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High Fives

Welcome to "High Fives" the personal column of our ace Footy Director "Magic Mike".

A happy Hawker at heart, this diehard footy tipping analyst has an eye like a hawk when it comes to detail, statistics and knowledge of the game. The feathers will be flying as the battle commences to become Score Five's top tipster. However just remember Magic Mike may come to your rescue throughout the season if you forget to submit those tips. Some expert advice from Magic is to "tip with your head and not your heart"...

Stop Press:  Magic will again be joined each week by footy legend Peter Daicos as a guest tipper, so our players will get the benefit of two great minds.

And now over to Magic Mike...

previous predictions -

ODDS ON

Listen to the chat around the office and the 2011 premiership is a cake walk according to the Collingwood faithful. The Magpies are odds on in most betting markets, however the big mover in recent weeks has been the Hawks who have come into as low as 5-1, with many punters believing that they can beat the Cats in the first week of finals, meaning that they potentially don’t come up against the Pies until the big one.  

Fremantle v Collingwood (Patersons Stadium Friday 8:40pm) – We head out west once again to open proceedings for the penultimate round of the 2011 home and away season. Casting my eye through the fixture at the start of the season this game stood out as a must see with the Dockers always seemingly hard to beat at Subi, and were tipped to really push the reigning premiers. Twenty two weeks on and the season has just really fallen apart for Freo with injuries to all their key personnel, including their latest to the inspirational skipper Matthew Pavlich. For the Pies, well they did what they had to do last week just getting over the line against Brisbane and now will look to build some momentum just two weeks out from finals action. Collingwood beat the Dockers at Subi in R8 last year by 36 points, and if the Pies are fair dinkum, then we can expect a greater margin than that.

Magic Tips: Collingwood (Away Win) 51+ margin

Daics Tips: Collingwood (Away Win) 31-50 margin

Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs (MCG Saturday 2:10pm) – Word out at Waverley is that they will be resting a few key movers in the lead up to finals action which may have some impact on deciding our winning margin. The Doggies chalked up their first win under interim coach Paul Williams and gives him the impeccable record of one from one, and if the Sydney premiership player wants the top job then pushing the Hawks all the way will no doubt enhance his chances. Having not played a team with a traditional power forward for a few weeks now, Hawthorn will be monitoring the play of Barry Hall and measuring their effectiveness to restrict him in readiness for Cloke, Dawes, J-Pod etc given that many are predicting their defence to be their achilles heel come the pointy end of the season.

Magic Tips: Hawthorn (Home Win) 31-50 margin

Daics Tips:  Hawthorn (Home Win) 31-50 margin

Geelong v Sydney (Skilled Stadium Saturday 2:10pm) – The Cats have had the week off courtesy of the bye and will look to sharpen their claws in readiness for the Hawks in week one of the finals. Geelong has won eight straight against Sydney, and the past two encounters at Skilled Stadium has seen them win comfortably by an average of ten goals. The Swans have to win one of their last two games to play finals footy, and one gets the feeling that they’ll be looking to next week where they play Brisbane to lock that in. If the Swannies are any chance they will have to dramatically reduce their turnovers with their opposition last week registering 12 of its 15 scoring shots due to coughing up the footy.

Magic Tips: Geelong (Home Win) 51+ margin “BANKER”

Daics Tips:  Geelong (Home Win) 51+ margin 

St.Kilda v North Melbourne (Etihad Stadium Saturday 7:10pm) – Saturday night at Etihad shapes as a pre-elimination final for both clubs with the loser not expected to take part in September action. The Saints sit just six points ahead of North and have the Blues in the final week, whilst the Roos are expected to win against the Tigers and therefore leapfrog St.Kilda on the ladder. It’s a tough one to pick and it probably the favoured draw option for those still searching for that maximum round score, but with Riewoldt and Blake both looking shaky with leg injuries and the Roos playing an exciting brand of footy over the past month, we’ll go with the Kangas to turn the tables on their last encounter which was just eight weeks ago.

Magic Tips: North Melbourne (Away Win) 11-30 margin

Daics Tips:  North Melbourne (Away Win) 0-10 margin

Brisbane v West Coast (GABBA Saturday 7:10pm) – The Eagles embark on the longest road trip on the calendar covering 7,200 kilometres to take on the Lions at the GABBA. It’s 4^th verses 15^th on the ladder, but it may well be closer than the punters are anticipating with Brisbane having defeated the Coasters on the past four occasions. The Lions were impressive last week against the Pies only going down by three goals, and will be tested once again as they come up against another top four side. With only Adelaide back at home remaining before finals action, don’t be surprised if some key playmakers for the Eagles miss through general soreness, or are subbed out at the half way mark of the game.

Magic Tips: West Coast (Away Win) 31-50 margin

Daics Tips:  West Coast (Away Win) 31-50 margin

Adelaide v Richmond (AAMI Stadium Sunday 1:10pm) – It’s a game that does not mean much in the overall scheme of things, however for the respective coaches there is a lot riding on the result. Interim Adelaide coach Mark Bickley would love to chalk up his third win in a month since taking over the reins, and Damien Hardwick would love to make it three in a row and build some momentum and belief amongst his young cubs. The Tigers will have to curb the brilliance of Crow midfielder Scott Thompson who racked up 51 possessions on the weekend, the 2^nd highest number ever recorded since Champion Data have been monitoring games. Richmond will have to overcome its Football Park hoodoo if they are to take the points having not beaten the Crows there for over ten years.

Magic Tips: Adelaide (Home Win) 11-30 margin

Daics Tips:  Adelaide (Home Win) 11-30 margin

Melbourne v Gold Coast – (MCG Sunday 2:10pm) – The prediction we made a few weeks ago of the Demons entering a month from hell has proven to be correct, now losing five in a row. They come up against the young Suns who look weary and are just going at the minute, and a comfortable win should give the team a boost nearing the end of the season. With such a lack of interest in this one there is a fair chance that every patron will have the flexibility of a row to themselves at the G on Sunday. Another BOG from G.Ablett and who knows, we had better place some hard earned on him for a place come Brownlow night.

Magic Tips: Melbourne (Home Win) 51+ margin

Daics Tips:  Melbourne (Home Win) 51+ margin

Essendon v Port Adelaide – (Etihad Stadium Sunday 4:40pm) – The round concludes at the Docklands in yet another uninspiring contest between the up and coming Bombers and the disappointing Port Power. Essendon has to win if it’s any chance of moving into 6^th position and hosting a home final, however history says that they won’t have it all their own way having lost to Port Adelaide the past six times they have met ….. unbelievable hey. The Bombers were struck down by injury once again last week but should regain Hurley and Pears to significantly strengthen their goal to goal line.

Magic Tips: Essendon (Home Win) 51+ margin

Daics Tips:  Essendon (Home Win) 51+ margin “BANKER”

Bye: Carlton

Round 23 Tips summary

Fixture			Magic Mike's tips				Peter Daicos' tips
Home	vs	Away	Result	Margin	Banker		Result	Margin	Banker
Fremantle	v	Collingwood	Away	51+			Away	31-50
Hawthorn	v	West.Bulldogs	Home	31-50			Home	31-50
Geelong	v	Sydney	Geelong	51+	Banker		Home	51+
St.Kilda	v	Nth.Melbourne	Away	11-30			Away	0-10
Brisbane	v	West Coast	Away	31-50			Away	31-50
Adelaide	v	Richmond	Home	11-30			Home	11-30
Melbourne	v	Gold Coast	Home	51+			Home	51+
Essendon	v	Port Adelaide	Home	51+			Home	51+	Banker