Renee Cassar will kick off her first tour of Victoria on Thursday, 25 September '08. Travelling right around the state with her guitar (and video camera to capture all the behind the scenees action), Renee will be road-tripping to Portland, Warnambool, Camperdown, Geelong, Torquay, Dromana and Melbourne .

Thursday 25 September
Gordon Hotel, Portland
Free Admission

Friday 26 September
The Loft, Warnambool
Free Admission

Saturday 27 September
Leura Hotel, Camperdown
Free Admission

Sunday 28 September
National Hotel – Front Bar, Geelong
Free Admission

Thursday 2 October
Manchester Lane, Melbourne
$10.00 (presale) OR $13.00 at the door
Tickets available though www.manchesterlane.com.au

Friday 3 October
Torquay Hotel
Free Admission

Saturday 4 October
Long Board Surf Café, Dromana (cap 100)
Free Admission

The Hawks and Cats at a packed MCG...just like the good old days!

1989 - what a year! George W Bush's daddy succeeded Ronald Reagan as US president, Seinfeld made its debut on American television, Madonna was rocking the world with Like A Prayer and Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell were stinking up movie theatres the world over in Tango & Cash...though I'm sure we all wish this didn't happen!

Hawthorn and Geelong or Tango and Cash? Which would you prefer to watch tonight?

But 1989 is fondly remembered by footy followers as the year of the greatest grand final ever played...though there has been at least one worthy challenger in recent times. Hawthorn defeated Geelong by six points in a classic despite Gary Ablett (Senior) going mental to kick a record nine goals.

With these two teams facing off again in a blockbuster encounter at the MCG tonight, Half Back Flanker is launching Party Like It's 1989 round as we celebrate what should be a great match played in a finals-like atmosphere against two re-established powerhouse clubs.

One vital aspect of modern day life that had yet to be introduced in 1989 is, of course, the World Wide Web. Therefore, as part of the celebrations for Party Like It's 1989, we will be switching off the computer on Friday night, busting out the trusty old tranny radio and going 'old-school' this weekend! We will rejoin the 21st century on Monday with a look back at all the action of round 17!

…

TEAM NEWS

• Gary Ablett to miss the Friday night blockbuster...and Luke Hodge might be joining him on the sidelines!
• Richmond's hopes of finishing ninth receive a massive boost - Matthew Richardson returns for the Tigers!
• Be afraid...be very afraid! Barry Hall is back and coming to an AFL ground near you!
• A massively important weekend for Adelaide...and they drop Graham Johncock? What is going on there?
• And now Peter Burgoyne is dumped by Port Adelaide? Did he and Johncock get up to no good together?

…

FRIDAY NIGHT

Dermott re-enacting the events of 1989...though he seems to spend every day behaving like he's still in the late eighties!

MCG, Melbourne - 7:40pm (local): Hawthorn v Geelong (SEVEN)

CATS by 38: Geelong may not be indestructible but they will turn the tables from the '89 grand final...with Max Rooke trying to do his best Mark Yeates impersonation on Buddy Franklin!

...

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Collingwood were still suffering a long, painful premiership drought in 1989...until the Bombers ruined everything the following year by losing the 1990 grand final!

MCG, Melbourne - 2:10pm (local): Essendon v Collingwood (TEN)

MAPGIES by 21: Essendon are struggling to put a team together so the Pies should get up unless they have a big lapse in concentration...which is not beyond this Collingwood side!

...

The evergreen Robert Harvey had only just turned 30 years of age in 1989!!!

Subiaco, Perth - 2:10pm (local): West Coast v St Kilda (FOX)

SAINTS by 18: Shame that Michael Gardiner won't get to play against the club that dumped him...would have been the most interesting thing about this game!

…

SATURDAY NIGHT

In the mid-80's, the Swans had Tommy Hafey, Dr. Geoffrey Edelston and a shitload of money. But by 1989, all of it was gone!

SCG, Sydney - 7:10pm (local): Sydney v Adelaide (FOX)

SWANS by 18: Neil Craig might want to steer clear of the boundary line this week...particularly if Barry Hall gets a little frustrated, as he tends to do...

