(L-R) Nick Daicos, Callum Ah Chee, Brayden Maynard, Dayne Zorko, Cam Rayner and Lachie Neale get involved in a scuffle in Round 3 last year. Photo: AFL MEDIA

BRISBANE v COLLINGWOOD (Gabba, Thursday 7:30pm)
The Lions have made a perfect start to their premiership defence, winning all five of their games so far, which is something they haven’t achieved since they were Fitzroy all the way back in 1948. But there is a glaring issue hovering over Brisbane’s 5-0 start, and that is its underwhelming first halves. Chris Fagan’s side has made a bad habit of starting matches very slowly, with just one half-time lead in 2025 against lowly Richmond. Granted the Lions have stormed home each time after the main break, but they will be flirting with disaster if they think they can give a team like Collingwood a head start. The Magpies are one of the most in-form teams in the league, having now won four in a row, and with Jordan De Goey back, this contest promises to be an absolute beauty. Little separates these two sides, but the Lions should be just too good as they aim for their first 6-0 start since the Roy Boys achieved that feat 101 years ago.
RONNY’S TIP: Brisbane by 3 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Collingwood by 2 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Brisbane by 11 points.

NORTH MELBOURNE v CARLTON (Marvel Stadium, Friday 3:20pm)
The Blues finally got off the mark last week against an uncompetitive West Coast outfit, but they would want to be on guard this week, because the Kangaroos’ only win of the year came against Melbourne which, like Carlton, is sluggish and out of form. Another similarity the Blues share with the Demons is a lack of blistering pace. That could be something that plays into the Roos’ hands on the quick deck of Marvel Stadium, as it did against Melbourne a month ago. Carlton will once again have to make do without Harry McKay (concussion) and in a double blow to the forward line, Brodie Kemp (Achilles) has been ruled out for the season. But Carlton should regain Blake Acres (illness) and Elijah Hollands must be close to his first game. Meanwhile, George Wardlaw is also on the verge of a return for North. The Kangaroos have been incredibly disappointing in the past two weeks, but an improved showing on Good Friday wouldn’t surprise.
RONNY’S TIP: Carlton by 10 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Carlton by 32 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: North Melbourne by 7 points.

WEST COAST v ESSENDON (Optus Stadium, Friday 4:10pm)
Outside of their competitive showing against reigning champion Brisbane earlier in the season at the Gabba, the Eagles really have been laughable so far in 2025. Very little has changed from the last few seasons under former coach Adam Simpson, and at times they resemble a state team, such is their lack of care, motivation or desire to put in the effort required at the top level. Bottom-placed and winless West Coast’s average losing margin this year is already 59 points, ensuring first-year coach Andrew McQualter has plenty to think about early into his tenure. For the aforementioned reasons, if Essendon brings just 75 per cent of the impressive energy and hunger it has displayed in the past two games, which have produced back-to-back victories, it will win this comfortably.
RONNY’S TIP: Essendon by 28 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Essendon by 24 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Essendon by 39 points.

MELBOURNE v FREMANTLE (MCG, Saturday 1:20pm)
From one basket case to another, and the Demons are also in freefall. They simply cannot kick a winning score to save themselves. Only West Coast has a worse offence than Melbourne, which is averaging a putrid 61 points per match. But the problems run deeper than that. The Demons currently rank 17th for clearances, 16th for disposals, 16th for marks, 16th for tackles, 16th for marks inside 50, 15th for contested possessions and 14th for inside 50s. They are a hot mess. There’s no cohesion or spirit noticeable and they are playing like a broken club. The Dockers, on the other hand, have won their last three, and don’t fear this fixture, having beaten Melbourne at the MCG on the last two occasions. It’s hard to see the Demons avoiding their first 0-6 start since 2012.
RONNY’S TIP: Fremantle by 27 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Fremantle by 18 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Fremantle by 21 points.

