The Melbourne Football club cannot turn a trick these days. The have suffered an enormous amount of bad luck through the Jim Stynes tragedy, racial issues, the loss of their major sponsor, Liam Jarrah’s indescretions and last weeks thrashing at the hands of the Eagles – Well Demons supporters I am afraid it reads like an operatic tragedy, but this is not your lucky week.
The Tigers bounce back and start to assert their presence on the competition. Richmond’s determined play last week against the Magpies will continue this week except they will not face anywhere near the opposition in Melbourne. When the Tigers went down to the Blues and ‘Pies they never-the-less pushed both potential premiership contenders at some point or other during the match.
Saturday at the ‘G’ Richmond will easily post their first win of the season by defeatingthe hapless Demons.
Port Adelaide at home take on the Sydney Swans this afternoon at AAMI Stadium. Sydney with wins over GWS and Freo at home may find this task away against the Power a little more daunting. Port Power will recover from their poor showing against the Bombers last week and take the win.
Fremantle playing in Perth will be too good for the Brisbane Lions even with Jonathan Brown in the side for the first time this year. The Dockers at home two weeks ago had a hard earned victory over the Cats and will be back at their very best today in defeating the travelling Lions.
The Bombers’ win over the Power came at a high cost, with Lonergan suspended, David Hille, David Myers and Nathan Lovett-Murray all injured during last Saturday’s game and will miss the trip away to Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast Saturday night. The Suns motivated by captain Gary Ablett Jnr. will take the game up to Essendon and in front of a vocal local crowd make a real contest of it. In a surprise result, the Gold Coast by a couple of goals.
At Etihad Stadium under lights the winless Western Bulldogs play host to the St. Kilda Saints.
As much as there will be a lot of support from doggy fans and neutrals for a Footscray win, it’s not going to happen tonight. The Bulldogs have been trying to find form over the last two rounds, but have failed and may have to commence rebuilding their side a little earlier and forgo playing finals football for at least a few years.
The same fate awaits the Saints a couple of seasons down the track, but right now they have the players and momentum to perform and will win well against the Dogs.
Sunday and the GWS Giants at home at Blacktown Stadium will entertain the West Coast Eagles – Sorry Giants but no joy this time around, the Eagles by a proverbial country mile! Back at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, the Kangaroos take on the Cat’s. In an interesting contest the Geelong Cats will come out victorious.
Hawthorn meets the Adelaide Crows at the MCG tomorrow in what is promising to be a tough game of football. The Hawks will still be smarting over the fact that the Cats’ came from nowhere to beat them last week and will be making sure they will not be embarrassed again. The Crows this season have impressed with their tackling and general play, taking out the NAB Cup and raking up two victories so far, but this game is harder -The Hawks to just get over the line in a thriller.
