Andrew Gaff ponders the ramifications of his hit on Andrew Brayshaw during the last Western Derby. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

SYDNEY v MELBOURNE (SCG, Thursday 7.20pm local time)
It’s only round four, but there’s a real do-or-die feel about this game for the Demons. While the Swans released a bit of the pressure on themselves with a hard-fought victory against Carlton last week, the Dees are rock bottom on the ladder with a 0-3 record. It’s been well documented how tough it is to make the finals after losing your first three games, and it would take a huge effort to fight back from 0-4. There’s a lot more on the line for the Demons, and the week of scrutiny and criticism they’ve endured following their loss to Essendon might just be the spark that kick-starts their spluttering season. The Dees’ backs are firmly against the wall and, while they’re still missing seven of their best 22, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the 2018 preliminary finalists come out swinging on a ground that not only suits their players, but no longer possesses the same aura it once did. The Swans have now lost eight games there in the past 12 months, including their last three at the venue.
RONNY’S TIP: Melbourne by 11 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Melbourne by 6 points.

COLLINGWOOD v WESTERN BULLDOGS (MCG, Friday 7.50pm local time)
Both of these teams’ seasons have started in similar fashion. Collingwood’s confidence was sky high following its round two smashing of Richmond, and pundits were even asking if the Bulldogs of 2016 were back after consecutive wins over modern day powerhouses Sydney and Hawthorn. However, the Pies and Dogs were both brought back to earth following losses to West Coast and Gold Coast respectively last week. The Bulldogs’ loss was particularly galling given the Suns were widely tipped to win the wooden spoon this year and it occurred in Melbourne. But in some good news for Luke Beveridge’s men, Tom Boyd, Jason Johannisen, Lin Jong and Jackson Trengove are all expected to be available for selection this week after overcoming injuries. The Doggies have a fantastic recent record against Collingwood, having won five of their last six meetings, and they enjoyed a 26-point lead during their only loss in that period last year before being held goalless in the second half. Collingwood, though, is a better team and should repeat the dose this time around.
RONNY’S TIP: Collingwood by 29 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Collingwood by 36 points.

GEELONG v GWS (GMHBA Stadium, Saturday 1.45pm local time)
It’s hard to go past this crackerjack encounter for match-of-the-round honours as two top-four fancies in sensational form go head-to-head. However, the fact it is being played at Geelong’s fortress takes a bit away from the anticipation that surrounds it. The Cats have lost just three times in four years at Kardinia Park, and they suffered all of those defeats against the one team (Sydney). The Giants’ record at Kardinia Park isn’t too flash – four losses by an average of 45 points. The return of Callan Ward and potential absence of Geelong’s Tim Kelly (ankle) certainly gives GWS a slight boost, but the Cats are absolutely purring at the moment and they’re going to be very hard to beat on their home deck.
RONNY’S TIP: Geelong by 31 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Geelong by 42 points.

ESSENDON v BRISBANE (MCG, Saturday 2.10pm local time)
This would have to be one of the hardest games to tip this weekend. As brilliant as the Lions have been to date, they are yet to be tested this year on the vast expanses of the MCG. Having said that, their style of play does suit the ground. Excitement and pace, as Essendon showed last week against Melbourne, are conducive to the open spaces that the home of football provides. Luckily for Bomber fans, their club decided to ditch their ultra-defensive game style three weeks into the season, rather than nine weeks in as they did in 2018. So unlike last year, they haven’t left it too late and their season is certainly salvageable. Will Essendon go on a similar tear now that the shackles have been released and its natural flair, talent and skills are once again being accentuated? If so, the Dons were very hard to stop after round eight last year and they might just hand Brisbane its first loss of the year.
RONNY’S TIP: Essendon by 22 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Essendon by 16 points.

