CHF

Looking at this team it will be interesting to see how the coaching team play this. In defence I think we look a little short but, given the way our defence went last week with some of the contests we ended up watching, it would be a continuation of the way we play. expect to see Bugg on Waite at some stage. May need Frost back there at some stage and Watts as a loose man during the last 5 of each quarter. In the forwards I think we will still have some firepower to kick a score even without Garlett. We need to be a bit smarter than we were last week and get the ball in quicker and leave a bit of room for Hogan to work in. Between the arcs I would crowd it as much as possible with Kent, Harmes, vandenBerg and even kennedy draiging their defenders up into the area as they rotate through. Crowd the midfield and do not let Norf get an easy ball. May line up like this on Sunday B: Jetta, McDonald, BuggHB: Lumumba, Dunn SalemC: Vince, Tyson, OliverHF:vandenBerg, Watts, HarmesF: Kent, Hogan, KennedyFoll: Gawn, N Jones, VineyI/C : M Jones, Stretch, Frost, Wagner

Up on the club website Melbourne team: round three B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Tomas BuggHB: Matt Jones, Heritier Lumumba, Christian SalemC: Bernie Vince, Dom Tyson, Clayton OliverHF: Jack Watts, Aaron vandenBerg, James HarmesF: Dean Kent, Jesse Hogan, Ben KennedyFoll: Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Jack VineyI/C (from): Lynden Dunn, Billy Stretch, Sam Frost, Josh WagnerEmg: Cameron Pedersen, Alex Neal-Bullen, Jack GrimesIn: Lynden Dunn, Sam Frost, Josh Wagner, Billy StretchOut: Jeff Garlett (ankle), Colin Garland, Angus Brayshaw, Cameron Pedersen Dunn and Wagner to cover the back line and frost to cover forward and Ruck The rest to run their collective nuts off and tackle everything in sight with a ball.

