom four as late as Round 14. Boosting their cause are the additions of key bookends Joel Amartey and Lewis Melican to their squad. Meanwhile, the Demons have added Tom McDonald and Bayley Fritsch to theirs. There’ll probably be more at stake for Sydney, but with six wins from their last seven games, the Demons are also in fantastic form and looming as a legitimate premiership threat.
RONNY’S TIP: Melbourne by 15 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Sydney by 4 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Sydney by 4 points.

CARLTON v GWS (Marvel Stadium, Sunday 6:10pm local time)
If the Bulldogs beat the Cats, this match will still have something riding on it, because GWS would then have to beat the Blues to reclaim eighth spot and qualify for the finals. But if Geelong wins, then the Giants will be guaranteed finals action and the only thing they would be potentially playing for is a home final in the first week. The Blues are all but certainly locked in for a home final, so there’ll be little motivation for them other than to keep their barnstorming nine-match winning run alive. Although, if they do beat GWS, it means that if they want to win the flag, they will have to stretch their winning run to 14 games by the end of the year, which would be a monumental achievement. Does that factor potentially make them take the foot off the pedal with minimal risk of losing a home final? We shall wait and see. Although, given Sam Walsh, Adam Cerra and Mitch McGovern have all been added to its squad, it hardly looks like Carlton is taking this match lightly, and that means GWS could be squeezed out of the top eight in the final match of the season.
RONNY’S TIP: Carlton by 11 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Carlton by 10 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Carlton by 10 points.

SEASON TOTALS
RONNY 134
ROCO 133
ROCKET 125