THE BLOWTORCH is turned firmly on Carlton and Essendon as the sleeping giants each look to ignite their season, while four genuine finals contenders return from a bye for round four.   

Reigning premier Brisbane hosts Collingwood in a mouth-watering opening to the round on Thursday night, while Hawthorn and Geelong will wrap it up with another classic on the cards for Easter Monday.  

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In between, North Melbourne and the Blues meet in the Good Friday Superclash, and Adelaide takes on Fremantle later that night. 

Here is who and what to look out for across round four, as Greater Western Sydney and St Kilda have a bye.

Brisbane v Collingwood, the Gabba
Thursday, April 2, 6.30pm AEST

Last time: Brisbane 15.10 (100) d Collingwood 11.5 (71), PF 2025

What it means

Brisbane (1-2) might still be short of top gear but had enough as it put the foot down against St Kilda, piling on the last six goals of the game to claim its first win of the season. The reigning premiers can even their win-loss record with a victory over the Pies and begin to challenge for the top four again with clashes against the Kangaroos, Demons, Bombers and Blues included in their next five.

Collingwood (2-1) sent a warning shot across the competition in the win over Greater Western Sydney with a reminder that it might not have the most potent forward line but it still boasts the most miserly defence in the game. The Magpies are one of few sides to have a positive record at the Lions’ fortress in recent years after comfortably winning both of their past two meetings at the venue.

Game shapers

Keidean Coleman looks ready to put a horror run with injury behind as he settles into a new role in the Lions’ forward half. The 25-year-old was on the verge of becoming one of the top running defenders in the game before he tore an ACL in Opening Round in 2024, but is now adding a touch of class at the other end as he gathered 21 disposals with five inside 50s and a goal against the Saints.

Tim Membrey helped answer the critics who have questioned whether the Magpies have enough firepower, to be among the leading contenders as the key forward booted three of his four goals during a blistering first term against the Giants. The 31-year-old was a solid contributor with 32 goals in 23 matches in his first season with the Pies, but has an opportunity to be more of a focal point this year.

Early tip: Brisbane by 11 points

North Melbourne v Carlton, Marvel Stadium
Friday, April 3, 3.15pm AEDT

Last time: North Melbourne 13.6 (84) d Carlton 10.13 (73), R15 2025

What it means

North Melbourne (2-1) will take any win it can get after six years of pain, but is unlikely to use the underwhelming victory over Essendon as a template for the way it wants to play. The Kangaroos have an immediate opportunity to improve on that performance as well as win at least three of their opening four matches for the first time since 2016 as they come up against the under-fire Blues.

Carlton (1-2) must have a sense that history keeps repeating as it has burst out of the blocks three times to be +71 for points scored in first halves, then -153 against its opponents after the main break. The Blues are running out of chances to learn from their mistakes and continue to play with freedom when the game is on the line, especially with a horror run against five top-four contenders to come.

Game shapers

Finn O’Sullivan was able to quietly blossom despite arriving at the Kangaroos as a No.2 pick, but is quickly making a name for himself in his second season. The silky-skilled 19-year-old has shown there is more to his game as he gets his hands dirty with shutdown roles on Zak Butters and Zach Merrett, while going on to gather a career-high 24 disposals in the win over the Bombers.

Patrick Cripps has made a career out of carrying the Blues on his heavily strapped shoulders, but must be feeling the weight of the side making yet another stuttering start to the season in his 13th campaign. The captain finished with nine clearances and a goal even as the Blues were overwhelmed by the Demons, but will again need to lead by example if the Blues are to turn around their form.

Early tip: North Melbourne by four points

Adelaide v Fremantle, Adelaide Oval
Friday, April 3, 6.45pm ACDT

Last time:  Fremantle 12.13 (85) d Adelaide 9.13 (67), R7 2025

What it means

Adelaide (1-2) was the third-highest scoring team in last year’s home and away rounds, but paid a heavy price for its ball movement and attacking intent being stifled in back-to-back defeats to the Dogs and Cats this season. Those losses added to doubts over whether the Crows can consistently beat top sides after going 5-7 against finalists last year before another against the Dockers.  

Fremantle (2-1) has quickly evolved into one of the most exciting teams in the competition as it has put an at times slow and steady gameplan behind it to begin this season with greater focus on attack. The Dockers hit the 100-point mark for the third time in as many matches when they ran away from Richmond and could now tighten their grip on a top-four spot with a win over Adelaide.