ADELAIDE v GWS (Adelaide Oval, Saturday 3:45pm)
After such a promising start to the year, the Crows have received a reality check in recent weeks in the form of back-to-back losses to Gold Coast and Geelong. Adelaide’s scoring prowess cannot be questioned, but it has conceded 105 points on average against the Suns and Cats, which has exposed their defensive vulnerabilities. And a team like the Giants can certainly exploit that. They blew the Saints off the park last week, reaching 100 before the final term, and opening up a 10-goal lead at three-quarter time. They’re going to be hard to stop again.
RONNY’S TIP: GWS by 17 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Adelaide by 6 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: GWS by 15 points.

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RICHMOND v GOLD COAST (Marvel Stadium, Saturday 7:35pm)
Since beating Carlton in Round 1, the young Tigers have shown patches of promising form within games, but have come nowhere near being able to do that over four quarters. And that presents a problem against a side like Gold Coast which has become one of the most potent teams in the league with an average score of 122 over their first four games. It might be early, but it appears as though Gold Coast has finally arrived as a force to be reckoned with and should comfortably stretch its best-ever start to a season to 5-0.
RONNY’S TIP: Gold Coast by 45 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Gold Coast by 26 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Gold Coast by 75 points.

SYDNEY v PORT ADELAIDE (SCG, Sunday 3:20pm)
The Power did what they do best last round. After a week of intense scrutiny, and with their backs firmly against the wall, they pulled one out of the box to thump the Hawks and hand the previous premiership favourites their first loss of the season. Port Adelaide under Ken Hinkley is no stranger to an effective emotional response, but the question is: can it continue that momentum for another week or will it come down after a big high? Interestingly, prior to last year’s preliminary final, Port Adelaide had beaten the Swans in their previous three meetings at the SCG and downed Sydney eight times in a row overall. The Swans have made an iffy start to the year and now Joel Amartey (hamstring) joins a lengthy injury list which also includes Errol Gulden (ankle), Tom Papley (foot), Callum Mills (foot), Harry Cunningham (foot), Robbie Fox (calf) and Taylor Adams (hamstring). Logan McDonald should return for the Swans, while the Power will regain Darcy Byrne-Jones. The rejuvenated Power, with Connor Rozee in defence, might just sniff a kill here.
RONNY’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 15 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 10 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 13 points.

WESTERN BULLDOGS v ST KILDA (Marvel Stadium, Sunday 7:20pm)
Clearly the Bulldogs are performing at a level as high as they possibly can while missing so many key players. To be up by 39 points at one point against Brisbane last week patently demonstrates that. But unfortunately for the Dogs, they haven’t been able to finish off the job against Collingwood, Fremantle or Brisbane, and now sit with a 2-3 record. Mercifully, captain Marcus Bontempelli (calf) is a big chance to play his first game of the year, but they’ll still have to make do without Adam Treloar (calf), Cody Weightman (knee), James Harmes (foot), Laitham Vandermeer (knee) and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan. After an impressive start to the year, the Saints ran head first into the GWS juggernaut and copped a reality check. But if they perform like they did in the previous three weeks, and regain Liam Henry and Liam O’Connell (concussion), then they are a big chance to get the job done.
RONNY’S TIP: St Kilda by 9 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 16 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Western Bulldogs by 9 points.

GEELONG v HAWTHORN (MCG, Monday 3:20pm)
The Easter round is arguably bookended by its best two matches, and this is probably the most anticipated edition of the traditional Easter Monday clash between the Cats and Hawks in six years. Geelong heads into this game off the back of its best win of the year so far against the Crows in Adelaide while Hawthorn is 4-1 and looking to rebound from its first loss of the campaign. The Cats defence looks set to receive a double boost with Tom Stewart (illness) and Jake Kolodjashnij (groin) both big chances to return, while Connor Macdonald (syndesmosis) and Jack Scrimshaw (suspension) should come back for the Hawks. Hawthorn’s exciting game style is tailor-made for the MCG where it has won its last eight games by an average of 45 points. Conversely, the Cats only have a 50 per cent strike rate at the venue in their last eight games there. That might be enough to nudge the result in Hawthorn’s favour, but this should be a blockbuster encounter between two of the strongest teams in the league.
RONNY’S TIP: Hawthorn by 12 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Geelong by 12 points.
ROCKET’S TIP: Geelong by 19 points.

SEASON TOTALS
ROCO 34
ROCKET 32
RONNY 30

*all times are local