Geelong’s Isaac Smith gets a handball away during last year’s Easter Monday clash. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

BRISBANE v COLLINGWOOD (Gabba, Thursday 7.35pm local time)
It’s been a frustrating couple of weeks for the Magpies with poor goalkicking and final-quarter fadeouts costing them victory after being in very winnable positions against Geelong and West Coast. Instead of being 4-0, they now sit 2-2 and the daunting task of the Lions on the rebound at the Gabba awaits. Collingwood does welcome back Jordan De Goey, Taylor Adams and Jordan Roughead, but Brody Mihocek (COVID protocols), Jamie Elliott (AC joint) and Jack Ginnivan (soreness) all make way. The Pies have been quite impressive so far this year under new coach Craig McRae, but this is easily their biggest challenge of 2022. Up at the Gabba where the Lions have won 30 of their last 32 home-and-away games, the Magpies will get a first-hand lesson of what being premiership material is all about. And Brisbane has plenty of pent-up frustration fuelling them after yet another controversial finish down at Kardinia Park against Geelong last week.
RONNY’S TIP: Brisbane by 36 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Brisbane by 32 points.

NORTH MELBOURNE v WESTERN BULLDOGS (Marvel Stadium, Friday 4.20pm local time)
The Kangaroos took a dramatic turn for the better last week against Sydney, and they simply had to after their woeful showing against Brisbane a week prior. They were so good last round that they almost defeated the Swans at the SCG. And if they can continue that form into this week, they will be half a chance because the Bulldogs’ goalkicking has been absolutely horrific of late. Since three-quarter time against Carlton in Round 3, they have booted a disgraceful 18.43, kicking themselves out of wins against the Blues and Tigers, and almost costing themselves the four points against the Swans. If the Dogs have another shocker in front of goal this week, they better understand that the Kangaroos are capable of making them pay despite being one of the league’s weaker teams. The good news for Luke Beveridge’s men is that Zaine Cordy (concussion) is available while Mitch Hannan (illness) is a chance of lining up too, but it’s highly unlikely that we’re going to see a repeat performance of the Bulldogs’ record-breaking 128-point win over North from the corresponding Good Friday fixture last year.
RONNY’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 19 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 36 points.

WEST COAST v SYDNEY (Optus Stadium, Friday 5.40pm local time)
What a difference a week makes out west. Just as the undertaker was preparing the lifeless corpse that was the Eagles’ 2022 campaign for burial, it shockingly came back from the dead to upset Collingwood by 13 points in Melbourne without a huge chunk of their most important players. And the news gets better for Adam Simpson’s side with Luke Shuey (COVID protocols), Tim Kelly (hamstring), Elliot Yeo (calf), Jamie Cripps (pectoral) and Sam Petrevski-Seton (calf) all potentially returning to the line-up this week. But it wasn’t all positive prognoses in the medical room, with Nic Naitanui (knee) set to miss as much as three months of football. The Swans will also be without one of their superstars in Lance Franklin, who broke his finger against the Kangaroos. Sydney has endured a very unconvincing fortnight since Franklin kicked his 1000th goal, but if it snaps out of its funk and recaptures its Round 1-2 form, West Coast is going to find it hard.
RONNY’S TIP: Sydney by 17 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Sydney by 12 points.

ST KILDA v GOLD COAST (Marvel Stadium, Saturday 1.45pm local time)
The Saints are fast-becoming one of the surprise packets of the season. After an underwhelming start against Collingwood, they have strung together three very impressive wins in a row and are being led superbly by the likes of Jack Steele, Brad Crouch, Jack Sinclair, Jade Gresham, Bradley Hill and Max King. But they will have to face the Suns without the suspended Paddy Ryder and, even though Rowan Marshall is in the side, that could pose an issue given the great form Gold Coast big man Jarrod Witts is in. But in better news for the Saints, they could regain both Jack Higgins and Jarryn Geary after the pair was sidelined with concussion. The Suns produced their best performance of the year so far last week by handing Carlton their first loss of the year in comprehensive fashion. However, was that a result that will herald in a new period of consistency for the expansion club? Or was it a win that came about mainly as a direct reaction to their insipid showing against GWS the week prior? History suggests it’s the latter option.
RONNY’S TIP: St Kilda by 30 points.
ROCO’S TIP: St Kilda by 38 points.

