This week officially marks the beginning of the second half of the AFLW home and away season, with the third consecutive extended round kicking off when the Cats host the Dockers on Tuesday night. Geelong, perhaps as much as any team, are a representation of just how little margin for error there is in the short AFLW seasons – having entered the season with high expectations and played plenty of good footy in their five games so far, they are way down in 15th with a 1-1-3 record and are going to need to storm home over the remaining six games of their season just to play finals. A buffer has opened up between the top seven and the bottom ten, with the Saints wedged in between, and with time already running out those teams outside of the top eight need to start winning, and soon. The opportunities are everywhere this weekend, from teams like the Tigers and the Hawks looking to solidify their spot with the big players in the top four, the likes of the Saints and Eagles hoping to hold onto their spots in the eight, and the Cats and currently hapless Demons looking to work their way out of the bottom four and closer to the finals spot they so expected entering the season. Round 6 is the longest of the AFLW season, and below we take a look at all 12 games set to take place this week.
AFLW 2024 Round 6
Geelong Cats vs Fremantle Dockers
The Cats currently sit at 1-1-3 and in 15th while the Dockers are at 4-1 and in 6th, but despite that the home team will enter this game as relatively comfortable favourites. And not without cause, too; though they have won just a solitary game, the Cats have a percentage of 111.7% which highlights the close nature of their losses, with only one really poor performance smattered in amongst their five games – that coming against the Blues a couple of weeks ago. They’ve lost to the Dees by two points, drawn with the Kangaroos, demolished the Suns, and last weekend lost by 18 points in a high-scoring, high-quality affair against the much-improved Hawks. The capacity for this team to be a dangerous finals side is still there, but all those close losses have put their backs firmly against the wall. They are still just a game and a half outside the top eight, but unfortunately their impressive percentage might be irrelevant due to their draw and if they lose this one, they will need to come home with the wettest of sails just to play finals.
The Dockers, meanwhile, have had plenty of close games of their own, but unlike the Cats, they have been winning them. Freo’s last three games have all been decided by less than two goals, and they have won all of them, first beating the Power by eight points, then the Demons by six, and last weekend knocking off the Saints in a low-scoring affair 25-14. The low-scoring nature of that game was indicative of their season to date; they have conceded the third least points in the league but haven’t exactly scored freely, and they will be hoping for a low-scoring game against a Cats team which is much more inclined to play a high-scoring game style. The Dockers could probably be forgiven for feeling they deserve to be given a better chance in this game, and at longish odds they aren’t the worst value. But Geelong simply has to win, and it feels like they are close to the breakthrough result they need to really kickstart their season. They can begin their climb up the ladder with a tight win this Tuesday.
Predicted Squads
Geelong Cats: FB: C. Emonson, C. Gunjaca HB: R. Webster, M. McDonald, R. Kearns C: Z. Friswell, G. Prespakis, J. Crocket-Grills HF: M. Bowen, J. Parry, S. Scott FF: A. Moloney, K. Kenny Fol: K. Darby, N. Morrison, D. Moloney IC: G. Featherston, A. Kennedy, B. O’Rourke, C. Thorne, M. Bragg
Fremantle Dockers: FB: A. Brazill, J. Low HB: E. O’Driscolla, G. Newton, M. Scanlon C: A. Runnalls, H. Miller, O. Lally HF: A. Mulholland, E. Antonio, G. Biedenweg-Webster FF: A. Hetherington, L. Pugh Fol: M. Strom, A. McCarthy, G. O’Sullivan IC: M. Kauffman, P. Seth, M. Morrison, S. Verrier, T. Kikoak
Hawthorn Hawks vs Gold Coast Suns
The Hawks’ have had an extremely impressive season to date, and it only got better last weekend. Already sitting at 3-1, they had a tough matchup against a Cats team really needing to win, but which ultimately proved unable to stop the Hawks’ second half onslaught. That game was one of the more entertaining for the season; the Cats jumped out to a 15-point lead late in the second quarter, but the Hawks went on to boot two late in the half and then four in each of the third and fourth quarters to ultimately run out 79-61 winners, jumping into the top four in the process. They have established themselves as a team with legitimate top four and potentially even Premiership credentials, and look primed to take a step closer to that when they host the Suns this Wednesday.
