Geelong vs West Coast Eagles
Friday 7:10pm AEDT, GMHBA Stadium
The Cats’ continual improvement was on display last week in a heartbreaking loss to the reigning premiers. Geelong kicked more goals than the Lions, but went down by two points. West Coast’s match against St Kilda last week was postponed after a number of players in the Eagles camp were placed into health and safety protocols.
Both sides are winless with the Cats 0-4 and the Eagles 0-3, however Geelong has been far more competitive than West Coast. The Cats four losses have come by margins of 8, 14, 11 and two points - with three of those four games played against top six opposition. The Eagles three losses have come by a combined margin of 74 points.
Geelong’s improvement this season has come on the back of its defence which has yet to concede more than five goals in a game this season. The Cats defence was stoic last week, losing the inside 50 battle 38-12 but only conceding three goals. The Eagles have failed to score more than two goals in two of their three games this season, and it’s hard to see them breaking down the Cats. Teams that have come off Covid forced breaks have struggled upon return, and it’s going to be a tough ask for the Eagles at GMHBA Stadium.
Brisbane vs Collingwood
Saturday 5:10pm AEDT, Maroochydore Sports Complex
It’s a battle of fifth vs sixth on the ladder as the Lions host the Pies in Maroochydore. Brisbane snuck over the line against Geelong last week, while Collingwood were blown off the park by Fremantle. It was a stark reality check for the Pies, who were held to their lowest ever score, and could only muster up ten inside 50’s in a 31 point defeat at home.
The Lions surge mentality has seen them get back into form over the last two weeks, as they’ve looked to gain territory quickly, and provide manic pressure to retain the ball inside 50. Over the last two weeks the Lions have won the inside 50 battle by 46 and tackles by 42, in those two games the Lions also won more possession than their opponents.
It’s a special brand of football that Brisbane is playing at the moment, and they outwork their opponents over four quarters of football and as was seen on the weekend, their system wins them games even when they’re not at their best. Collingwood struggled against Fremantle’s manic pressure last week, and the Lions are going to be putting the Pies under the heat once again.
Melbourne vs Gold Coast Suns
Saturday 7:10pm AEDT, Casey Fields
Melbourne will be looking to bounce back on Saturday night when they take on the Suns at Casey Fields. The Demons picked up their first loss of the season last weekend against Adelaide, as they were completely outplayed by the Crows. Melbourne were held to just 2 points at three quarter time, and it was only Adelaide’s inaccuracy (4.11) that kept the margin respectable.
The Suns come into this clash with consecutive wins for the first time in their history, after running over the top of Richmond in a five point victory last weekend. Despite the momentum with the Suns, the prospect of the Demons at Casey Fields is a massive step up from Richmond and West Coast. Melbourne has won their last nine games in a row at Casey Fields by an average margin of 25 points, with their last loss at the venue coming back in 2019.
Despite the poor showing last week, it’s important to not look past what the Demons did in the first three weeks of the season. Melbourne averaged 54 points per game and picked up three comfortable victories. They’re an experienced outfit that will be eager to bounce back, their kick mark game is well suited to Casey Fields, and it’s a venue they’ve dominated at for the past two seasons. Expect a bounce back performance from the Demons.
Western Bulldogs vs Richmond
Sunday 1:10pm AEDT, Whitten Oval
Two of the youngest sides in the competition go head to head, looking to break their losing streaks. The Bulldogs are 0-3 this season and are coming off a shattering six point loss to the league leading Dockers. Richmond have lost three straight games after their Round One victory, with their latest loss coming at the hands of the Gold Coast.
The Tigers were soundly beaten in general play by the Suns, losing the clearances by 13, inside 50’s by 20 and contested possessions by 18. There’s plenty of concern around the Tigers at the moment, with the Tigers not winning any of those three categories in a game since Round One. The Bulldogs defensive structure was outstanding against Fremantle, dropping multiple players behind the ball to force the Dockers wide. The Bulldogs held the Dockers to their lowest score of the season.
The Bulldogs will be confident that their defensive game can limit a Richmond outfit that has been out of form across the last three weeks. If the Bulldogs can break even in the midfield like they did against the unbeaten Dockers on Tuesday, then they can break their duck for season 2022.
Carlton vs Adelaide
Sunday 3:10pm AEDT, Ikon Park
It’s bleak times for the Blues at the moment, languishing in 10th place on the ladder with a 1-3 record. For the second straight week Carlton were beaten by five goals, and were dominated right across the park. It doesn’t get any easier for the Blues, who take on the undefeated Crows on Sunday afternoon.
An Erin Phillips masterclass and a dominant defence led the Crows to a 14 point win over Melbourne last weekend, as they enhanced their premiership credentials. The Crows held Melbourne goalless for three quarters and it’s going to be an uphill battle for Carlton to score against the number one ranked defence in the league. The Crows have conceded an average score of just 15, holding their opponents to scores of 9, 24, 9 and 21 this season. Carlton average just 26 points per game in 2022, and their struggling forwardline will be seriously outmatched by the Crows defence.
To pair with their incredible defence, the Crows are the fifth highest scoring team in the competition. Adelaide have the best percentage in the AFLW at 242.9% while Carlton are ranked 11th at 60%. Adelaide have been dominant on both sides of the ball, and the Blues have struggled to have success in any sector of the ground this season. The Crows are set for a blowout victory on Sunday afternoon.
North Melbourne vs Fremantle
Sunday 5:10pm AEDT, North Hobart Oval
Round 5 concludes with a cracking clash in Tasmania between the Kangaroos and Fremantle. North Melbourne sit in 4th place with a 3-1 record after a convincing 30 point win over Carlton last weekend. Fremantle successfully navigated two games in six days with a dominant win over Collingwood last Thursday, and a gritty six point win over the Bulldogs on Tuesday. The Dockers sit atop the ladder with five wins and zero losses.
Despite an underwhelming performance on Tuesday, Fremantle has the number one ranked attack in the league, averaging 47 points per game. The Dockers success this season has been built on their midfield, which has been the best in the AFLW this year. Fremantle are ranked first for disposals, first for tackles (132 ahead of the nearest side) and first for hitouts. They control games through their ability to win the ball at the source, and their defensive work which doesn’t allow opposing sides to get into space.
North Melbourne have had a great start to this season and have shown why they will feature at the pointy end of the season, however the Dockers are a class above the Roos. The way they completely dispatched Collingwood on their home turf proved that they are the best side in the competition, they’re balanced on both sides of the ball, and they’ll continue their unbeaten start to the season.