Hard to get "up" for it this week..... but..... we roll on to Round 3. Take no notice of my tips. After 7 out of 9 the first week I fronted up with 4 out 9 last Round. I just cannot understand it my predictions are perfect but the teams let me down. TOTAL: 11 after 2 Rounds First up on Friday night are the Other Team in Adelaide Vs the Drug Cheats. Based on Last week’s scores the Other Team (TOT) should win by a goal. I am really trying to be enthusiastic about the games this week but after TDC ran around us like training cones it is really difficult. TOT lost the Showdown last week and want to make sure they do not go two in a row against TDC. Two in a row….where have I heard that before? I am also sure that TOT will not play midgets on Smokin’ Joe. Prediction: OTO by 6 goals which will show how crap we were last week. Saturday Afternoon at The ‘G’ with the Aints Vs. Eddies Loved Ones Loved Ones scrapped home by a solitary against the Tiges last week and Bucks was over the moon. “I don’t think either side played particularly well.” See? Over the moon…. St. Nick’s boys kicked 15 goals last week to be beaten by 5 goals…suffer baby. Prediction: On the big stage…Saturday afternoon…. Aints in an upset to score their first points of the season and Bucks in the hot seat…. I can dream can’t I? Also Saturday Arvo at the Home away from Home Tiges Vs Cows. Ho-Hummmmm If the AFL want to put some excitement into the game they should stage this at the G at the same time as the Aints and A Holes game. It would work, believe me. Hard one to call this. Hardon accused his players of playing “unintelligent football..” hello… Dims, Maaate… don’t waste words Richmond…. Unintelligent….football…. two words too many there and it aint Richmond or football. But, Wow oh wowie, how good are those Cows …..and the Dees are just behind them on percentage. Please, please…no correspondence will be entered into. Prediction: Love to see The Cows bury the Tiges by a point this week…. If there is a god….. please. Saturday Sideely Showdown Swannies Vs Getting better Western Siddeelly Couple of winners from last week with the Swannies just a bit more winningly. Hope you can make sense of that. When I said it in my head it kinda made sense. Leon the Cameron took the Presser prize from last week with the following statement about Mumford… "I said to him during the week that I reckon by round three or round four, he's going to be absolutely cherry ripe." Love that term “cherry ripe” …. should be used more. Turnbull is cherry ripe. Believe me…… off shore tax havens are cherry ripe… Ask the Icelandic PM. The Swannies and Horse has them purring along…. Is it possible Swans purr? 2-0 cannot be better than that after 2 Rounds Prediction: Swannies 3-0 after this weekend. Could be the game of the Round Saturday Night in the cow paddock out the back of Surfers - Sons of Ablett Vs Boos There is one game each round where you look at it and think that mercy rule should be applied. This is it this Round. Poor Boos, accused of over acting during the week and they were so poor at that that the only ones they could convince were the blind maggots. Just as well they only vote on the Brownlow and not the Oscars. As bad as the Boos are going the Sons of are travelling great. 2-0 so far and looking down the barrel of an easy evening. It will be easy for them, a doddle, walk in the park… as easy as the Dees win last week….oops, hold on. Prediction; Sons by a lot. The last one on Saturday is on the other side of our vast land with the Ex-Druggies vs The Duckers. Now, I realise I go on about this but “DS” is not a stadium… really, it isn’t. It is a footy ground with pretensions. The showdown of the Flat Earthers from the west. Ross The Boss has the Duckers travelling well with a perfect record in the first two games of the season…. Lost ‘em both…. Perfect. The Ex-Druggies are not on that pace having won their opening encounter and then dropping the next to the sons of. Damn, I laughed. I am sure this will be an entertaining game for those living west of the Nullabor and I hope that it is a nil all draw. Prediction; do I have to? Really? Ok. Ex-druggies by 10 goals. Got a spasm in my brain typing that. First up on Sunday is Norf Vs The not-so-shiney-Dees at BA??? BA? Just as well it is not a Stadium. A ground named after a boot…. Not even a footy boot. Firstly I think it is a good thing that after their putrid display against the Drug Cheats last week that the Dees have been exiled to Two-Head Island. Unfortunately, I understand that they will be allowed to come back to Melbourne. It is also a good thing that we have had an extra day to recover as I am sure Roos is right that a few of the boys were tired…. Tired… playing round 2…. Tired…. Give me a break. This is supposed to be a professional sporting team. Tell it like it was Roos. Bigheaded players that had pocketed the 4 points…. Bad selection on Thursday night and even worse match day coaching. Surely it cannot get much worse….. Surely…. Yep It can. I would like to believe they will bounce back. But……. We play a team full of older bodies with experienced heads on their shoulders. The wonder of transplants…. Prediction: look away now… I beseech you, look away… Norf by whatever they like… a slow motion train wreck Sunday afternoon at the Home away from Home Everybodies Second Team vs, The Bouncing Dorks Wanna see the Bullies run over the top of the bouncers. Down one week, up the next…. If they remain true to form this is a down week. Besides, who could not like a team who’s Coach loves to skate board. If we could get him to the Dees he could take up downhill skiing or snowboarding. Now the Dorks…I am not convinced. The last few seasons have all been down to good luck, the bounce of the ball, good coaching and the AFL Commission. This is a season too far for them. I hope. Bored with them now. Prediction: Bullies by a goal or two. Last one of the Sunday games at Kardy Park down the Highway with Handbaggers Vs Leppa’s Cubs Scott of the Chris Variety told reporters after his loss last week "We don't make excuses, so I'd appreciate if you don't make excuses for our players as well." Huh? His players were not tired? Bigheaded? He did not make bad decisions/ this guy just does not know how to play the game. Blame the players…. Blame the players…. Make excuses, or, at least infer them. But I digress… this game will be slightly less boring than the game over in the West. The handbaggers with fight to remain relevant in a season where they will use the lights out of Danger and burn him out. Leppa’s boys? Well they will run around, kick a few and handball to each other but really, all they will be doing is sorting the poos. (going through the motions) Prediction: Handbaggers to ride danger home once more. Another one D&Ded.

