AFL Round 2 tipsters’ guide
Port Adelaide’s blockbuster battle with Sydney will double as ruckman Jarrad Redden’s first AFL game in 679 days.
It’s only round two, but Saturday night’s Adelaide Oval clash is being billed as a finals appetiser.
For injury-plagued Redden, it will be a fairytale return.
Redden had shoulder, hip and knee surgery during 2013, then needed two knee operations in 2014.
With Power ruckman Matthew Lobbe yet to be passed fit, Redden was recalled on Thursday at the expense of John Butcher.
The Swans also made one change, with co-captain Jarrad McVeigh back from a calf injury and Harry Cunningham the unlucky midfielder to make way.
“He understands the game, he sees it very well and it has been good to get another good week of training under his belt,” coach John Longmire said of McVeigh, who missed the side’s season-opening win over Essendon.
“He is a very good player.”
Melbourne duo Chris Dawes and Bernie Vince, Hawthorn’s Grant Birchall, Geelong veteran Andrew Mackie and Gold Coast key forward Tom Lynch headline the other notable names returning in round two.
Reigning premiers Hawthorn will make at least one change to the side that thumped Geelong by 62 points, with midfielder Liam Shiels out due to a hamstring injury.
Three-time premiership player Birchall is the pick of the four men added to their squad for Sunday’s match against Essendon.
Melbourne squeezed Jimmy Toumpas and Jay Kennedy-Harris out of the team that defeated Gold Coast, paving the way for Dawes and Vince to play in Saturday’s clash with Greater Western Sydney in Canberra.
The Suns made three changes after their defeat, with Lynch, Seb Tape and Sean Lemmens back for Trent McKenzie, Daniel Gorringe and Matt Shaw (suspension).
The Cats dumped Steven Motlop due to discipline reasons, adding Mackie, Rhys Stanley, George Horlin-Smith and Jordan Murdoch to their squad for Sunday’s match against Fremantle.
Former Saints Stanley and James Gwilt are among a handful of players in line to make club debuts on the weekend.
Gwilt and former Adelaide ruckman Shaun McKernan were included in Essendon’s 25-man squad, while GWS’s No.2 draft pick of 2012 Jono O’Rourke could play his first game as a Hawk.
Carlton called up ex-Western Bulldog Jason Tutt and Levi Casboult for Friday night’s game against West Coast, who will be without Sam Butler (adductor), Mitch Brown (knee) and Scott Selwood (ankle) in Perth.
Richmond’s Kane Lambert will make his debut on Saturday against the Bulldogs in the absence of suspended playmaker Brett Deledio.
Collingwood, who face Adelaide at home on Saturday, called on Tim Broomhead and Paul Seedsman to replace Steele Sidebottom (hand) and Jordan De Goey.
The Bulldogs and Crows both made one change.
Ayce Cordy is in for Jack Redpath, while Mitch Grigg was promoted at the expense of Jarryd Lyons.
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FRIDAY, April 10
West Coast v Carlton at Domain Stadium 8.10pm
Head to Head: Eagles 19 Blues 21
Last clash: Round 6 2014 – Blues 14.8 (92) bt Eagles 12.17 (89) at Etihad Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Eagles $1.45 Blues $2.75
William Hill: Eagles $1.47 Blues $2.70
Scott Selwood’s ankle issue, Sam Butler’s adductor problem and Mitch Brown’s season-ending knee injury have hurt West Coast’s hopes of recording their first win of the season. The Eagles were unimpressive against the Bulldogs, but should be a different proposition at home. Carlton promoted key forward Levi Casboult, who will be keen to exploit Brown’s omission.
Key: The Eagles fielded two debutants last weekend, while Liam Duggan will play his first AFL game here. It’s a particularly inexperienced Eagles outfit and the onus will be on some of the leaders to stand up against the Blues.
