Round 7 of the AFL season will see all 18 teams take to the field for the first time in nearly a month, with nine games set to take place over the course of five days. With ANZAC Day this Thursday, the round kicks off on Wednesday night with the now-traditional ANZAC Eve clash between the Tigers and the Demons, but the real headliner is the next day when the Bombers take on the Magpies. With the Giants taking on the Lions on Thursday night, and later in the round the Cats taking on the Blues, there are plenty of quality games scattered across the weekend. Below, we have previewed all nine of them.
AFL 2024 Round 7
Richmond Tigers vs Melbourne Demons
Both the Tigers and the Demons enjoyed a week off last weekend, and for the Tigers in particular, it was much-needed. Completely ravaged by injury, they have done well to be competitive for most of the season, but the wheels fell off in their last game before the bye. Coming up against the Eagles they kicked the first four goals of the game but fell in a heap thereafter, ultimately going down by 39 points to a team that has rarely been competitive for the past two years. A couple of strong performances either side of that by the Eagles suggest that the loss isn’t as damning as it might have been last year, but nonetheless the Tigers looked too small, too inexperienced and like a team that with its current absence of key players, will struggle to win many games – particularly against sides of the quality of the Demons. Melbourne have had a week to think about their disappointing loss to the Lions a fortnight ago, but they won’t be panicking too much about that performance. Prior to that they had put in a really solid month of footy, picking up a couple of impressive wins in Adelaide and knocking off the Hawks and Bulldogs with ease. As they have been for years, they remain one of the best teams in the business, and though their forward line is likely to continue to be an Achilles heel, the quality of their backline and midfield more than compensates for that and the return of Kozzie Pickett after a week’s suspension will help to bolster them up forward. The Tigers have been a plucky team that has consistently outperformed expectations following a raft of injuries so far this year, and a win a few weeks ago against the Swans should serve as a stern reminder to the Demons not to take them too lightly. Based on their performance against the Eagles, however, those injuries are really beginning to take their toll, and it seems likely that the Tigers simply won’t have the cattle to go with the Dees.
| Bookmaker | James’ Tip | Odds |
 | Demons to win | $1.17 |
 | Demons 1-39 | $2.25 |
 | Under 162. 5 total match points | $1.90 |
Predicted Squads
Richmond Tigers: B: T. Young, N. Broad, N. Vlastuin HB: J. Short, T. Brown, D. Rioli C: K. McIntosh, J. Graham, M. Pickett HF: S. Campbell, R. Mansell, M. Rioli F: S. Ryan, S. Bolton, D. Martin FOLL: T. Nankervis - C, L. Baker, J. Hopper I/C: T. Down, M. Lefau, D. Grimes, K. McAuliffe, H. Ralphsmith EMG: S. Green, S. Naismith, S. Banks
Melbourne Demons : B: T. Rivers, S. May, T. McDonald HB: B. Howes, J. Lever, J. McVee C: E. Langdon, C. Petracca, A. Neal-Bullen HF: J. Billings, T. Fullarton, K. Pickett F: J. van Rooyen, B. Fritsch, T. Sparrow FOLL: M. Gawn - C, J. Viney, C. Oliver I/C: C. Salem, C. Windsor, K. Chandler, T. Woewodin, B. Brown EMG: B. Laurie, J. Schache, A. Tomlinson
Essendon Bombers vs Collingwood Magpies
The ANZAC Day clash between the Bombers and the Magpies has been a key part of the AFL fixture for nearly 30 years, having first taken place in 1995 when a 111-111 draw set the scene for what would become one of the biggest home and away rivalries in the league. Since then, however, the Magpies have had the wood over the Dons, winning 17 of 27 – including 13 of the last 17. Though they have started the year slowly, the reigning Premiers will enter this clash again expected to win on the back of three consecutive wins, two of which have come against fellow Premiership hopefuls in the Lions and Power. The latter of those was their best performance of the year, with Collingwood last week overcoming a dreadful start to ultimately beat Port Adelaide by 42 points in front of a typically boisterous MCG crowd. The Bombers, however, won’t just roll over – at least if recent results are anything to go by. They’re in a purple patch of their own having picked up two impressive wins in the past fortnight, the latest of which saw them hold off the Crows by three points in Adelaide last Friday night after they’d beaten the Bulldogs by five goals the week prior. In their second year under Brad Scott they are playing some really solid footy as they attempt to return to the finals and, potentially, finally actually win one. In the form that they are in, the Bombers may well be able to make a game of this in front of what will no doubt be a crowd of over 90,000, but the Magpies have established themselves as the kings of the close finish over the past couple of years and can again sneak over the line in a tight, pulsating game.