Taking a look or two at the replays is a difficult thing to do but trying to look for the problems and causes is an interesting thing to do. You do not need the brain power of a rocket surgeon to identify them. Roos says that some of the players looked tired and others were 'big headed". If the players were tired in the second round of matches then the club has major problems. It is the fault of the conditioning staff and coaches to send out players that are tried. If the players, any of them, are bigheaed going out thinking all they have to do is turn up to get the 4 points then that is the fault of the coaching staff. (I bet the club cringe looking at the articles on the website with talk of two in a row). If we made bad decisions at selection that is the fault of the match committee. Being second to the ball, hanging back to let others do the work and finger pointing during the game sits squarely with the players and the on-field leadership. Allowing the same situation such as Hogan not leading and allowing himself to double and triple teamed from the first quarter and through the game is the fault of unimaginative and inflexible gameday coaching. The defensive coach should be asked to explain how Daniher can end up in a marking contest with Nathan Jones, Jetta and Garland and told it will not happen again if he values his job. If this all happens again this week we are going to be reduced to a rabble. Norf's midfield will carve us up, their forwards will mark every thing in sight and they will kick 20/25 goals. What to do? clear out the forward 50 and try to get Hogan one on one leave him space to lead into. The delivery last week was so slow that there was no room for any movement once the ball floated in. The rest of the forwards play in the middle and jam it up to try to cut down Norf's midfield effectiveness. The midfield need to run and run hard in numbers with both the ball in hand and when chasing the ball. Against the Drug Cheats we had no numbers at the ball or in support of the player with the ball. Defence, Get to your man and play him all day. Last week the defence spent as much time finger pointing and discussing who goes where and to whom as they did playing footy. absolute rubbish. Across the board the club needs to lift from last week. the players, the coaching staff, all the support staff, They need to understand all the work they have done over the last 6/7 months is on the line. It will all be for nothing if they drop their heads and play deeply unintelligent football as they did last week. We have played one and a half good quarters of football out of 8 so far. Half the first quarter and all the last quarter in the first round. Just not good enough and not enough to give the supporters any hope.

Not to blow my own trumpet here but this is my preview of the game posted last Monday in the "different preview" thread. First up on Friday night at the G - Pies Vs Tiges. Dear oh dear, I have already read someone describing this as a ‘Blockbuster’. Some people have no imagination, intelligence or common sense and most of them are sports reporters (I'm looking at you, Robbo.). Pies not only got pantsed last week but the Swans had time to wash, dry and iron them before giving them back in individually wrapped cellophane baggies. Some of the players were seen carefully folding the baggies for later use. Rumour has it that Eddie has a club sanctioned barber coming in to shave all players heads. Hair testing….good luck with that. The Tiges will fancy their chances against the Inepts only because they were slightly less inept in their draw against the Boos. I just hope these two do not sully the sacred turf with their collective ineptitude. Prediction: Tiges by 2 goals, they may be the only two goals of the match.

The standard of this game is very poor and these two get to do it all over again on a Friday evening later in the season. At that stage it might well be a battle of the also rans. What is even worse is that The drug Cheats have THREE, that's right, THREE Friday night games while we have ZERO. Next Friday against Port should be a good advert for the game, Later in the season we can all watch them 'play' against the dorks and then still later they play the ex-druggies, WCE. Justice?

Last week I said that it would be won in the midfield and that we needed a coaching team that was alert, flexible and responsive. Coming back from 3+ goals down in the last quarter with some structural changes and good on field leadership showed me that we are developing very well and that we are being coached well. This week we need exactly the same. The threat is that we will go to sleep a bit because of the hype around the Drug Cheats team. Coulda beens, has beens and who the hell are they? there is also the supporters of the Drug Cheats team. I refer to them thus as I believe that, while none of the current players have been found guilty of ingesting performance enhancing drugs, I believe that the Club, and people within the club made the decisions that lead to the players taking the drugs. Enough about that, there is a footy game to be won and we have a very handy team that will be trying to do this on Saturday. Back line for the second week without Dunn. B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Heritier LumumbaHB: Matt Jones, Colin Garland, Christian Salem Lumumba in and OMac out. That is an improvement in my mind. Omac will improve but needs to do so in the Casey side once his ankle is right. TMac to Daniher and shuffle the rest around to find effective matchup. A few can rotate back there as HBF and Pedersen and even Watts can go back there i an emergency. Forwards have lost Frost, and, Like Omac, I think there is good upside to Frost in time, HF: Jack Watts, Cam Pedersen, James HarmesF: Dean Kent, Jesse Hogan, Jeff Garlett Good blend of different talent in that group to my mind. Pedersen and Hogan need a bit more coordination in how they work together and Harmes needs to improve a bit from last week. he can do so. he was effective last week. I am not worried about Hogan scoring. just his presence in the team opens up opportunities for others around him. Who will play on Watts? in his present form he looks like he can play any type of game he wants to. Put a tall on him and he will run him all over the ground. put a smaller player on him and he will outmark. Midfield has a bunch of good hard bodies willing to work hard. C: Bernie Vince, Jack Viney, Aaron vandenBergFoll: Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Dom TysonI/C: Angus Brayshaw, Clayton Oliver, Tom Bugg, Ben Kennedy Lots of run and talent there and they are looking as if they are starting to work as a unit. they are playing for each other and by my count with the others in the team, there are 15 or so players that can run in the midfield. given the interchange rules and the way teams are playing, this is important to enable the run to continue through out the game. Gawn with Pedersen as a 5min backup works for me but we need to ensure that if max goes forward we have a system in place for that to work effectively. A couple of ways this game can go. If we are not sharp and 'on' for this game from the first bounce we may find ourselves in a close dogfight. If we do hit it and hit it hard from the outset we could be in for a big winning margin. If it is the second case I want to see us being ruthless. First quarter important. Dees by 45 points min.

