Editor’s note – The Prophet evidently didn’t foresee some complications in the lead up to Round 16, and ended up getting his article in a bit late to run on Thursday. I have left it as is just to be transparent – HB
ROUND SIXTEEN!
We are ALMOST at the end of the bye rounds. These silly, AFL induced weekends of less football. I mean, seriously, who wants less football each week? As we approach almost total fixture parity, there are games that have direct consequences for finals and top four aspirants.
Be forewarned, while I am the Mongrel Punt’s resident oracle for all things AFL, I hold no liability for your bad betting and using my predictions in your multis. So, please, gamble responsibly.
So, strap yourselves in for the Prophet’s Predictions for Round Sixteen.
The Guarantee
Adelaide come to Melbourne and have a big win at the ‘G. The Crows have a great opportunity to solidify their place in the top four on Sunday as they travel to the MCG. It shapes as an opportunity to grow their percentage and secure four points at a venue they travel to a lot.
Fresh off the bye, I expect the Pride of South Australia to comfortably account for the Tigers and send a message to the rest of the competition that they aren’t making up numbers in September.
The Ultimate Nightmare (Worst Case Scenario)
The umpiring descends into further madness after last week’s Friday Night fiasco of guesswork and making it up. I feel like we’ve seen a lot of that this year. Some try to say the game is complicated, etc, but it doesn’t need to be. Remove the protected area 50 metre penalty, remove free kicks from ruck contests, and scrap the concept of “trying to dispose/made an attempt” and just pay holding the ball.
All of these nuances confuse umpires, and lead to inconsistent interpretations. So, I guess, what I’m saying as the ultimate nightmare is that every game becomes impacted by inconsistency and bad decisions that seem simple to solve.
Outside of the umpires, Thursday Night looms as bad news for the losing coach. It’d be a nightmare for the losing coach.
The Outsider (unexpected winner)
All aboard the Sydney train. Now, I do feel like the Dogs are a legitimate threat for the flag, and I recognise that the Swans lack a key forward with footballing ability, but with Papley and Gulden back, the Swans are a completely different team.
I’m backing the Swans to upset the Dogs on Friday Night.
The Money Maker (Bold Call)
Mitch Georgiades does a number on Jacob Weitering. As a Cats fan, I’m used to Weitering dominating our forwards. He’s been solid again this year, but is banged up and Georgiades is putting together an incredible season.
Put the Power forward down for at least a handful.
Essential Result (Must Win)
The Suns have started to do what the Suns do – start a season well and then forget how to win. So, this weekend, is a must win for them. To make matters more complicated, it could be wet, and when it’s wet, the Sun is extinguished and their game plan disintegrates. Melbourne, on the other hand, with their bigger bodies, seem to navigate challenging conditions a little better.
If the Suns want to be taken seriously, it is time to win these one’s. The Dees are wanting to continue their climb of the ladder and to hang around, in pursuit of finals football.
Most at Stake (Vulnerable)
I said last week there was no way that Norfball could roll the Blues … I was wrong, even though I assumed it might happen. I don’t think lightning can strike twice and have it eventuate against a refreshed Hokball side … but in 2025, anything can happen. I’m listing the Hawks as a team with a lot at stake. They want to press for top four, so they need the win. North are happy to play disruptor, and have the chance.
The Hawks are not the Blues, so I expect the Hawks to win … but, this is one they won’t want to drop.
The Must Watch (match-up or game)
I’m interested to get a look at Harley Reid and Ned Long. They may not directly match up, but I hope that they do. Two young guns, having an influence in and for their team. I’m interested to see what impact Harley can have against the Pies, and what Ned can do against a lesser side, and if he’s given the ability to control the midfield.
The Unexpected (underdog performance)
The Saints, not to win, but to be competitive. I’m interested to see how the Dockers ball movement goes against the overly defensive and dour Ross the Boss coaching model. Expect the Saints to keep it tight, but ultimately, the skill level of the Dockers to win out.
It’s a Big Weekend For …
Michael Voss’ employment status. Should things go badly for the Blues, and I think they will, like 5 goals + bad, then Michael Voss might be knocking on Centrelink’s door on Monday morning. This isn’t to make light of the situation, but Carlton have been irrelevant for 25 years and go through coaches like Bonnie Blue goes through, well …
Should the Blues not turn up, I think Voss is in trouble. However, I find it absurd that it’s always the coach at the Blues, and not the board or the list manager who cops it.
The Don (player of the round)
The Chad is Good. The Chad is Great.
His season hasn’t been as noteworthy as last year, but still solid. Under Friday Night Lights, against a rampaging Dogs midfield, I reckon Chad Warner joins the 30-20-10 club (30+ disposals, 20+ contested possession, and 10+ clearances) and hits the scoreboard. It’s a bold call, a season shaping result, and something that would remind the footy world of how good he is!
The Underboss (rookie of the round)
I’ve heard a lot of good things about Charlie West coming from VFL followers. He hits the scoreboard, and isn’t afraid to fly for a mark. Debuting for the Pies, against a developing Eagles lineup, could be a great opportunity to get him involved in the game.
Individual Brilliance (predicting a stat accomplishment like x goals or marks)
I like a Purple Haze domination … Josh Treacy 5+ goals, Caleb Serong 10+ clearances, and Luke Jackson 150+ supercoach points, just to bring that into the mix.
The Winners (currently on 77; last week 5)
Port Adelaide
Sydney
Gold Coast Suns
Hawthorn
Collingwood
Adelaide
Fremantle
These predictions were made with only Thursday Night teams revealed. Drop us your thoughts in the comments and stay tuned over the coming weeks to see how the Prophet goes with his predictions.
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