PORT ADELAIDE v RICHMOND (Adelaide Oval, Saturday 4.05 local time)
How the mighty have fallen indeed. Richmond won the flag in 2017, the minor premiership in 2018 and headed into 2019 as the flag favourite. Yet here we are four weeks into the season and the Tigers’ bid to make the finals, let alone the top four, appears to be teetering on a knife’s edge. The Tigers will head to Adelaide without their big four – Alex Rance (knee), Dustin Martin (suspension), Jack Riewoldt (wrist) and Trent Cotchin (hamstring) – as things just go from bad to worse for Damien Hardwick’s men. Shaun Grigg (knee) and Jayden Short (elbow) are also unavailable, but they should get some relief in the form of Dylan Grimes, Josh Caddy and Bachar Houli all returning. However, Richmond has now been smashed twice in a row by two very good teams and it comes up against a rejuvenated, youthful Port Adelaide side that was five minutes away last week from maintaining its undefeated start to 2019. The Power are brimming with confidence and, as unthinkable as it would have been to say pre-season, the Tigers will be 1-3 this week.
RONNY’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 28 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 6 points.

NORTH MELBOURNE v ADELAIDE (Marvel Stadium, Saturday 7.25pm local time)
Thursday night isn’t the only timeslot featuring a crunch match this round as the struggling Kangaroos and Crows do battle in a desperate bid to get their respective campaigns back on track. It has to be said that the signs are far more worrying for the Kangaroos, who just seem to be incapable of coping with the new 6-6-6 rules and are struggling big time at centre bounces. Coach Brad Scott admitted on Wednesday that it’s taking a lot longer for his vastly different looking team to gel together than he anticipated. Meanwhile, Adelaide’s forward line is a shadow of what it was in its grand final year two years ago, with Taylor Walker, Josh Jenkins and Eddie Betts all terribly out of form. North needs the win more because at 0-4 it would just about be lights out, but the Crows seem to be in slightly better form.
RONNY’S TIP: Adelaide by 15 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Adelaide by 10 points.

WEST COAST v FREMANTLE (Optus Stadium, Saturday 6.10pm local time)
Western Derbies are always huge highlights on the footy calendar, but edition No.49 will take on extra significance and interest given it is the first meeting between the two sides since Andrew Gaff’s infamous punch which shattered Andrew Brayshaw’s face and earned the star Eagle an eight-week suspension. Perhaps Gaff is lucky it is a West Coast home game, because its fans will no doubt wrap their arms around their hero, but the Fremantle contingent in the crowd will make the evening as uncomfortable as possible for him, and it wouldn’t surprise if Brayshaw’s teammates were relentless in their harassment of Gaff, too. Both sides are in decent form heading into this one, although the reigning premier sent a huge statement around the footy world after beating Collingwood for the fourth time in a row last week. And the loss of Nat Fyfe (concussion) is a massive blow for Freo. West Coast to make it eight derby wins in a row.
RONNY’S TIP: West Coast by 34 points.
ROCO’S TIP: West Coast by 22 points.

GOLD COAST v CARLTON (Metricon Stadium, Sunday 2.40pm local time)
Who would have picked Gold Coast to be 2-1 and a huge chance of improving to 3-1 after four rounds? The simple answer is nobody. What an incredibly unexpected start to the season by the battlers from south-east Queensland. And to think that just two points the other way in round one against St Kilda would have them sitting undefeated right now. Footy really is a funny game! This is a huge match for Carlton. Brisbane have left the Blues in the dust with regards to development, and the Suns are starting to edge clear of them, too. Another loss for Carlton on Sunday would already have it at least three games behind both the Lions and Suns after four rounds. That just isn’t good enough. The time has come for the Blues to start winning games, and Sunday presents a great opportunity. They haven’t been in bad form, despite being winless, and have won three of their last four games at Metricon Stadium. There are no more excuses for Brendon Bolton and his team.
RONNY’S TIP: Carlton by 13 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Gold Coast by 2 points.

ST KILDA v HAWTHORN (Marvel Stadium, Sunday 3.20pm local time)
Like the Suns, the Saints have been a huge surprise packet so far this year. With two wins and a narrow five-point loss in Perth to their credit, Alan Richardson’s charges have certainly exceeded expectations. But they come up against their biggest test so far in 2019 on Sunday in the Hawks. While the Saints would take confidence from their last meeting with Hawthorn – a four-point defeat in round 22 at Docklands last year – the Hawks have more star power and big guns to call on. There’s nothing to suggest that St Kilda’s fighting spirit won’t be on show again, but it probably won’t be enough to topple Hawthorn.
RONNY’S TIP: Hawthorn by 18 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Hawthorn by 26 points.

RONNY’S SEASON TOTAL: 11
ROCO’S SEASON TOTAL: 12