In contrast to the Hawks, Gold Coast is having a stinker of the season, and halfway through it find themselves stuck on the bottom of the ladder having not won a game. This time they were one of two winless teams, but in a potential battle for the Wooden Spoon against the other one in the Magpies last weekend, they went down by three points. In fairness to the Suns things could easily have been different; as well as that three-point loss, they have a one-point loss to the Blues and a draw with the Giants all within the past month, and they aren’t as bad as their record suggests. But they are a hell of a long way off the Hawks. This should be a comfortable victory for the home team as they look to solidify their spot inside the top four.
Predicted Squads
Hawthorn Hawks: FB: T. Lucas-Rodd, E. Everist HB: T. Smith, A. Kemp, J. Richardson C: G. Bodey, M. Breed, M. Williamson HF: K. Stratton, A. Gilroy, L. Stone FF: A. McDonagh, M. Eardley Fol: L. Wales, E. Bates, E. West IC: T. Fellows, L. Stephenson, L. Elliott, J. Fleming, K. Ashmore
Gold Coast Suns: FB: D. D’Arcy, C. Wilson HB: M. Girvan, C. Fitzpatrick, N. McLaughlin C: G. Clayden, L. Single, A. Kievit HF: E. Barwick, J. Stanton, E. Maurer FF: T. Bohanna, D. Davies Fol: L. Bella, C. Rowbottom, C. Whitfort IC: M. Brancatisano, C. McCrossan, W. Randell, J. Dupuy, K. Fullerton
Essendon Bombers vs Sydney Swans
The second leg of this Wednesday’s double-header will see the Bombers host the Swans at Mission Whitten Oval in a pivotal game for both teams. The Bombers and Swans both currently sit at 2-3 and just outside the top eight, and with each of them playing two games this round, could find themselves anywhere from inside the eight its end, to up to three games outside it. The Bombers come into this game off their best performance of the year, having absolutely demolished a hapless Melbourne outfit to the tune of 65 points. That was a much-needed win after two consecutive defeats, but more important than just the four points they earned from it was the impressive manner in which they played. If they bring that this weekend, the Swans will have a tough time stopping them.
In contrast to Essendon, Sydney had a disappointing last week, going down to a Bulldogs team which has seemingly turned its season around in incredible fashion over the past fortnight. That was the Swans’ second tight game in as many weeks, but unlike the week prior when they held off the Giants by three points, this time they went down by seven. Realistically their season has been pretty average to date; they have had a relatively cushy draw which they have been unable to take advantage of, and though they sit just outside the top eight they look a cut below the teams competing for those spots. A win this weekend would go some way to changing that perspective, but the Bombers look likely to be too strong.
Predicted Squads
Essendon Bombers: FB: A. Gaylor, G. Clarke HB: S. Van De Heuvel, A. Van Loon M. Gay C: E. Keaney, M. Prespakis, B. Walker HF: S. Alexander, E. Gamble, A. Clarke FF: P. Scott, D. Bannister Fol: S. Wales, S. Cain, G. Nanscawen IC: G. Gee, A. Morcom, A. Radford, J. Vogt, K. Jacques
Sydney Swans: FB: E. Heads, J. O’Sullivan HB: L. McEvoy, A. Mitchell, R. Sargent-Wilson C: L. Steane, C. Hamilton, H. Bullas HF: M. Beruldsen, R. Privitelli, S. Hurley FF: A. Hamilton, S. Grunden Fol: A. Morphett, T. Kennedy, L. Gardiner IC: L. Hausegger, P. Sheppard, E. Vale, A. Whelan, H. Cooper
- The Magpies have been no strangers to big losses this season, losing three of their last four games by at least 42 points.
- Likewise the Blues – their last three losses have been by at least 33 points and by an average of just under 46, so a matchup against Brisbane doesn’t bode particularly well for them.
