What's the big question your AFL club must answer in Round 4? Can the Blues break the drought? Will Port bounce back?
We've looked at every club and answered their biggest question ahead of this week's action.
Adelaide
vs. Melbourne, Adelaide Oval
Is the season officially over for the Crows?
Adelaide has been one of the most disappointing teams to start the year and a loss to the in-form Demons on Thursday night, to open Gather Round, would all but signal the end of the season for the club. There have been 162 team in league history start a season 0-4, just five of them have played finals. It's even more unlikely in Adelaide's case given they have lost to three average sides already and the draw is only going to get tougher. This is simply a must-win game.
Brisbane
vs. North Melbourne, Norwood Oval
Are the Lions still playing for each other?
Rumours and speculation around off-season issues have been doing the rounds over the past week. It really doesn't help that the Lions have started this season 0-3. For all the concerns and issues, they should be beating the Kangaroos without having to hit top gear, but how they play will tell us plenty about this side and its prospects. Are they in it together? Do they have each others' back? Or does it need to be blown up? Intriguing times.
Carlton
vs. Fremantle, Adelaide Oval
Can the Blues win a game at Adelaide Oval?
You might be surprised to learn Carlton has never won a game at Adelaide Oval. The Blues are 0-7 at the venue and last year, to open Gather Round, were humiliated by the Crows. If Michael Voss' side is actually legit in 2024, it has to become an 'any time, any place' team. No exceptions. And while the Dockers' 3-0 record is impressive, Carlton should be winning this one with relative ease.
Collingwood
vs. Hawthorn, Adelaide Oval
Was the win against the Lions a turning point?
Everyone will convince themselves Collingwood's win over Brisbane in last Thursday night's Grand Final rematch at the Gabba was a sign the Magpies have turned their season around. But surely we have to see it for at least another week, right? This same team lost to the Hawks late last year and doing so again would leave them at 1-4 and in a serious hole. Win it, and win it well, and they may actually 'be back'.
Essendon
vs. Port Adelaide, Adelaide Oval
Can they avenge last year's heartbreaking loss to Port?
You remember the match. Wet MCG, fading light, Dan Houston from outside the 50. The Bombers had won four of their last five heading into the clash, and talk about finals wasn't far off. Cue, the Power's last-gasp winner, and the Dons never really recovered, winning three and losing five in the final eight games of the season. The Dons have already shown they can win a tight one, beating the Saints last week. Can they double the dose on the road?
Fremantle
vs. Carlton, Adelaide Oval
Can the Dockers beat a good side?
Sure, Fremantle knocked off Brisbane in Round 1, but the Lions haven't exactly resembled a 'good side' in 2024. They then overcame North Melbourne and Adelaide to establish a 3-0 record. The Blues are a different test, however. Michael Voss' side is every bit a legitimate flag threat and, over in Adelaide, will have the majority of the crowd on their side. It's somewhat of a free hit for the Dockers. Lose and nobody will crush them. Win it and they're all of a sudden a side to take seriously.
Geelong
vs. Western Bulldogs, Adelaide Oval
Can the Cats mids keep their opponents off the scoresheet?
Last week against the Eagles, the Dogs had a wonderful spread of goalkickers. Marcus Bontempelli kicked three, Time English kicked two, and Rhylee West and Adam Treloar also hit the scoreboard. We know the Cats' defence will do its best to keep the forwards quiet, but quelling the midfield will go a long way to winning the game for the Cats.
Gold Coast
vs. GWS, Mt Barker Stadium
Who can shut down Tom Green?
The Giants are flying and so too is their midfield star, Tom Green, who is the new Brownlow Medal favourite. Green is averaging almost 34 disposals, 16 contested possessions, eight clearances, and seven tackles per game, doing all of his damage on the outside and setting up his runners. If the Suns are any chance of causing the upset, they must slow him down. If he gets off the chain, which he's been accustomed to doing, they're no chance.
GWS
vs. Gold Coast, Mt Barker Stadium
Can the Giants separate themselves from the pack?
The Giants might be the new premiership favourites but this weekend offers a great opportunity to establish a bit of a gap between them and the chasing pack. Last week, their cross-town rival Sydney stumbled at the MCG, while the Blues can't seem to win at Adelaide Oval. If the Giants can take advantage and put the Suns to the sword, they may leave Adelaide not only looking like the best side in the land, but one that's a step above everyone else.
