AFTER a thrilling set of all-star clashes, ‘Footy in Paradise’ launches into winter, with chilly tops of 26 degrees, with round 8 kicking off once again on a Friday night for lucky punters.
The Tigers host the Bulldogs in the women’s fixture at 7.15pm. The Tigers are laden with talent, with 17 of their players picked in the all-star fixture, but the equation for them is simple – beat the Dogs, the only unbeaten team left in either competition, or lose three on the trot.
With three teams beginning to separate themselves at the business end of the ladder, this could well and truly be a preview of a major final.
Saturday kicks off at 10.30am as the Crocs welcome the Lions to their nest. In their second year, the Crocs continue to build, finding themselves in fourth spot.
One thing missing from their resume is a giant scalp, a true underdog upset.
Taming the Lions would be exactly that. The Lions will be looking to rack up the score on a weekend their two main competitors go head-to-head.
In a race this tight, percentage could have major say in the final ladder position.
The women’s fixture concludes with the sixth-placed Saints hosting the fifth-placed Cutters in a fixture that is must win for both clubs if they have aspirations of being involved in the final’s series.
The Saints will be desperate to claim just their second win since the 2023 grand final loss, while the Cutters will feel this could be the springboard they need to kick start their season.
The men’s competition resumes slightly less congested than round 7, where the top six teams had three wins apiece.
However, each of the top six can all end in the top spot by the end of the round. Here are the permutations for each team:
Cutters – beat the Saints away and they are top to end round 8
Bulldogs – beat the Hawks away while the Cutters lose, or win by an extra goal to the Cutters margin
Tigers – tricky with the bye, but if the Cutters lose to the Saints by five goals, and the Bulldogs lose to the Hawks by four goals
Crocs – beat the Lions at the Croc Nest by nine goals and have the Bulldogs and Cutters lose by any margin
Saints – the most unlikely, but a home victory over the Cutters in the realm of 10-plus goals, while hope the Hawks claim a huge win in terms of margin and likelihood to win their first win of the season over the Bulldogs.
Lions – beat the Crocs up the highway by 8eight goals to leap the Tigers with the bye, while the Cutters and the Bulldogs lose.
