Cooper Craig-Peters handpasses the ball during the 2026 Smithy's VFL Round 1 match between the Footscray Bulldogs and the Casey Demons at Mission Whitten Oval. Picture: Craig Dooley/AFL Photos

State of Play hosts Joe Pignataro and Gemma Bastiani run their eyes over this weekend's Smithy's VFL action.

Scoring power

Undefeated sides Geelong and Footscray will face off to open Round 4, both having shown their scoring prowess in the opening month of the season. Will it be a pure shootout? Or will the Dogs’ injuries at the top-level impact their ability to maintain a 16-game unbeaten streak which dates back to Round 8 last year? For Geelong, opening quarters have been where it sets up games, outscoring its opposition by 82 points across its three matches so far. Footscray, meanwhile, comes home with a wet sail, going plus 86 points after the main break.

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Old foes go head-to-head

Nothing screams rivalry in Australian rules footy than when Collingwood meets Carlton, and another chapter is set to be written on Friday night as the Magpies head to Ikon Park. Two of the previous three matches have been decided by under a kick, and Friday is set to be another installment in similar fashion. The Magpies are coming off their first win of the season beating Coburg a fortnight ago, while the Blues are still looking for their first victory under new coach Damian Truslove having lost to Williamstown by 5 points, and North Melbourne by 11 points in their opening fortnight of matches. The Camporeale boys are no strangers to this rivalry and will be two focal points in Carlton getting over the line in this one.

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VFL Highlights: Collingwood v Carlton

The Magpies and Blues clash in round 15

Suns feeling the pressure?

Despite carrying a host of AFL-listed names, and plenty of expectation for the 2026 VFL season, Gold Coast’s season has started with a splutter. Yet to register a win from two starts, the Suns will host Essendon in an early one on Saturday morning in the hopes of posting its first premiership points. Its losses haven’t been narrow either, going down to Werribee by 15 points, then to fellow Queenslanders Southport by 76 in round three. The Bombers, despite only landing one win to date, are no easy beats, but a Gold Coast victory this weekend could set the club back on a finals track.

Caleb Lewis in action for Gold Coast Suns during the Smithy's VFL Round 3 clash with the Southport Sharks. Picture: Highflyer Images
Podhasjki to kickstart the Burgers?

As the focal point of the Coburg forward line, Mitch Podhasjki has started 2026 where he left off in 2025. His form was underlined with a four-goal haul in the Big V win over the SANFL in last weekend's state game. While Coburg has gone loss, win for their past 12 matches, Podhasjki has been a picture of consistency in the front half. Have the Saints got the defensive system to lock down on the man who’s hit the scoreboard 31 times from his past 32 games, kicking 89 goals in that time? Or will Podhasjki get Coburg's season on a steadying track?

Back-to-back byes

Two clubs will play their first game since Round 2, with both the GWS Giants and Williamstown coming off back-to-back byes this weekend. The impact of the long break remains to be seen, and while Harvey Hooper and James Bell represented the Giants in Saturday’s State Game against the SANFL, as did Hugo Hall-Kahan and Luke Parks for the Seagulls, we may be in for a slow start from both sides. The Giants will be especially keen to get off on the right foot, given close rival Sydney is their opposition, while Williamstown is another team keen to maintain its undefeated record to start the season, as it hosts 2025 Grand Finalist Southport at DSV Stadium.