| Bookmaker | James’ Tip | Odds |
| Magpies to win | $1.47 |
| Magpies 1-39 | $2.25 |
| Jordan de Goey to win the ANZAC Day Medal | $7.00 |
Predicted Squads
Essendon Bombers : B: D. Heppell, B. McKay, N. Hind HB: N. Martin, M. Redman, A. McGrath C: X. Duursma, D. Parish, J. Kelly HF: S. Durham, K. Langford, A. Davey Jnr F: J. Gresham, J. Stringer, B. Hobbs FOLL: T. Goldstein, J. Caldwell, Z. Merrett – C I/C: S. Draper, E. Tsatas, N. Cox, J. Laverde, P. Wright EMG: A. Roberts, N. Caddy, J. Davey Name
Collingwood Magpies : B: B. Maynard, J. Howe, B. Frampton HB: J. Noble, J. Crisp, D. Moore – C C: S. Sidebottom, S. Pendlebury, J. Daicos HF: N. Daicos, P. Lipinski, B. Mihocek F: B. McCreery, J. Elliott, M. Cox FOLL: D. Cameron, L. Schultz, J. De Goey I/C: I. Quaynor, T. Mitchell, B. Hill, R. McInnes, W. Hoskin-Elliott EMG: F. Macrae, H. Harrison, O. Markov
GWS Giants vs Brisbane Lions
ANZAC Day will be some sort of day of footy, with perhaps the game of the round set to follow the Bombers vs Magpies clash. The Giants and the Lions are two of the Premiership favourites for good reason, the former having started the season playing arguably better than anyone and the latter, despite a slow start, last year’s runners-up and still boasting a list more than capable of challenging for the flag. Each of them is coming off a loss last week, the Giants having been knocked off by the Blues in Melbourne for their first defeat of the season, while the Lions’ performance was a little more worrisome as they managed just four goals in a low-scoring game against the Cats. But the talent of each of these teams is undeniable. The Giants in particular have been showing that this season, winning their first five games in an impressive start to the year following on from their heartbreaking Preliminary Final loss to the Magpies last year. But as good as they have been, there is no doubting that they haven’t had the most difficult fixture to navigate. The Lions, meanwhile, might be sitting at a disappointing 2-4, but they have lost to the Blues, Magpies and Cats already, while they’ve also had a matchup against the Demons which they won really impressively. There might be a big difference in the respective form lines of these two sides on paper, but the difference in reality is not nearly as stark. The Lions should be able to give this one a genuine shake, but with the Giants back on their home deck they can just sneak over the line in a really tight, high-quality affair.
| Bookmaker | James’ Tip | Odds |
| Giants to win | $1.90 |
| Giants 1-24 | $3.60 |
| Giants 1-39 | $2.40 |
Predicted Squads
GWS Giants : B: H. Perryman, H. Himmelberg, C. Idun HB: L. Whitfield, J. Buckley, L. Ash C: J. Wehr, J. Kelly, F. Callaghan HF: B. Daniels, J. Riccardi, T. Bedford F: B. Preuss, C. Brown, H. Thomas FOLL: K. Briggs, C. Ward, T. Green I/C: X. O’Halloran, N. Haynes, L. Aleer, A. Cadman, J. Peatling EMG: T. McMullin, R. Angwin, M. Gruzewski
Brisbane Lions : B: B. Starcevich, J. Payne, R. Lester HB: D. Wilmot, H. Andrews - C, D. Gardiner C: J. Fletcher, H. McCluggage, J. Berry HF: C. Cameron, E. Hipwood, L. McCarthy F: C. Rayner, J. Daniher, D. Zorko FOLL: D. Fort, J. Dunkley, L. Neale I/C: K. Lohmann, C. Ah Chee, J. Lyons, J. Tunstill, N. Answerth EMG: L. Morris, J. Prior, D. Fort
- Four of the Hawks’ five losses this year have been by four goals or more, while all of the Swans’ five wins have been by at least 22 points.
