We preview every AFL match in Round 9 and take a look at what fans of all teams want to see
A Marvel Stadium shootout, more mark and goal of the year contenders from Sydney Stack and the Tiger cubs and the Blues to silence the trade critics (for now). What do you want to see from your club this weekend? HISTORY, TIPS, ODDS
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Another round of footy is here, and we’re delving into every match and asking what fans want to see from their teams — and looking back at some recent memorable meetings.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FROM YOUR TEAM THIS WEEKEND? LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW
WEST COAST EAGLES v MELBOURNE
What Eagles fans want to see: Josh Kennedy start to get back to his best. The star forward has had a slow start to the year, but showed signs with a big pack mark last week. If the Eagles are to go anywhere near repeating last year, they need ‘JK’ firing.
What Demon fans want to see: Some fight — and to not get blown off the park. Last year the Dees’ horror first term meant the prelim was virtually over by quarter time.
What we’d like to see: Jeremy McGovern climb the goalpost as Tom McDonald’s after-the-siren shot on goal from 52m edges close to the line. Would be a great case study just to see how the umpire on the spot officiated it this week.
Remember the time: Dees excitement machine Allen Jakovich kissed Eagles opponent and brother Glen? It was Round 9, 1993 and after booting a long goal to level the scores, the Melbourne star couldn’t help but respond after little bro had been giving him lip.
Last time: West Coast 18.13 (121) def Melbourne 7.13 (55)
— 2018 preliminary final, Perth Stadium
Betting: West Coast $1.28, Melbourne $3.70
(odds courtesy of TAB)
COLLINGWOOD v ST KILDA
What Pies fans want to see: Callum Brown’s continued emergence. The son of Gavin has had some nice moments this season and kicked a couple of special goals. He looks a long-term player, and the Black and White Army are excited.
What Saints fans want to see: Connectivity. The kick inside forward 50m needs to find its target more often. Once in there, the Saints need to make opposition teams pay. Recent first terms of 2.7 (Essendon) and 3.6 (Adelaide) can’t be repeated.
What we’d like to see: The Saints surprise. The big Round 5 win over Melbourne suddenly seems a long time ago as Alan Richardson’s team heads south — where most thought they were destined to linger in 2019. After winning four from their first five, a plucky St Kilda effort would well and truly keep that finals flame alive ahead of home games with Carlton and the Power.
Remember the time: Brendon Goddard soared onto the shoulders to pluck arguably the greatest-ever grand final mark? ‘BJ’ was incredible in both grand finals in 2010, but his huge grab and goal to put his team ahead in the drawn epic rates right up alongside ‘Jesaulenko — you beauty!’.
Last time: Collingwood 15.10 (100) def St Kilda 10.12 (72) at Etihad Stadium
Betting: Collingwood $1.22, St Kilda $4.30
BRISBANE LIONS v ADELAIDE
What Lions fans want to see: Cam Rayner lift. He’s been just OK in 2019, prompting Herald Sun chief footy writer Mark Robinson to wonder whether the former no.1 draft pick is suffering the second-year blues. He’s young, powerful and skilful. Rayner will arrive one day, but some impatient Lions fans hope it happens soon.
What Crows fans want to see: Jake Kelly or Luke Brown do a number on Charlie Cameron. As the Crows’ forward half struggles to recapture its glorious best of two years ago, seeing their former star carve them up on his new home patch would be a bitter pill to swallow.
What we’d like to see: A thriller. This match looms as the game of the round. It’s third v fifth, and we’re not sure of the credentials of either team to go deep in September. This match will tell us a bit more about at least one of the teams.
Remember the time: The Crows beat the Lions by 138 points? It was less than three years ago that Brissy was in some of its darkest times late in 2016, and a trip to the Adelaide Oval resulted in the grandest of spankings as the home side had 14 individual goalkickers. Chris Fagan is doing some job.
