Danger, Danger... Patrick incoming!
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It's the game we all pencilled in when the fixture was released last October. Adelaide v Geelong at Adelaide Oval – the return of Patrick Dangerfield! After crossing over to the Cats from the Crows in one of the most high-profile trade deals in the game's history, Dangerfield has taken his game to a new level to be the Brownlow Medal favourite. It's for that reason that Dangerfield can expect all of the good will and grace that surrounded his departure to evaporate on Friday night as the Adelaide faithful transform his old sanctuary into a hostile inferno of vitriol with nowhere to hide. This will be 120 minutes that Dangerfield will never forget.
Yep, that's Grima in red and black...
Dangerfield isn't the only footballer playing against his former side this week as Essendon defender Nathan Grima takes on his old North Melbourne teammates on Saturday. The Kangas could be forgiven for doing a double-take when they see the No.55 strutting around, given the man affectionately known as 'Narni' retired last year due to a serious back injury – only to perform a stunning backflip (pun intended) and be unveiled as a top-up Bomber a mere seven months later. Grima possesses a keen sense of humour, so the sledging is sure to be more entertaining than the actual match - which the undefeated Kangas should win comfortably.
Rance, Franklin in a battle for the ages
It's always a special treat when the best defender and the best forward in the competition line up on each other. In the 1990s, Wayne Carey and Glen Jakovich regularly battled it out in one of the game's most celebrated match-ups and on Saturday night footy fans will get to enjoy the modern-day incarnation when Alex Rance shadows Lance Franklin. It promises to be a mouth-watering tussle and Rance's return from suspension could not have come at a better time for the Tigers with Franklin leading the Coleman Medal race on 29 goals at an average of 4.1 a game.
Giants to show Suns who's boss?
The speed at which Greater Western Sydney have overtaken Gold Coast looks set to come into sharp focus on Saturday when the two expansion sides do battle. The Suns had a one-year head start on the Giants and, before Gary Ablett injured his shoulder in 2014, appeared to be on track to play finals before GWS. But oh how the tables have turned. Yes, Gold Coast have been consistently decimated by injury since the start of 2015, but the rate at which they have fallen behind the men in orange has been stunning. You get the feeling that GWS will want to put an exclamation mark on their brilliant start to 2016 by handing out a shellacking to their 'older brothers' from south-east Queensland.
Carlton on verge of Blue Moon event
A month ago, it was hard to see where Carlton's first win was coming from. But fast forward four weeks and Brendon Bolton's resurgent Blues find themselves in the previously unthinkable position of gunning for their fourth victory in a row. Carlton have not strung together four consecutive wins since 2011 – their best season of the past 15 years. So a victory over Port Adelaide at Etihad Stadium on Sunday would be a significant fillip for Bolton whose rebuild at Visy Park appears to be tracking ahead of schedule.
Bulldogs back at the 'G
It's taken eight weeks but the Bulldogs will finally be extricated from the cosy confines of Etihad Stadium for the first time this season on Sunday when they venture to the MCG to tackle the in-form Demons. It's no secret how much the Dogs love the Dome, they've won 14 of their last 16 matches there. But few finals are played at the Docklands venue and if Luke Beveridge's men want to win games in September, then the MCG is where it's at. The Bulldogs have lost four of their last 13 matches at the home of football, including three of four finals. To really enhance their chances of a premiership, they need to turn that horrible record around and a win over the Dees would be a good start.