Game shapers

Josh Rachele endured a tough 2025 as he struggled to overcome form and fitness issues and played only 14 matches for 27 goals. The 22-year-old now looks ready to live up to the hype while adding more strings to his bow with extra time in the midfield. Rachele had perhaps his best game yet with career-highs of 31 disposals and seven clearances, as well as a goal against the Cats.

Josh Treacy has put together a pair of strong seasons with 45 and 44 goals, but now looks ready to explode as the focal point in a formidable Dockers attack with a wide variety of weapons around him. The 23-year-old has 10 majors in three matches this year and was too hot for the Tigers to handle last week as he prepares to put more heat on the Crows’ undermanned defence.

Early tip: Adelaide by nine points

Richmond v Port Adelaide, MCG
Saturday, April 4, 4.15pm AEDT

Last time: Port Adelaide 21.14 (140) d Richmond 9.14 (68), R2 2025

Richmond (0-3) has picked up where it left off last year as it leaves fans guessing which version of the young side will turn up. The Tigers started the season brightly when they gave Carlton a huge scare, but have since been well off the mark of challenging Gold Coast and Fremantle in a reality check of where they stand against the likes of the top-four hopefuls.

Port Adelaide (1-2) has missed an opportunity to make a promising start to life under new coach Josh Carr as it has been beaten by two of last year’s three bottom teams in its opening three matches. The Power get another shot at finding form against a third team from that bracket, but with their own injuries mounting up there will be lingering concern that Richmond could pile on the pain.

Game shapers

Luke Trainor at times flew under the radar after being part of the Tigers’ huge haul of early draft picks in 2024 and comfortably settling into their defence in his debut season. The 19-year-old now looks ready to put his intercepting talents on show after a career-best game last week against the Dockers when he gathered 28 disposals and eight rebounds in a classy display.

Jack Lukosius had little impact in his first year with the Power after a serious injury early in his second game largely ruined his campaign. The smooth-moving 25-year-old has started this season more positively as he settles into Port’s attack with three goals in his first game of the season against the Bombers and a fast start and polished performance even in the loss to the Eagles last week.

Early tip: Port Adelaide by 14 points

West Coast v Sydney, Optus Stadium
Saturday, April 4, 4.35pm AWST

Last time: Sydney 18.10 (118) d West Coast 7.9 (51), R24 2025

What it means

West Coast (2-1) has shown that the future is bright as it has not only doubled its win tally from last season inside three rounds, but also claimed back-to-back victories for the first time since 2024. The Eagles now look to have a nice balance between youthful exuberance and cool-headed experience, though they will want to tidy up their starts before a tougher test against the Swans.

Sydney (2-1) fell back to the pack with a loss to Hawthorn before a bye, but can be buoyed by returning to face a West Coast outfit that it has beaten in its past five meetings by an average 49 points, as well as in 17 of their past 20 matches going back to 2008. The Swans can also have few fears of the long trip to Perth after winning their past six matches at Optus Stadium.

Game shapers

Willem Duursma has had little trouble living up to the billing as the No.1 pick and has immediately looked at home at the top level, averaging 16 disposals across his first three games. The tall and lean 18-year-old might soon settle into the midfield, but for now is doing damage from the wing and forward half as he was critical to the Eagles beating the Power with 20 classy disposals and a goal.

Tom Papley is never too far from the spotlight as an eye-catching goalkicker, over-the-top celebrator, and under-the-skin antagonist who also happens to remain a key to the Swans’ hopes of bouncing back up the ladder. The former rookie draft selection is still getting going this season after an injury-hit campaign last year, but can be expected to entertain in some way as he reaches 200 games.

Early tip: Sydney by 22 points

Melbourne v Gold Coast, MCG
Sunday, April 5, 3.15pm AEST

Last time: Gold Coast 15.14 (104) d Melbourne 12.13 (85), R16 2025

What it means

Melbourne (2-1) has made a positive start to life under new coach Steven King with a pair of wins over clubs widely expected to sit around the same mark in St Kilda and Carlton. The Demons surged over the Blues for their fifth-biggest comeback win in club history but are yet to prove that their new way of playing is ready to challenge the top teams, before coming up against the red-hot Suns.

Gold Coast (3-0) finished a round on top of the ladder for the first time before heading off for a bye, though it has benefited from facing two of last year’s bottom three teams in its opening three matches. The Suns’ victory over the Eagles suddenly looks more impressive, but they will now need to be wary of the rapidly rising Demons while meeting them without injured recruit Christian Petracca.