- Three of the Dockers’ last four games have yielded less than 136 points.
- Five of the last six ANZAC Day games have been decided by four goals or less.
Multi of the Week
| Legs | Odds |
| Swans 25+ | $2.20 |
| Dockers vs Bulldogs under 162. 5 total match point | $1.88 |
| Magpies 1-39 | $2.20 |
| Bet $10 for $90.99 with PlayUp | |
Port Adelaide Power vs St. Kilda Saints
On Friday night, the Power return to the Adelaide Oval sanctuary at which they are typically so hard to beat after a difficult defeat at the hands of the Magpies at the MCG last Saturday. They jumped out of the blocks in that game with a brilliant first quarter, with the talent of their midfield on full display as they systematically dismantled the reigning Premiers. But it all fell apart thereafter, with the Magpies taking control of the game in the second half and eventually running out 42 points. The Power went to pieces a little too easily in that game, but back on their home turf and against a lesser opponent, don’t expect that to happen for a second week in a row. The Saints are certainly no easybeats – something that was most evident when they beat the Magpies at the MCG a few short weeks ago – but since then they haven’t been great, their only win coming against the Tigers in a dour affair in Adelaide. Their comeback against GWS a fortnight ago was impressive even if they fell a point short, but last week they were really poor against the Doggies, going down by ten goals in a game in which plenty of people gave them a big chance. If they perform like that at Adelaide Oval against the Power, the Saints will be in for yet another big defeat. The Saints are better than they showed in that game and Ross Lyon is not the type of coach to sit on his hands and let history repeat, and it would be no surprise to see the Saints revert to the defensive game style for which their coach is so renowned to slow down the lethal ball movement which the Power are able to generate through their highly talented midfield and a number of skilful wingers and back flankers. But intention and execution are not the same thing, and while the Saints should be able to prevent a loss like they endured last week, the home side should still be too strong in this one.
| Bookmaker | James’ Tip | Odds |
| Power to win | $1.29 |
| Power -20. 5 | $1.91 |
| Power 25+ | $2.01 |
Predicted Squads
Port Adelaide Power : B: R. Burton, E. Ratugolea, B. Zerk-Thatcher HB: L. Jones, A. Aliir, D. Houston C: M. Bergman, O. Wines, W. Drew HF: D. Byrne-Jones, C. Dixon, C. Rozee – C F: S. Powell-Pepper, T. Marshall, W. Rioli FOLL: I. Soldo, T. Boak, Z. Butters I/C: K. Farrell, J. Burgoyne, J. McEntee, J. Mead, M. Georgiades EMG: D. Williams, F. Evans, D. Visentini
St. Kilda Saints : B: J. Battle, Z. Cordy, C. Wilkie HB: L. Stocker, J. Sinclair, N. Wanganeen-Milera C: R. Byrnes, S. Ross, B. Hill HF: J. Higgins, C. Sharman, M. Owens F: M. King, A. Caminiti, T. Membrey FOLL: R. Marshall, J. Steele - C, M. Windhager I/C: D. Wilson, A. Schoenmaker, M. Phillipou, H. Garcia, R. Bonner EMG: J. Hayes, D. Howard, A. Hastie
North Melbourne Kangaroos vs Adelaide Crows
After not winning more than four games for the past four years, expectations surrounding the Kangaroos were unsurprisingly not particularly high this year, but what little expectations were placed on them they have not lived up to so far this year. They’ve lost their first six games, but more significant than the results themselves has been the manner of those defeats. They’ve been uncompetitive in nearly all of them, failing to get within nine goals of any opponent in the past month, and a 55-point defeat at the hands of a Hawthorn side which had also not yet won a game last weekend was as disappointing a performance as they’ve put in this year. The Crows are right up there as the second most disappointing team so far this year, having won just one of six games in a year in which finals were expected after significant improvement in 2023, but this is a great opportunity for them to notch up win number two. Though they have been competitive in most game and secured an impressive win over the Blues a fortnight ago, their three-point defeat to the Bombers last weekend flattered them and it’s hard to be too positive about how they have played so far this year. But the Kangaroos have been nothing short of a disaster. This isn’t a game which will inspire all that much interest from neutrals, but the Crows should be able to do enough to notch up their second win of the season reasonably comfortably.
