1. Hawks on a hiding to nothing

Hawthorn visits AAMI Stadium on Friday night for the second time this season, this time to take on the rabble that is Port Adelaide. It is a no-win situation for the Hawks. Win big against the worst-performed team in the league and they will have done nothing more than they were supposed to. Win small, or lose and it will be interpreted as a poor night for Alastair Clarkson's men. Port will be desperate and with eight wins from 11 matches at AAMI against the Hawks, will fancy their chances. You can get $5 for the Hawks to win by less than 40 points. Take it if you can. 

2. Apparently the Scott boys are related

As far as anyone can tell, Saturday's Geelong-North Melbourne clash marks just the third time brothers have coached against each other. Kevin Rose and Bob Rose went up against each other in the 1970s when they led Fitzroy and Footscray respectively, while Melbourne's Norm Smith coached against his brother Len in the 1950s when Len was at Fitzroy and again in 1965 when Len had crossed to Richmond. We expect Brad will be paying for Mother's Day lunch the following day after his Kangas lose to Chris's Cats. 

3. The game of the round?

Quite a few candidates here in what is a cracking round, but we're looking forward to Essendon and West Coast at Etihad Stadium on Sunday. In the corresponding clash last year, Mark LeCras bagged a lazy 12 goals for the Eagles and it was after this match that then Bombers coach Matthew Knights began shifting nervously in his seat. The Bombers have improved massively under James Hird, but the Eagles are shaping very nicely as well. Hard game to call. 

4. Road warriors

Fremantle was awarded three games at the MCG this year and the logical next step for Mark Harvey's men is to win at the venue where the serious finals are played and won. It was beyond the Dockers in 2010 - well beaten by Geelong in a semi-final - but the clash with Richmond on Saturday in a twilight game should be illuminating. The Tigers have looked good in beating North Melbourne and Brisbane in the last fortnight, but the rested Dockers represent a big step up in class. 

5. Mother's Day massacre reprised

Carlton ended a 12-match losing streak to St Kilda in emphatic fashion last year with a 61-point win over the Saints in the only Monday night clash of the year, also played the night after Mother's Day. Another loss to the Saints and we can really start to question their finals worthiness for 2011. (Although if you plan to watch the match on free-to-air TV, be warned: Channel 10 is starting its broadcast 90 minutes after the opening bounce, which means you'll be tuning in when the game is actually well into its third quarter.) 

6. Imagine there was no Collingwood

This is a great week for those who despise the black and white. The Pies have the bye.