DeeSpencer

Love: Ponting - wow Ch9 stuffed up not getting him Flintoff - what a lad! Mel McLaughlin- yep Like: Gilly - great bloke KP - just for someone interesting 50/50: Mark Waugh - plays the grumpy old man sometimes, but generally knows his stuff Howie - bit of excitement, fair bit of knowledge, works well with the ex-cricketers Nope: Andy Maher - dead set moron Damien Fleming - giant nose, small brain. Had enough of the avenue of apprehension and all it's synonyms. Carries on non stop

Solid win from the stars. But they look much weaker now Tiffitt (sp?) comes in at 6 and having to play 5 bowlers. They need another all rounder - Stoinos - to bolster the batting and then need to hope Hastings, Bird and Beer in particular continue their good form and that they can find the 4th and 5th bowlers from either McKay or Boland and an all rounder. KP trotting out some overs tonight was a smart move. Good to see Cam White in a little bit more like something resembling form before that horrible decision. The openers have not being playing well. KP is now the star batsman. Although Handscombe and Quiney are decent replacements and as I said they just need that one more all rounder.

Green Bay 21 Seattle 20 - Everyone thinks it's Rodgers v Seattle's D that will make this game. I disagree. I think the champion QB and champion D will slug it out all right. But I think the key to the game is the other side of the ball. In the superbowl and in the great 49ers v Seattle games it's always been the Russell Wilson does enough on key 3rd downs or Marshawn Lynch blows off the big run and from there the defense has the upper hand on a QB playing from behind. I'm backing Green Bay to have finally worked out how to trap Wilson on key 3rd downs and also stopping (or containing) Lynch. Which of course starts from their own running game as well! Colts 17 - Pats 34 - The Colts don't have a running game. The Pats seem to be able to create one against defenses they can beat that way, otherwise they just Brady it up. The Colts have a defense that's come right at the right time but lacks an obvious pass rush. The Pats have Revis! As much as I like Luck I don't think he's at that otherworldly stage needed to go in to Foxborough and beat the Pats. Only Joe Flacco does that!

Happy with Foxy. Reckon he'll bring a steadying presence similar to Roosy. But we need good coordinators. Mike Mularkey ex Atlanta and Steelers OC sounds interesting, would run the ball. But I'm really intersted in the Defensive Coordinator. I see they've put in a request for Fangio and I think he's done a fantastic job at the 49ers so I'd love him. Long road back to relevance and nothiing fixes our QB problem but I certainly feel we've done better than some. I can't understand why the Bills hired Rex Ryan. I understand defensive based coaches for Oakland, Chicago, Atlanta, Denver and even the Jets and 49ers if they want to be a defensive based team. But the Bills have a good defense. They have no answer on offense. They really should've kept Jim Schwarz and gone after a coach to either draft and develop or build up a free agent QB (Hoyer seems the perfect fit).

As for the rest of the games: - The Ravens are a great playoffs team, but needed either one more offensive weapon or even better a healthy and good secondary. The pats, hmmm, best team in the AFC probably and definitely the best coach team. I hate them and even more I hate their bandwagon fans. - The Panthers weren't good enough. The SeaHawks look beatable though. Their offense isn't at the level of last year and it's just impossible for their defense to be although they are still the best left in it. - Manning- well he has such little physical tools these days that he can't afford to be slowed further by injury. If he comes back he should take a pay cut and let them buy a couple extra hands on the offensive line to make sure they are up to it in January. As for that defense, I think they were really weak. The colts O line and running game should be weaknesses in playoffs, but Luck had way too much time and space. I didn't actually see any of GB v Cowboys, but I am impressed by the Cowboys. Rod Marinelli will continue molding their defense and finding great D line men. And on offense I think they have something sustainable as well. Maybe another year for Romo and Whitten slows them down, but if they stay at a high level then I think the offensive line, running game and receivers are sustainable.

Here's a few things I don't get: If you've caught the ball and are down by contact as Dez was, then that's the end of the play normally right? And if you catch the ball and control it the whole time then what does it matter if it moves in your arms as you go down as long as you don't lose it. That said I think they got it right according to the rules. But in an offensive league that gives so many soft penalties to offensive players I'd rather see them relax the rules on a catch.

