Welcome, Demonlanders, to the real round 1!

My word, there are some cracking games set for this long weekend (not least the one occurring on the G on Sunday at the divine time of 1:10 - around about the time Jesus rock and rolled from his tomb).

After last weeks predictions effort (picking the polar opposite results) I think I might ditch that part of the preview.

Carlton v Richmond

It's been said before about this game - before turning into a cash bonanza for those who stick with the Blues - but this promises to be a scorching encounter. A good old fashioned game of midfield v midfield. Judd, Murphy, Gibbs, Carrazzo et al up against Cotchin, Delidio, Martin and friends. Personally, I really rate the Richmond midfield and think that Hardwick has successfully drilled into them the tough, workmanlike attitude teams need to be successful. Not only do I think that Richmond will match it in the middle, but around the rest of the ground I think the Tiges are a good thing. Their defenders have developed well but will need to watch Betts and Garlett and their forwards should be too good for anyone Carlton can match them with if the Tiges get on top in the middle. The problem for Richmond will be if the Blues get a run on. No one runs forward of the ball more often than the Blues - great when they're ahead, rubbish when headed.

Tigers for me.

Bulldogs v Brisbane

The less said about this game (and the next two) the better I think. The Bulldogs aren't going anywhere fast in my view and Brisbane have quietly compiled a formidable midfield with goal-kicking mids and forwards. This promises to be a drubbing, possibly the biggest of the round.

GWS v Sydney

Battle of the who car... Bridge. Yawn.

Gold Coast v St Kilda

Could be a closer match than expected. Gold Coast endured a tough year, but I think have some real steel in their middle. Guys like Bennell and Swallow promise to be very hard to stop (the previous an absolute jet). I think Prestia will improve but, notably, it'll be interesting to watch how Ablett is played this year. I think GC will be very good in a handful of games this year and it'll just be a matter of which ones it'll be. St Kilda's fleet of small forwards is enough to make you sick (in more ways than one) and they still have a very slick midfield. Look for them to be too good for the Suns, but the Suns will be quite plucky. Saints under 40.

Melbourne v Port Adelaide

I don't even know what to say. So much will depend on the fitness of our players - but even that is a double-edged sword. If we go in with too many underdone, we could be found wanting immensely. This'll be especially so if we were to go in with an unfit Clark and Dawes. I don't think Dawes will play for the simple fact that with he and Clark not at 100% we run the risk of inside 50s not being converted. A lumbering Dawes will not help the cause. The midfield duel will be interesting. Ours has been much improved since the midseason break last year (often winning inside 50s only to lose the match) whilst theirs, with Boak, Ebert etc isn't as terrible as it was feared to have become two seasons ago. Schulz will be dangerous and there always seems to be a previously unknown player who bobs up for 3-4 so look for that to happen. On the whole, however, with our improved fitness, midfield workrate and hopefully a fit focal point up forward, we should be too good...

North Melbourne v Collingwood

In the mould of Richmond v Carlton for mine. This could be a scorching match. Swan, Pendlebury, Beams (superstars of the comp) etc up against Swallow, Bastinac, Wells and co. (honest triers who run all day and use the footy pretty well). Any team with Petrie is one to be careful of but I think Collingwood will have a little too much polish overall - their depth is amazing, by the way. Frustrating.

Hawthorn v Geelong

"You haven't beaten us since Beijing"... Cats fans seem to harp on about to Hawks fans. A bizarre reference - essentially they're saying "you haven't beaten us since October (when no football was played) 2008!" Of course, the last match played before Beijing saw the Hawks win the granny. But I digress from that banal mock. I just think Hawthorn will be too good, but then I've thought that in the last few contests between these two and they just, simply, find a way to lose. The Cats don't seem to be regressing as quickly as I'd have liked but I will, again, for some reason go with the Hawks again. Any team with Buddy is hard to deny.

Game of the Round

North Collingwood/Carlton Richmond

Thrashing of the Round

Brisbane Dogs

Potential upset of the round

Suns

Suns over StKilda in the upset of the round.

Agree with RR about the suns

Anyone but Richmond doing well.

North is your upset for mine. Like the cats too

Dawes is fit enough to stay in the forward 50 and contribute to marking contests. I would prefer he not run all over the ground, as we have often seen all our forwards running up to the wing to get kicks and no-one staying home to mark or we are out numbered by the defenders in our forward 50. I like to idea of forwards staying in or around their positions.