ADELAIDE v RICHMOND (Adelaide Oval, Saturday 4.05pm local time)
The Crows are certainly a lot more competitive than what their 1-3 win-loss record indicates. They’ve lost two games by a total of five points – how easily they could be 3-1. But as it stands they just haven’t been composed enough to push through and snatch a few more thrilling wins akin to their after-the-siren epic against Port Adelaide. They do appear to be on the right track though, and they will definitely fancy their chances against a Richmond team which rebounded emphatically last week with a thumping win over the wayward Dogs. This match has the potential to be a tight one, and Adelaide will be encouraged by its 4-1 record against Richmond at Adelaide Oval since the start of 2017.
RONNY’S TIP: Richmond by 15 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Richmond by 18 points.

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MELBOURNE v GWS (MCG, Saturday 7.25pm local time)
The Giants just aren’t altogether there. While a big reason for that is their sizeable injury list, as well as the continued unavailability of suspended superstar Toby Greene, they’ve just basically looked a shadow of the ferociously competitive team that has been associated with their last five or six years. And unfortunately for them, as they try and turn around their badly faltering season, they come up against clearly the best team in the competition on its home deck. Melbourne has established such a gap on the rest of the AFL that enough sunshine can peek through to fuel a solar-powered semi-trailer for a week. Their pressure is both relentless and ferocious and they are the most defensively organised team in the league with a bevy of superstars playing sensational football.
RONNY’S TIP: Melbourne by 34 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Melbourne by 42 points.

CARLTON v PORT ADELAIDE (MCG, Sunday 1.10pm local time)
It was a dirty weekend for the Blues last weekend as they not only lost their first game for the year against perennial struggler Gold Coast, but also captain Patty Cripps (hamstring) for at least one week. Carlton has been far from a four-quarter team this year, and its rejuvenated midfield now faces its biggest test without arguably its biggest star. But the Blues will be hoping to regain Marc Pittonet (back), Oscar McDonald (back) and Corey Durdin (COVID protocols). Meanwhile, Port Adelaide’s season is in freefall. The bottom-placed Power remain the only winless team in the competition and they have really struggled to come up with an effective game plan as some of their most important players continue to sit on the sidelines. Added to that list of unavailable stars is Ollie Wines who had to be subbed out last week due to a heart condition, while Scott Lycett (shoulder) is in doubt as well. In some good news they could regain Robbie Gray (COVID protocols) and in a surprising development, Aliir Aliir (ankle) is a chance to return, too. Carlton should win, but Port Adelaide will take some confidence from the fact it has won its last six games against Carlton, including two meetings at the MCG.
RONNY’S TIP: Carlton by 12 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Carlton by 22 points.

ESSENDON v FREMANTLE (Marvel Stadium, Sunday 4.40pm local time)
Fremantle is flying quietly under the radar in third spot on the ladder, having won three of its first four games. But if the Dockers want to prove that they actually have come a fair way in their progress, then this is the kind of game that they simply have to win. It’s a non-negotiable. Too many times they have let this particular fixture at this venue slip through their grasp. Their last three meetings with Essendon at the Docklands Stadium have all ended up in losses for them by seven, six and seven points respectively. In fact, the Bombers have won their last five games against Fremantle, and the Dockers haven’t defeated Essendon at this ground since 2010. Heading into this game, though, the Bombers are looking quite shaky – their defence is the leakiest in the competition, and they’ve been struggling to kick a winning score. Essendon is also still missing a raft of key players, such as Jake Stringer, Zach Merrett, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Kyle Langford, Will Snelling and Harrison Jones. Fremantle is still without captain Nat Fyfe (back) but Alex Pearce (ankle), Caleb Serong (knee) and Darcy Tucker (concussion) are all strong chances of returning. It’s about time the Dockers finally got one over the Dons.
RONNY’S TIP: Fremantle by 9 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Fremantle by 6 points.

HAWTHORN v GEELONG (MCG, Monday 3.20pm local time)
After a very positive first three weeks, Sam Mitchell’s Hawks suffered their first serious speed hump last week in the form of a 69-point drubbing at the hands of St Kilda. And they’re going to have to face Geelong without impressive young defender Will Day who suffered a concussion in his collision with Paddy Ryder, but they’re holding out hope that Chad Wingard (calf) might play. The evergreen Cats look like a top-four team once again after their hard-fought 10-point win over an imposing Brisbane Lions outfit and they look set to regain Joel Selwood (rested) and Tom Stewart (gastro). Sam Menegola (concussion), Shaun Higgins (concussion) and Esava Ratugolea (ankle) might also return for Geelong as well. These Easter Monday clashes can throw up the odd surprise, but even taking that into consideration, it would be quite a turn-up if Hawthorn upset the Cats on this occasion.
RONNY’S TIP: Geelong by 27 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Geelong by 20 points.

RONNY’S SEASON TOTAL: 22
ROCO’S SEASON TOTAL: 22