| Bookmaker | James’ Tip | Odds |
| Crows to win | $1.20 |
| Crows -27. 5 | $1.91 |
| Crows 40+ | $2.40 |
Predicted Squads
North Melbourne Kangaroos : B: C. Comben, A. Corr, L. McDonald – C HB: Z. Fisher, B. Nyuon, B. Scott C: D. Tucker, L. Davies-Uniacke, D. Stephens HF: Z. Duursma, T. Powell, C. Lazzaro F: P. Curtis, N. Larkey, C. Zurhaar FOLL: T. Xerri, H. Sheezel, J. Simpkin I/C: C. McKercher, W. Phillips, H. Greenwood, G. Wardlaw, B. Drury EMG: J. Archer, T. Sellers, C. Taylor
Adelaide Crows : B: L. Nankervis, J. Borlase, B. Smith HB: J. Worrell, M. Keane, M. Michalanney C: M. Hinge, J. Dawson - C, C. Jones HF: J. Soligo, I. Rankine, J. Rachele F: B. Cook, D. Fogarty, T. Walker FOLL: R. O’Brien, R. Laird, B. Keays I/C: W. Hamill, M. Crouch, S. Berry, L. Sholl, N. McHenry EMG: B. Dowling, E. Himmelberg, L. Pedlar
Geelong Cats vs Carlton Blues
If the Giants vs Lions isn’t the most significant game of the weekend, then Saturday evening’s clash between the Cats and the Blues probably is. These two sides have lost just a solitary game between them this season, that coming when the Blues went down by only two points against the Crows a fortnight ago, with the Cats the only remaining undefeated side this year. Somehow, this club finds a way to keep on keeping on, and though they still have a lot of aging players running the show, those players are still performing at a high level while there is more than enough young talent coming through to support them. They were terrific last weekend, coming away from Brisbane with a 26-point win against the Lions in a dour affair, but this will be another huge test for them as they attempt to re-establish themselves as a legitimate Premiership contender. The Blues bounced back from that aforementioned defeat at the hands of the Crows with an excellent win against the Giants last weekend, overcoming a 20-point deficit in the third quarter with eight consecutive goals to ultimately run out 19-point winners against the previously undefeated Giants. If they can win this weekend it would mark consecutive weeks in which they have handed teams their first loss of the season, and particularly on their home MCG – despite it technically being an away game for them – they are every chance of doing just that. This will be an enthralling game in which key forwards will likely play a major role, with the two dominant key forward duos in the league – each headed by the two best forwards in the league in Charlie Curnow and Jeremy Cameron – likely to play a major role. With the form and talent of these two teams this game will be compelling viewing and could very easily come down to the wire, and on the hallowed MCG turf the ‘visiting’ Blues can sneak over the line in a thriller.
