Well, after last night's loss, I think we can probably forget about looking at the ladder and barracking for whichever result will help our finals chances. While there's probably still some sort of mathematical chance that we'll get there, practically I think we're gone. So, generally I think who I want to win a particular game, will now largely be decided on which team has offended me most in the past. I mean, it's probably a bit too soon for me to contemplate things like, "Oh, I hope the best team wins", or "As long as they play an attractive game of football".
On that basis, I can't really go past 'free kick, Bulldogs' and the bitter memories of 2016; so I suppose it's, go Collingwood. Although now that I think of it, there is Ashes cricket, Wimbledon and Le Tour de France going on simultaneously, so maybe my attention will only be partially on the AFL. And of course, if I started actively barracking for Collingwood and then spotted the smug mug of Eddie McGuire in the crowd, it would turn into a real dilemma.
Saturday starts with Brisbane hosting West Coast. While I would have a not so quiet chuckle if West Coast got up, their crowds have gravely offended me in the past, so, let the misery continue.
GWS and Hawthorn. Fairly easy. I've often considered Hawthorn to be our bitterest rivals, and even though I'm still holding a few grudges against GWS (finals defeats, Toby Greene), I'm starting to see them more as fellow victims of the Melbourne boys club. So, go the Giants.
Melbourne and St Kilda. Are can't really recall either club offending me too much, so maybe just a passing interest while I'm hopefully watching an upset Gold Coast win over Port.
Sunday starts with Geelong hosting North. While I'm no fan of North, I have deep suspicions about the Geelong salary sombrero, or as somebody on RWO put it, the Costa living allowance. So, here's hoping for the sort of upset, that would have the adoring Geelong fans wondering if they'd slipped into a parallel universe.
Then it's a tough one next: Essendon and Adelaide. But I suppose Essendon making the finals when we didn't would genuinely irritate me.
Then, as it's often the case, the round finishes in Perth, with Fremantle and Perth. Having read a fair few losing match autopsy threads on Big Footy, it seems to me that Carlton fans may just be the most unhinged when they lose. So, go the Dockers. Although, now that I've written the word 'unhinged', it occurs to me that much of this intro might be a touch unhinged; but hey, what are ya gonna do?
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