Last time: Adelaide 13.15 (93) def Brisbane 13.10 (88) at the Gabba.
Betting: Brisbane $1.75, Adelaide $2.10
GEELONG v WESTERN BULLDOGS
What Cats fans want to see: An inside-50 win. Surprisingly, Geelong has won that count just twice this year, despite losing just one game. If that happens, the Cats are almost guaranteed a win, such has been their stinginess down back and efficiency in attack.
What Doggies fans want to see: Their team continue to play their own, attacking game. Too often opposition sides head to Geelong and get trapped on the narrow GMHBA Stadium. If they’re to win, the Dogs will have to hunt hard — as they did a few years back when injury thwarted their chance to upset the Cats — and take risks against the AFL’s best defence.
What we’d like to see: Tom Boyd. Not sure if the Bulldogs have anything special planned to farewell their freshly-retired flag star (more likely at a home game) but it’d be great to see some sort of acknowledgment and hopefully see the big fella give fans a wave and smile.
Remember the time: The Bulldogs won at the Cattery? No? Well, it was 16 years ago. Gary Ablett played that day as Brad Johnson (4 goals) and Nathan Brown (3) helped the struggling Dogs — under coach Peter Rohde — stunned the home side by 18 points.
Last time: Western Bulldogs 16.7 (103) def Geelong 15.11 (101) at Etihad Stadium.
Betting: Geelong $1.18, Western Bulldogs $4.80
ESSENDON v FREMANTLE
What Bombers fans want to see: A functioning forward line. Orazio is out (again) but big Joe Daniher is back. Can Dylan Shiel and co deliver some quality ball inside 50?
What Dockers fans want to see: Nat Fyfe keeping his elbows down. The Freo champ was somewhat lucky to escape sanction last week and the week before he also clipped a Dogs opponent with an errant elbow. C’mon Nat, if your team is to make an impact this year it needs their best player out there every week.
What we’d like to see: Goals, goals, goals. The Bombers have been struggling to kick them, and Freo has notoriously been defence-first in recent years. That has changed in 2019 and on the speedy Marvel Stadium deck, let’s hope a shootout can reverse the game’s scoring drought.
Remember the time: Freo traded with the Bombers ... and missed Matthew Lloyd and Scott Lucas. Not the Dockers’ greatest trade when, at the end of 1994, they gave up pick 4 and a pre-draft compo pick in exchange for Tony Delaney, Todd Ridley, Dale Kickett and Russell Williams. The Bombers nabbed Lloydy and Lucas — and netted almost 1400 goals from the pair.
Last time: Essendon 13.21 (99) def Fremantle 11.4 (70) at Etihad Stadium.
Betting: Essendon $1.44, Fremantle $2.80
MONEYBALL: LATEST AFL TRADE WHISPERS
FOOTY TIPPING: SEE THE EXPERTS’ ROUND 9 TIPS
TEAMS: DE GOEY DOUBT, GIANT INCLUSIONS
NORTH MELBOURNE v SYDNEY SWANS
What Kangas fans want to see: The Kangas to hit a target. Fans last week were bemoaning Brad Scott’s team’s ability to find the mark. Had their chances against the Cats but couldn’t quite take them,
What Swans fans want to see: ‘Generation Next’ fire. Last week Nick Blakey inspired a gutsy win over the Bombers. But Isaac Heeney (who has been sore) and Callum Mills aren’t living up to the hype at the moment.
What we’d like to see: A sellout crowd in Hobart. A stand-alone team from the Apple Isle is still some time away, but let’s hope the locals show the league just how hungry they are for AFL footy.
Remember the time: The Swans had 19 men on the ground? In a controversial aftermath to the 2008 clash, it was revealed the Swans botched an interchange deep in time-on of the final quarter. Then-Swan Darren Jolly was seemingly meant to come off the ground but his understudy Jesse White, making his debut, re-entered play. Oops.
Last time: Sydney Swans 16.8 (104) def North Melb 15.8 (98) at Etihad Stadium.
