What a week it was waiting for the footy season’s second coming, which really ended up a fizzer between the heavyweights of the AFL, the Collingwood Magpies and the Richmond Tigers – it was an ultra-low scoring game which ended in a draw, not helped by the video goal umpire who got things wrong along the journey!
Nobody was amused: not the coaches, players, commentators, nor the wayward seagulls that circled the “G” on the night, and especially not the cardboard cutout Magpie fans who remained silent throughout the ordeal!
Elsewhere, the Melbourne Demons won by a point after giving up a big lead to the Carlton Blues, but it was Carlton that won the high ground on the day after being 42 to 0 down they came back, drew level and went within a point of victory.
The Geelong Cats beat the Hawthorn Hawks, the Brisbane Lions defeated the Fremantle Dockers in a fast and furious game, and Port Adelaide Power rolled the Adelaide Crows to win the South Australian showdown.
The Gold Coast Suns dished out an upset thrashing to early premiership favourites the West Coast Eagles.
Another early finals contender, the GWS Giants were overrun by the shin-boner North Melbourne Kangaroos, while the Essendon Bombers just hung on by a goal to beat the Sydney Swans at the SCG.
St Kilda are a force to be reckoned with this year after comprehensively beating the Western Bulldogs and banishing them with a whimper to the long lost kennel at the bottom of the dungeon.
After watching six games of footy last weekend, in my opinion, the new canned cheers and the 16-minute-quarter rule is bovine scatology.
It was obvious in at least half the matches last week, that had the AFL kept the regular quarters of 20 minutes, there may have been four different results and no draw!
Alas, the guardians of the air conveyance game seem to think only about speed and TV ratings, but not about spectator satisfaction.
This week, Thursday night footy once again graces the wide and lonely expanse of the MCG, with the Tigers facing up to Hawthorn.
If the classy Tigers are serious about making the finals this year, they must win... and I believe they will, by 25 points.
On Friday night, the Bulldogs will play the Giants at Marvel “Super Hero” Stadium, which should make for some intriguing viewing.
GWS will shrug off last week’s shock loss and should beat the Doggies in a very entertaining game.
On Saturday, North Melbourne will take on the Swans at Marvel.
The Kangaroos are favourites to win this game and it will be a hard, closely-fought contest as Sydney always plays better when they are away from home.
I am picking North Melbourne but wouldn’t be surprised by an upset result.
Collingwood and St Kilda will meet at the MCG.
This going to be a real test of strength between the experienced Magpies and the upcoming Sainters with “Ratts” at the helm – I pick the Magpies to win, but it may be another upset in the making.
The Cattery down the Princes Highway will be busy again with Geelong taking on Carlton.
I hate to say this as a tragic Blues supporter, but the Cats are too strong and I believe they will win at home.
Brisbane will have the chance to do a number on the other the Eagles on Saturday night.
It will be hard to beat the Lions on their home ground, but it will be a fierce contest as West Coast attempt to shrug off their shock loss to the Suns last week.
The Suns will take on the Crows at home; in view of the Suns’ performance last week they can win this one too.
Fremantle will meet with Port Adelaide at Carrara in Queensland; I pick Power to defeat the Dockers by a proverbial mile.
The Bombers and Demons will go head-to-head at the “G” on Sunday.
This is going to be a close, hard-fought battle.
No doubt the Dees will be concerned about their fade out, though the Bombers just managed to scrape home last week.
I pick Essendon to defeat Melbourne by a narrow margin.
2020 AFL SEASON ROUND 2 TIPS
Richmond Tigers
GWS Giants
North Melbourne Kangaroos
Collingwood Magpies
Geelong Cats
Brisbane Lions
Gold Coast Suns
Essendon Bombers
Port Adelaide Power
Progressive tip score: 11
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