- On the other side of the coin, the Kangaroos have won four of their six games by at least 36 points, and that has included a 44-point win over the Lions and a 50-point win over the Demons – if they can do that to those teams, they should have no problems pumping the Bulldogs.
Multi of the Week
| Legs | Odds |
| Tigers -24.5 | $1.88 |
| Lions -39.5 | $1.88 |
| Kangaroos -41.5 | $1.88 |
| Bet $10 for $66.45 with PlayUp | |
Melbourne Demons vs Greater Western Sydney Giants
Things are going from bad to worse for the Demons. Entering the year with Premiership aspirations and starting off on a good note with a tight win over the Cats in Round 1, they have fallen in a heap with four consecutive losses since. And last weekend’s was by far the worst of them yet. Up against a Bombers team that most expected them to beat, Melbourne failed to give a whimper, kicking just 1.1.7 for the entire game. That all came in the first quarter, which they lost 24-7, and incredibly they failed to score thereafter while conceding 48 points to ultimately lose 72-7. They now find themselves in 16th place with a 1-4 record, and with a serious mountain to climb just to get back into finals contention. A win this weekend is a must, and though they will fancy themselves to get it against a Giants team which hasn’t won since Round 1 either, they can’t afford to take their opposition lightly.
GWS have been reasonably competitive in virtually all of their games even if they haven’t been winning, losing to the Tigers by 11, the Swans by three and drawing with the Suns. Last week’s effort against the Eagles, a game which they lost by four goals, wasn’t their best effort, but West Coast under Daisy Pearce appears to be a different proposition to what they have been in seasons past. The Giants have played some reasonable footy at points throughout this season to date, and based on how the Dees have played this year they should count themselves right in this game. But surely, surely, Melbourne have to turn things around at some point. They are a hard team to back with much confidence at the minute, but they should be able to finally get back on the winners’ list this weekend.
Predicted Squads
Melbourne Demons: FB: G. Colvin, T. Gillard HB: M. Chaplin, D. Taylor, S. Goldrick C: E. McNamara, S. Heath, M. Fitzimon HF: G. Gall, A. Bannan, A. Pisano FF: P. Paxman, K. Hore Fol: G. Campbell, T. Hanks, S. LAmpard IC: G. Hill. R. Watt, L. Johnson, R. Wotherspoon, L. Mithen
Greater Western Sydney Giants: FB: P. Randall, K. Smith HB: C. Ransom, I. Huntington, E. Pease C: K. Srhoj, A. Eva, M. Brazendale HF: T. Evans, G. Garnett, H. Zreika FF: Z. Goldsworthy, B. Mowbray Fol: E. O’Dowd, R. Beeson, A. Parker IC: J. Grierson, A. Newman, A. Bradfield, J. Doyle, J. Grierson
Adelaide Crows vs St. Kilda Saints
Just a couple of weeks ago these two teams occupied the top two spots on the ladder, but combined they have now lost three of their last four games to fall to 3rd and 8th. It’s really only the Saints, however, whose fall has been anything to worry about. The Crows were bound to lose a game at some point and they were far from disgraced once they did, going down by two points to the Lions last week in a game which could very easily be repeated deep in this year’s finals series. That was a terrific, roller coaster of a game with four lead changes in the second half, and while the Crows looked set to come from behind to win, two late goals to the Lions saw them snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and hand the Crows their first loss of the year. Disappointing though that was, the Crows are still in good shape as they hunt a top four and potentially top two spot, and will back themselves to get straight back onto the winners’ list this Friday night.
As solid as the Saints’ start to the season was, they were never going to stay up the top for all that long, though they have fallen a little quicker than they would have anticipated over the past fortnight. After opening the season with three straight wins, they have booted a total of just 31 points over the past two weeks, losing first to the Hawks, heavily, and then last week to the Dockers by 11 points. They are now just hanging onto their spot in the top eight, and with such a tough game to come this Friday and no less than five teams just a game behind them on the ladder, they may very well be out of the eight by the end of this round. The Saints have struggled to put scores on the board for much of the season and the Crows have conceded less points than every other team with the exception of the Kangaroos so far this year, and that does not bode well for the visitors. It’s hard to see the Saints hitting the scoreboard particularly heavily at all in this game, and the Crows look set for a pretty comfortable victory.
