3 minute read

Racing and Sports will provide analysis of many games in the 2021 AFL Season.

We'll endeavour to run through the form, incorporate appropriate stats and also supply a betting prediction which won't always just be who will win.

COLLINGWOOD V ESSENDON

Sunday 25 April @ MCG

The most famous of the Home and Away matches arrives on Sunday and you can barely get a struck match between them as they are wilting before our eyes.

Both were expected to struggle a bit in 2021 – one because of trade/list management issues which impacted many areas while the other finally succumbed to going down a youthful path. That takes time to rebuild.

Last round was not a pretty one for both of them. The Pies were happy to get out of the Victorian spotlight and travel the breadth of the country.

Perth was looking a nice place to be for a while until the injury curse struck with De Goey, Howe and Mihocek all stricken. They need every soldier at present – leave alone losing so many of the elites.

Despite giving a yelp through the first half of the game, everything turned sour and there was near six goals to spare at the end.

West Coast can do that to teams when they smell blood in the water. Perhaps it was more a bit about them that they didn't win by further given their injury numbers.

Grundy again had a big involvement even with Naitanui his rival. They just didn't have the troops to take more advantage of it. Oh for Treloar sniffing off the ruck contests – at least they are paying him to play well (for the Dogs).

All season, forward of the ball will be a curse you would expect. The odd game here, a win there but it won't be finals bound you would think. There are still many distractions.

A bigger disappointment was Essendon though. After a really encouraging and forthright effort against Sydney, they simply gave up in Brisbane.

Never in front, they kicked one goal to half time. To quote some articulate football prose – that ain't gettin' the job done.

Perhaps of even more dismay to them is that Zach Merrett lined up with 35 touches. That sort of effort in losing causes may simply raise more questions as the year rolls on for differing reasons. Re-signings in teams that are in flux can be quandaries.

Both teams could well enjoy it if there was some rain around on Sunday. A tough, dour, less skilled, more hard-nosed game would simply allow the coaches to focus the player's minds on having a dip not the art of slicing the opponent apart.

Ground balls and ground gains, territory battles rather than controlling the Sherrin would be an easier message to sell. These clashes never follow patterns. Anyone can win them in any season unless there is an obvious quality team.

Hard to provide any sort of commentary on who that is in this twosome. Perhaps Essendon has more scope to pull out an exciting performances and a run of four goals could blow this one apart.

They are young but they aren't meeting the champs here. Encouragement to try things could come unstuck but is surely better than the alternative.

We'll go Essendon but with zero confidence – much like them at present.

Match Selection: Essendon by 8 points

Suggested Bets: Essendon 1-39 @ $2.60