AFL footy tipping: See who the Herald Sun experts are picking in Round 22

WITH Jesse Hogan out for the season, Melbourne needs to find a hero. Could it be Christian Petracca? Or will Tom McDonald reprise his star turn after last year’s freakish goal to win in the west against the Eagles? TIPPING HELP

YOU have to give James Hird credit for sticking to his convictions.

Two weeks ago he declared Essendon could win the 2018 premiership and it seems results since then, including a Bombers loss to Hawthorn that all but ended their finals hopes, haven’t dented his optimism.

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Hirdy is one of a very small minority tipping Essendon to end Richmond's run at the MCG tomorrow night, although some other experts may have wavered after news of multiple injuries — including the captain Trent Cotchin — at Punt Rd.

Meanwhile, equal-leading tipster Chris Cavanagh has gone out on a limb by picking Sydney to upset the Giants in the Battle of the Bridge. If he’s right it could set up a season-winning lead. If not, the Herald Sun tipping comp is wide open.

See his explanation and all our expert predictions for Round 22 below.

Chris Cavanagh's top tips: Score so far: 127

Tigers

Pies

Cats

Sydney

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

Crows

Last Week: 6

Margins: Richmond 12 Collingwood 12 Geelong 30 Sydney 6 Brisbane Lions 24 Hawthorn 30 Western Bulldogs 30 West Coast 1 Adelaide 6

The Giants have a giant disaster on their hands with their injury list, so I’m puzzled as to why they are favourites for the Battle of the Bridge in Sydney. Swans beat them earlier this year and have found form in recent weeks.

Sarah Jones's top tips: Score so far: 127

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

Crows

Last Week: 5

Margins: Richmond 10 Collingwood 15 Geelong 40 GWS Giants 18 Brisbane Lions 20 Hawthorn 30 Western Bulldogs 40 West Coast 11 Adelaide 15

Dermott Brereton's top tips: Score so far: 126

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

Crows

Last Week: 6

Margins: Richmond 15 Collingwood 12 Geelong 45 GWS Giants 18 Brisbane Lions 9 Hawthorn 45 Western Bulldogs 21 West Coast 19 Adelaide 24

Patrick Dangerfield's top tips: Score so far: 125

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

Crows

Last Week: 5

Gerard Whateley's top tips: Score so far: 125

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

North

Last Week: 5

Margins: Richmond 10 Collingwood 12 Geelong 30 GWS Giants 2 Brisbane Lions 20 Hawthorn 24 Western Bulldogs 15 West Coast 1 North Melbourne 2

Matthew Lloyd's top tips: Score so far: 124

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

Crows

Last Week: 5

Margins: Richmond 20 Collingwood 15 Geelong 29 GWS Giants 12 Brisbane Lions 30 Hawthorn 45 Western Bulldogs 21 West Coast 3 Adelaide 16

Jon Ralph's top tips: Score so far: 124

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Demons

Crows

Last Week: 5

Margins: Richmond 4 Collingwood 5 Geelong 23 GWS Giants 3 Brisbane Lions 3 Hawthorn 82 Western Bulldogs 36 Melbourne 3 Adelaide 3

Melbourne needs to find a hero. Would love it to be Christian Petracca, who has been good but not great this year. Suspect it might be Tom McDonald again, reprising his star turn after last year’s freakish goal to win in the west against the Weagles.

Lauren Wood's top tips: Score so far: 122

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

Crows

Last Week: 5

Margins: Richmond 17 Collingwood 10 Geelong 30 GWS Giants 11 Brisbane Lions 21 Hawthorn 40 Western Bulldogs 22 West Coast 20 Adelaide 14

Can’t see it being a pretty night for the Saints on Saturday. Hawthorn playing for a top-four spot is a scary prospect.

Jay Clark's top tips: Score so far: 121

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Demons

Crows

Last Week: 5

Margins: Richmond 18 Collingwood 15 Geelong 40 GWS Giants 10 Brisbane Lions 26 Hawthorn 99 Western Bulldogs 20 Melbourne 6 Adelaide 20

The loss of Jesse Hogan won’t hurt Melbourne as much as most think. Dees will play finals.

Gil Gardiner's top tips: Score so far: 121

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

North

Last Week: 5

Margins: Richmond 34 Collingwood 18 Geelong 46 GWS Giants 14 Brisbane Lions 17 Hawthorn 42 Western Bulldogs 30 West Coast 1 North Melbourne 2

No reason why Melbourne can’t beat West Coast at Perth Stadium but much prefer to barrack for the Round 23 cut-throat storyline!

Mark Robinson's top tips: Score so far: 121

Tigers

Port

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

Crows

Last Week: 4

Margins: Richmond 31 Port Adelaide 15 Geelong 34 GWS Giants 12 Brisbane Lions 19 Hawthorn 33 Western Bulldogs 31 West Coast 22 Adelaide 12

Scott Gullan's top tips: Score so far: 120

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Demons

Crows

Last Week: 5

Margins: Richmond 14 Collingwood 3 Geelong 43 GWS Giants 2 Brisbane Lions 11 Hawthorn 10 Western Bulldogs 33 Melbourne 1 Adelaide 9

Melbourne need to do everything to avoid the weight of having to win Round 23 to get into the finals so they’ll get it done a week earlier in Perth.