‪Game shapers

Kysaiah Pickett rose to the occasion of captain Max Gawn’s 250th game with a stunning performance that included a career-high 33 disposals and the sealer as the Demons overran the Blues. The 24-year-old has outgrown his goalsneak role to be the firestarter of the Melbourne midfield and a weapon around stoppages as he scuds out of packs for six clearances in two of three matches this year.

Ben King has stayed loyal to the Suns when others might have taken the easier option to depart, and is now ready to reap the rewards as the side rises into top-four contention with him as the spearhead. The 25-year-old was not part of a winning side until his 16th match but can now start thinking about personal and team glory after opening the season with a deadly 16.1 from three games and 18 kicks.

Early tip: Gold Coast by 17 points

Western Bulldogs v Essendon, Marvel Stadium
Sunday, April 5, 7.20pm AEST

Last time: Western Bulldogs 22.11 (143) d Essendon 7.8 (50), R20 2025

What it means

Western Bulldogs (3-0) stamped their claim to be among the genuine contenders with wins on the road over reigning premiers Brisbane and then later against last year’s ladder-leading Adelaide before a bye. The Dogs had little trouble putting away the also rans even as they missed the finals last season and will now be licking their lips at the prospect of a percentage-boosting win against the Bombers.

Essendon (0-3) has endured a horror start to the season as its three defeats have been added to a 13-match losing streak to end last year and bring the club to the brink of its worst ever run of results. The Bombers’ campaign could be about to go from bad to worse as they come up against their nemesis, with the Dogs winning 11 of these sides’ past 13 clashes by an average 57 points.

Game shapers

Joel Freijah has tightened his grip on a spot in the Bulldogs’ deep midfield with a strong start to this season after a breakout campaign when playing all 23 matches last year. The 20-year-old has averaged 21 disposals across the Dogs’ opening three games but showed he can make an impact closer to goal with three goals, as well as 24 touches, in a powerful performance in the tense win over the Crows. 

Andrew McGrath is in the grips of a difficult first season as Bombers captain with the side struggling to be competitive for four quarters and the defence often left to stem a steady flow of opposition attacks. The former No.1 pick can be trusted to fly the flag while playing across half-back, but will also want to lead the way with better decisions with ball in hand to help ease the pressure on his younger teammates. 

Early tip: Western Bulldogs by 74 points

Hawthorn v Geelong, MCG
Monday, April 6, 3.15pm AEST

Last time: Geelong 17.13 (115) d Hawthorn 13.7 (85), PF 2025

What it means

Hawthorn (2-1) claimed its first big scalp of the season as it gradually wore down Sydney for an impressive victory before taking the weekend off with a bye. The Hawks return to face their old foes on a big stage with an opportunity to show how they have improved against the side that knocked them out of last year’s finals and has also beaten them in their past five meetings.

Geelong (2-1) has recovered from a lacklustre start to the season and loss to Gold Coast to claim a pair of narrow victories over finals contenders Fremantle and Adelaide. Perhaps the scariest thing for the opposition is that the Cats have banked those wins while still being well short of their best, though they can be trusted to lift against their arch-rivals.

Game shapers

Tom Barrass enjoyed a strong first season in defence with the Hawks as the side jumped up the ladder to reach a preliminary final against the Cats. But the 30-year-old has taken his game to a new level in the opening three matches of this year as he not only blankets the most dangerous opposition key forward, including Swans recruit Charlie Curnow last time out, but regularly turns defence into attack with intercepting marks.

Max Holmes has had a game built for speed since breaking into the Cats midfield five years ago, but the recent rule changes have made him even more influential as he averages career-highs of 29 disposals and five clearances a game. The 23-year-old was at his blistering best in back-to-back wins over the Dockers and Crows but should be out to rise to the challenge of facing the Hawks after a pair of quieter Easter Monday games in recent years.

Early tip: Geelong by eight points

AND THEN there was one.

The Western Bulldogs remain the only undefeated side to start the 2026 season, despite a second-half fightback from Essendon on Sunday evening.

BULLDOGS v BOMBERS Full match coverage and stats

Under the rare open roof of Marvel Stadium, the Bulldogs recorded the 14.15 (99) to 9.11 (65) victory to keep a clean sheet, but the 34-point margin was their narrowest over the Bombers since round seven, 2022.

