AFL fans are in for a Buddy good Friday night as the unbeaten North Melbourne faces its toughest challenge of the season so far against an on-song Lance Franklin and the Sydney Swans.
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Will the Kangaroos move to 10-0 and stay at least two games clear atop the ladder? By how far for West Coast at home against the lowly Gold Coast Suns? And is the St Kilda and Fremantle game going to be anything near to worth watching (for non-Saints fans at least).
Those and more burning questions tackled in this week's Friday Furnace...
Peter Bell (Radio 6PR host, two-time AFL premiership player):
The Burning question: Will Travis Cloke play for Collingwood again?
Headline you'd like to see: Giants contenders after Crows trouncing.
Pick of the round: West Coast by 100-plus points.
Tune in: Tonight, North v Sydney. Just to watch Buddy
Brendan Foster (WAtoday's grumpy old man):
Question.Can the Bulldogs bounce back against a rejuvenated Pies?
Headline: Kennedy scorches Suns
Pick: The red hot Pies are paying $2.85 at their "home ground" the MCG against the Bulldogs.
Tune in: Adelaide v GWS at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night. Both teams are dripping with talent in their forward lines, so should be a high-scoring shootout.
Tune out: West Coast v Suns on Sunday. Just goalkicking practice for the Eagles.
Tim Carrier (Fantasy footy addict and occasional social media producer):
Question: Are the Kangaroos genuine Premiership contenders? In the run home they face nine games against the current top-eight, including two clashes with Sydney and Hawthorn and away fixtures against Adelaide, Geelong and West Coast.
Headline: Owen the Saints go marching in.
Pick: It's strange to see the 9-0 Kangaroos as almost $3 outsiders against Sydney. With Ted Richards out, North's tall forward could really stretch the Swans and in Robbie Tarrant they have a key defender who can match up on (not negate because I don't think anyone is capable of shutting Buddy down when he's in this kind of form) Lance Franklin.
Tune in: Adelaide v GWS. This is a Giant clash as both teams push for a top-four spot and with Adelaide boasting the best attack in the competition, and GWS in white-hot form, it shapes as an absolute classic.
David Prestipino (WAtoday wine writer and footy tragic):
Question: How good is Collingwood? Before we can take the Pies seriously, let's see how they fare against the rampant Bulldogs
Headline: Pav's post-siren goal seals a DRAW against Saints
Pick: Adelaide is $2.10 at home against GWS. As good as the Giants have been so far, the ferocious Adelaide Oval crowd might rattle the young side.
Tune in: With Buddy back to his best for the Swans, tonight's blockbuster against the unbeaten Roos at the SCG should prove pulsating footy.
David Baker (WAtoday deputy editor and English AFL convert:
Question: Can Collingwood make a surprise push for the eight? If the Pies follow-up its shock win against Geelong with four more points against the Dogs, they won't be far off. And they don't face another team in the current eight until round 16.
Headline: GWS takes Giant leap towards a top-four finish
Pick: The Demons are underdogs to beat Port in Darwin. Worth a punt at $2.20
Tune in and out: Cancel all plans to watch the Swans and the Roos game on Friday night. Then watch that on repeat on Sunday instead of a very one-sided West Coast flogging of the Suns.
Simon White: (WAtoday editor and chief puppet hater)
Question: does the North Melbourne bubble finally burst against the Swans on Friday night?
Headline: Tigers continue to roar with Dreamtime flogging
Pick: After last week's effort against Geelong I'd be happy to take Collingwood at the line (16.5 points) against the Western Bulldogs.
Tune out: I've had enough of watch Freo for now...so I'm looking for something (anything) to do on Saturday afternoon instead of seeing the Dockers play the Saints.