Here we go, season 11. And it kicks off with a beauty…
GAME OF THE ROUND
These two are the consensus flag fancies as we enter the season (more from the coaches’ survey in the coming days). And lucky for onlookers, this will be the first of at least three clashes this season.
A few games to keep an eye on across the weekend. Collingwood v Adelaide may as well be MSHB v Roughnecks. Last season’s premiers have a triumvirate of pies in the midfield in Pendlebury, Crisp and Houston – and no Crows. The Roughnecks have Dawson, Laird, and Rachele from the Crows – and no Pies. Unless they field Perryman…
Also of interest will be the Swans taking on the Lions. Handy that is happening at the exact same time as the aforementioned contest…
MaherShalalHashBaz have many a stock in the AFL’s reigning premiers, with Dunkley, Zorko, Neale and Wilmot all likely to take the field this weekend. On the other side of the frame, they also have Mills and Curnow. They’ll be hoping for a high scoring matchup.
The Roughnecks less so. They have Grundy and McInerney, and will likely field at least one Lion up forward (Rayner? Or Lohmann?). The Roughnecks will have a strong rooting interest in the Swans. But don’t kick it to Curnow. Hmmm, that’s a difficult set of desires to reconcile.
Come Sunday, we’re likely to see the Roughnecks chasing. The Melbourne v St Kilda game looms large here. MSHB will have perennial Sunday champion Max Gawn, and Jack Sinclair, while the Roughnecks will probably have 4 combatants in NWM, Salem, Flanders and Macrae.
The round closes with a 2 v 2 in the Suns v Eagles. The Roughnecks will have former MSHBer Dan Rioli, and Elliot Yeo, taking on Petracca and the newly acquired Touk Miller. One suspects the Roughnecks will hope to be going into that one with the assistance of a lead…
Key Outs
MSHB: Cameron?
Roughnecks: Marshall, Cerra
Last time these two met
Was as a bye-round induced fizzer, as MaherShalalHashBaz comfortably won last season’s round 13 matchup by 352 points.
The Roughnecks got a very strong 139 from ruckman Grundy. But their depth was tested, and was found wanting, with 6 scorers below 50. Conversely, MaherShalalHashBaz only had 5 scorers below 80.
DangerGawn votes
| Brodie Grundy |  | 139 |
| Josh Daicos |  | 128 |
| Callum Mills | | 110 |
SNEAKY INTERESTING MATCHUP
Pretty simple really. These two, among others, will theoretically be fighting it out for a finals spot.
The Vipers appear to be not overly interested in pushing too hard for said spot, having shipped out club legend Touk Miller on the eve of the season. So maybe they aren’t fighting it out for that finals spot?
Given that, Threat Level Midnight should be winning this – if they’re serious about finals in season 2026. Both teams have some nice players, but it’s the Vipers who appear to be fielding a more speculative bunch.
Matchups between the 5 though 8 group proved decisive last year. A Vipers win here would raise all sorts of questions around who, exactly, is putting their best foot forward towards finals.
Key Outs
Midnight: Rowell, Newman
Vipers: Cadman
Last time these two met
Wouldn’t you know it, another round 13 clash. Midnight won a close(ish) contest by 115 points, with Harry Sheezel’s 119 compensating from Christian Moraes serving up a 12.
Both teams had comparable top performers, and paltry performances. The difference largely came down to the fact the Vipers took a donut.
DangerGawn votes
| Harry Sheezel |  | 119 |
| Jye Caldwell |  | 110 |
| Matt Rowell | | 106 |
STRAY OBSERVATION
Te Puke Pukekos will beat the Chiefs. Right? Right?
Everything said above about TLM this weekend applies to the Pukekos. If they’re to break their finals drought, they need to be dispensing with the Chiefs. They’ve got some injuries to navigate in the first half of the season, but the talent difference should win out here.