While there's been a certain amount of media interest in Clarkson coaching against his former club, the more interesting aspect of that game for me is, just how much suffering are the Hawthorn fans due this year? I mean, a thrashing by North and the general consensus is likely to be that it's going to be a very long season. A part of me quite likes that idea, but strangely, I think I prefer a Hawthorn win. That is, a convincing North win and we'll undoubtedly have more converts to the cult of Clarkson: which like any cult, might have some sort of initial appeal, but in the long term, tends to dissolve into a saga of recriminations, faction fights and madness, when people try to defend their hero, while it becomes more apparent that their hero has issues. So, is that what we really want for the AFL?
Perhaps another interesting aside to the game is that it's being played in Tasmania. It seems that the AFL have realised that there should be a team in Tasmania, but they haven't realised that there's probably too many teams in Victoria. So, since both teams already have a presence in Tasmania, then perhaps a bit more spice can added to matches between the two? For instance, if the hypothetical timetable for a team to start in Tasmania is 2026, then every match between Hawthorn and North could count in their own league table, and whoever is behind at the end of 2025, has to permanently relocate to Hobart or Launceston. Sounds fair to me.
Anyway, tonight's match is between the Western Bulldogs and Brisbane. When starting this thread, I noticed that a heading from this time last season was, "Ooh, Mr Beveridge has just exploded". Which I assume refers to a press conference blow up from the Bulldogs coach. And I'm also assuming that there's a fair chance of another blow up, if they lose tonight. And those of you who've been reading my ramblings over the years, know that I wouldn't mind seeing the more temperamental coaches, being assisted to become even more temperamental.
So, some suggested questions for tonight would be: "0 and 3, you've got no chance now, have you", "Dunkley was great tonight, wasn't he?" and "Do you think that you're still attracting negative karma from the 2016 grand final?"
The Friday night game is Collingwood v Richmond. Strangely, Richmond seemed to play better last week when Dusty was taken off. So, I guess there'll be some desperate Richmond fans, hoping that Dusty missing the whole game will improve their chances. Unfortunately for them, Hopper is also missing, so there's every likelihood that the Collingwood bandwagon will keep on rolling.
After the previously mentioned Hawthorn v North game, the other Saturday afternoon game is GWS v Carlton. A few years back, when I viewed GWS as the AFL's bloated, spoilt rotten, love child, I would've gone for their opposition in pretty well every game. But now, that affection seems to have been removed and their report cards document a troubling history of exam failures, so I'm starting to warm to them. So, go Giants.
Next up is St Kilda v Essendon. I suppose that St Kilda fans would have been feeling quite optimistic, after they overcame a very lengthy injury list to thrash the Bulldogs. But then it was announced, that arguably their most important player, Jack Steele, had broken his collarbone. Even I can see how cruel that is, so if Ross Lyon can keep his side winning, I might be tempted to take back all the nasty things that I've said about him in the past.
The other Saturday is the Adelaide showdown. Which I'm quite apathetic about, but I suppose a Port loss would be better for us.
The first Sunday game is Gold Coast hosting Geelong. The loser of this goes 0/3 and will be in a fair bit of early season trouble. Let us all hope that it is Geelong.
Next up, we play Melbourne. Strangely, the betting all week has had Melbourne as clear favourites. I might be biased, but I don't really understand that? Are they basing it on Melbourne being quite impressive after the lights went out and the game as a contest was well and truly over? Do they consider a clear loss against Brisbane to be better form than thrashing Hawthorn? Do they reason that the loss of Gawn is less of a disadvantage than the return of Franklin? Who knows.
The Western derby closes the round. Once again, I'm a touch apathetic about the result. I guess that a Fremantle loss would be better for us, but their fans aren't quite as the West Coast fans, so, again, who knows?
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Originally Posted by dejavoodoo44
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