Eight teams down and eight more left to challenge for the NAB Pre-season premiership and a good cash up. Of the teams left really only Geelong would not care if they loose but all the other teams all want to show something to their supporters.

NAB Games

Western Bulldogs v Essendon
Essendon can match the Bulldogs in their strength (midfield) while the Bulldogs still lack a potent goal kicking forward. Essendon are looking quite exciting and its good to see them seemingly doing good after the Sheedy/ Hird era. Knights has them hungry. Essendon by 23 points.

St Kilda v Geelong
St Kilda will be the movers this year, its amazing what ruck men can do to a club. King and Gardiner (x2) will be the recruits of the season and then you have a forward line of Kozi, G-Train and Nick. However they do come against Geelong who are hungry, desperate for more success and are simply awesome. Geelong by 32 points.

Hawthorn v Carlton
Carlton looked good and deserved their win away against Port Adelaide. However even with Judd and Kreuzer in the midfield they still lack a goal kicking forward to sit alongside Fev. Hawthorn however struggle to fit them all in and Williams is looking good. Hawthorn by 13 points.

Adelaide v Fremantle
Adelaide looked good, I personally thought they would have struggled this year, maybe they should have got rid of the ‘dead wood’ sooner. Fremantle do have recent success over Adelaide and both teams have a lot to prove this year. Adelaide by 32 points.

NAB Challenge Games

These are games that are played by the losers of last week and they play them in regional centres around Australia. This is great as it allows people from the country to see some AFL.

North Melbourne v Brisbane Lions
These two teams used to be looked at as the “battle of the North”, however North did the right thing and stayed in Melbourne (still need to move a club or two though). Brisbane looked very scratchy against Essendon and North just lost in the heat which could play against North this week. Nathan Thompson is only going to get better, can the North forward line fire together? North Melbourne by 12 points.

Richmond v Melbourne
Which of these teams will finish last in the regular series? Richmond lack ball skill and heart and Melbourne talent and heart, so im tipping Richmond in a scrappy affair. Richmond by 19 points.

West Coast v Collingwood
Yes Collingwood are actually traveling outside Victoria. Collingwood are the most looked after club in the AFL and hardly ever have to worry about hoping onto the plane for a game of footy. West Coast by 21 points.

Sydney Swans v Port Adelaide
Sydney just lost in a typical one-on-one low scoring contest, Port play the opposite, free flowing and high scoring and both teams are nearly full strength. Sydney by 17 points.