AFL Round 2, 2022 – Teams, selection, injuries, news, fixtures, predictions, results, tips, odds, scores and everything you need to know for the round of football

Stay abreast of all the Round 2 AFL fixtures, games, news, tips, odds, results, reaction and video as they come to hand.

Jump ahead to a particular game:

Bulldogs vs. Blues
Swans vs. Cats
Magpies vs. Crows
Bombers vs. Lions
Power vs. Hawks
Suns vs. Demons
Kangaroos vs. Eagles
Tigers vs. Giants
Dockers vs. Saints


THURSDAY, MARCH 24

Western Bulldogs vs. Carlton, Marvel Stadium, 7:20pm (AEST)

Team news: Can the Blues start the season 2-0? It’s an intriguing opener for Round 2 but Carlton will have to do it without coach Michael Voss and Jack Martin, who both tested positive to COVID-19 following the side’s Round 1 win over the Tigers. Sam Walsh could return as early as next week but will again sit out for the Blues, while Liam Stocker will undergo a test from his ankle injury. The Bulldogs will be sweating on the fitness of skipper Marcus Bontempelli, who was hobbled with an ankle injury of his own in Round 1. Last week’s late withdrawal Jason Johannisen is expected to miss with a calf issue, while new recruit Tim O’Brien will undergo a hamstring test.

ESPN tip: Bulldogs by 11 points.

TAB odds: Bulldogs $1.60, Blues $2.35


FRIDAY, MARCH 25

Sydney vs. Geelong, SCG, 7:50pm (AEST)

Team news: All eyes will again be focussed on Lance Franklin as he sets his sights on 1,000 career goals (he has four to go). Forward line partner in crime Tom Papley missed Round 1 with a hamstring injury but is a chance to play this week, along with Callum Sinclair (concussion). The Cats rolled Essendon without a host of stars, including Mitch Duncan (calf) and Sam Menegola (knee). Both are a chance to play this week, as is Mark O’Connor (knee). Speahead Jeremy Cameron was cleared of any serious internal injuries after being hospitalised following a brutal collision last week. Cameron has been diagnosed with a hip pointer injury and is in doubt for Round 2.

ESPN tip: Swans by 8 points.

TAB odds: Swans $1.70, Cats $2.15


SATURDAY, MARCH 26

Collingwood vs. Adelaide, MCG, 1:45pm (AEST)

Team news: The Magpies should regain Will Hoskin-Elliott, who was placed in COVID-19 protocols last week and missed Round 1. Nathan Kreuger is in line to return from his suspension, while Brayden Maynard still has one week of his suspension to serve out. Meanwhile, the Crows continue to be without Rory Laird (hand), Paul Seedsman (concussion) and Taylor Walker (suspension), while Rory Sloane is facing a one-week ban.

ESPN tip: Magpies by 17 points.

TAB odds: Magpies $1.44, Crows $2.80

Essendon vs. Brisbane, Marvel Stadium, 4:35pm (AEST)

Team news: The Bombers will be looking to put a horror Round 1 behind them when they face the Lions on Saturday afternoon. Ben Rutten’s side could be set to welcome back two key players in Jake Stringer (groin) and Aaron Francis (knee). Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (personal) and Michael Hurley (hip) remain out indefinitely. Brisbane had a reasonably clean bill of health before Round 1 but there’s a few headaches now. Skipper Dayne Zorko suffered a suspected Achilles injury, while Lachie Neale (finger), Daniel Rich (hip) and Jarrod Berry (shoulder) will all need to prove fitness ahead of Round 2.

ESPN tip: Lions by 22 points.

TAB odds: Bombers $2.75, Lions $1.45

Port Adelaide vs. Hawthorn, Adelaide Oval, 7:40pm (AEST)

Team news: The Power had a Round 1 to forget, losing to the Lions and suffering injuries to some key personnel. Young gun Xavier Duursma was subbed out with a collarbone concern and won’t play this week, along with Aliir Aliir (ankle) who has suffered the dreaded syndesmosis injury. Trent McKenzie looks to have avoided the dreaded ACL tear, but he too will miss, while Robbie Gray (knee) and Connor Rozee (ankle) will need to prove their fitness. There’s not as much to note with the Hawks, other than that they could welcome back Daniel Howe from concussion and Jarman Impey from an ankle injury.

ESPN tip: Power by 24 points.

TAB odds: Power $1.23, Hawks $4.20

Gold Coast vs. Melbourne, Metricon Stadium, 8:00pm (AEST)

Team news: The reigning premier kickstarted season 2022 with a big win over the Bulldogs and Simon Goodwin’s side enters Round 2 as a raging favourite. The Dees will be hopeful they can bolster their defensive stocks with Jake Lever, Michael Hibberd, Harrison Petty and Trent Rivers all missing the opener. Christian Salem was subbed out with a knee issue and is unlikely to suit up against the Suns. For Gold Coast, Sam Day could be back in the team, after he missed the Round 1 win over West Coast with a wrist complaint.

ESPN tip: Demons by 19 points.

TAB odds: Suns $4.50, Demons $1.20


SUNDAY, MARCH 27

North Melbourne vs. West Coast, Marvel Stadium, 1:10pm (AEST)

Team news: The Eagles continue to have the longest injury list of any side in the league and will travel to Melbourne this week to do battle without a host of stars. In some positive news, Tim Kelly and Liam Ryan are expected to return, having missed the opener through COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Luke Shuey, Dom Sheed, Elliott Yeo, Jamie Cripps and Oscar Allen will all undergo fitness tests. The Kangaroos are unlikely to make many changes to their side.

ESPN tip: Kangaroos by 4 points.

TAB odds: Kangaroos $1.74, Eagles $2.10

Richmond vs. GWS, MCG, 3:20pm (AEST)

play

1:39

The ESPN Footy Podcast’s Matt Walsh and Jake Michaels discuss which fresh face in the coaching ranks is under the most pressure to perform. Catch the full chat on the ESPN Footy Podcast.

Team news: It was far from the perfect start to the season for the Tigers, who lost to the Blues and suffered injuries to Dion Prestia (hamstring) and Jack Riewoldt (thumb). Neither will play in Round 2. Nick Vlastuin (hamstring) and Kamdyn McIntosh (calf) are expected to return to the team next week, but Kane Lambert (hip) remains a long-term proposition. The Giants will be hopeful of regaining Nick Haynes, who missed Round 1 with a mysterious stomach illness. Jesse Hogan is also a chance to play his first game of the season.

ESPN tip: Tigers by 14 points.

TAB odds: Tigers $1.70, Giants $2.15

Fremantle vs. St Kilda, Optus Stadium, 6:20pm (AEST)

Team news: The Dockers should welcome back skipper Nat Fyfe. The 2015 Brownlow Medal winner missed Round 1 with a shoulder injury. The club has earmarked Round 3 for Matt Taberner’s (hamstring) first game. Both Nathan Wilson (shoulder) and Matthew Johnson (foot) will undergo fitness tests. For the Saints, Paddy Ryder, Jack Billings, Jarryn Geary and Dan Hannebery are all set to undergo fitness tests of their own.

ESPN tip: Dockers by 11 points.

TAB odds: Dockers $1.58, Saints $2.40


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