AFL 2024: The Blowtorch, Round 7 preview, Anzac Day, every club’s burning question, analysis, Fox Footy commentators, TV broadcast, guide, fixture, latest news

Why there might be multiple causes for concern in Port Adelaide’s defence and a big-time position change on the cards for one of the competition’s emerging key forwards.

Plus, are the Blues destined to use their superstar goalkicker in defence more often?

Every club’s burning question ahead of Round 7, as well as the commentators for every Fox Footy game in our ultimate weekly preview: The Blowtorch!

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ROUND 7 FIXTURE AND BURNING QUESTIONS (All times AEST)

RICHMOND v MELBOURNE

Wednesday April 24, 7:25pm at the MCG

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6.30pm on Channel 504 with Sarah Jones, Jason Dunstall, David King, Leigh Montagna, Ben Dixon & Jon Ralph

Tigers’ burning question: How will they use Yze advantage in familiar matchup?

It’s no secret that the Tigers have been decimated by injuries, just as it’s no secret that these Tigers are in a transitioning phase. That being said, though, the post-quarter-time effort Adem Yze’s men dished up against West Coast was objectively poor and needs to be rectified ahead of a blockbuster fixture, particularly after added rest. Richmond was beaten up around the ball by Elliot Yeo, Harley Reid and the Eagles, and it simply can’t afford to happen against a daunting Melbourne on-ball brigade. But, while their midfield assets are frightful, the Demons are a side Yze know well. Will he be able to assert an upper hand? Richmond midfielder Jack Graham was asked about any tricks his coach might have up his sleeve for Wednesday evening.

“Just (an insight into) some of their ball movement, what they want to do at stoppages, how they’ll flip with certain players – so he’s given us a good insight in how we’re going to tackle that,” Graham said

The Tigers have lost their last three Anzac Day Eve matches against Melbourne, but will be optimistic that the return of Dylan Grimes and Jacob Hopper will bolster their side enough to keep the Demons honest.

Demons’ burning question: Can they improve on several aspects of their game to become a more well-rounded threat?

Sitting comfortable enough at 4-2 and in sixth position, Melbourne would still consider themselves one of the top contenders for the 2024 premiership. Two hard fought wins over the two South Australian clubs on the road has shown the capabilities Simon Goodwin and his men have, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement in numerous stat lines. Heading into Round 7, the Demons rank 15th for marks inside 50, 13th for disposal efficiency, 13th for inside 50’s and 12th for centre clearances – not levels you would usually associate with a premiership team. The two stats that jump out in particular are the rankings for centre clearances and inside 50’s. Their star midfield consisting of Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver and Jack Viney are all players you associate with blazing kicks inside the attacking arc with precision. A glass-half-full approach would be to say that they’re sitting 4-2 despite these efficiencies – an entirely valid perspective. But you would think that if the Demons want to elevate their game to the level of an expected premier, they’ll want to outplay Richmond in all the aforementioned facets on Anzac Day Eve to take the next step.

ESSENDON v COLLINGWOOD

Thursday April 25, 3:20pm at the MCG

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 2.30pm on Channel 504 with Garry Lyon, Jonathan Brown, Nathan Buckley, Jordan Lewis, Brad Johnson, Eddie Betts & Jon Ralph

Bombers’ burning question: Are they a bona fide if they beat the Pies?

Now sitting pretty at 4-2, the Bombers probably couldn’t have asked for a better lead-in to Anzac Day against long-time rivals Collingwood. A five-goal loss to Sydney and a thumping at the hands of Port Adelaide have proved they’re by no means a finals certainty. However, a win over the Pies on the big stage come Thursday would give fans a level of trust they wouldn’t have had for a long time. The return of key forward Peter Wright and expected inclusion of Dylan Shiel will only boost what has been an impressive outfit in the last fortnight, causing good problems to have at the selection table. How the Bombers manage to keep promising tall forward Harrison Jones in their team with Wright’s return is a mystery, while who Shiel replaces is a question not many can answer. Nonetheless, the match has the potential to mark the point in the season where Brad Scott’s side – who has shown glimpses of promise for a while now – can finally be trusted as a finals contender.

Magpies’ burning question: Has everyone been looking in the wrong place with Collingwood’s form?