I've always said, if late to tips and just wanting to rip off someone's then pick the prettiest. Well that happens to be Biff's! Baltimore 17 New England 28 Carolina 10 Seattle 31 Dallas 17 Green Bay 31 Indianapolis 21 Denver 28 Funny thing is I'd tip Dallas at Seattle and Baltimore at Denver but the seedings don't fall that way so I think all 4 will prevail. But I'm praying for all and any upsets. 4 really really good home ground advantages help. Carolina travel cross the country, Indi and Dallas go from nice indoors to strong outdoors. Baltimore are the ones going somewhere they suit, but have such a huge challenge.

Dallas impressed me. They just keep surprising. So I think next week will be a step too far but who knows. I can't actually get excited about any of the games next week. Maybe Luck and the Colts. But Manning with an extra weeks prep and the way the Colts have been playing like flat track bullies for most of the year doesn't inspire either. If results are predictable it might be a boring week but will set up one heck of a AFC/NFC championship weekend and likely a great superbowl as well.

Not just Palmer. Stanton and Ellington as well. Back up QB and starting RB. Plus they had some gun defensive players out. Pretty much they did well to get as far as they did and at the end of the season their gun defense had too much load to carry with a 3rd string QB and without starting RB. I think if you were a Cards fan you'd have to be somewhat happy with the year considering.

I'm obviously too late to tip in this game. But would've had Carolina. Something like 24-16. Ravens 20 Steelers 27 Bengals 10 Colts 20 Lions 17 Cowboys 30

Have to go different to you! Dallas - am I little worried they have nothing to play for. But they are red hot Indy New Orleans - Tampa must tank! Hoping the Bears tank (not that it will be hard for them) and lost to the Vikings

But you look at the Cowboys who nailed 3 O line picks in a short time period and have now really rode their O line to what looks like a playoff appearance. That said I think the difference between a top pick and bottom pick is smaller than in the AFL. You just need to find a guy who wins his position and there are more at the top but they come throughout the rounds of the draft. So yeah I'd much rather win the games as well. The one difference is obviously the Quarterback. You only need to look at the Colts going straight from Manning to Luck to see that if there's a QB to be had you may as well tank. Same with Washington. If they had pick 2 and took Griffen it would've saved them a swag of picks that could've given them some much needed depth and RG3 probably would've been heading towards a solid future as at least a midlevel QB.

I missed it. The thing that I thought was going to make it truly terrible was that is wasn't just two 2 and 12 teams but a predictable result. Jax thing they have their QB and are at home. They needed to win and had motive to win. Once Tenn lost to the Jets they had to tank this one. They are now heavy rivals with Tampa for the number 1 pick. You'd have to think the Raiders (as the third 2 win team) would back Carr in and trade it to either Tenn or Tampa as well. Anyway, that's for another day. Feeling pretty confident this week: Green Bay - See above re Tampa Detroit - Clausen might give the Bears a kick along, but this team has packed it in for the year New England Could've tipped Philly, Buffalo, Seattle or Denver (Dalton melts in Prime Time) as well.

Or just making sure the game against Detroit decides the division and has that extra edge before the playoffs! The NFC play off seedings are right up in the air with two weeks to go. Crazy. Green Bay, Philly etc will be wanting the number 1 seed, but at the same time I think they'll be cheering on Arizona next week and just a happy to have Seattle down in the 5 seed.

Green Bay Pittsburgh New Orleans Who else is excited for some Johnny Football!!! A couple of fine battles for the Mariota Cup in Jets v Tennessee and surely not even Tampa and Lovie would be so silly as to actually beat Carolina now they are on their backup QB.

Indi Houston San Fran Wish I did early tips and went the Coybows. Funnily enough I'm not overly upset with our loss. We need to get real about where the team is at and fighting to an 8 win season would've been false hope. I am slowly getting a bit more faith in our defense even if they keep getting torched I can see effort and can see some improvement with a few good signings, we at least will stop paying money to always injured veterans in Tillman and Briggs after this year. And our offense was dead for 3 quarters before getting back in it, stuffing up an extra point and then Cutler being Cutler. But there was some signs of life. I go through swings of thinking who we should or shouldn't sack. Overall I think the franchise is completely screwed by having Cutler, but at the same time I see a sign of life if we take our medicine and rebuild with young players in every other position. Whilst our win-loss record isn't quite bottom of the league I think we are now having a season so bad that next year has to be better! So very MFC! Long term of course the entire future of the franchise will rest on picking right for the next QB. Oh to have a legitimate superbowl quality franchise quarterback. I hate those teams who have one!