Anyone got any idea when we might expect and injury list update from the club?

OMac out and Dunn in is a given I would have thought, injury or not. As for the rest, if Brayshaw is ready to go then he comes in and then there is the decision as to who gets dropped. I lean towards one of Frost/Pedersen for Brayshaw. if pressed I would go for Frost to be dropped and Pedersen retained. Hogan and Watts with Pedersen rotating with Gawn as required for 5 mins per quarter. VDB can be a third/fourth tall in the forwards when required. In the midfield I would be letting a few know they needs to step up as there are players lining up for a crack at their places in the team.

Round 2 Preview. Getting in early this week as there is no chance I will become any smarter during the week. Let’s start with last week. Got a couple wrong last round. Firstly, by calling the Tiges/Boos match a draw. I feel as if I had a moral victory with that one. Tiges did not deserve it and Boos could not win it. And Danger beat the Dorks, who woulda thunk it? Of course the highlight of the Round was the victory by the Mighty Dees. Be still my fluttering heart. Now this next round should provide some highlights First up on Friday night at the G - Pies Vs Tiges. Dear oh dear, I have already read someone describing this as a ‘Blockbuster’. Some people have no imagination, intelligence or common sense and most of them are sports reporters (I'm looking at you, Robbo.). Pies not only got pantsed last week but the Swans had time to wash, dry and iron them before giving them back in individually wrapped cellophane baggies. Some of the players were seen carefully folding the baggies for later use. Rumour has it that Eddie has a club sanctioned barber coming in to shave all players heads. Hair testing….good luck with that. The Tiges will fancy their chances against the Inepts only because they were slightly less inept in their draw against the Boos. I just hope these two do not sully the sacred turf with their collective ineptitude. Prediction: Tiges by 2 goals, they may be the only two goals of the match. Still Saturday in Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval (love descriptive names) Cows Vs. The other team from Adelaide. The whole of Adelaide get their knickers in a twist about these games and the rest of Australia do whatever it is they do when they realise that they should be in awe of whatever is happening in the Town That Time Forgot and could not give a fat rat's clacker. Just hope that these two belt the living suitcase out of each other and 3 or 4 from each team get suspensions. Cows were losers last time playing at the home away from home and they deserved it. The other team from Adelaide got 4 points for playing the Aints. Cows deserve another beating. Too old too slow. Prediction: Port to dominate – 6 goal win. Saturday afternoon footy at the ‘G’ again for the Mighty Dees and this time against The Drug Cheats. This week we are the ‘visitors’ to our home ground. TDC should not be allowed on to the ground unless they have all had chlorine showers and passed drug tests. This should include all coaching staff. We want a ‘clean’ game. TDC Cool-aid supporters will walk to the ‘G’ as a show of support for their much maligned, persecuted, poorly treated ‘players’. The rumour that a few of them will be dragging crosses is unfounded as is the one that old Clay Feet James will be attending the walk. He would not be allowed to walk but will be born at shoulder height in a sedan chair carried by drug fueled fanatics as is only right for French royalty. Scum! Dees to step up from their win last week and play at least 3 quarters and win going away. Prediction: Dees by plenty As we go around the grounds this Saturday we are at the Gabba for The Pride VS Norf. Yes, Jack we have the close on here! Lepper’s Pride goes before a fall …..2 mins to go and a point in it! Nah, I lie, I am delusional. After a wander back and forth across the Nullabor against a winning Norf coached by “Scott no friends except his brother” they will not get anything out of the first two rounds. Heard someone mention that Norf had a win last week I asked how Carey played, got nothing back except quizzical looks. They looked even more puzzled when I asked about Archer’s performance. I had to explain who these guys were and that if Boomer was till trotting out these other two could not be far behind him. Prediction: Norf My goodness gracious me! More Saturday games and we travel to inner Melbourne to the Home Away from Home to preview Aints Vs Dogs. Ok, I am going to dive into the doggies hype, put on the flippers, goggles and snorkel and swim around in it. They are burning bright across the dull night sky playing exciting footy to warm the hearts of the footy faithful.. well that is what is being reported and I believe all that I read. The Aints, on the other hand, are a guttering candle fighting against the cold dawn light of reality. (just read that again… damn that is a line that is too good