What was framing as another horror show for Essendon became a more respectable loss thanks to a rallying four goals to zero third quarter, but still ultimately equalled the club’s losing streak record of 17 consecutive matches.

After losing Ed Richards before the opening siren, the casualty list for the Bulldogs grew throughout the game, with ruck Tim English (knee) and forward Arty Jones (hamstring) failing to take part in the last quarter.

It was by no means a perfect opening half from the Bulldogs, despite the 54-point margin to the long break, with misfiring handballs and dropped marks littered throughout the game. But the Bombers simply didn’t punish the errors. Instead, the Dogs were given time to clean up and pile on the scores.

Even in the absence of hard nut Tom Liberatore and breakout star Richards, the Dogs controlled the contest. By half time, they were leading the clearance count 22-9 (ultimately winning the metric by 14), and the contested possessions 62-47.

It was evidence of the gap in the sides’ work rate in a nutshell.

But following the main break, Essendon established a proactive mindset, and the shift was on. Returning forward Tom Edwards kicked one, then two goals which were energy lifters for those in the sash. Jade Gresham got in on the party, as did Peter Wright. All of that, however, was off the back of increased pressure higher up the field.

With a willingness to close down space, and get the small things right, the Bombers protected their backline and generated attack of their own. It was really that simple.

For just the second time this year, the Bombers held their opposition goalless for the term – albeit more a result of the Bulldogs’ conversion, with seven behinds – but it was an injection of energy, nonetheless.

Archie Roberts was impressive for Essendon, finishing with 37 disposals and 708 metres gained, and the mantle of his side’s most consistent player, while Archer May (two goals, four marks) led well at the footy when opportunity presented itself.

Part of Essendon’s second-half surge was becoming accountable to Dogs captain Marcus Bontempelli (35 disposals, seven clearances, one goal). Effectively given free range to roam early in the match, he was held to 13 disposals in the second half not by way of a tag, but rather a systematic awareness of the star.

There were moments where the contest devolved into a comedy of errors, as both teams fumbled the football. More conspiratorial viewers may question the dewy deck given the rare open roof at Marvel Stadium, while others will pinpoint a clear loss of composure from both sides.

The Bombers’ good news story
Safe to say, the year hasn’t started brilliantly for Essendon, but a significant highlight on Sunday evening was the return of key forward Tom Edwards from an ACL injury. Leading up at the footy, Edwards plucked the ball out of the air to go back and kick truly from just outside the arc. Importantly, every one of his teammates got around him, kickstarting not only his return to the top level, but his side’s best footy of the match. Five minutes later, he dobbed another from a similar position, proving that his return to the side is just one positive piece to the puzzle that Brad Scott can rely on as the season goes on.

Blink and you’ll miss it
Following a somewhat sloppy start from both sides, in which the Bulldogs dominated territory but couldn’t quite connect with their stacked forward line, they flicked the switch seven minutes into proceedings and never looked back. In the space of five minutes, the home side piled on the first four goals of the game, exploiting one-on-one matchups, and their superior work rate. It proved to be an ominous sign of the speed with which the Bulldogs could score, and ratcheted up the pressure on Essendon’s defence for the duration.

Arty’s party
In his first game at the top level since a nasty concussion sustained against Brisbane in Opening Round, Arty Jones made his mark on the contest early. First, a stunning long-range goal that sailed over the head of teammate Sam Davidson in the goal square. Then, not two minutes later, Jones rose above a pack in the hotspot and although he was the smallest player in the crush, he pulled down a stunning mark and followed up with a beautiful set shot to record his second major of the quarter.

WESTERN BULLDOGS             7.2    10.7    10.14     14.15 (99)
ESSENDON                              1.3    1.7      5.9        9.11 (65)

GOALS 
Western Bulldogs: Jones 3, Naughton 3, Darcy 3, Bontempelli, Bramble, Williams, Kennedy, Dolan
Essendon: Gresham 3, Edwards 2, May 2, Wright, Caldwell

BEST 
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Lobb, Sanders, Kennedy, Bramble, Naughton
Essendon: Roberts, Prior, Edwards, Durham, May

INJURIES 
Western Bulldogs: English (right knee), Jones (hamstring)
Essendon: Nil

LATE CHANGES
Western Bulldogs: Ed Richards (knee soreness), replaced in selected side by Lachie McNeil
Essendon: Nil

Crowd: 38,786 at Marvel Stadium