Back on a steady incline from their sluggish start this year, it’s time to ask ourselves – have we got our initial analysis on Collingwood wrong? Speaking on Fox Footy’s On The Couch, former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley highlighted that the Pies have changed their method of play – insinuating that getting used to a new game style may be the reason for their start to 2024.

“They’re game style has actually shifted, they’re not the same team that they were (in 2023),” Buckley started by saying.

“They were a really heavy back-half scoring team last year, and they did it off the back of extreme ball movement and bounce off the halfback.

“This year, they’ve become the second-best scoring side from front half; in the second quarter alone… they had eight front-half turnovers and kicked 4.2 to absolutely swamp Port Adelaide.”

“We talk about small forward groups that get up the field and then come back and put mass pressure on, Collingwood have got that mix… They’re not missing Jack Ginnivan (for his pressure).”

The notable change in method of scoring and areas of increased pressure is another curveball for opposition coaches to think about in upcoming matches against the Pies, and will have left Brad Scott with even less sleep leading into Anzac Day!

GWS GIANTS v BRISBANE LIONS

Thursday April 25, 7:35pm at Manuka Oval

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 7pm on Channel 504 with Mark Howard, Jack Riewoldt, Dermott Brereton, Nick Dal Santo, Cameron Monney & David Zita

Giants’ burning question: Has defence been exposed without Sam Taylor?

Sam Taylor will miss again after sitting out the Giants’ loss to Carlton last weekend with concussion — GWS’ first loss of the season — as the club conceded its third biggest ever score under Adam Kingsley (117). Sure, the Blues deserve their plaudits for such a performance — including Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay and Tom De Koning combining for nine goals to capitalise against GWS’ undermanned backline. But it shines a light on the huge void Taylor leaves behind, even with the likes of Jack Buckley and Connor Idun holding down the fort. There’s no shame in a club relying on its best defender so heavily, and in this case, arguably the best defender in the competition. But with the competition as tight as it is right now at the top of the ladder, Kingsley will be desperate to get his superstar stopper back. You sense Taylor will again missed solely against Brisbane’s star-studded forward line.

Lions’ burning question: How far behind the eight-ball is too far?

Last year’s grand finalists have begun 2024 with two wins and four losses – an inverse of their 4-2 record this time last year, which transformed into an 8-2 record after Round 10. While their run gets considerably easier after this week’s game against GWS, making finals would be a seriously hard job from 2-5 if they were to lose this weekend. On Fox Footy’s First Crack, David King and Leigh Montagna held concerns over the rising pressure to win each week.

“If Brisbane are to win the flag this year, they have to get better in the coaches box than that (against Geelong),” King said. “They had to challenge Geelong in a different way; the game just meandered for too long, and I think they’ll rue that.”

Montagna highlighted that he now believes the Lions are behind the eight-ball, with little scope for setbacks.

“It leaves them not a lot of room for error; they have to get on a real hot streak and continue to get rolling, they’ve dropped three games at home now… they’re (giving) themselves a bit of catching up to do,” Montagna explained.

Teams have played in September before with records worse than their 2-4, but there’s no doubt the numbers are stacked against the Lions in their pursuit for a sixth straight finals appearance.

PORT ADELAIDE v ST KILDA

Friday April 26, 7:40pm at Adelaide Oval

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6.30pm on Channel 504 with Garry Lyon, Jonathan Brown, Nathan Buckley, Jordan Lewis, Mark Ricciuto & Jon Ralph followed by Fox Footy Live with Ben Dixon, Gerard Healy & Dermott Brereton

Power’s burning question: Are cracks appearing (again) in their defence?

After Port Adelaide surrendered a 31-point advantage in a 73-point turnaround against Collingwood last Saturday, there could be multiple reasons for worry regarding the Power’s back six. Fox Footy analyst Leigh Montagna told First Crack: “There’s always been a chink in Port Adelaide’s defence. We’ve known they’ve got some vulnerabilities; we’ve wondered whether it’s system or personnel. This game, for me, exposed a lack of leg speed for Port Adelaide defensively. Particularly with some of their small defenders … in this game, it kept catching the eye. Dan Houston — we know how wonderful a player he is offensively, but when he wasn’t able to keep up, what’d that impact? He couldn’t keep up with Lachie Schultz here, so he has to call over his mate to come and cover for him … that leads to a goal. It generally happened all day. It’s something we’ve got to watch with this Port Adelaide defence. Their smalls — after seeing what the Collingwood smalls did to them on the weekend — I wonder whether more teams might try to (expose) Port Adelaide.” Fellow First Crack panellist David King, on the other hand, voiced his concerns about Port’s tall timber in defence. “I think they’ve got good Esava (Ratugolea) and Aliir (Aliir) and bad Esava and Aliir. You don’t get any middle ground — it’s (good) or (bad). It just worries me … that bad Aliir and bad Esava turn up for 10 minutes and cost you a big game … It looked off all day (against Collingwood). I hope that’s not them … I think you’ll worry going into any given game (about) what the two boppers down back are going to do … It’s just going to sit there until September.” This Friday night Ken Hinkley’s men host St Kilda, who might welcome back Max King to a forward line that boasts livewires Jack Higgins, Mitch Owens and Mattaes Phillipou.