Daniel Andrews's top tips: Score so far: 119

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

North

Last Week: 5

Margins: Richmond 32 Collingwood 16 Geelong 58 GWS Giants 21 Brisbane Lions 23 Hawthorn 34 Western Bulldogs 34 West Coast 8 North Melbourne 11

Mick Malthouse's top tips: Score so far: 119

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

Crows

Last Week: 5

Margins: Richmond 21 Collingwood 30 Geelong 60 GWS Giants 10 Brisbane Lions 25 Hawthorn 40 Western Bulldogs 12 West Coast 18 Adelaide 18

Tim Watson's top tips: Score so far: 118

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Demons

Crows

Last Week: 6

Margins: Richmond 8 Collingwood 13 Geelong 38 GWS Giants 2 Brisbane Lions 22 Hawthorn 24 Western Bulldogs 32 Melbourne 1 Adelaide 16

Jon Anderson's top tips: Score so far: 117

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

North

Last Week: 5

Margins: Richmond 14 Collingwood 10 Geelong 38 GWS Giants 8 Brisbane Lions 26 Hawthorn 20 Western Bulldogs 21 West Coast 11 North Melbourne 4

Reckon Collingwood’s run will become the ultimate nail in Port Adelaide’s 2018 coffin.

Nathan Brown's top tips: Score so far: 117

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Demons

Crows

Last Week: 6

Margins: Richmond 22 Collingwood 42 Geelong 75 GWS Giants 14 Brisbane Lions 33 Hawthorn 28 Western Bulldogs 29 Melbourne 11 Adelaide 39

David King's top tips: Score so far: 117

Tigers

Pies

Cats

Sydney

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Demons

Crows

Last Week: 6

Margins: Richmond 5 Collingwood 10 Geelong 40 Sydney 3 Brisbane Lions 20 Hawthorn 30 Western Bulldogs 20 Melbourne 2 Adelaide 1

Glenn Mcfarlane's top tips: Score so far: 117

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

Crows

Last Week: 5

Margins: Richmond 10 Collingwood 18 Geelong 30 GWS Giants 10 Brisbane Lions 28 Hawthorn 37 Western Bulldogs 40 West Coast 2 Adelaide 8

Pies to lock in first finals berth in five years, pushing Port Adelaide to the precipice.

Eliza Sewell's top tips: Score so far: 117

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

North

Last Week: 5

Margins: Richmond 1 Collingwood 15 Geelong 22 GWS Giants 12 Brisbane Lions 6 Hawthorn 18 Western Bulldogs 22 West Coast 18 North Melbourne 2

It’s so tempting to tip against the Tigers... But no, I will not make such a silly mistake. NEVER

Shane Warne's top tips: Score so far: 117

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

Crows

Last Week: 5

Margins: Richmond 14 Collingwood 3 Geelong 11 GWS Giants 17 Brisbane Lions 2 Hawthorn 18 Western Bulldogs 12 West Coast 6 Adelaide 13

James Hird's top tips: Score so far: 116

Dons

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

Crows

Last Week: 5

Margins: Essendon 5 Collingwood 15 Geelong 25 GWS Giants 15 Brisbane Lions 11 Hawthorn 13 Western Bulldogs 14 West Coast 11 Adelaide 12

Sam Landsberger's top tips: Score so far: 116

Tigers

Port

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

Crows

Last Week: 7

Margins: Richmond 36 Port Adelaide 16 Geelong 46 GWS Giants 6 Brisbane Lions 56 Hawthorn 66 Western Bulldogs 16 West Coast 6 Adelaide 6

Melbourne fans ... take a deep breath. It’s Dee Ja Vu heading into Round 23.

Mick Warner's top tips: Score so far: 116

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

Crows

Last Week: 5

Second: Richmond 12 Collingwood 5 Geelong 90 GWS Giants 5 Brisbane Lions 62 Hawthorn 76 Western Bulldogs 56 West Coast 4 Adelaide 4

Hawks to smash sorry Saints and bring matters at Moorabbin to a head.

Bianca Chatfield's top tips: Score so far: 115

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Suns

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

Crows

Last Week: 6

Margins: Richmond 16 Collingwood 7 Geelong 19 GWS Giants 7 Gold Coast 8 Hawthorn 7 Western Bulldogs 17 West Coast 8 Adelaide 8

Sam Edmund's top tips: Score so far: 114

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Demons

Crows

Last Week: 5

Margins: Richmond 25 Collingwood 1 Geelong 3 GWS Giants 14 Brisbane Lions 10 Hawthorn 43 Western Bulldogs 6 Melbourne 17 Adelaide 11

Perth was where their finals dreams went to die last year, but I’ve just got a feeling the Dees will lift this week.

Matthew Guy's top tips: Score so far: 114

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Eagles

Crows

Last Week: 7

Margins: Richmond 21 Collingwood 24 Geelong 43 GWS Giants 9 Brisbane Lions 14 Hawthorn 34 Western Bulldogs 13 West Coast 1 Adelaide 13

Brendon Goddard's top tips: Score so far: 112

Dons

Pies

Cats

Sydney

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Demons

North

Last Week: 4

Max Gawn's top tips: Score so far: 110

Tigers

Pies

Cats

GWS

Lions

Hawks

Dogs

Demons

Crows

Last Week: 5

Kiss Of Death's top tips: Score so far: 53

Dons

Port

Freo

Sydney

Suns

Saints

Carlton

Demons

North

Last Week: 4

Margins: Essendon 13 Port Adelaide 13 Fremantle 13 Sydney 13 Gold Coast 13 St Kilda 13 Carlton 13 Melbourne 13 North Melbourne 13

Ross Lyon to manufacture a killer top-eight blow and continue my late-season surge.

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