Matty Stewart and Aussie Rules Legend Spida Everitt are back for another year to talk all things AFL! Get all the news happening around the league, plus expert tips for every match. Tune In weekly to ‘In The Pocket’ to get all your AFL insights.
Matty and Spida are back for Round 23 of In The Pocket, and with the home-and-away season entering its final stretch, every result is now carrying enormous finals implications. Fremantle remains on top of the ladder despite a rare slip-up, while Sydney has surged back into form at exactly the right time. Brisbane, Hawthorn, Adelaide and Melbourne continue to battle for crucial top-four positions, while the fight for the last few spots in September remains wide open.
The boys unpack all the major talking points from Round 22, including Brisbane’s emphatic 67-point statement win over Hawthorn, Melbourne handing Fremantle just its third loss of the season in a thriller at the MCG, and Sydney’s extraordinary 97-point demolition of Port Adelaide. They also dive into Geelong’s fourth straight victory as the Cats continue their late-season charge, Collingwood strengthening its hold on a finals position with a win over West Coast, and Carlton keeping its September hopes alive with a convincing victory against St Kilda.
As always, Spida delivers his trademark no-nonsense take on the competition, breaking down which teams appear best equipped for a deep finals run and which contenders still have question marks hanging over them. With Fremantle still leading the competition, Sydney rediscovering its best football, Brisbane building momentum and Geelong peaking at the right time, the boys debate who shapes as the biggest threat when September arrives.
There’s also plenty of focus on the battle around the edge of the eight. Geelong has climbed back into the finals positions after a strong month of football, while Collingwood continues to strengthen its credentials after another important victory. The Western Bulldogs remain under pressure after a costly loss to North Melbourne, while Carlton has kept itself alive with three straight wins and refuses to let the finals race slip away.
Gold Coast, GWS, North Melbourne and St Kilda are all still chasing an unlikely late-season charge, but with only a couple of rounds remaining, the margin for error has effectively disappeared. The boys discuss which club is most capable of making a final push and whether any surprises remain left in the race for September.
Looking ahead to Round 23, Matty and Spida preview another huge weekend of footy, with top-four contenders clashing, finals hopefuls facing must-win encounters, and several teams fighting to keep their seasons alive. They assess the key matchups set to shape the ladder, examine which clubs face the most pressure, and discuss who is building the momentum needed to launch a genuine premiership campaign.
To wrap things up, the boys lock in their tips for the round and reveal which teams they believe are best positioned heading into the final weeks before finals. If you’re after all the biggest AFL talking points, ladder analysis, finals projections and plenty of strong opinions, In The Pocket has everything you need heading into Round 23.