The Serve

If the Dockers lose, Connolly should be sacked

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Essendon v West Coast: The Bombers were good last week against Sydney, sneaking over the line, but the juggernaut is unstoppable.

Tip: WEST COAST

Hawthorn v Sydney:

The Hawks are the story of 2007, thus far. They’ve snuck under the radar. They’re at 7-3 and in the early stages of their run the football public was far from convinced. But their recent victories, particularly the comeback win over Port Adelaide has confirmed that they have arrived and that development program we’ve all heard about has perhaps arrived much earlier.

Tip: HAWTHORN

Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs:

The Bulldogs have lost sight of their culture and where they come from. Footscray is renowned for being hard working, hard yakka, Labor territory. That’s what made them the club they are. Now, the Bulldogs are playing with razzle dazzle and losing sight of where their roots are from. They have to get down and dirty. Then they can implement their little sophisticated version of being the Western Bulldogs.Jason Akermanis has been very ordinary, even by his own admission. The fact he’ll return to the ‘Gabba will ensure a close to capacity crowd. But he needs to extract the digit like a lot of his teammates. We may see a few big names roll sooner rather than later.

In saying all of that, I think they’ll win.

Tip: WESTERN BULLDOGS

Carlton v Port Adelaide:

The Power were very disappointing last week. Fancy leading by 27 midway through the second quarter last week and getting rolled. Carlton were fantastic in beating the Bulldogs. Sure, they lack depth, but I tell what they have got: A bit of grit, a bit of self belief and a bit of old fashioned passion. They’re playing with a liberal splash of all of those ingredients and that will get them over the line

Tip: CARLTON

Adelaide v Geelong:

Anyone going to this game, please take a big dose of Panadol, because you’ll get a headache trying to work out all the moves and cross moves. It will be like a game of chess. Neil Craig will work out every conceivable avenue to shut down the Cats potency both in the midfield and up the forward line. I would not be surprised if this was full of stoppages, closures, lockdowns and floods. It won’t be one of the great spectacles, even though it appears so on paper. Geelong’s skill will get them home.

Tip: GEELONG

St.Kilda v Kangaroos:

The Kanga’s will bounce back. They copped a flogging over the Nullabor but they wont be the only team to get a hiding against West Coast. They’ll come back and redemption will be swift.

Tip: KANGAROOS

Fremantle v Richmond:

Who give’s a stuff?

But it’s good to see the Tigers off the mark, albeit with a draw. Freo are a fair dinkum mess. I was right, I should never apologized to them. I thought for a fleeting moment they’d come good. I should have kept castigating them and vilifying them like I have all my life. Lepers don’t change their spots. They’ll probably still win this game. I’ll say this: If Fremantle loses, Chris Connolly will be sacked.

Tip: FREMANTLE

Melbourne v Collingwood:

I have a feeling we’re going to see an upset. The Demons have been threatening for a while. Over the last four weeks, they could have won four games. They’re nowhere near as bad as their record suggests. Melbourne are getting a few of their cattle back. Brock McLean is back. Green is playing like he should be. Neitz has returned, so all of a sudden they are looking totally different.Collingwood are going along nicely, but this is the sort of the game they’ll be absolutely fearful of. With the big crowd at the G for Queen’s birthday, this will be an opportunity for Neil Danaher and the D’s to make a genuine statement.

If the Demons win, their loyal throng will almost be ready to forgive them for their awful start to the year,

Tip: MELBOURNE