Predicted Squads
Adelaide Crows: FB: B. Tonon, Z. Prowse HB: C. Biddell, S. Allen, Goodwin C: M. Newman, A. Hatchard, N. Kelly HF: T. Charlton, C. Gould, R. Martin FF: C. Randall, D. Ponter Fol: J. Allan, E. Marinoff, S. Thompson IC: H. Munyard, K. Kustermann, T. Levy, A. Boyle-Carr, A. Ballard
St. Kilda Saints: FB: N. Stevens, S. Watson HB: H. Priest, P. Trudgeon, B. Jakobsson C: M. McDonald, J. Lambert, D. Guttridge HF: G. Kelly, J. Wardlaw, N. Exon FF: N. Xenos, A. Richards Fol: E. Fiedler, O. Vesely, T. Smith IC: A. Burke, H. Stuart, E. Friend, C. Simpson, S. Nalder
North Melbourne Kangaroos vs Western Bulldogs
A couple of weeks ago, this would have looked likely to be a thrashing of monumental proportions. It still may well end up being exactly that, but the Bulldogs have been a completely different team over the past fortnight. They were the worst team in the league and by some margin to start the year, losing their first four games mostly by big margins, and with their first two games particularly troubling. Then suddenly, they beat the Magpies by 42 points, and last week they backed it up with a seven point win against the Swans to make it two on the trot – some effort considering prior to those two wins, they didn’t look likely to win two games for the entire season. But while they have been better, that is only likely to reduce the damage the Roos dole out to them, not eliminate it completely.
Following Adelaide’s defeat at the hands of Brisbane last week, North Melbourne is now the only remaining undefeated team in the league, their only blemish coming when they drew with the Cats in Round 2. Last week was a much more hard-fought battle than they have been used to this year up against the Tigers, but they clawed their way to a 12-point victory and kept Richmond to just 15 points in the process, meaning that, incredibly, they have now conceded just 52 points in the last month, no team scoring more than 21 in that time. The Bulldogs are unlikely to change that. For their sake it’s a good thing that they come into this game playing better footy than they were at the start of the season, but the wave of momentum that they are currently riding is likely to come crashing down this Saturday against the might of the Kangaroos.
Predicted Squads
North Melbourne Kangaroos: FB: L. Birch, J. Ferguson HB: E. Kearney, S. Wright, N. Bresnehan C: T. Craven, J. Garner, J. Bruton HF: N. Martin, B. Eddey, V. Wall FF: T. Randall, K. Shierlaw Fol: E. King, M. King, A. Riddell IC: E. O’Shea, R. Tripodi, A. Smith, K. Rennie, A. O’Loughlin
Western Bulldogs: FB: I. Grant, L. Ahrens HB: M. Gorham. K. Kimber, E. Georgostathis C: E. Bennetts, J. Fitzgerald, R. Wilcox HF: E. Grigg, B. Gutknecht, H. Woodley FF: A. Edmonds, S. Hartwig Fol: J. Borg, D. Berry, I. Pritchard IC: D. Carruthers, J. Smith, K. Weston-Turner, E. Gavalas, C. Buttifant
Richmond Tigers vs Collingwood Magpies
The Tigers appear to have taken a big step forward this year, and last week did nothing to change that perspective even if they did suffer their first loss in a month. Very few teams have been remotely competitive against the Kangaroos this season, but that’s exactly what the Tigers were. They were right in the game throughout, carrying a narrow lead into half-time and remaining within a kick heading into the last ten minutes, but a goal in the 13th minute of the final quarter to Jasmine Garner ultimately proved to be the difference and sent the Tigers to a 12-point loss. Still, at 4-2 and with a strong percentage they find themselves in 5th spot, and are well placed to potentially move inside the top four this Saturday.
