

To ruck or not to ruck?: The Dogs' Darcy dilemma
Sam Darcy is the hottest property in the AFL, but the Western Bulldogs have a huge call to make on the star forward. This week on the Real Footy podcast, Peter Ryan, Libby Birch and Caroline Wilson debate the Darcy dilemma. They also discuss the future of Gather Round, Charlie Curnow's slow start t…

Injuries stack up against Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs might be the only undefeated team left, but Andrew Wu and Peter Ryan are unwilling to make the "leap of faith" required to back them against Hawthorn in Gather Round. The Sydney v Gold Coast game is the one that divides the opinion of our tipsters, who also discuss North Melbou…

Hawks, Cats deliver again; Blues smell of panic
Hawthorn and Geelong serve up the game this AFL season needed, Carlton capitulate once more, Steven King's Demons provide a blueprint for beating the Suns, and the Brisbane Lions' Will Ashcroft puts on a clinic against the Pies. This week on the Real Footy podcast, Michael Gleeson, Peter Ryan and S…

A question of trust for Blues v Roos
The Easter round throws up a variety of intriguing AFL games, with Andrew Wu and Peter Ryan disagreeing on where to put their faith on Good Friday. They also debate the merits of speculative "expected-score" statistics, ponder how much damage the Western Bulldogs could do to the Bombers and get exc…

How low can the Blues and Bombers go?
One-time AFL behemoths Carlton and Essendon delivered more disappointment to their long-suffering supporters at the weekend, prompting Michael Gleeson, Jake Niall and Caroline Wilson to ask if either club has reached its lowest ebb. The league also comes in for scrutiny after a boundary-line blunde…

No excuses for Collingwood, mutual hatred at Marvel
The Magpies have an unhealthy reliance on Nick Daicos, but our tipsters, Andrew Wu and Peter Ryan, reckon they'll get the job done against the Giants. They also preview two Marvel Stadium matches between sworn enemies - St Kilda v Brisbane Lions and Essendon v North Melbourne - and analyse why Melb…

'A world of pain' for Brad Scott's Bombers
Essendon's disastrous start to the season puts more heat on coach Brad Scott and their lacklustre leaders. Michael Gleeson, Jake Niall and Caroline Wilson also discuss Docker Patrick Voss' fine for taunting Melbourne's Harrison Petty, and whether the AFL bears any blame for the spate of hamstring i…

Rankine returns, Bevo's faith pays off
The Crows get their firestarter back after a long suspension, but the in-form Bulldogs should have them covered in one key area in Friday night's blockbuster in Adelaide. Andrew Wu and Peter Ryan lay down their round two tips, asking will Sydney's injuries hobble them against the Hawks and who will…

What happens if the big four flop?
Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon and Richmond are Victoria’s big four clubs with the power to fill the MCG weekly, but what will happen if they all struggle in the same season? Michael Gleeson, Jake Niall and Sam McClure ponder that question while also asking what the Saints really got for their $4m …

Angry fans, fashion tips and undisciplined Lions
Round one of the AFL season promises some spite, with the Bombers and Hawks renewing their rivalry, Roos fans reacquainting with Jason Horne-Francis, Jack Steele facing the Saints and the Pies and Crows meeting for the first time since last year's hostile final. Andrew Wu and Peter Ryan strip back …