AFL Weekly Preview Round Three 2007

AFL SEASON 2007

PREVIEW ROUND 3

The tipping season has not started well with me so far as I seem unable to get the first game of the week right. With the Pies meeting the Tigers at the MCG Friday night it is unlikely that I’ll get it right on this occasion either. Neither team inspires confidence for an automatic tip to win I assure you. Looking at scores around the nation in the tipping competitions those of you who are wallowing near the bottom should fear not because the leaders are not that far ahead. In my tipping competition someone – a female - had a 7 last week which has been the best score from 50 tipsters in two rounds and remember I said that round was going to be easy but that was before some teams decided to display dubious form reversals which are ever the bane of the AFL tipping aficionado. Based on the last two rounds I have very little idea who will win any of the matches this week but I can see many of you nodding your heads saying that is the case most weeks.

A bit of a ruckus occurred this week between the prez of the Eagles and the most honourable Robert Walls who has the annoying knack of making out he knows a lot more about football than he actually does. Robert certainly got carried away with his comments about “Good versus Evil” when the Sydney Swans played the Eagles in the first round with the evil West Coast, promoters of the drug life, against the purer than the driven slush Swans who are all no doubt devout church-going, non smoking social drinkers. And Easter was a whole week away!

Good luck with your selections this week and as I have said many times before – look for the signs, toss your coin in the privacy of your office or better still the toilet and no peeking when throwing the dart!

Collingwood V Richmond MCG Friday Night

I watched Collingwood play the Eagles last Saturday night at Subiaco and after a bit of a slow start they acquitted themselves reasonably well but like last year when the Pies’ forward line isn’t functioning properly then Collingwood cannot win against better teams. Richmond have yet to open their account with two losses so far and one would think that they have a reasonably good chance to beat the Pies at the ‘G’ on a big Friday night game. The Tigers are another go nowhere team this season by the look of their early form but I’m tipping a mini upset. Watch out for three new players in the Collingwood team all from the west – Cox, Toovey and Dick. Neither Cox nor Dick are related to big Cox from West Coast. In an attempt to get the first match of the round tipped correctly the tip is Richmond with the forlorn hope that the Pies will triumph.

Richmond by 13

Carlton V Essendon at the MCG Saturday

Due to a few technical problems brought about by a liquid infusion of crushed and fermented grapes the remainder of this preview will be the abridged version. Back to normal next week. With regard to this game just put it down as another one that Carlton will not win this season.

Essendon by 43

Port Adelaide V Adelaide at AAMI Stadium Saturday

No doubt the hype in South Oz will be at fever pitch for the derby and with an improvement in the Power so far this season the game is sure to be close rather than a blow out. The Crows returned to some reasonable form last week after a surprise loss to the Bombers in the first round and they will need to carry that form into this game. Tredrea is scheduled for a return to Port but he will need some match practice before he’s back to his best. In what should be a good game I’m leaning towards the Crows.

Adelaide Crows by 10

St Kilda V Bulldogs at Telstra Saturday night

Gee weren’t both these sides pathetic last week? And considering they were both looking good after their first wins the week before it’s no wonder we poor tipsters get confused. Reiwoldt returns for the Saints but that may not be enough to beat the Doggies who are highly fancied to do better than last year and to play a big part in the finals. There’s that ‘F’ word and we’re only in round 3! My tip is the Bulldogs to kick more goals than the Saints which of course means they win. I know that’s not necessarily true because 13 goals 19 will beat 15 goals 6. I hate smarties.

Western Bulldogs by 17

Fremantle V West Coast at Subiaco Saturday Night

Like South Oz here in West Oz the hype over these derbies borders on the ridiculous and what’s worse is that it happens twice a year with the same stuff rehashed each time. The Docker season is looking in danger of coming off the tracks if they don’t log a win soon but winning the derby is a difficult way to start especially when the form of last year’s premiers is already pretty hot. Freo are missing the Wiz Farmer, Johnson at half back, Carr for a bit of biff and Black midfield more than they would like to admit. In the meantime the Eagles seem to have covered the loss of Ben Cousins and Chad Fletcher midfield quite admirably with Judd and Kerr playing some match winning footy. I would like to think that Fremantle could win this game to open their account but unless the Eagles have a serious downer it’s hard to pick them. So I won’t.

West Coast by 5

Sydney Swans V Brisbane Lions at SCG Sunday

Can the Brisbane Lions add to their already wonderful and unexpected start of two from two by downing the Sydney Swans in Sydney? No.

Sydney by 19

Melbourne V Geelong at MCG Sunday

The Demons without Neitz and Robertson and the Cats on a big roll from last week’s thrashing of the Blues can mean only one certainty in the tipping this week.

Geelong by 33

Kangaroos V Hawthorn at Telstra Sunday

The poor old Kangas have come so close in their two games against mediocre opposition to a win that it seems a shame to tip against them in another game against mediocre opposition but that’s footy.

Hawthorn by 28

Sorry for the delay this week footy fans and apologies for the short preview but life in this hectic world sometimes…..yeah, well, gotta go!!