Saints’ burning question: Can they prove their tough fixture turnaround was exactly that?

Ross Lyon admitted even before the Saints’ disappointing performance against the Western Bulldogs he was worried how the his side would fare coming off a five-day break — its second this season — before doubling down on that call post-match. He basically gave them a mulligan for having an off night, but it comes ahead of an even bigger test against a Port Adelaide side at its Adelaide Oval fortress. This isn’t to say the Saints have to produce a big upset win on Friday to prove that collapse against the Dogs was an outlier, St Kilda would want to put in a much improved effort and be competitive across four quarters. Either way, the Saints’ bid to back up their finals appearance is already looking shaky at 2-4, so they’ll need to pull off an upset or two to get back in the post-season hunt.

NORTH MELBOURNE v ADELAIDE CROWS

Saturday April 27, 1:45pm at Blundstone Arena

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 1.30pm on Channel 504 with Dwayne Russell, Mark Howard, Gerard Healy, Brad Johnson & David Zita

Kangaroos’ burning question: Is it as bad as most of us think it is?

It has become quite clear that as of right now, North Melbourne are the worst team in the competition. Only a month ago, spirited efforts against an in-form GWS and Fremantle gave supporters and onlookers an indication that 2024 would be the season we finally saw progress at Arden Street. Now, sitting dead last at the bottom of the table with nowhere to hide, the opinions of pundits are stronger than ever. Speaking on Fox Footy’s AFL 360, Gerard Whateley and Mark Robinson gave their takes on whether it really is as bad as we think with the Kangaroos.

“These are slow matters in turning, especially when you’re in the fifth year of a stretch which is as grim as we’ve ever seen in the AFL era,” Whateley said.

Robinson went into bat for Clarkson however, with criticism now starting to come his way with little to no change in output from the club since his arrival at the start of last year.

“I think Clarkson is getting unfairly targeted – that’s my flinch reaction,” Robinson explained. “One game and it’s ‘right, let’s go for Clarkson’- he missed half the season last year and he’s coached six games this year.

“They’ve got a terrible list; they haven’t got depth, they haven’t got enough talent, they haven’t got enough skill to compete … This is going to be so challenging for Clarkson and Sonja Hood and the board to run this course,” Robinson finished by saying.

In short, it may be as bad as we think it is – but that’s not to say that Alastair Clarkson isn’t the right man at the helm. It goes without saying that a win in Tasmania over the Crows this Saturday would go a LONG way to alleviating concerns over his role as senior coach at the club.

Crows’ burning question: How do emerging stars respond to criticism?

It’s been a tough start to the season for Adelaide including its already slim finals hopes taking a further hit with a home loss to Essendon last week. Two of the Crows’ emerging stars — Izak Rankine and Josh Rachele — have copped heat in the aftermath. Rachele came under scrutiny for not being brave enough in certain contests, while a Rankine defensive effort came under the microscope. After the duo have been given more midfield opportunities in recent weeks as part of a shake-up of Matthew Nicks’ side, the pair get the perfect opportunity to respond against a struggling Kangaroos side yet to win a game in 2024. it could provide the ideal opportunity to kick both players’ seasons — and the Crows’ season at large — into gear.

GEELONG CATS v CARLTON

Saturday April 27, 4:35pm at the MCG

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 4.30pm on Channel 504 with Anthony Hudson, Jason Dunstall, David King, Cameron Mooney & David Zita

Cats’ burning question: What will Scott’s next master plan look like after Gabba triumph?