to be wasted on the Aints). St Nick looking towards the North pole. May well be a season of ‘Honorable’ loses for the Aints. Prediction: Another loss for the Aints and this one may not be honorable. Last but least on Saturday Night we can all stay glued to our TVs to watch the losing Duckers Vs the Sons of Ablett being played somewhere west of most other places in civilized Australia at a ground with a name. Maybe this will be the close one. Freo might turn up to play and the Sons might get weary from travel. Hmmm that is one ‘Maybe’ and two ‘Mights’ in the first two sentences. This is a reflection of the fact I do not have a clue about this game or the teams involved and even less care as to who might win it, maybe. Prediction: Freo to squeeze it due to their ‘dead cat bounce’ after their display last week Three big games on Sunday kick off with Greater than what? Western Sydney Vs Danger this is to be played at a ground designated “MO” on the ALF site. No idea…anyone? Anyone? The Gnats MO last round against the Mighty Dees was to counter punch the goals through. Had a few problems finding the right direction on the kicks but I believe that they used the game to lull the rest of the comp into a false sense of security. You just wait, they will come good and their supporters have the perfect excuse for a loss. “If only we had kicked straight!” hide behind that thought, suckers. Geelong MO is to give it to Danger and sit back and watch. I am sure Danger was to supposed play for us this season. Juddies Gran said it was so. Prediction: Handbaggers by a couple Second of the Sunday three with the Reigning Premiers Vs The Ex-druggies at the G. Dorks came second in a two horse race last round and the Exs won one at home. At least I think I read somewhere they won. I am sure they did, against one of the other teams. (see I am on top of my game, over all of it… detail Robbo…Detail.. ya can’t beat it!). This is a hard one for me to call as I think the Dorks will open their account for the season and get the 4 points but I really do not want them to do well this season. I am bored with them and Clarko. Bring back Jeff. I want to see him and Eddy go at it in the Cage. But I digress. The game. Hmmm yes, what to say about the ex-druggies. They come from Perth, won last week and will fly to Melbourne for the game. (See what I did there? Robbo, I stuck with the facts. Good reporting huh?) Prediction: Dorks.. who cares about the margin except for the diehard punters. (this is the opinion piece Robbo. Get back to me when you can define the difference between facts and opinion) Last one on Sunday at the Home away from Home Boos Vs Sydelly. Ignoring The Drug Cheats who I believe will come last, I think the Boos are a good thing to be propped up by them and be the first team in the history of Footy to get awarded a wooden spoon because the team below them is rubbed out because of drug cheating. The Drug Cheats got their wooden spoon in 2012 in my book. Boos to look good for a quarter or so and then wake up to the fact that they are not really that good and to tank it for the Swannies. Buddy to kick a bag (if I repeat this each week, one round I will be right). Prediction: Swannies by a few. Just to raise the culture level of this I end with a favorite quote from none other than Hemmingway. “Always do sober what you said you would do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.” Another round done and dusted.

From all reports this preseason we have had improvement across the board and I put that down to a good, competent coaching squad. I have to give them the benefit of the doubt when it comes to selection of the team. Looks as if they want to ensure that we give every one the message that you have to be fit to run out the game without any doubts. i will support that.

I do not have the same concerns with regard to Omac as many on here as I believe that, as is the case in just about any game I have watched, it will be won and lost in the midfield. If we do not have the pressure in the center then, no matter who is in the defensive arc we are in trouble. We need the guys in the middle to be there all day and then some. Lets have a look at who will be in the middle tomorrow. Vince, Viney, VDB, N. Jones, Tyson, Oliver, M. Jones, Salem, Harmes, Kent, Garlett, Bugg, Kennedy. From My point of view that is 13 players we have capable of spending time in the middle. To that I might also add Watts. There is some real quality in that group and if they can do what is asked of them then it will help with any pressure on our defence. We are now defensive all over the ground rather than waiting for the ball to come to us and then reacting. We are more proactive and that comes from all of our players, not just the mids. We also need our coaches to be smart, fast and intelligent in their game analysis and reactions to the evolving situations. We have the players, the coaches and leadership in both groups, now we need the application of all. Dees by a few goals.

