Geelong Cats vs West Coast Eagles
September 13th (Friday 7.50pm) MCG
Well not the ideal start to this finals match with Eagles star Willie Rioli being banned under ASADA rules as he tampered with a urine sample. I was tipping the Eagles all week but this will derail the side and the Cats can put away this game early and kill the Eagles chances of a win. Eagles have recalled Jack Petruccle who missed last week's game but with Willie out he comes in. The Eagles were unreal last weekend and looked unstoppable with their forward line up and about early. It will be interesting to see how the forward line works this weekend with Willie out. The Cats on the hand had a loss last weekend they will want to forget about quickly. Never in the game until the last quarter but it was too little too late. Their stars couldn’t beat their opponents and the Pies suffocated them early and never let them get free easy ball. Ablett was well held and Tim Kelly didn’t have his best game for season 2019. It will be interesting to see which player Mark Hutchings tags this weekend, he had the job on Dangerfield last time they played but could be Ablett or Kelly this time out. The secret weapon for the Eagles is Nic Nat if he plays well and dominates the middle of the ground the Eagles can win. He was unstoppable last weekend and was jumping everywhere. The Cats have recalled Stanley to try and limit Nic Nat game. Gutherie comes in for Duncan. What a week for the Eagles from the penthouse to the dog house in record time. Wouldn’t be a finals series without a West Coast drug scandal. Cats by 10+
H2H
West Coast have won three of the past five matches vs the Cats
Best Bet
Cats win $1.85
Brisbane Lions vs GWS
September 14th (Saturday 7.25pm) Gabba
Big game Saturday night and the winner faces Pies next Saturday night. The Lions last weekend looked like little boys vs the Tigers and will need to change a lot of things if they are to beat a red hot Giants side who will not fear the Lions on their home deck. Toby Greene is free to play after beating his charge of eye gouge last weekend. They need him more than water the Giants, when he plays the Giants walk taller. The Lions need to beat the Giants midfield if they are to win this game. Whitfield, Taranto, Greene and Mumford dominated the Dogs mids last weekend and that’s what set up their victory last weekend. The Lions have lost their most fearful player in Mitch Robinson who did a hamstring last weekend and will be pushing it to be back before seasons end. They have brought back Nick Roberston and he is a hard nut and will look to be the Robinson this weekend. The Lions need to get back to their wing playing mode, last weekend the Tigers forced them to go up the middle but the Lions love going wide at the Gabba and opening up the defence this way. If the Giants can lock them down on the wings and make them come up the middle I expect the Giants to win. Remember both of these sides are young but the Giants have played finals footy before and experience is everything in finals footy. Tomlinson is in for Deledio not the player I would have selected as he doesn’t do much then just fill a hole but he gets his chance. Giants by 20+
H2H
GWS have won four of the last past five matches vs the Lions
Best Bet
GWS win $2.30
GWS +28.5 $1.90
