Last Week 3/7 Season
Total 16/28
Let’s not talk about what’s going on in the
world this week. Needless to say, it’s
not great and I don’t think it will improve until we get intelligent and
reasonable people in positions of power which only happens once every few
generations or so.
I did fuel up the car on the weekend
though, after taking out a second mortgage and selling my children into slavery.
The main topic of note for this week is
that Kylie Minogue was announced as the Grand Final entertainment for this
year. Who knows what she’ll sing. She has a long song list, and I’ll do my best
to weave them into my predictions. The
way the world is going at the moment, she should open with Things Can
Only Get Better, but my issue with this is that concept violates the
second law of thermodynamics which shows that entropy (disorder) increases over
time.
Speaking of disorder, it is Easter Round
this weekend and there is still a bye to be had which means we have less games
spread over a longer weekend. With the
price of petrol, you’re better off setting up the tent in the living room
rather than taking the kids off camping.
You can watch the footy, tell ghost stories and if you set up a magnet
on the end of a fishing line and make some paper fish with a paper clip on the
nose, even take them fishing. All
without spending a brass razoo on diesel.
Sounds like my Easter is planned.
Brisbane vs Collingwood Gabba Thursday Night
Both these clubs had solid wins last
week. I had a feeling about St Kilda,
which by proxy means I didn’t feel anything about Brisbane.
Maybe I hurt their feelings, anyway they sure taught me a lesson. Better to be an emotionless robot than go
through this tipping world relying on feelings.
It’s the scary thing about Brisbane…they
have gears and just need to click into them at the right time. Collingwood introduced Oscar Steene to the
footy world, and he seemed to go alright.
Can he fix their forward woes or is their defense up to scratch? One thing is for sure, Brisbane will test that theory, and Captain
Moore is out for a few weeks with bursitis, which I assume is inflammation of
the school financial controller. Also
record-setter Pendlebury will be out for a bit with Achilles awareness. Given his age, I thought it strange to only
become aware of the Greek hero this late…I guess it came as quite a shock,
enough to make him take a load off for a few weeks. They sure have some strange injuries down
there at Collingwood.
What does all this mean? It really depends what gear Brisbane is in? I guess Better the Devil You Know
so Brisbane
by 10 points.
North Melbourne vs Carlton Marvel
Stadium Friday Afternoon
The Roo’s did what needed to be done
against Essendon who even got the blood on their face to prove it. But we didn’t come here to talk about North Melbourne. Carlton, Carlton, Carlton. What are you doing? At quarter time I felt safe in my tip, but I
suggested they would disappoint me and they did. They say 90% of the game is mental and for Carlton, as far as their
opponent is concerned, they just Can’t Get You Out of My Head. It’s as if they don’t want Voss to be the
coach. Anything more like that and he’ll
be lucky to be coaching come the next bye.
Opposition game plans are simple.
They are two-phase plans; Phase 1 – Conserve Energy. Phase 2 (after half time) – Play as
normal. They’re at the point where they
need to break the downward spiral which can only be done by cleaning
house. Make a choice, the players or the
coaching staff.
It makes it a tough pick. Astonishingly, Carlton are favourites! Expect Carlton
to tackle more this week, but you can’t pick them based on that form line
surely? North
Melbourne by 21 points.
Adelaide vs Fremantle Adelaide Oval Friday
Night
Quite probably the match of the round with
both teams in the hunt for the flag this year (it’s early days I know). Both teams boast powerful forward lines and
that alone should be enough to make you watch this one. I give Fremantle the edge in defence and the
midfield, but this might be countered by home ground advantage to the
Crows. Fremantle don’t have that great a
record at the ground but the last few encounters with Adelaide there have been close. Butts is in concussion protocols which makes
it a bit harder to contain the talls of Fremantle’s forward line. On a Night Like This, Fremantle
can dream big, but I’m not sure they can do it and I’m not sure of this tip
either. Adelaide by 5 points.
Richmond vs Port Adelaide MCG Saturday
Afternoon
Who’s going to win this one? Port looked a bit lost last week. Maybe Everybody can do The Loco-Motion
instead. Richmond by 12 points.
West Coast vs Sydney Perth
Stadium Saturday Night
Two weeks in a row now and with the police
being repeatedly called to our neighbourhood for noise complaints the
neighbours are getting a bit testy. But
seriously the Eagles are playing like a different team. Sure, it’s been North
Melbourne and Port Adelaide, who it turns out are bit of a rabble,
but you have to start somewhere and take nothing away from the Big Birds from
the West, they are flyin’ high and so are their fans. But this weeks task against Sydney will be a real test for them. Sydney
had a bye last week and should be fresh for this job even without their prime
movers in the middle. West Coast will
ask Sydney to Come
Into My World and I dare say they’ll wreck the joint. But it was nice while it lasted. Sydney
by 27 points.
Melbourne vs
Gold Coast MCG Sunday Afternoon
It was a great fightback by Melbourne to scupper Carlton’s
plans and give Max Gawn a win in his milestone match. If not for injury, this would have been the
match where fans could’ve looked Petracca square in the eye, while he’s getting
100 clearances against them. As good as Melbourne were last week,
against a rested Gold Coast is a different story. But you know what they say…Chiggy Wiggy. Ok, they don’t say that, but it’s an odd name
for a Kylie Minogue song and I wanted to use it. I have never heard the song myself. Gold Coast by 36 points.
Footscray vs Essendon Marvel Stadium Sunday
Night
Given that Footscray have slain all that
they’ve come across this year, and Essendon are in some kind of 20-year rebuild
(and still at the start of it), I think Footscray are going to run rings around
them. You could say Essendon will be Spinning
Around in circles chasing the Footscray players all over the park. They won’t catch them though. Footscray by 47 points.
Hawthorn vs Geelong MCG Monday Afternoon
Last but not least is the annual Easter
Monday fixture between the Cats and the Hawks.
It’s provided many a thrill over the previous years and has been one
that you always mark in your calendar to make sure you don’t miss. You could even go back to 1988 if you’ve Got
to be Certain on who’s going to win this one? It was 20 years before this fixture was moved
to its now permanent home at the MCG and the teams met twice at Princes Park
and Kardinia Park.
Hawthorn were dominant at this time winning both games comfortably with
Dunstall Kicking 9 goals at the Princes Park fixture in Round 13 and 4 goals in
the Round 20 match at Kardinia Park.
Ablett could only manage 5 goals across the two matches, being well held
by Chris Langford. Both Mark Bairstow
and John Platten were big performers for their respective teams, but tensions
were building in 1988 to that fateful 1989 Grand Final. It’s nice to get to some History, but I only
bring it up because Kylie Minogue released Got to Be Certain that year. Geelong
by 9 points.
Have a Happy and Safe Easter everyone.
Byes: St Kilda, GWS
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