Hawthorn
vs. Collingwood, Adelaide Oval
Can the Hawks find the answer to do a number on the Pies ... again?
Last year, the Hawks got Collingwood at a good time. They were battered, bruised and coming off a tough loss to the Blues. Hawthorn ran rings around them, and managed to shut down Nick Daicos through a Finn Maginness tag, to record one of the most surprising wins of the season. Can they repeat the dose? Expect Maginness to play a similar role on Daicos and Sam Mitchell to dig deep into his bag of tricks to try and cause another monumental boilover.
Melbourne
vs. Adelaide, Adelaide Oval
Can a week in Adelaide close the home-field advantage gap?
Melbourne, who knocked off Port Adelaide on Saturday night, will be spending the week in Adelaide getting acclimatized to the conditions and ground ahead of their Gather Round opener against Adelaide. No non-South Australian-based side has won more games at Adelaide Oval than the Demons and while the Crows will obviously have the bulk of support, it's hardly foreign territory for Simon Goodwin's group. Two things can happen on Thursday night: the Demons can stake their premiership claims and end Adelaide's year.
North Melbourne
vs. Brisbane, Norwood Oval
Can the Roos defend Brisbane's talls better than they did the Blues?
The inexperienced North Melbourne defensive pair of Aiden Corr and Toby Pink were totally outclassed by Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay last week, the pair combining for nine goals. Another tricky challenges lies in store this week, Joe Daniher and an Eric Hipwood looking to make amends for a disappointing showing against the Magpies. If the Roos' defensive unit can't hold up significantly better than it did last week, it's going to be another ugly loss for Alastair Clarkson.
Port Adelaide
vs. Essendon, Adelaide Oval
Can the Power convert their inside 50s better against the Dons?
Every metric you look at would suggest Port Adelaide should have beaten Melbourne on Saturday night. Amazingly, they finished the game +21 in inside 50s. If Port is a team to be taken seriously, they simply must get better at putting that dominance on the scoreboard. Ken Hinkley can't allow this to become a trend and must find a way to turn it into a positive sooner rather than later.
Richmond
vs. St Kilda, Norwood Oval
Who can stand up without Tom Lynch?
Souring the impressive win over Sydney on Sunday afternoon was the hamstring injury sustained by Tom Lynch late in the contest, one which is expected to require surgery. It begs the question, who can fill the void of Richmond's dominant key forward? It will have to be someone other than Noah Balta, too. Balta was another late casualty against the Swans, suffering a moderate MCL injury which is expected to keep him sidelined for three to five weeks. Tough times ahead.
St Kilda
vs. Richmond, Norwood Oval
Can the Saints be consistent?
St Kilda's best is close to formidable. They look like world beaters, as the Magpies discovered in Round 1, and appear destined for the top eight. But their worst is as lacklustre as it gets. Last week they coughed up a big lead to the struggling Bombers, falling to 1-2 on the season. This week they get the Tigers, who are coming off their first win of the year, and they really should be winning it. But who knows what we'll get...
Sydney
vs. West Coast, Mt Barker Stadium
Can the small forwards find their pressure again?
This past weekend, Sydney laid just four tackles inside 50 against Richmond. It was a game in which the Swans' pressure really dropped off and, as a result, they were found out against an inferior opposition. Despite the loss, nobody, absolutely nobody, will give the Eagles any chance of adding to Sydney's misery, but John Longmire and his coaching staff will surely want to see them ratchet that pressure up to the levels that helped them fly out of the gates in season 2024.
West Coast
vs. Sydney, Mt Barker Stadium
How do the Eagles generate more scores?
70 points. 43 points. 30 points. The Eagles are having a tough time doing a lot of things, but scoring has to be at the top of the list. Amazingly, in last weekend's 76-point loss to the Bulldogs, they generated the same amount of inside 50s as their opposition. They just can't seem to generate meaningful shots on goal. The connection needs to get better and the entries must be deeper if they are to worry a Sydney side that'll be hungry for redemption after a shock loss to the Tigers.
Western Bulldogs
vs. Geelong, Adelaide Oval
Can the Bulldogs' talls make Geelong's defence accountable?
The Bulldogs should be able to stretch the Cats' back six on Saturday night, a side which is sweating on the health of star player Tom Stewart. It's over to Aaron Naughton and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan to deliver in a primetime game, against a quality opposition. Don't be surprised if Tim English spends some time inside 50, too.