All eyes are on the inaugural Wildcard Round this weekend where the final two places in the Smithy’s VFL Finals Series are up for grabs.
A new introduction to the VFL calendar this year, Wildcard Round will see teams 7 to 10 fight for their right to continue in the race to the premiership?
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Can one of them make history and go all the way?
Given the four include reigning premier Casey Demons it would be foolish to say no.
Here’s the tale of the tape for Sunday’s two Wildcard Round matches.
COLLINGWOOD vs RICHMOND
Sunday August 27, 12:00pm, Swinburne Centre
Broadcast: Seven Network, AFL.com.au and AFL Live Official App
Head-to-head: Collingwood 13-6-1. At Swinburne Centre: Collingwood 6-2 (last lost August 11, 1894). Streak: Collingwood 2
THIS SEASON
Haven’t met
PREVIOUS FIVE HEAD-TO-HEAD
July 3, 2022: Collingwood 12.12 84 def Richmond 11.14 80 (Swinburne Centre)
July 11, 2021: Collingwood 16.10 106 def Richmond 15.11 101 (Swinburne Centre)
July 26, 2019: Richmond 11.14 80 def Collingwood 4.1 25 (AIA Centre)
June 3, 2018: Richmond 17.13 115 def Collingwood 6.11 47 (Victoria Park)
Elimination Final, September 2, 2017: Richmond 12.13 85 def Collingwood 11.7 73 (ETU Stadium)
SUMMARY
The first meeting between these teams this year and the Magpies have had to give up home ground advantage due to Victoria Park being unavailable. But it shouldn’t worry them as they haven’t lost at the Tigers’ home ground for 129 years, albeit the four modern-era games have been decided by four, five, two and three points. Since Round 10 Collingwood's only two defeats have been at Avalon Airport Oval when beaten by both Werribee and Footscray. Over that period the have gone 8-2 since losing three in a row to be struggling at 3-5 midway through the year. The Tigers have been experts in close games this year, winning three and drawing one after the siren and losing just one by less than a kick – to third-placed Box Hill Hawks. They come into Wildcard Round riding a wave of confidence after two sudden-death wins to seal their spot in the finals. The Magpies will start favourites given their AFL team will have already played and the Tigers may need to take extras interstate, as well as replacing Riewoldt and Cotchin among others.
EARLY PREDICTION
Collingwood by 17
CASEY DEMONS vs NORTH MELBOURNE
Sunday August 27, 2:45pm, Casey Fields
Broadcast: Seven Network, AFL.com.au and AFL Live Official App
Head-to-head: Casey Demons 5-0. At Casey Fields: Casey Demons 3-0. Streak: Casey Demons 5
THIS SEASON
Round 9 at Casey Fields
CASEY DEMONS 5.1, 9.4, 14.7, 18.9 (117)
NORTH MELBOURNE 4.0, 6.0, 10.4, 16.6 (102)
Goals: CASEY DEMONS: J. Melksham, J. Schache, J. Smith 3, B. Brown, B. Laurie 2, M. Jefferson, O. Sestan, R. Steele, M. White, T. Woewodin. NORTH MELBOURNE: C.Harvey 5, S.Lowson 2, T.Sellers 2, B.Bath, B.Cunnington, C.Lazzaro, C.Smith, T.Thomas, K.Turner, J.Watkins.
Best: CASEY DEMONS: D. Turner, J. Jordan, R. Steele, A. Tomlinson, J. Schache, B. Laurie. NORTH MELBOURNE: C. Harvey, C. Lazzaro, T. Thomas, B. Cunnington, K. Turner, L. Butler.
Disposals: CASEY DEMONS: J. Jordan 27, A. Tomlinson 24, B. Laurie 23, R. Steele 23, D. Turner 22, T. Woewodin 22, J. Harmes 21. NORTH MELBOURNE: C. Lazzaro 33, B. Cunnington 32, T. Thomas 26, C. Taylor 24, L. Butler 22, C. Harvey 20.
PREVIOUS FIVE HEAD-TO-HEAD
May 15, 2022: Casey Demons 26.21 177 def North Melbourne 10.7 67 (Arden Street Oval)
April 29, 2021: Casey Demons 19.17 131 def North Melbourne 3.6 24 (Marvel Stadium)
April 13, 2019: Casey Demons 18.11 119 def North Melbourne 10.5 65 (Casey Fields)
July 7, 2018: Casey Demons 5.14 44 def North Melbourne 0.7 7 (Casey Fields)
SUMMARY
North Melbourne is pushing to play finals for the first time at VFA/VFL level since 1922 as it chases a first flag in this competition since 1918. Both teams enter Wildcard Round with a serious case of the wobbles that nobody could have seen coming two-thirds of the way through the season. At that stage they were entrenched in the top six and pushing for top four positions, but the Demons have lost their past three games, including two at home and the Kangaroos haven’t won since touching up Geelong to complete a six-game winning streak in Round 16, dropping their past four and only falling into Wildcard Round due to Carlton’s capitulation against the Gold Coast Suns last week. The Demons have lost their home aura, having dropped four of their past six games at what was their Casey Fields fortress to leave their premiership defence on life support. North was irresistible through that middle part of the year with eight wins in nine games and pushing Casey all the way in a high-standard shootout on this ground. What the Demons do have in their favour is an undefeated record against the Kangaroos, winning all five previous contests by an average of 64.6 points – although the most recent one was the closest. It’s still hard to pick against the home team, given they have the runs on the board, but they would want to eliminate their in-game lapses quick smart.
EARLY PREDICTION
Casey Demons by 25