I think the Doggies will surprise the Brisbane Bears and i hope Richmond beat Carlton.The Kangas will be competitive against the Collywobbles at the very least,our boys will destroy Port Adelaide,the Aints will beat the Suns and Hawthorn will [censored] the course against Geelong yet again.

Sidenote Wasn't the look on Clarkos face priceless when Tommy Hawkins scored that winner at the final siren last year!

my tips are:

Carlton by 23pts

Brisbane by 34pts

Sydney by 67 pts

St Kilda by 25pts

melbourne by 17pts

Collingwood by 30pts

hawthorn by 12pts (shorely they will beat them this year???)

Having tipped both the winners last weekend, I'm hoping I can extend my perfect run in 2013 this week with my tips of Carlton, Brisbane, Sydney, St Kilda, Melbourne, Collingwood and Hawthorn.

I think we can add Carlton to the list of clubs we have half a sniff against. Looking cod ordinary.

I think we can add Carlton to the list of clubs we have half a sniff against. Looking cod ordinary.

They've got one of the most un-Collingwoodlike lists in the competition. Malthouse might take years to pick up the players he needs to fit his gamestyle. Getting rid of Ratten might have been a horrible mistake on their part.

Their elite midfield has been smashed. The only way they're coming back in the last is if Richmond do a Richmond.

Their elite midfield has been smashed. The only way they're coming back in the last is if Richmond do a Richmond.

Richmond are doing their best to do a Richmond

Great game - a draw would be the perfect result (deflating for both sides).

For the first half of last night's game I couldn't help thinking that Carlton looked very similar to Melbourne in the opening game of the season last year against Brisbane. They had problems at the stoppages, skills poor and they couldn't score going wide into the forward line. The commentators were kind to them with most saying that the team needed time to adapt to Mick's altered game plan.

At some stage in the third quarter, all that changed and the game became an open shoot out which suited Carlton's more experienced players like Judd, Murphy and Gibbs who all came to the fore (luckily for MM, he's got the cattle for that sort of thing) and they ended up pushing Richmond all the way. In doing so, Malthouse compromised the game plan he's trying to instil into the team so it's ironic that some of the commentators were talking of how well he coached. He certainly nearly got his team up for a win but next week, he's back to square one.

They've got one of the most un-Collingwoodlike lists in the competition. Malthouse might take years to pick up the players he needs to fit his gamestyle. Getting rid of Ratten might have been a horrible mistake on their part.

Here's hoping.I thought there was something classless about the way Brett Ratten was treated.

Great game.

Robinson played well in spasms.

McLean looked like a tourist in Pamplona.(but still couldn't get a kick)

Malthouse went a nice puce colour and the blues are going to have troubles this year.

The Tigers are drinking their own bathwater and look to me like a lock for Ninth .

Great game.

Robinson played well in spasms.

McLean looked like a tourist in Pamplona.(but still couldn't get a kick)

Malthouse went a nice puce colour and the blues are going to have troubles this year.

The Tigers are drinking their own bathwater and look to me like a lock for Ninth .

Biffin you always make me laugh Just a great summary of 4 quarters of footy hehehehheheheheh

Last nights game couldn't have gone much better from a neutral's point of view. Malthouse has a loss first up and Richmond still look flakey after nearly capitulating in the last quarter. Must admit I was hoping for the draw. If Yarran had of kicked the first of his two behinds, it may well have been on.

Great game.

Robinson played well in spasms.

McLean looked like a tourist in Pamplona.(but still couldn't get a kick)

Malthouse went a nice puce colour and the blues are going to have troubles this year.

The Tigers are drinking their own bathwater and look to me like a lock for Ninth .

McLean only plays well when his contract is up for renewal.

Last nights game couldn't have gone much better from a neutral's point of view. Malthouse has a loss first up and Richmond still look flakey after nearly capitulating in the last quarter. Must admit I was hoping for the draw. If Yarran had of kicked the first of his two behinds, it may well have been on.

I don't think you know what the word neutral means.

I don't think you know what the word neutral means.

Unless I am missing a joke, which is a big possibility, I would suggest having no support for either side is almost the exact definition of the word.

The only good thing that came out of that game for me, was Bryce Gibbs 133 DT points.

The bad thing was 0-3 in footy tips.

Bullies are smacking the Lions so far, seems a strange year already taken Ito consideration NAB cup games.

Bullies are smacking the Lions so far, seems a strange year already taken Ito consideration NAB cup games.

There's a lesson in that about using preseason as a measure of performance. Will we learn that lesson next year?