Tip: Eagles by 15 points
SATURDAY, April 11
Richmond v Western Bulldogs at MCG 1.45pm
Head to Head: Tigers 78 Bulldogs 70 drawn 2
Last clash: Round 3 2014 – Bulldogs 15.10 (100) bt Tigers 15.8 (98) at Etihad Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Tigers $1.33 Bulldogs $3.35
William Hill: Tigers $1.38 Bulldogs $3.05
Richmond started sluggishly against Carlton, but improved the longer the season opener went on. Brett Deledio’s suspension hurts the Tigers, who have called on debutant Kane Lambert to replace the playmaker. The Bulldogs started life under Luke Beveridge with an upset win over West Coast and will fancy their chances of grabbing another one here.
Key: Richmond’s star-studded midfield. Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin were below their best in round one, when Simon White and Andrew Carrazzo both performed fine shutdown jobs. However, Brandon Ellis was incredibly damaging. Will it be another game of whack-a-mole, or will Beveridge want all of his on-ballers to run free and hurt the Tigers?
Tip: Tigers by 20 points
Greater Western Sydney v Melbourne at Manuka Oval 2.10pm
Head to Head: Giants 3 Demons 3
Last clash: Round 21 2014 – Giants 15.8 (98) bt Demons 3.16 (34) at MCG
Tab Sportsbet: Giants $1.42 Demons $2.90
William Hill: Giants $1.42 Demons $2.85
Melbourne’s 2014 campaign arguably hit a low point when they went down to GWS by 64 points at the MCG, despite Giants co-captains Callan Ward and Phil Davis playing no part in the second half due to injury. There were far more encouraging signs for long-suffering supporters last weekend and the Demons have a great chance to register their first 2-0 start to an AFL season since 2005.
Key: The ruck battle between Shane Mumford and Mark Jamar. Both veterans impressed in round one and they’ll be keen to exert similar influence here. Mumford said earlier this week it would be a battle of two old bulls, noting they’re similar types of ruckmen.
Tip: Demons by 10 points
Collingwood v Adelaide at Etihad Stadium 4.35pm
Head to Head: Magpies 25 Crows 13
Last clash: Round 18 2014 – Crows 14.14 (98) bt Magpies 12.10 (82) at MCG
Tab Sportsbet: Magpies $2.50 Crows $1.53
William Hill: Magpies $2.60 Crows $1.50
Adelaide Oval crowds are used to hearing ‘Never Tear Us Apart’, but ‘New Sensation’ would have been a fitting anthem at the venue last Sunday. New coach Phil Walsh and captain Taylor Walker helped the Crows grab top spot on the ladder with a clinical 77-point hammering of North Melbourne. They face a Collingwood side that faded late against Brisbane and will be weakened by the injury-enforced absence of Steele Sidebottom.
Key: Walker tops the goal-kicking list after his bag of six and the key forward will have a huge say in which side gets up here. His record against Collingwood is a poor six goals from five games and it will be up to Nathan Brown and Jack Frost to ensure that continues.
Tip: Crows by 30 points
Gold Coast v St Kilda at Metricon Stadium 7.20pm
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Head to Head: Suns 3 Saints 4
Last clash: Round 19 2014 – Suns 17.15 (117) bt Saints 9.10 (64) at Metricon Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Suns $1.20 Saints $4.60
William Hill: Suns $1.20 Saints $4.50
Both clubs recorded contrasting defeats in round one. Gold Coast were outgunned by Melbourne and never looked much like winning at the MCG. The Saints threatened throughout their clash with Greater Western Sydney but weren’t quite able to get over the line.
Key: How does Rodney Eade turn things around quickly? The Suns were terrible against Melbourne, with the veteran coach highlighting the fact his new side’s effort and intensity were not at AFL level. At their best, the Suns should comfortably account for St Kilda. Will they deliver?
