Hawthorn’s Paul Puopolo and Richmond’s Dylan Grimes get up close and personal at the MCG last year. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

WEST COAST v MELBOURNE (Optus Stadium, Friday 6.10pm local time)
The Eagles might be just going at the moment, but the Demons have done everything in their power to lose in the last couple of weeks before walking away with a pair of truly uninspiring victories against Hawthorn and Gold Coast. If Melbourne serves up that same brand of footy this week, last year’s preliminary final at the same venue will seem like a close affair! But even if the Dees wanted to play an improved game style this week, it’s pretty hard when Michael Hibberd (collarbone), Jake Melksham (foot) and Jordan Lewis (ankle) are added to their mounting injury list, which already included Jake Lever (knee), Steven May (groin), Neville Jetta (knee), Aaron vandenBerg (ankle), Joel Smith (groin), Mitch Hannan (knee) and Kade Kolodjashnij (concussion). The Eagles, boosted by the return of Willie Rioli, look like they’re getting their premiership defence back on track and should have few issues improving to 6-3 this week.
RONNY’S TIP: West Coast by 39 points.
ROCO’S TIP: West Coast by 42 points.

COLLINGWOOD v ST KILDA (MCG, Saturday 1.45pm local time)
After a bright start to the season, it’s unfortunately starting to slowly but surely unravel for the Saints, who have now lost three games in a row. St Kilda is struggling to deal with an injury list that has become fairly significant and has just been lengthened further by the loss of Jimmy Webster. The Magpies survived a fright against Carlton last week, but finished off the game like great teams do. The inclusions of Dayne Beams and Travis Varcoe will only make them stronger as they target their sixth win in a row and further enhance their standing as a premiership contender.
RONNY’S TIP: Collingwood by 35 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Collingwood by 28 points.

BRISBANE v ADELAIDE (Gabba, Saturday 2.10pm local time)
The Crows might be third on the ladder right now, but they certainly don’t seem like a top-four team. Of course Don Pyke deserves credit for saving their season, after it looked headed for the scrapheap at 1-3, with his defensive game style helping them win four games in a row. Yet this writer is still not convinced, and maybe that’s because each of their last four opponents will struggle to make the finals this year. The Lions up at the Gabba represent their biggest challenge since they faced Geelong in round three, and they will have their work cut out to get the desired result. If they manage to beat the Lions, then they deserve to be taken seriously as a finals contender. But Brisbane is a different beast at home this year. Putting its loss to Collingwood there aside, and with basically a full list to choose from, the Lions are going to be very hard to beat.
RONNY’S TIP: Brisbane by 24 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Adelaide by 16 points.

GEELONG v WESTERN BULLDOGS (Kardinia Park, Saturday 4.35pm local time)
Like the Crows, the Bulldogs have managed to turn things around just in the nick of time with impressive wins over top-eight threats Richmond and Brisbane in the last couple of weeks. A hat-trick of wins against the AFL’s strongest teams would revive the early-season chatter of the 2016 Doggies making a return. But Geelong at Kardinia Park is a different kettle of fish. The Cats are the premiership favourites and they hardly ever lose at home (unless they’re playing a team from Sydney) so this assignment might just be too big an ask for an improving, yet unpredictable Doggies team. The return of Joel Selwood is a huge fillip for the Cats as well.
RONNY’S TIP: Geelong by 22 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Geelong by 20 points.

ESSENDON v FREMANTLE (Marvel Stadium, Saturday 7.25pm local time)
For the second year in a row, Essendon’s finals hopes have all but been extinguished by the bottom side on the ladder, and given the way the Bombers have been playing in the last couple of weeks, Fremantle is a huge show here. The Bombers’ last eight quarters have been lamentable, with predictable, mindless long bombs into their forward 50 making life very easy for Geelong’s and Sydney’s backlines. It’s bordered on insanity. And given they’re up against one of the game’s most astute tactical minds in Ross Lyon this week, Essendon will come undone again if it doesn’t make big changes to its game style. The return of Joe Daniher helps the Bombers, but the losses of Orazio Fantasia and Devon Smith to injury are big. Freo hasn’t been too bad this year and has already proven it can beat top opposition in enemy territory with its victory over GWS in Canberra in round five. Realistically, Essendon should win this game, but don’t be surprised if the Dockers put the final nail in the coffin for the desperately disappointing Dons.
RONNY’S TIP: Essendon by 1 point.
ROCO’S TIP: Essendon by 12 points.

