Well, I'm just managing to stay in touch with the leaders despite the recent form slump, so where's there's life there's hope as they say. I'll try to keep this short as I'm keen on having a crack at baking a cake this arvo (cinnamon tea cake if you'd like to know) and I just know it's going to take me longer than I initially think. Plus there's that whole four thousand word essay due in a little under 80 hours thing that I keep whinging about.
So, into it again for the 17th time this season - oh, and comments appreciated, I sometimes feel like I'm up at the front of the class reading Waiting for Godot to a bunch of bored students:
Hawthorn v Geelong: My oh my Geelong looked good against the Bulldogs last Saturday afternoon, simply ratcheting it up another gear in that second half. You'd have to be a loyal Hawks fan to tip them I reckon, as even without Ling and Ablett the Cats will be in charge of most of this evening's proceedings.
Essendon v Collingwood: I would hope that the Magpies would be pretty grumpy with themselves over last weekend's less-than-ideal performance against a North Melbourne side they should have beaten. I suspect that soft-tissue injuries are starting to take their toll on the Bombers so Collingwood have my tip this time.
West Coast v St Kilda: The Eagles are only ahead of Melbourne for the wooden spoon on percentage, so the rest of the season for them is whether they have enough pride not to "win" the spoon for the first time in, um, yonks. As for the Saints, Nick Riewoldt is having a heck of a season isn't he? I expect he'll be leading the Saints in the dressing room club song performance come full-time tomorrow afternoon at Subiaco.
Richmond v Brisbane Lions: Seems like the punters are leaping onto Richmond like [insert cliched metaphor here], with the odds shortening markedly over the last day or so. And really, given that the Lions have been a bit indifferent of late, plus that they're playing at the not-as-happy-as-it-could-be hunting ground of the Telstra Dome, you can't blame them. I, however, shall be sticking with my team. Not least in the hope it pushes me up the ladder again. Don't let me down boys.
Sydney v Adelaide: I really shouldn't have tipped the Crows last week, as they are in capital T Trouble at the moment. Barry Hall returns from a couple of weeks on the therapist's couch (I understand he also showed up on tabloid current affairs television at some point as well) and this should help Sydney's chances - anything more than Hall kicking three or more goals make for a satisfactory return. Swans to win.
Port Adelaide v Fremantle: Aaaargh. My head is saying "you idiot, tip Port!" but there's this place in my gut saying the Dockers can win it, all other evidence to the contrary. Tease me or praise me come Sunday evening.
Melbourne v North Melbourne: It'd be nice to think that the Demons, who are already experiencing an annus horribilus as it is, would be able to put aside this week's off-field board dramas with a stirring win against the Kangaroos. But they won't. North will consolidate last week's win against Collingwood with a victory here.
Western Bulldogs v Carlton: Yeah, just can't see the Blues winning here. Looks like any finals aspirations that they might have had (barring other results over the next few weeks) will be put to the sword by a Bulldogs side keen to atone for last week's loss against Geelong.
That's it for this week, enjoy your footy.
A recreation of the Statue of Liberty 10 times bigger than the original has been unveiled in North Yorkshire. Farmer Tom Pearcy cut the image of the New York landmark in fields a few miles from York, the city after which the American metropolis was named.