The Magpies might have finally got their first win of the season last weekend, but that doesn’t change the fact that they have been really poor over their first six games. They have been getting pummelled virtually week in week out and while they will be pleased to have finally stopped that trend last weekend, they only beat the Suns – the only team yet to win a game now that Collingwood themselves are on the board. The Magpies look destined to finish in the bottom four and quite possibly the bottom two, and with the Tigers playing as well as they are this season, this looks likely to be a relatively one-sided affair. Don’t expect the Tigers to have too much trouble getting back on the winners’ list this Saturday.
Predicted Squads
Richmond Tigers: FB: G. Seymour, R. Miller HB: B. Lynch, J. Hicks, L. Graham C: T. Lavey, E. McKenzie, K. Dempsey HF: G. Egan, L. McClelland, M. Ford FF: C. Greiser, E. Yassir Fol: P. Kelly, E. Sheerin, M. Conti IC: S. Reid, I. Bacon, C. Ryan, A. Dallaway, T. Luke
Collingwood Magpies: FB: M. Atkinson, S. Livingstone HB: L. Brazzale, J. Ivey, T. White C: S. Rowe, R. Schleicher, L. Cronin HF: J. Allen, G. Campbell, A. Porter FF: I. Barnett, E. James Fol: S. Frederic, B. Bonnici, M. Cann IC: C. Remmos, C. Taylor, S. Ingram, C. Blair, G. Clark
West Coast Eagles vs Port Adelaide Power
Neither the Eagles or the Power had particularly high expectations on their proverbial shoulders entering this season, but so far, each of them has to be pretty pleased with their output. In their first year under new coach Daisy Pearce, the Eagles have been really solid, winning four of their first six games – already more wins than most would have had them pegged for this year. Last weekend’s was their third victory in their last four games as they beat the Giants by four goals, booting an impressive 64 points in the win. They certainly don’t have the talent of plenty of teams around them and may well end up sliding outside the top eight over the back half of the season, but they have put themselves in a good spot from which to attack the finals and can solidify their spot in the eight even further this Saturday with a win over Port Adelaide.
But the Power, too, are not the easy beats they were last year. They started the season positively with a competitive loss to the Crows and then a comfortable win over the Bulldogs, and while they lost three in a row thereafter they were far from disgraced during that period. And last week, they finally got reward for effort up against a Blues team who they appear to have gone past, pumping them 58-23 to record their second win of the season. Though they are just three spots behind the Eagles on the ladder, the records of these two teams – 4-2 compared to 2-4 – are markedly different, but realistically the difference between the sides is not significant. Port are capable of giving this a shake and it should be a competitive game, but over in Perth the Eagles might just be a little too good and can keep the train rolling for another week.
Predicted Squads
West Coast Eagles: B: FB: B. Smith, G. Cleaver HB: E. Swanson. C. Thomas, Z. Wakfer C: O. Di Donato, I. Lewis, J. Rentsch HF: L. Wakfer, K. Gibson, M. Western FF: R. Roux, A. Drennan Fol: T. Lyons. E. Roberts, A. Bushby IC: S. Lakay, S. Bakker, V. Simmons, B. Schilling, J. Harken
Port Adelaide Power: FB: A. Brook, A. Borg HB: T. Germech, E. O’Dea, M. Brooksby C: S. Goody, M. Moloney, E. Boag HF: G. Houghton, J. Mules-Robinson, C. Wendland FF: A. Saint, J. Teakle Fol: M. Scholz, A. Dowrick, C. Hammond IC: P. Window, A. Foley, S. Syme, K. Pope, O. Levicki
Carlton Blues vs Brisbane Lions
It’s been a disappointing three weeks for the Blues. After a poor start to the season against the Hawks they appeared to be back on track with two wins in a row, the latter of them an impressive defeat of the Cats, but since then they have been nothing short of woeful. They have lost three games in a row by at least 33 points, scoring just 39 points in total over that time while conceding 176. First they were pumped by the Tigers and then the Roos, but last week’s effort was probably the worst of them all as they were beaten comprehensively by an improved but still very much developing Port Adelaide side. Things don’t get any easier this weekend as they welcome a Brisbane team firing on all cylinders.
