Afl Preview - Season 2008 Round 8

Newcastle Herald

Friday May 16, 2008

with Grant Sproule

TONIGHT

ST KILDA V COLLINGWOOD

7.40pm at Telstra Dome

TAB Sportsbet: Magpies $1.70, Saints $1.95

The Saints will limp into tonight's clash with the Pies despite

a week off. Injuries to key players Nick Riewoldt, Matt McGuire

and Xavier Clarke leave the underachieving Saints very

vulnerable. Collingwood's poor form has their premiership

hopes spluttering, and another loss tonight could sound the

death knell for 2008. The Pies' record at Telstra Dome is

ordinary, and they've only got the four points once in the past

five outings against the Saints. TIP: Saints

TOMORROW

HAWTHORN V PORT ADELAIDE

2.10pm at Aurora Stadium

TAB Sportsbet: Hawks $1.42, Power $2.65

Hawthorn are flying - undefeated after seven rounds and at the

top of their game. But if any side in the competition have the

wood on the Hawks it will be Port Adelaide. Port have

won five of their past six against the Hawks, including two from

two at Aurora Stadium. The loss of the versatile Chad Cornes

is a concern for Port considering he would have been a good

match-up for the in-form Lance Franklin. This should be a

close one. TIP: Hawks

RICHMOND V GEELONG

2.10pm at the MCG

TAB Sportsbet: Tigers $4, Cats $1.20

Make no mistake - the Tigers are NO chance of

beating the Cats. Richmond were brave before the bye.

Honourable losses to Hawthorn and St Kilda have given the

Tigers faithful a reason to stand up and cheer, but this week

they clash with a side that are as good as any to have played

the game in the past decade. Geelong own the Tigers, winning

eight of their past nine meetings, including last year's 157-point

hiding at the Dome. TIP: Cats

CARLTON V BRISBANE

7.10pm at Telstra Dome

TAB Sportsbet: Blues $1.80, Lions $1.90

Both these sides have improved their performances

from last season. Carlton are aiming at their fourth win from

five games while the Lions will look to level the ledger with

their fourth win for the season. Blues skipper Chris Judd

was restricted by an ankle injury and played a minor role in

Victoria's win over the Dream Team last week. His

Big V teammates Jonathan Brown and Daniel Bradshaw

have been in awesome form this year and will test Carlton's

brittle backline. TIP: Lions

NORTH MELBOURNE V WEST COAST

7.10pm at Carrara Stadium

TAB Sportsbet: Roos $1.25, Eagles $3.60

Only 5000 tickets have been sold for this clash

on the Gold Coast - hardly the response the AFL had

been looking for as they continue with their push into the

region. The Roos, despite all the off-field drama about their

survival during the pre-season, are playing good footy and

sitting inside the top eight. The Eagles haven't handled their

off-field dramas quite so astutely and appear to be a shadow

of the team that played in consecutive grand finals only two

years ago. TIP: Roos

SUNDAY

ADELAIDE V MELBOURNE

1.10pm at AAMI Stadium

TAB Sportsbet: Crows $1.12, Demons $5.25

The Demons staged one of the greatest comebacks in AFL

history when they beat the Dockers before the break. Trailing

by 51 points at half-time, the bagmen closed the books for the

day, believing like most that the Dees were done and dusted.

Despite the odds, the winless Dees mounted a rearguard

action and in front of a meager crowd of 19,000, they drew

level and went past a shellshocked Fremantle. Unfortunately

that's where the fairytale will end for Melbourne. This week

they'll get pumped by the Crows. TIP: Crows

SYDNEY V ESSENDON

2.10pm at ANZ Stadium

TAB Sportsbet: Swans $1.13, Bombers $5

Sydney received a wake-up call when they were belted by the

Dogs at home. The Swans looked slow and lethargic after

quarter-time and the Bulldogs took full advantage. This week

they clash with the Bombers, who had to go into damage

control this week when club chairman Ray Horsburgh leaked

to the press some in-house secrets. Normally this clash would

attract a large crowd, but the Bombers' poor form may keep

the crowds away. TIP: Swans

FREMANTLE V WESTERN BULLDOGS

4.40pm at Subiaco

TAB Sportsbet: Dockers $2.20, Dogs $1.60

Can things get any worse for Dockers coach Mark Harvey?

Fremantle's dramatic capitulation at the MCG two weeks ago

placed the blowtorch fairly and squarely on Harvey and his

underachieving team. This week they take on the undefeated

Bulldogs, who boast a good record at the "Graveyard", and

things will only heat up if the Dockers put in another shocker.

Finals are definitely off the cards for Harvey's men - pride is all

they have left to play for. TIP: Bulldogs

gsproule@theherald.com.au

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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