Praise was heaped on Geelong coach Chris Scott following his comprehensive and successful plan to tame the Lions last Saturday. “I thought this game was won in the coaches’ box,” two-time flag-winner David King told First Crack. “Chris Scott — this is why he’s the best coach in the competition and revered by his peers … You weren’t going to be able to kick forward-50 goals (in the wet), you weren’t going to get any returns from repeat entries. But what you could do, if you moved the ball the full length of the ground, is you could actually get one player free … They outnumbered Brisbane in their own forward line.” The Cats decimated Brisbane on turnover, reaping the rewards of their stingy defensive structure. “(And then) this is the other end of the ground,” King continued. “He looks at the defensive goals as his own. Four (defenders) versus two (forwards) — good luck getting through that. You absolutely have to do something outside the box to score. In my opinion, the way the game was set up, Brisbane was never going to win.” Back at the MCG this Saturday against the Blues, what kind of plan will the two-time flag mentor deploy this week without Tom Stewart? Combating Carlton’s potent attack, you’d imagine Scott’s gears are turning as Geelong aims to remain undefeated.

Blues’ burning question: Should the Blues use Charlie in defence more often?

We’ve seen the Blues utilise star forward Charlie Curnow in a defensive capacity in the waning stages of close games, but we might see him in the back half more often earlier in games as a momentum-killer of sorts. Fox Footy’s Leigh Montagna noticed Carlton’s late-first-half use of Curnow as a spare defender against the Giants in last Saturday’s win. “We know he goes back late in games to try and save the game, but I thought (this) was a significant moment in the game (against GWS) — six or seven minutes to go in the second quarter, the Giants had kicked five unanswered goals in the term … Michael Voss made the decision with six and a half minutes to go in the second quarter to put Charlie Curnow behind the ball. Just by having him there stemmed the tide … Toby Greene sneaks out from the contest as we’ve seen him do so often, but Charlie Curnow, as the spare defender, was able to mop it up. And, just for a few minutes, they were able to wrestle (back) the momentum. They were able to stop the Giants scoring … all of a sudden, they go into half-time only 10 points down, as opposed to 22 and potentially more … I thought it was a great bit of coaching and great execution. It’s not just ‘save the game’ mode for Charlie Curnow — it’s to stop the momentum (earlier, too), and it worked perfectly.” Coming up against a Geelong side that just devastated Brisbane in transition, will Voss’ Blues need to use their dual Coleman medallist in a defending role again at some stage this Saturday?

FREMANTLE v WESTERN BULLDOGS

Saturday April 27, 7:40pm at Optus Stadium

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 7.20pm on Channel 504 with Ben Dixon, Jack Riewoldt, Eddie Betts, Dermott Brereton, Matthew Pavlich & David Zita

Dockers’ burning question: Is it mediocrity, physicality, focus, or all of the above?

You have to feel for the Dockers. After two hard-fought matches that ended in losses – that were not short of controversy – they have now found themselves on the wrong end of Derby 58 with their confidence shot. In a weekend that (should) truly show us where they lie in the ranks this season, they have a golden chance on their home turf to rectify for last week’s wrongs. Speaking on First Crack, David King questioned the application in certain parts of their game that seem to have increasingly worsened in their shock loss to the Eagles.

“I look at them, and wonder if they’re too accepting of what the opposition are doing to them; are they strong enough to stay focused?” King said.

“The best teams in the comp now, they challenge you in every way… I just worry about them – for a whole host of reasons.

“I don’t know if their contest game is anywhere near where it should be to really challenge the best teams – it makes you question the plan a little bit.

“I think they’ve got a little bit of searching to do… they’ll meander through the middle part of the eight.”

With many still yet to see the full effects of their ruck combination consisting of Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson, Justin Longmuir will be praying for a full-team effort from his side; who have lost two of their last three games at home to the Bulldogs.

Bulldogs’ burning question: Was the early-season criticism unwarranted?

For all the doom and gloom commentary that’s largely surrounded the Dogs and coach Luke Beveridge in the early parts of the season — particularly last week — they currently find themselves sitting in the top eight. So did the criticism go too far? A statement 60-point win over St Kilda — a finals team from last year — showed how good Beveridge’s side can be in full flight and silenced the critics … for now. While some will say the club has still unperformed given the talent on their list, a win over a Fremantle side that’ll be desperate to bounce back from its shock Derby loss would be some sort of announcement from the Dogs that they’re a serious finals contender in 2024.

