Week two of the split round and only four games featuring this weekend.
Friday the West Coast Eagles host Richmond at Patersons Stadium. Both teams go into that game off the back of wins last round. Richmond’s was a little more notable, after toppling then-top-four bound Port Adelaide. Despite last night’s result, it seems that neither team will feature in September after producing very subpar 2014 seasons.
‘Q Clash 8’ is set for Saturday afternoon. Its competitors, Gold Coast and the Brisbane Lions, are both desperate to avoiding losses for very contrasting reasons. If the Suns lose this one their September action will be incredibly hampered. They currently sit outside of the eight on percentage, and a win against their state rival will go a long way to boosting that. This is one the Suns need to win as the teams sitting either side of them, Collingwood and Adelaide, clash Sunday afternoon. Brisbane, on the other hand, sits a mere two per cent off the bottom of the ladder, after St Kilda’s big win over Fremantle last week.
In another big clash Saturday night, Swan Lance Franklin will take on his ex-teammates for the first time at the MCG. This will be a pre-September test for both teams, with just over a month left before the finals. The Swans juggernaut is looking to set a club record 13th win in a row, having equalled their previous standing record last week.
Swan Kieran Jack speaking on SwansTV said that the record was not a priority, the Swans just want to win.
“Records are made to be broken, but that’s all I really buy into it,” Jack told reporters.
“It’s been a good run but we need to continue.
“The way we focus week in, week out is like that and we don’t focus on winning streaks or anything like that, it’s just a week-to-week process.
“We just want to win.”
The final match for the weekend is another do-or-die clash, when Collingwood hosts Adelaide at the MCG. Collingwood has lost four of its last five matches and sits inside the eight by the barest of percentage margins. Put simply, if the Magpies lose they drop out, with Adelaide a game behind Collingwood but boasting a healthier percentage. If Collingwood drops this one it could drop to 10th, depending on the result between the Suns and Lions.