Betting: North Melbourne $1.50, Sydney $2.60
PORT ADELAIDE v GOLD COAST SUNS
What Power fans want to see: A clean injury sheet. Port is copping it at the moment, and they need to navigate a tricky few weeks without the likes of skipper Ollie Wines, Robbie Gray, Brad Ebert, Ryan Burton and more.
What Suns fans want to see: Ben King. We won’t know for sure until later today if King, the No.6 pick in last year’s draft, will get the nod but there’ll be plenty of eyes on the exciting tall should he earn his debut.
What we’d like to see: From a SuperCoach point of view, the Power kids to shine. Many have relied on Connor Rozee, Willem Drew, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma in the opening weeks of the year. They may be tiring, but we need them to keep going!
Remember the time: Port played the Suns in China? Nup, us either. But the Power got the choccies both times easily.
Last time: Port Adelaide 11.16 (82) def Gold Coast 6.6 (42) at Jiangwan Stadium (China).
Betting: Port Adelaide $1.16, Gold Coast $5.20
RICHMOND v HAWTHORN
What Tigers fans want to see: Sydney and his mates, of course. Tiger fans are revelling in Sydney Stack fever, but it’s also the likes of Shai Bolton, Liam Baker and Noah Balta are providing unpredictability for rival teams and new levels of excitement for the Tiger Army.
What Hawks fans want to see: More ‘boring’ footy. If it provides results like last week’s convincing win over GWS, fans won’t mind how it looks — or what Wayne Carey has to say.
What we’d like to see: A fend-off between Dusty and Luke Breust. Both are accomplished exponents at brushing tackles and fending away the opposition, even if the Tiger champ’s numbers are well down this year. Who’s better at it? There’s only one way to settle it.
Remember the time: Jason Dunstall went to town on the Tigers, threatening Fred Fanning’s most goals in a single match. ‘The Chief’ booted 139 goals in 1992 but on one extraordinary day at Waverley, he kicked 17. In Round 22 that year against Richmond he was quiet however, only managing a dozen (yes that’s right, another 12!).
Last time: Richmond 13.17 (95) def Hawthorn 9.10 (64) in the qualifying final at the MCG.
Betting: Richmond $1.73, Hawthorn $2.15
GWS GIANTS v CARLTON
What Giants fans want to see: A response ... a brutal response. GWS was meek against Hawthorn last week, with club director and former great Jimmy Bartel labelling their MCG loss among the worst in the club’s short history.
What Blues fans want to see: A win. Many think that is a tall order against a rebounding GWS on their home turf. But the North Melbourne debacle aside, the Blues have been competitive in every game. There’s no reason they can’t take it to one of the flag fancies.
What we’d like to see: Liam Stocker to fire in a Carlton win. There’s plenty of debate about the Blues’ draft-night trade to nab the young gun — and the effects that might have in this year’s draft. But he showed plenty last week and another big display would shoosh that noise — at least for one more week.
Remember the time: A Carlton player was traded to GWS? No? Us either. Dylan Buckley headed north after being picked up as a rookie. However the traffic has been a little busier coming back the other way. Kristian Jaksch, Rhys Palmer, Liakm Sumner, Jed Lamb, Lachie Plowman, Caleb Marchbank, Will Setterfield ... OK we’ll stop.
Last time: GWS 23.13 (151) def Carlton 7.4 (46) at Etihad Stadium.
Betting: GWS $1.13, Carlton $6
Why Allen needs Eagles more than they need him amid Lions links
It’s a strange statement to attach to the co-captain of a bottom-four club, but Oscar Allen needs the struggling Eagles more than they need him, writes ELIZA REILLY.
Potential Houston replacement puts Port contract talks on hold
He has been touted as a breakout contender for Port Adelaide and is unsigned beyond this year. But for now this Power youngster’s focus is on playing regularly, not a new deal.