| Bookmaker | James’ Tip | Odds |
| Blues to win | $2.05 |
| Blues 1-24 | $3.65 |
| Blues 1-39 | $2.50 |
Predicted Squads
Geelong Cats : B: Z. Guthrie, S. De Koning, J. Kolodjashnij HB: C. O’Sullivan, J. Henry, M. Holmes C: M. Blicavs, P. Dangerfield - C, M. Duncan HF: B. Close, T. Stengle, G. Miers F: J. Cameron, T. Hawkins, O. Henry FOLL: R. Stanley, J. Bowes, T. Bruhn I/C: O. Dempsey, B. Parfitt, M. O’Connor, T. Atkins, Z. Tuohy EMG: S. Neale, J. Clark, T. Conway
Carlton Blues : B: L. Cowan, J. Weitering, B. Kemp HB: Z. Williams, L. Young, N. Newman C: O. Hollands, P. Cripps - C, B. Acres HF: M. Cottrell, T. De Koning, E. Hollands F: C. Curnow, H. McKay, M. Owies FOLL: M. Pittonet, S. Walsh, G. Hewett I/C: J. Boyd, J. Carroll, O. Fantasia, C. Durdin, M. Kennedy EMG: J. Binns, A. Cincotta, H. O’Keeffe
Fremantle Dockers vs Western Bulldogs
This might be a battle of the two most frustrating teams so far this season. Dockers fans would be just about ready to pull their hair out after a third consecutive loss last weekend, particularly since it came against their cross-town rivals in the Eagles in pretty comprehensive fashion. That followed two defeats in a row which really shouldn’t have happened, after they gave up late-game leads to first the Blues and then the Power, and those three consecutive losses have seen a promising 3-0 start to the year quickly reversed. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, can’t seem to decide if they’re the best team in the league or the worst. Last year it was the former as they systematically demolished the Saints from the outset of their Thursday night clash, winning that one by ten goals. But that followed on from a five-goal loss to the Bombers the week prior in which they looked like a shadow of the team which won last week, and it’s anyone’s guess which version of the Bulldogs will turn up this week. As frustrating as some of the results of these two teams have been this year, however, this is still a really intriguing game between a couple of teams with a decent amount of promise and which play completely contrasting game styles. The Dockers are defensively as sound as any in the league and have conceded less points than every other team but the Cats, though their inability to score is at times glaring. The Dogs, in contrast, have no problem moving the ball and hitting the scoreboard, but their ability and/or willingness to defend is not quite at the same level. The Dockers will look to snuff out the Bulldogs’ rapid ball movement and turn this into the kind of dour, contested affair for which their opposition is not exactly renowned, while for the Bulldogs, a free-flowing, high-scoring affair will be the plan. If the visitors can get their game up and running it’s hard to imagine the Dockers putting enough points on the board to match it with them, but for all the flaws they are a really hard team to score against. On their home turf, Freo can snap their three-game losing streak and hand the Dogs their fourth loss of the season.
| Bookmaker | James’ Tip | Odds |
| Dockers to win | $1.80 |
| Dockers -2. 5 | $1.91 |
| Under 162. 5 total match points | $1.90 |
Predicted Squads
Fremantle Dockers : B: J. Aish, A. Pearce - C, J. Draper HB: B. Walker, L. Ryan, J. Clark C: H. Young, N. Fyfe, J. Sharp HF: B. Banfield, J. Treacy, J. O’Meara F: M. Walters, M. Taberner, L. Jackson FOLL: S. Darcy, C. Serong, A. Brayshaw I/C: T. Emmett, M. Johnson, S. Sturt, M. Frederick, E. Hughes EMG: C. Simpson, H. Davies, N. Erasmus
Western Bulldogs : B: E. Richards, L. Jones, J. O’Donnell HB: T. Duryea, B. Khamis, J. Johannisen C: B. Williams, A. Treloar, H. Gallagher HF: R. Garcia, A. Naughton, R. West F: S. Darcy, R. Lobb, C. Weightman FOLL: T. English, M. Bontempelli - C, T. Liberatore I/C: L. Bramble, B. Dale, J. Macrae, J. Harmes, R. Sanders EMG: C. Daniel, A. Jones, C. Poulter
Gold Coast Suns vs West Coast Eagles
A few weeks ago this would have looked like an easy win for the Suns, and while that may well still be the case, they might have to work a little harder for the four points than previously thought. Part of the reason for that is some indifferent form by Gold Coast; they were pretty poor in going down by 53 points to the Swans last weekend, marking their third loss in four weeks and their second in that time by eight goals or more. But more significant than that in the context of this game is the marked improvement by the Eagles over the past few weeks. After a start to the season which suggested they were in for yet another long year, they finally showed something against the Swans during Gather Round in a competitive loss. The next week, they came out and beat the Tigers easily, before they dismantled the Dockers last week to make it two wins on the trot. Elliott Yeo is back to playing some of the best footy of his career while Harley Reid is every bit as good as advertised, giving a previously undermanned midfield a hardened edge, while up forward names like Jake Waterman are playing as well as they ever have and their more experienced backline is holding up well. After a disastrous past couple of years, there is finally light at the end of the tunnel for the Eagles. This will be a great test for them up against a really tough midfield, and they’ll need the likes of Yeo, Reid and co to be at their best. Realistically a third win in a row would be a surprise, but based on their past three weeks they should be able to keep this relatively competitive.