The reigning Premiers had a disappointing start to the season against the team they beat in last year’s Grand Final, but since then they have won five on the trot to climb to 2nd on the ladder. Prior to last weekend’s game against the Crows they had won three in a row by at least 45 points, and while they were made to work a hell of a lot harder for their spoils in Round 5, a couple of late goals saw them snatch a two-point victory over an Adelaide team that to that point had not yet lost a game. They are separating themselves from the pack once again this year and alongside the Kangaroos and Crows are among a clear trio of Premiership favourites, and they should not have too many troubles disposing of a disappointing Carlton team this weekend.
Predicted Squads
Carlton Blues: FB: L. Goss, H. Cordner HB: G. Pound, Y. Duursma, M. Hill C: J. Dal Pos, D. Vescio, K. Skepper HF: K. Sherar, M. Austin, T. Brown FF: D. Finn, J. Good Fol: B. Moody, M. Guerin, G. Lawson-Tavan IC: C. Fitzgerald, M. Hendrie, M. Anthony, C. Moodie, M. Robertson
Brisbane Lions: FB: J. Dunne, P. Boltz HB: B. Koenen, N. Grider, J. Ellenger C: O. O’Dwyer, A. Anderson, C. Mullins HF: S. Conway, D. Davidson, R. Svarc FF: T. Smith, C. Hodder Fol: T. Hickie, I. Dawes, C. Svarc IC: E. Hartill, S. Campbell, L. Yoshida-Martin, E. Long, L. Postlethwaite
Gold Coast Suns vs Essendon Bombers
Sunday will play host to a trio of games between six teams coming off short breaks, having played earlier in the week, and the first of them will see the Suns get their second chance of the week to finally win a game up against the Bombers. It hasn’t been a particularly good start to the season for the Gold Coast, but they could very easily have won at least one if not more of their first five games, instead suffering a raft of close losses and a draw. They have a really tough game on Wednesday against the Hawks in which it’s tough to see them getting close, so they will likely head into this one still searching for their first victory.
The Bombers, meanwhile, will be coming off a clash against the Swans also on Wednesday, one which they are expected to win – though they are far from a certainty. Based on the way they played against Melbourne in Round 5, Essendon should be able to account for the Swans and Suns relatively easily, though that was just one game. Prior to that the Dons had been solid at times albeit unspectacular, and look likely to be hovering right around the edge of the top eight for much of the year. But this is a big week for them. With two games they are expected to win they could be going from 1-3 to 4-3 within the space of just over a week. The Suns are not the rollovers their record would suggest they are and can give this game something of a nudge, but the Bombers, if they want to establish themselves as a genuine finals team, should be winning this one.
Predicted Squads
Gold Coast Suns: FB: D. D’Arcy, C. Wilson HB: M. Girvan, C. Fitzpatrick, N. McLaughlin C: G. Clayden, L. Single, A. Kievit HF: E. Barwick, J. Stanton, E. Maurer FF: T. Bohanna, D. Davies Fol: L. Bella, C. Rowbottom, C. Whitfort IC: M. Brancatisano, C. McCrossan, W. Randell, J. Dupuy, K. Fullerton
Essendon Bombers: FB: A. Gaylor, G. Clarke HB: S. Van De Heuvel, A. Van Loon M. Gay C: E. Keaney, M. Prespakis, B. Walker HF: S. Alexander, E. Gamble, A. Clarke FF: P. Scott, D. Bannister Fol: S. Wales, S. Cain, G. Nanscawen IC: G. Gee, A. Morcom, A. Radford, J. Vogt, K. Jacques
Sydney Swans vs Geelong Cats
It’s a big week for both of these teams. Having lost three of their last four games heading into Round 6, the Swans are sitting a game and percentage outside of the top eight, and this weekend could very easily determine their season. With a game against the Bombers to kick things off on Wednesday followed by this one on Sunday, they face two opponents who are probably better than them but each of whom they are capable of beating, and they could feasibly lose both, win both, or split them at one apiece.
