I JUST can't see Hawthorn getting up tonight against the Crows even though they are still in with an outside shot of making the eight.

The Hawks haven't been able to find any sort of consistency this season and the loss of Jarryd Roughead might be the last straw.

They seem to be playing without any confidence. They had a golden opportunity last week against a massively undermanned St Kilda side and they never really got out of second gear.

They'll be trying to give their supporters some hope for next year by fighting out the season, but I think too many things have gone wrong for them to be able to pull a rabbit out of the hat late in the season.

On the other hand, Adelaide has so much more to play for. The Crows are still in the mix for a top four spot despite dropping all the way to seventh after last week's loss to the Pies.

Adelaide has travelled reasonably well this year, winning five games interstate, and they should have made that six with a win against the Cats a few weeks back. The MCG will hold no fears for them.

Brett Burton has been in good form up forward and while he drops out this week, he's only four games back from a knee reconstruction and the Crows have shown they are capable of kicking a score without him.

Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs
To put it simply: the Bulldogs just have to wake up and start playing some good football again.

They've lost three out of their last five now and if they're going to be serious contenders they've really got to have a crack and win this one.

The Bulldogs are a very good offensive team and when they get the defensive side of their game up to scratch it complements their attack beautifully. That's the real key for them this week because they've been down in that area of late.

They lose Daniel Cross which is a massive blow, but I think they've still got enough quality in that group to get over the line in Brisbane.

Every team has a bit of a lull during the year and they've clearly just been through theirs, but they're a quality side and I'll back them to turn it around this week.

Scott Welsh and Robert Murphy are back which will give their forward line a much different look. Murphy is especially important because he's their way in.

With their style of play they really need that good, hit-up half-forward flanker and when he's up and going he's the one who gives them that reliable entry inside 50.

Tagger Liam Picken is also back and you'd imagine he'll go to the damaging Simon Black. If he can do a good job on the Brownlow Medallist that will go a fair way to cutting off the supply to Jonathan Brown and Daniel Bradshaw and winning the game for the Dogs.

The Lions have been absolutely fantastic this year, but Brian Lake has been sensational as well. His battle with Brown will be one to tune in for. 

Essendon v St Kilda
This game should be an interesting one to watch because of the differing styles of the two teams.

It will be Essendon's style of taking the opposition on and playing on at all costs against St Kilda's smothering zone defence.

So many teams just play into the Saints' hands. A lot of teams in the past have taken the view that you've got to protect your corridor in the defensive 50, but they actually protect the flanks.

A lot of their players play off and clog up the areas just outside the corridor roughly around the 45m mark, which is where a lot of teams direct their play these days. The key for the Bombers is to be brave and try to get the ball through the corridor and hit up the spot about 40m out in front of goal as often as they can.

That’s easier said than done of course, but it will be interesting to see what Matthew Knights comes up with.

A lot of teams don't want to go there because it's too dangerous and you can get hurt very quickly if you turn the ball over.

Andrew Welsh comes back to try and shut down a Nick Dal Santo or Leigh Montagna, and while it will be interesting to see how it unfolds, you've got to back the Saints in at this point, especially with their huge influx of talent for this game.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.