| Bookmaker | James’ Tip | Odds |
| Suns to win | $1.20 |
| Eagles +28. 5 | $1.91 |
| Suns 1-24 | $3.50 |
Predicted Squads
Gold Coast Suns : B: J. Lukosius, C. Ballard, S. Collins HB: W. Powell, S. Flanders, M. Andrew C: B. Fiorini, T. Miller - C, S. Clohesy HF: B. Ainsworth, E. Read, T. Berry F: M. Rowell, B. King, J. Walter FOLL: J. Witts, N. Anderson, B. Humphrey I/C: N. Holman, D. Swallow, W. Graham, J. Rogers, R. Atkins EMG: J. Jeffrey, A. Sexton, D. Macpherson
West Coast Eagles : B: A. Witherden, J. Rotham, B. Hough HB: J. Hunt, J. McGovern, T. Cole C: L. Duggan - C, E. Yeo, R. Ginbey HF: J. Cripps, J. Waterman, J. Petruccelle F: N. Long, J. Darling, J. Williams FOLL: B. Williams, T. Kelly, H. Reid I/C: D. Sheed, T. Brockman, C. Chesser, Z. Trew, R. Maric EMG: A. Gaff, H. Johnston, J. Jones
Hawthorn Hawks vs Sydney Swans
These two teams have had completely contrasting starts to the season, with the Hawks failing to live up to the expectations of improvement put on their shoulders and the Swans bouncing back from a disappointing 2023 to establish themselves as a genuine Premiership contender. The Hawks lost their first five games of the year but finally got off the mark last year, albeit against the Kangaroos, but perhaps that will be the catalyst they need to start playing the kind of footy which saw them knock off both the Lions and the Magpies in the latter stages of last year. The Swans, however, will make it very tough for them to back up that victory. They’ve been terrific this season, their only loss coming – surprisingly – against the Tigers a few weeks ago, but since then they’ve bounced back with a reasonable win against the Eagles and then, last week, a very impressive one against the Suns. A forced move to the midfield as a result of injuries to Callum Mills and Luke Parker has seen Isaac Heeney establish himself as one of the absolute best players in the game and a Brownlow chance, while Errol Gulden is continuing to do his thing on the wing and new recruits Taylor Adams and Brodie Grundy have been welcome additions to the team. Parker is getting close to a return and if he does will provide even more edge to an already tough midfield group – if he can crack into it, that is; his capacity to play forward means he may spend a lot of time inside 50 upon his return – but whether he is there or not, the Swans are a much better side than the Hawks. Hawthorn has more talent than what they showed in the first five games of the season, but it’s hard to see them upsetting Sydney even at the MCG this Sunday.
| Bookmaker | James’ Tip | Odds |
| Swans to win | $1.35 |
| Swans -17. 5 | $1.91 |
| Swans 25+ | $2.15 |
Predicted Squads
Hawthorn Hawks : B: J. Scrimshaw, S. Frost, J. Sicily – C HB: B. Hardwick, J. Impey, M. D’Ambrosio C: K. Amon, J. Newcombe, J. Weddle HF: H. Hustwaite, D. Moore, C. Mackenzie F: J. Ginnivan, M. Lewis, M. Ramsden FOLL: L. Meek, J. Worpel, F. Maginness I/C: S. Mitchell, C. Nash, H. Morrison J. Gunston, M. Chol EMG: J. Serong, J. Ward, S. Butler
Sydney Swans : B: N. Blakey, T. McCartin, L. Melican HB: H. Cunningham, O. Florent, J. Lloyd C: E. Gulden, Ch. Warner, J. Jordon HF: J. McInerney, L. McDonald, T. Adams F: T. Papley - C, H. McLean, W. Hayward FOLL: B. Grundy, I. Heeney, J. Rowbottom I/C: M. Roberts, R. Fox, B. Campbell, J. Amartey, S. Wicks EMG: P. Ladhams, C. Cleary, A. Francis
