Bring-Back-Powell

13 wins has always appeared to have been the magic number to make finals. However in 2018, this may not be enough to sneak in. The two factors in season 2018 as to why 13 wins may not be enough are as follows: 1. The amount of rubbish sides that have already fallen off the cliff by round 12. In my below ladder prediction, I have not factored in 1 potential upset caused by Bulldogs, GC, Brisbane, Carlton and St Kilda on the top 11 sides of the comp that are all vying for a final spot. You could not fathom any of those sides causing an upset on the road home. 2. The bottom 6 draws afforded to Collingwood and North Melbourne. As good as these sides have been this year, they will benefitted from an easy draw throughout the year, and this fact alone may see both of them nudge us out of the finals. While we have a horror last 6 weeks in terms of playing quality sides, Collingwood and North play a fair few bottom dwellers on the run home. Furthermore, you only have to go back to 2012 when North finished 8th with 14 wins and nudged out St Kilda with 12 wins and a bloody good percentage of 123. Similar to this year, sides such as GWS, GC and Melbourne couldn’t win a game to save themselves which meant that top 8-10 sides were winning more games than normal. Here is my top 11 ladder predictor after round 23. I have factored in the 4 wins we should be taking care of (St Kilda, Freo, Bulldogs and GC) and a win over GWS at the MCG which looks like a touch task at this stage. The bottom line is we’re going to have to pinch another of those tough games to get to 14and be a certainty. SYDNEY 17-5 WEST COAST 16-6 RICHMOND 16-6 COLLINGWOOD 16-6 GEELONG 15-7 NORTH MELB 15-7 PORT 15-7 GWS 13-8-1 MELBOURNE 13-9 ADELAIDE 13-9 HAWTHORN 12-10

Hasn’t gotten over his chance encounter with Lebron James and is too busy writing his AFL Hall of fame speech.

For what it's worth Jon Ralph (last night) was of the opinion it will be "Josh Smith". I assume he meant Joel Smith. For anyone that saw us play the Dogs at Whitten Oval in the JLT last year would've been excited by Smith's performance that day. Took intercept marks, won one-on-ones, strong in contests and was overall promising as the second or third key defender. He also started off the 2017 season like a rocket V's St Kilda before Riewoldt put him out of business for 3 months. I personally don't think Frost will play again for the club unless we have an injury crisis. He was out of favour late last year, he only played JLT 2 this year because Oscar went off injured, and then stuffed up again in a mistake riddled performance V's Hawthorn.

I'd focus on re-signing Brayshaw and T Mac first. Then Gaff comes after that.

25K tops. Dogs fans won't bother and we'll get more MFC fans than usual, but we still don't 'travel' to Etihad.

I find it funny that the media have said we haven't beaten anyone (despite beating last year's grand finalist). Last time I checked we beat 5th placed North Melbourne (6-4) who the same media are absolutely fawning over. You can't have it both ways.

I'm shocked Garlett's not playing since his Aunt designed this week's strip. Call me naive, but I honestly thought it was set up for Spargo to be rested and Garlett return for a little sentiment.

I think the entire footy world has forgotten how good Adelaide are, despite missing a few best 22. Only 4 weeks ago they beat Sydney in Sydney with an even more depleted side than the one they're putting out Sunday. 80% of the media has gone for us which is incredible. Would be one of the great wins of recent years if we get it done this week.

I reckon in a few years we'll be back to wearing white clash strips. Every year or 2 clubs seem to want/have to change the designs, and New Balance will probably come up with a mostly white jumper down the track. Seems like clash jumpers go around in circles for some clubs.

I agree as well. A lot here are severely underrating Adelaide. Remember they beat Sydney in Sydney with an even more depleted side than what they'll put out on Sunday. Would be one our great wins in recent year if we could get out of Alice with a win over a bona-fide top side.

Seriously, if we drop our bundle and cop a heavy defeat to Adelaide on the back of one player out of our best 22 missing, we're not the team I was hoping we'd become this year. Yes, Tom's been in excellent form, but surely we can cover him for hopefully just the one game. If Pedo produces 70% of what T Mac could and everyone else continues their great form, we're still a good chance on Sunday.

Anyone know the turnaround of a scan result? 24 hours?

Yes, he usually plays his obligatory great game when he returns to the seniors, then gradually gets worse by the week. Is T Mac really that critical to our structure that we can't win without him? I really hope not.

More details please.

Result to benefit Melbourne: Adelaide V Dogs - Probably Dogs, as we'll go ahead of Adelaide on the ladder if we win. However, the danger of the Dogs winning is that it will establish themselves as another team in the finals race. North V GWS - Probably GWS as I figure they'll get it right in the end and finish top 6. We need North to start losing a few games as we're now in a direct battle for them for 8th spot and North have an easier fixture than us. GC V Port - Obviously GC. And obviously Port will win. Essendon V Geelong - Clearly Essendon as we'd go ahead of Geelong if we win. St Kilda V Collingwood - Saints for sure. Like North, Pies are in a direct battle with us for 7th-8th. Sydney V Freo - Similar to the Adelaide game in that for the short term we'd rather Freo win so we'd go a game ahead of Sydney. However this would be a bonus win for Freo and it would strengthen their credentials of a 7th-8th spot finish, and more challenges for us. Brisbane V Hawthorn - Brisbane in a heart beat, We win we go a win ahead of Hawthorn. West Coast V Richmond - Richmond. I figure Richmond will finish top so it's better for us if WC lose, and hopefully their second half won't be as good as their first half - hence a drop down the ladder.

Yeah I reckon Dermie had had a few morning/arvo frothies before coming on AFL 360 last night. Slobbo's a genius in this are and he picked up on it. I don't see the point in these games except for Port making a nice quid out of it. 99.99% of the crowd will either be Aussie ex pats of Aussies travelling over for the game. On a side note, there's talk that GC are out of China for next year, and a VIC side such as St Kilda or Carlton will get the gig. Hope it's not us!

Surprised St Kilda have more members (500-1000) than us considering we've had more members than them the last 3 years, and also factoring in their horrid start to the season. We have 3,000 more members than North, who themselves have slipped a little over the last couple of years. The Dogs don't publish their number but I suspect their membership has shrunk since the 16-17 off season.

Lewis, Salem and T Mac are just as good as Watts when it comes to set shots.

Considering Garlett's aunty designed the indigenous round jumper for the Adelaide game, I'd expect he'll be either in this week or next.

Both Curnow boys sent directly to the tribunal for intentionally touching an umpire. Ed will certainly be suspended, but I didn't see the Charlie one. Charlie starred against us last year in the second encounter.

Petracca is in poor form. A week at Casey won’t hurt.

I hope Mrs Oliver doesn’t mind me mentioning this but I bumped into her and Clarry’s Dad, at a pub across the road from the Gabba before the game. An absolute bubbly and engaging lady she is. All she wanted today was to see a Dee win In his under 18 year, he switched TAC clubs because his initial coach simply didn’t rate him and said to him “You’re not good enough to play AFL”. He changed clubs and the rest is history. Apparently we were heavily considering Parish and Francis but we landed on the great man! Clarry would’ve been happy to be taken in the 50’s. Mr Oliver is a diehard Hawks supporter but was wearing the Demon attire today. Perhaps seeing Clarry holding the cup might make him a Dee for life!

Who do we hope wins? 1) Always nice to see Hawks lose. 2 a) if Sydney lose we go ahead of them if we win 2 b) Sydney have a soft 4 weeks coming up so they’ll be hanging around top 4 by late June even if they lose 2nite. IMO Sydney will win.

Epic crowd of about 25k for Friday night footy