GOLD COAST SUNS v WEST COAST EAGLES

Sunday April 28, 1:00pm at People First Stadium

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 12.30pm on Channel 504 with Kelli Underwood, Dermott Brereton, Anthony Hudson, Jonathan Brown, Alastair Lynch & Jon Ralph

Suns’ burning question: Should a big call be made on a big forward?

Is Ben King poised for a position change? King called King “a tough player to watch”. “He’s kicked a lot of goals this year, 16 goals, (but) I watched Jed Walter next to him, and he attacks every contest like it’s his last. (Then) I look at Ben King, and he’s a different sort of mover … only Nick Larkey is targeted more by his team than Ben King, and he’s ranked AFL 24th for turning that into a goal, so the returns maybe aren’t there. But I don’t see the desperation. I wonder if it’s worth having a look at him at centre-half-back for a couple of weeks … They’ve got adequate forward-50 targets, they need someone who can stand up at centre-half-back and command the intercept game. I know he’s an elite talent forward of the ball, but to me he’s just not desperate enough.”

Eagles’ burning question: Is there a new leader in West Coast’s forward line?

Ever since Josh J. Kennedy’s retirement at the end of 2022, tall forward Jack Darling has been considered West Coast’s leader inside forward 50. With 514 career goals next to his name, it’s understandable to see why. But within the last fortnight, aligned with the sudden recovery of the Eagles a 25-year-old has announced himself on the big stage – with two back-to-back performances that have seen a shock contender emerge for the Coleman Medal. Speaking on Fox Footy’s AFL Tonight, three-time All-Australian Nick Dal Santo shed light on the sudden rise of Jake Waterman.

“There’s a guy up forward Jake Waterman that’s kicked 11 goals in the last two weeks, and he’s third on the Coleman Medal,” Dal Santo said.

“There were times last year that West Coast as a collective probably weren’t going to win the Coleman Medal against individuals from other teams, so they’re clearly scoring a lot more.”

In his 90-game career, Waterman has kicked 96 goals – with his bags of five and six goals in the last fortnight previously uncharted territory. His efforts of late will no doubt bring about more scrutinised attention from opposition defenders in the coming weeks, and likely free up veteran Jack Darling.

HAWTHORN v SYDNEY SWANS

Sunday April 28, 4:00pm at the MCG

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 4pm on Channel 504 with Sarah Jones, Dwayne Russell, Jordan Lewis, Jack Riewoldt & Jon Ralph followed by Bounce and First Crack

Hawks’ burning question: They’ve shown us what they’re capable of … now can they do it against a top eight team?

After five losses to start their 2024, Hawthorn have finally registered a win this year; even if it was against a bottom-of-the-barrel North Melbourne. Regardless of the opposition, Sam Mitchell’s side still impressed in areas of their game, with several of their better players standing up in unison for the first time this season. Jai Newcombe (32 disposals, nine clearances) was able to break his ugly form patch with a performance we’re far more used to seeing, while forwards Dylan Moore and Jack Ginnivan were everywhere – kicking six goals between them.

“When Dylan Moore and Ginnivan are getting on the end of it, good things generally happen,” – Fox Footy’s Leigh Montagna said on First Crack.

“They’ve turned it around; they get a little reward for the hard work… well done to the Hawks, and congratulations on another win,” fellow First Crack panellist David King added.

Their biggest challenge now however, is to replicate their form against a far better side in the Swans, who are coming off the back of a convincing 53-point win over Gold Coast. Ranked equal-last and second-last in the competition for centre clearances and total clearances respectively, it is imperative that players such as Newcombe, Conor Nash and James Worpel maintain their new-found form against a dynamic Swans midfield.

Swans’ burning question: Are they going under the radar despite recruits addressing key problem?

There’s been a lot of love for the likes of GWS, Carlton and now Geelong as flag frontrunners amid their hot starts to 2024. But what about Sydney? Going under the radar after some shaky form going into their bye, the second-placed Swans were at their devastating best in a 53-point win against Gold Coast as Brodie Grundy starred in his 200th AFL game. Fellow recruit Taylor Adams also impressed in his second game for the Swans before a cork to his knee ended the midfielder’s day early. With the duo helping beef up the Swans’ midfield and adding more grunt to it — an area they were lacking in last year — there’s a lot to like about what the Swans are doing — and where they’re going. You sense John Longmire’s side will only get better as the season goes on as it looks to get back to the grand final stage it reached in 2022.