Last Week 7/9 Season
Total 129/180
We’ve finally had our first coach sacking
of 2025. Simon Goodwin has been let go
with immediate effect and we won’t be seeing him again for the rest of the
season. The board at Melbourne has spoken and has clearly mandated
that 83-point victories will not be tolerated under any circumstances. They just won’t stand for those kinds of
shenanigans, and this is grounds for instant dismissal. What does this mean for Melbourne going forward with a number of
players futures up in the air and speculation growing in the media? We’ll find out, I guess. In the world outside of AFL (assuming it
exists), India won a
remarkable test match against England
needing 4 wickets before they got 35 runs.
Woakes even stepped out to bat with his arm in a sling. If you’re like me and getting sick of footy
(I’ve only watched an hour of footy in the last 8 weeks), this has been an
enthralling test series, balanced at 2-2 and worth watching.
But, if you’re still keen on AFL, read on…
Hawthorn vs Collingwood MCG Thursday
Night
Is Collingwood on shaky ground? We’re about to find out. I heard a grand conspiracy theory that I’d
like to share with you. If Collingwood finished
top of the ladder, they would have been unable to muster the necessary points
they need in the draft for their father/son targets. Only second or lower provides this
benefit. On top of that, they have spent
weeks playing trash footy while every team tries out their ‘beat Collingwood’
tactic to see if it will stand up in the finals so Collingwood has now tricked
them into not only revealing it, but making them think it’s successful all
while getting the necessary draft points they need to become rulers of the
known universe. It’s right up there with
the Lizard people, that one! All
Hawthorn can do is win. And they have to
do it without Will Day which is a tough ask.
Some of the Collingwood backline cattle will return this week to counter
the Hawthorn tall forwards and give Moore
a chop out against all these guys who like kicking 6-goals. Is Collingwood really tricking everyone? I don’t think so, they’re just too old and
too slow. Calsher Dear to kick 6 on Moore…Hawthorn by
19 points.
Geelong vs Essendon Kardinia Park Friday
Night
Another training run for Geelong.
Down on the cigar that is Kardinia
Park, this could get ugly
for Essendon. The only way to make it
more interesting is if Chris and Brad sat in the wrong coaches boxes…I mean,
who would know? Geelong by 92 points.
Richmond vs
Saint Kilda MCG Saturday Afternoon
This is one of those games that, when
you’re doing the ladder predictor, simply click on any team because it is of no
consequence to anything or anyone except fans.
Again, a reason not to watch the footy.
Richmond
has been quite serviceable in the last few weeks, which gives their fans hope
for the future. Saint Kilda have
Milera. Saint Kilda by 13
Milera’s.
Brisbane vs Sydney Gabba Saturday
Afternoon
Did the giant awaken last week after
crushing the Collingwood tankers? Or
were they only as good as tanking Collingwood allowed them to look? Brisbane’s
form has been patchy this year and while a good outing against Collingwood,
they are still vulnerable and now without Lachie Neale for the rest of the
regular season. Sydney
would like nothing better than to take Brisbane’s
scalp and present it on a nice silver platter to incoming CEO Matthew
Pavlich. Although unable to make finals,
I expect Sydney
to want to finish the season strongly.
The Gabba is the factor. Brisbane
by 11 points.
Carlton vs
Gold Coast Marvel Stadium Saturday Night
There was much fanfare about Carlton’s loss to
Fremantle. Apparently, it was the best
they had played all season. Voss needs
to tread carefully as Melbourne
showed how easy it can be to remove the coach.
If there’s coaching talent out there, don’t you think Carlton would want first dibs? If they wait to sack Voss, they might get the
second choice. Could be a hot week for
Voss. Oh yeah, and Gold Coast should
win. Gold Coast by 31 points.
Port Adelaide
vs Fremantle Adelaide Oval Saturday
Night
Travis Boak has pulled the pin on his long
career. Will this provide the spark
needed for Port Adelaide to stand up and be counted against Fremantle? Certainly, it seems that Hinkley’s departure
isn’t a strong enough reason. I know
Fremantle fans are expecting something that happens so often it has a name,
“The Hurdle Stumble.” This is that act
where the finish line is in sight, you clear the lead leg on the hurdle, but
the trail leg clips the top of the hurdle you fall and look up with an
expression of anguish on your face as runners pass you. You then spend the off-season contemplating a
career in Javelin. Why do I know this in
great detail? In high school, I entered
the hurdle race to impress a girl I liked who asked me to do it. She was not impressed. We are both now married to very different,
but very lovely ladies. Anyway…none of
this helps with tipping, unless you think this is where the Hurdle Stumble
happens. Need to make up a point on your
rivals, go Port Adelaide, otherwise Fremantle by 15 points.
GWS vs North
Melbourne Manuka
Oval Sunday Afternoon
Speaking of stumbles, GWS had a big one
last week. Does Toby Green really mean
that much to them? North
Melbourne is showing how not to do a rebuild. It’s taking too long, and their old recruits
are too old. Do they go fishing off the
Collingwood pier and try and top up on some of their disgruntled older brigade
trying to land one more paycheck? That’s
a question for next season. GWS by
35 points.
Melbourne vs
Footscray MCG Sunday Afternoon
I don’t even know who’s going to be
coaching Melbourne
this week. I have not read deeply into
the situation. All I know, is that after
the St Kilda loss, Goodwin said in his press conference, and I paraphrase, “The
board and me are aligned on the direction of this club.” And at the press
conference sacking a week later, the board said, and I paraphrase, “We can’t
keep going in this direction.” Either
someone needs to give Goodwin a dictionary with “Aligned” highlighted as a
going away present, or the entire club should always face the board at all
times as they are a sniping bunch of two-faced c&^ts. But its ok, there was a lot of love for
Simon. He is a much loved man, the best
guy, the greatest man you could have around the club and has the prefect
backside for pressing your heel into as you’re pushing him out the door.
As we know, there is always some kind of
rebound or response from the players when this sort of thing happens. It’s the players way of showing the world it’s
not the coaches fault, it was us playing badly for him. Footscray will need to be careful. Footscray by 22 points.
West Coast vs Adelaide Perth Stadium Sunday Twilight
It will be an early end for the
weekend. I don’t even think this will be
fun for Adelaide
supporters to watch. It’s not like you
draw a big crowd for a training run.
They’re on top of the ladder and with the highest percentage. It might be a good week to rest a few
players. West Coast have no desire to
try and put up the good fight as this would just influence the AFL’s decision
on whether they deserve some kind of draft relief. If you’re a masochist, watch on, otherwise,
avert your gaze. Adelaide by 91 points.
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