Positions are kind of useless, but I get the theory. I think he will start his career in the forward line at AFL level as Salem, Kent and others have recently. But I can definitely see us going Petracca's paddock if he develops to his full potential especially when games open up late. Richmond did this so well with Dusty Martin this year and Adelaide have done it with Dangerfield.

Cinn Miami Arizona

Obviously he plays differently and the game is different, but not just because he's Italian but the bubbly enthusiasm Petracca has is very like what I imagine a young Dippa would've been like.

So is Joel Selwood's at times, so is Josh Kennedy's or Dayne Beams', so is Dustin Martin's at times. Matty Priddis just won the brownlow and he can't kick over a jam jar. Rory Sloane is close to an elite player of the comp and kicks helicopters. It was the knock on Wines as well. If he wins 10 clearances or goes forward and takes 5 marks inside 50 then I don't care if he's just floating it forward or sitting it up for goal. Certainly he has to be at a reasonable level, which I think from the highlights video above he is. He's not perfect. No player ever is. But he doesn't have to be Nick Malceski to play the role he's designed to play. Scully doesn't suck because of his kicking. He sucks because he hasn't become the inside midfielder and heavy accumulator he was at under 18 level and even in his first year at Melbourne. He doesn't win contests and therefore as an outside player his poor kicking hurts him. Toumpas, Salem, JKH, Stretch those guys are recruited to play outside roles and need their kicking to be at a high level. Plus kicking can and should be developed and improves with training, decision making and experience. Petracca is starting at a higher base than Nath Jones and he kicks it pretty well these days.

They are Petrified. Are we going with Braytracca or Petrashaw?

Well that's a bit awkward. All thoughts are with Hughesy. Really hope he can pull through. Clarke's fitness battle with the selectors and who will be in our top 6 batsmen is much less important now

Anyone who's ever played footy will tell you a game of footy requires a bucket load of energy. Running 15km with all the other movements, copping big hits etc. So I'd prefer to fuel my body with some carbs before a game to have that quick and easy energy on hand. From a very simplistic view I don't want to be playing footy and at the same time having my body converting fats to energy, one thing is enough! I get that processed grains can be unhealthy and Western society has gone too far with them. But at the same time I'd be surprised if fruit is evil! I also don't want our players chomping on fats all day and not getting enough fibre. Obviously making good choices with veggies there is key. I'm glad we are being innovative. But I hope we aren't pushing the line too far with something that may be experimental. This doctor we have (Dr Zee) did come to us via the same clinic as Dr Bates who had us going down the Dank path. His resume is also light on compared to the experienced sports medicine doctors we have had in the past.

Green Bay are the standout. Take the form line through the Bears and Vikings last two weeks, have to tip them. Gets very hard after that. Tempted to tip Arizona or Miami but they are coming up against quality sides. Surely the saints don't lose another at home? Even tempted to take the Jets but I think the Bills have to do it for their community. I'm going to take Cleveland, just on how poor Atlanta have been and how despite inconsistencies at their best Cleveland have been very strong. Then I'm taking Tampa Bay. Lovie Smith will be all over Jay Cutler with zone defenses and QB pressures that will result in at least 2 INTs. If McCown can turn good field position in to some points they'll get the win. Tampa 27, Chicago 20.

Probably 0-5 if Dawes and Hogan stay healthy and McCartin has as much work on his game required as we think he does. But no draftee should be expected to improve the side in year 1 and Roos knows that and showed it with patience with Salem last year. Brayshaw has the body and competitiveness to play, but there's no guarantee anyone else like De Goey, Laverde, Duggan, Pickett etc would settle in to playing and making an impact in year one either. We've got 2 later picks and 2 rookie spots if we want to find some more ready to go help.