They are warming up the microwaves down Richmond way.

There, There 3Dee... here's a nice cuppa. Drink it up and have a nice lie down.

From all reports this preseason we have had improvement across the board and I put that down to a good, competent coaching squad. I have to give them the benefit of the doubt when it comes to selection of the team. Looks as if they want to ensure that we give every one the message that you have to be fit to run out the game without any doubts. i will support that.

Surprised by OMac over Dunn but not concerned as we have plenty of flexible cover for defence.

Ya got me there Ralphie. Should have written it up as the Little League curtain raiser for the main game.

Ok, Have not done this for a while (did it a bit on ‘ology) but as it is Round 1 of season 2016 I thought I might have a crack at working without the safety net of intelligence or forethought and give you all the benefit of my deep (mirror like depth) footy knowledge and preview the round. First up on Thursday night at the home of the Dees - Tiges Vs Boos. What a cracker to start the season, the Finals Specialists Vs Mick’s Exs. Wow oh wowie! We will all be hanging on every bounce of the ball. The Tiges are on a hiding to nothing and I think that is a beautiful thing. They win it and we all shrug and say “Yeah. Whatever…. They were always going to win”… they lose it and after we stop laughing at the Tiges we sit back and watch the faithful melt down and warm up the micorwave. The Boos have a few players… I am sure they do, somewhere, but, for the life of me I cannot recall their names. It will come to me. Yeah that Betts guys, he’s good. ..And Garlett and Waite… what a forward line. Opps. What? Nah, I must have just read the wrong paper. Prediction: a draw with Jack The Bolt kicking a point with the last kick of the game for the Tiges. Now for the big one: Saturday afternoon at the HOME of FOOTBALL the Mighty Dees take on GWS. GWS??? GWS??? Seriously, What does that even stand for? I have been to Western Sydney, once, and, believe me, there is nothing great or greater about the place. GWS.. Got Wet Sometime? Nah, never rains out there. Going With Sister? Maybe. Anywoo, the game – expect to see the Dees carry on from the end of last season as this is the second half of Round 23 game and we all know we run on during the second half of the game. Cannot give a preview of this game without mentioning Scully, hope that Gawn gives him his customary farewell at the end of the game as they discuss the finer points of Chinese cuisine. Prediction: Mighty Dees by a couple of goals easing up. Still Saturday afternoon at Metricon Stadium GCFC Vs TDC (The Drug Cheats) Firstly, it is not a stadium, it’s a stumble in a cow paddock out the back of a blight on the landscape. Now that I have that out of the way let us discuss this matchup. More chance of me getting pregnant than the Cheats winning this one. End of preview. I love the Cheats new away strip…. They have decided to play without shorts so that opposing teams do not have to remove them. Will be less painful that way for all concerned. Prediction: Sons Anything above 80 points Saturday night at “insert sponsor name here” Stadium Norf Vs Cows. This place should be called the Home of Visiting Interstate Teams, the home away from home you have when you want a nice peaceful night without too many people around. Look, I know some people care about this game. I am not one of them. There are people that take their footy tipping very seriously and these people will analyse these teams, look at matchups, listen to the coache’s pressers and then take a guess and not think too much more about it. North, the last time they were relevant Carey was locked up in a toilet somewhere discussing plumbing with someone else’s wife. Adelaide are all over the place like a blind man with an epileptic guide dog. No danger (get it?)of them winning this. Prediction: Norf maybe by 3 goals. Last of the Saturday night games Swannies Vs The Pies. I really hate the Pies. No rational reason, it was bred into me. It is as natural as breathing. So please read this preview with that bias in mind. Swannies to pants the bastards and to silence the small number of toothless idiots that travel up to the Other Cricket Ground to watch. About 25% of those that travel up there might actually be smart enough to find their way to the ground. Buddy to kick 10 (he is playing, right?) the rest of the team to kick 10 more and the Pies to carry their tattered pants home in a laundry bag. Prediction: Sydelly by 5 Goals Now for Sunday… Bulldogs Vs Doggers – I may have misheard that. At The Visitors Home Ground. Could be the Match of the Round this one, could be…maybe.. With this game my main worry is the commentary team. If Sandy Roberts is involved it could mean mass confusion to anyone watching the game on television. Seriously, he is all over the place like a mad woman’s breakfast. Does not know his ass from his elbow. Bulldogs exciting to watch. Doggers coached by Ross Lyon. Say no more… nudge nudge,,, Wink Wink.. Prediction: Foot is Gray by a few points. Adelaide Oval (Well done, the ground is in Adelaide and you have the shape right – Batting 1000) Sunday afternoon - Port Adelaide (ignore the teal, they are the other black and white I love to hate.)Vs Saints. Put down the glasses. Port is already in front by a long way and the Saints are not going to light up this season. This could be the last run around for St Nick before he shuffles off to the North Pole to resume duties in the long off season of footy retirement. He has been an ornament to the game. Strange phrase that. Heard it a million times about a bunch of footy players and each time I have a visual of a lump of china or brass sitting dusty on a mantelpiece or a shelf somewhere. Not the way I would like to be remembered. Prediction: Port by plenty Sunday afternoon still - Domain Stadium (no idea where that is) Ex Druggies Vs Lions One coast vs the other. Long way for Brissy to travel to have their pants handed to them. Cannot see much improvement in Brissy this year and I say that without a thing to back it up except that they have what-his-name as coach and I don’t rate him. The Ex druggies on the other hand have … um…ahh another coach who I rate more than whoever. Therefore I bet you can guess who I like for this one. Prediction; Yep, you guessed EX Druggies by the width of the Nullarbor Last but not least on Monday afternoon Dorks Vs the Handbaggers At the mighty G Dangerfield. There mentioned it and got it out of the way. Geelong to be the big sliders this season and will struggle to make the 8 (don’t take this too seriously folks I am working without a safety net of intelligence and knowledge here). Hawks to wander along untroubled by too much really. Come 5 pm Monday Clarko will shake his head a little and ask himself “Hmmm, what was that?” and a small voice somewhere will answer “The Ghost of Grand Finals Past.” Geelong will not lose their pants but will lose their way. Prediction: Dorks by a handy margin And that is thatt another one done and dusted