The Cats, meanwhile, could be right back in the race for the finals, or completely out of it by the end of this game. As disappointing as their 1-1-3 record looks, they could very easily have won at least a couple more games, and they are still very capable of making their way back into the top eight over the remainder of the season – and if they do get there, they will be a dangerous opponent for anyone. But they can’t afford too many more slip ups. They are expected to win their first game this week up against the Dockers but are far from a certainty, but if they do win it they’ll head into this game with their tails up and the chance to even their ledger at 3-1-3. This is a much better team than their record would suggest, and they should be viewing this week as the ideal chance to get their season back on track. They’ll be made to work for it by the Swans, but the Cats should prove too strong in this one.
Predicted Squads
Sydney Swans: FB: E. Heads, J. O’Sullivan HB: L. McEvoy, A. Mitchell, R. Sargent-Wilson C: L. Steane, C. Hamilton, H. Bullas HF: M. Beruldsen, R. Privitelli, S. Hurley FF: A. Hamilton, S. Grunden Fol: A. Morphett, T. Kennedy, L. Gardiner IC: L. Hausegger, P. Sheppard, E. Vale, A. Whelan, H. Cooper
Geelong Cats: FB: C. Emonson, C. Gunjaca HB: R. Webster, M. McDonald, R. Kearns C: Z. Friswell, G. Prespakis, J. Crocket-Grills HF: M. Bowen, J. Parry, S. Scott FF: A. Moloney, K. Kenny Fol: K. Darby, N. Morrison, D. Moloney IC: G. Featherston, A. Kennedy, B. O’Rourke, C. Thorne, M. Bragg
Fremantle Dockers vs Hawthorn Hawks
The final game of the longest round of the season looms as an intriguing one, with the Dockers – who sit 6th entering the round – taking on the Hawks – who sit 4th. The Dockers have done well to win four of their first five games, consistently coming up trumps in the dying stages in a bunch of close games, but this is a really tough week for them as they face first the Cats then the Hawks. They have beaten some decent teams so far this year – smashing the Bombers in Round 1 and beating the Demons in Round 4 – but the Hawks might just be their toughest opponent yet.
Hawthorn was always expected to show some improvement this season, but few would have expected it to be as dramatic as it has been. They have been sensational from the outset, their only loss coming in Adelaide to Adelaide prior to this round. They come into Round 6 on the back of a thumping win over the then-undefeated Saints and then an impressive win over the Cats, and should not have any problems continuing on their merry way earlier in the week when they host the Suns. They will have just a four-day break heading into this game and will have to travel from Melbourne to Perth in that time, though so too will the Dockers and they’ll have just one extra day. This should be a really good game between two teams trying to prove themselves as genuine top eight teams – and potentially top four teams, particularly the Hawks – and in a tight one, the Hawks can continue on their merry way with a tight win.
Predicted Squads
Fremantle Dockers: FB: A. Brazill, J. Low HB: E. O’Driscolla, G. Newton, M. Scanlon C: A. Runnalls, H. Miller, O. Lally HF: A. Mulholland, E. Antonio, G. Biedenweg-Webster FF: A. Hetherington, L. Pugh Fol: M. Strom, A. McCarthy, G. O’Sullivan IC: M. Kauffman, P. Seth, M. Morrison, S. Verrier, T. Kikoak
Hawthorn Hawks: FB: T. Lucas-Rodd, E. Everist HB: T. Smith, A. Kemp, J. Richardson C: G. Bodey, M. Breed, M. Williamson HF: K. Stratton, A. Gilroy, L. Stone FF: A. McDonagh, M. Eardley Fol: L. Wales, E. Bates, E. West IC: T. Fellows, L. Stephenson, L. Elliott, J. Fleming, K. Ashmore
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- Wooden Spoon Betting Least Wins
- Brownlow Medal Odds and Predictions
- AFL Grand Final Betting Sites