Tip: Suns by 36 points
Port Adelaide v Sydney at Adelaide Oval 7.40pm
Head to Head: Power 7 Swans 17
Last clash: Round 20 2014 – Swans 12.12 (84) bt Power 7.16 (58) at Adelaide Oval
Tab Sportsbet: Power $1.68 Swans $2.20
William Hill: Power $1.70 Swans $2.15
This is the likely highlight of the round, featuring two teams expected to surge deep into September. Port Adelaide are coming off an encouraging road trip where they were pipped by Fremantle, while the Swans surged to a 12-point win over Essendon after trailing the Bombers by 41 points late in the third term.
Key: Lance Franklin. He booted five goals when the two sides clashed at the SCG last year, but was limited to two goals at Adelaide Oval thanks largely to Jack Hombsch. Presuming Hombsch gets the job again, can he do it again? Can Port’s midfielders limit the quality and quantity of Franklin’s service?
Tip: Power by 24 points
SUNDAY, April 12
Geelong v Fremantle at Simonds Stadium 1.10pm
Head to Head: Cats 22 Dockers 11
Last clash: Round 20 2014 – Cats 12.9 (81) bt Dockers 11.13 (79) at Simonds Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Cats $1.90 Dockers $1.90
William Hill: Cats $1.95 Dockers $1.85
Fremantle ticked off one element of Ross Lyon’s ‘anyone, anywhere, anytime’ mantra last week when they downed Port Adelaide despite the absence of suspended midfielder Ryan Crowley. Next comes the challenge they famously conquered in 2013: crashing Geelong’s home fortress. The Cats started their season with a bang against Hawthorn on Easter Monday, but it was all downhill after leading the reigning premiers at quarter-time.
Key: Shutting down Steve Johnson. Crowley won’t be there, but he’s been mentoring teammate Clancee Pearce in the art of tagging. Crowley’s battles with Johnson have always been willing and often crucial to the outcome.
Tip: Dockers by 15 points
Essendon v Hawthorn at MCG 3.20pm
Head to Head: Bombers 95 Hawks 61
Last clash: Round 2 2014 – Hawks 13.12 (90) bt Bombers 12.14 (86) at Etihad Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Bombers $4.25 Hawks $1.22
William Hill: Bombers $4.50 Hawks $1.20
Hawthorn started their tilt at a third consecutive flag with a resounding victory over Geelong. The expectation is Sunday’s clash with fierce rivals Essendon will deliver a similar result. The Bombers impressed early but faded late against Sydney, although drier conditions should give Jake Carlisle and Joe Daniher a greater chance to shine in attack. Essendon haven’t beaten Hawthorn since 2010 and that’s unlikely to change this weekend.
Key: Essendon key defenders Michael Hurley and Cale Hooker did an admirable job in round one on two of the league’s most-potent forwards, Lance Franklin and Kurt Tippett. They’ll need to curb the influence of the Hawks’ multi-pronged attack, led by Jarryd Roughead, for the Bombers to be any chance here.
Tip: Hawks by 42 points
North Melbourne v Brisbane at Etihad Stadium 4.40pm
Head to Head: Kangaroos 26 Lions 20 drawn 1
Last clash: Round 15 2014 – Lions 10.10 (70) bt Kangaroos 9.12 (66) at Gabba
Tab Sportsbet: Kangaroos $1.18 Lions $4.90
William Hill: Kangaroos $1.18 Lions $4.75
Two of round one’s biggest disappointments will battle it out here, with North Melbourne veteran Nick Dal Santo likening his side’s review session to a “confessional”. Daniel Rich will captain the Lions in the absence of injured star Tom Rockliff, whose work at the stoppages will be sorely missed. The Kangaroos simply must win this, otherwise the side aiming to repeat last year’s top-four finish is in serious trouble.
Key: Contested possessions. North and Brisbane struggled dearly in this department last weekend. It was definitely a focus for the ‘Roos at training and, no doubt, the same applied at the Lions. Rockliff’s broken ribs will make it harder for Brisbane to make amends.
Tip: Kangaroos by 30 points
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