NORTH MELBOURNE v SYDNEY (Blundstone Arena, Saturday 7.25pm local time)
Both these cellar dwellers have shown marginal improvement in recent times, with the Swans scoring a thrilling win against the Bombers while the Kangaroos have beaten Carlton and pushed both Geelong and Port Adelaide in the last three weeks. The Swans will again be missing Lance Franklin, and given the Kangaroos have boosted their defensive stocks with the inclusions of Marley Williams, Scott Thompson and Luke McDonald, the game might just tip in their favour. On top of Franklin, the Swans are still missing a host of key players, while the Roos are fielding close to their best side. The Kangas also have a brilliant record in Hobart (14-4) and should be slightly too strong for the Swans.
RONNY’S TIP: North Melbourne by 20 points.
ROCO’S TIP: North Melbourne by 14 points.

PORT ADELAIDE v GOLD COAST (Adelaide Oval, Sunday 12.40pm local time)
The Suns aren’t without a show here. Sure, their last visit to Adelaide was a forgettable one, in fact it was their worst performance of the year, but five of their first eight games have been decided by less than a goal – a VFL/AFL record – so they are an extremely hard nut to crack. Two of those results were one-point losses. How easily they could be 5-3 right now. Instead, they are 3-5 and finals are looking increasingly unlikely. But we know they’re more likely to put up a fight than not, so Ken Hinkley’s men better be prepared or they could be embarrassed. And the bad news for the Power is that Ryan Burton (hamstring) has joined Robbie Gray (hand), Ollie Wines (leg), Tom Jonas (calf), Brad Ebert (concussion), Charlie Dixon (leg), Jack Watts (leg) and Hamish Hartlett (hamstring) on the sidelines. That’s a lot of star power out of the team. Having said that, Pearce Hanley (quad), Sean Lemmens (ankle) and Touk Miller (heel) are all big outs for the Suns, so Port Adelaide should be able to score a win.
RONNY’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 15 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Port Adelaide by 34 points.

RICHMOND v HAWTHORN (MCG, Sunday 3.20pm local time)
The Hawks were brilliant last week in what was an Alastair Clarkson backs-to-the-wall special. The way they systematically strangled the Giants so soon after being beaten by Melbourne took most of the footy public by surprise. But this week they face a side that is a lot more familiar with the MCG. Hopefully, too, the Hawks aren’t spooked by the expected crowd of 57,000 after last week’s dismal turnout. Richmond is starting to grow more and more belief with every stirring win it records while dealing with so many injuries to key players. Toby Nankervis (groin) and Jack Ross (ankle) are the latest additions to the medical ward, but the Tigers have named Nick Vlastuin and Daniel Rioli in their squad of 26. The Tigers have won their last three against the Hawks and should make it four in a row for the first time in 21 years.
RONNY’S TIP: Richmond by 19 points.
ROCO’S TIP: Richmond by 8 points.

GWS v CARLTON (Giants Stadium, Sunday 4.40pm local time)
When you’re on the bottom of the ladder, probably the last place you want to be is Giants Stadium against a seething GWS outfit on the rebound. Unfortunately for Carlton, that’s exactly where the Blues find themselves this weekend. Yes, more green shoots were visible last week as they led Collingwood with five minutes to go in the match, but yet again they were incapable of getting the job done. With winning opportunities as rare as hen’s teeth for the Blues in recent years, they really have to grab them and hold on to them for dear life because, as this weekend should suggest, they’re going to regret not claiming the four points on offer last week. This one could get very ugly, and Carlton will start a year 1-8 for the third time in five seasons, which is not saying much in the way of progress.
RONNY’S TIP: GWS by 72 points.
ROCO’S TIP: GWS by 40 points.

RONNY’S SEASON TOTAL: 39
ROCO’S SEASON TOTAL: 44