Ok, my last version of the R1 team. B: Jetta - Dunn - GarlandHB:Vince- T. McDonald - SalemC: Brayshaw - Tyson - OliverHF: Kent - Watts - VandenBerg F: Garlett - Hogan - HarmesFoll: Gawn - N.Jones - VineyI/C: Bugg - Kennedy - M. Jones - Pedersen Back 6 and front 6 pick themselves to my mind. Vince and Salem to launch off the HB line. Forward setup with a few very mobile talls dragging their defensive opponents all over the track. Pedersen over Frost as I feel he offers a bit more at this stage by way of scoring power. M. Jones to get a run. Do not think Lumumba is right yet and needs one more run. Midfield to take another step forward this season right from the first bounce. One thing that I do like is when Garlett gets a few minutes in the center. he is so quick in there and seems to flash in and out. I feel this is a game we can win but we will need to be right 'on' from the very first. Dees by 2 goals.

Have no idea why that quote is in my reply box and I cannot get rid of it. The team i would have for R1 at the moment is: Jetta Dunn Garland Vince Tmac Salem Harmes Viney Bugg Watts Pedersen Kennedy Gartlett Hogan Kent Gawn Tyson N.Jones VDB Brayshaw Oliver Grimes I am not convinced about Frost at the moment and would get him to run in Casey a few times to see more. Pedersen to relieve Gawn in the ruck with a lot of run on the bench. Dunn, Garland, Tmac, Pedersen, Watts, Hogan and Gawn all 90%+ time on the ground with the interchanges to go mainly into the midfield.

Oliver, Bugg and Kennedy all in my R 1 team after that game. Will be interesting to see if Brayshaw comes up.

Be careful with that wish. Having sailed the Med a few times and sampled more than a few of the wines and a few of the locals, I can tell you that the quality of both varies tremendously.

All back men and mids, no forwards.... I find that interesting

Yep... no argument from me on that group

I believe that Jobe should not have any future in playing football after he serves his suspension and the sooner he gives back his ill-gotten Brownlow the better. I do not want him anywhere near the Demons.