…

The old 'Bad News Bears' were stinking up Carrara in 1989…and it could be bad news for Brisbane on Saturday night if they don't win!

Thomson was the son of Alexander Thomson, a shipowner of Aberdeen, Scotland. He was educated at Dr Todd's school at Tichfield, Aberdeen University, and at London, where he studied under Sir Everard Home and qualified for the medical profession. In March 1824 he married Barbara Dalrymple. Read More on the Geelong Website

My wife Pam comes with me and I am hoping to convince her to blog here about her Melbourne Shopping Adventures. Its blooming freezing today so she is busy devising a plan to buy a Melbourne Winter Coat.

Pam's priorities are certainly in the right place, as we haven't yet found our accommodation for tonight. I would like to be right on the doorstep of the MCG this weekend. So I am using an online Melbourne Accommodation Guide (great fast search features) to help me decide as they have a great search shortcut for Football Accommodation Melbourne.

My Footy schedule for this weekend is:

• Friday Night, 25th July
  Hawthorn Vs Geelong
  at the MCG - "Go the Hawks"
• Saturday Afternoon, 26th July
  Essendon Vs Collingwood
  at the MCG - "Go the Pies"
• Sunday Afternoon, 27th July
  Melbourne Vs North Melbourne
  at the MCG - "Go the Roos"

...Footy Fixtures 2008

So you can see why finding MCG Accommodation in Melbourne is a priority today as I have a gammy leg and don't like to walk to far (which we always seem to do in Melbourne).

The Bullies are still trying to figure out what just happened to them...

If that was just a dress rehearsal, how good is opening night going to be! Geelong showed the second-placed Western Bulldogs what the big stage is all about with a crushing second-half performance and, coupled with Hawthorn's loss to St Kilda, appear to have top spot in the bag. Unless Paul Chapman and 10 to 12 teammates get suspended for a few weeks by calling the umpires 'cheats'...they don't like that too much.

Scarily, the Cats still have a few top line players to come back into the line-up; including Gary Ablett, provided the star midfielder survives his life-threatening ankle injury. But despite the big win, coach Mark Thompson doesn't believe his side is developing a superiority complex over the Dogs ...but, honestly, they should be!

Dogs coach Rodney Eade seems to think that it was a closer contest than the scoreboard indicated. If this were actually true, it would make this match the tightest ten-goal loss in the history of football!

The Cats score a massive win...and don't they look excited!

…

Here’s a look back at the weekend's action on Dress Rehearsal round:

SUNDAY

Paul Roos was pretty pumped after the win but has a few injury worries...welcome back Barry Hall? Maybe. Welcome back Nick Davis? F@!# no!!!

• Sydney squeak past Carlton in a nail-biter at the Telstra Dome that Paul Roos described as a 'special day' for his club. The Blues looked like winners for most of the day before being over-run in the second half but the coach had every right to be pleased with the effort...especially Bryce Gibbs who handled Adam Goodes pretty well. In a side note, Paul Roos thought that the ugly, boring Joel Bowden stalling tactic was pretty sweet - does this surprise anyone?

That victory was ass-grabbingly good for Port Adelaide!

• The fortunes of both teams may not have inspired the usual level of excitement for the Showdown but the Power made the most of their chance to screw up the Crows' finals push by claiming another famous local derby win. And is it all thanks to a former national coach...from an entirely different sport?

...

• The Fremantle Dockers win!!! At home!!! And didn't belt anybody doing it!!! It looked like another disastrous day for Freo as they fell behind early but they recovered uncharacteristically well to smash Melbourne...they being 'Matthew Pavlich', of course. Freo now move one game clear from the bottom of the ladder...where Melbourne lives! But the Demons are determined to avoid the spoon...which works out for the West Coast Eagles because they would love nothing more than to finish last. The two teams meet at the MCG in round 20...

…

SATURDAY

After all these years, Joel Bowden and his backwards-sideways bullshit actually helped Richmond win a game!

• In the forgotten Saturday afternoon game, Richmond kept their ninth-placed finish hopes alive with a last-gasp win over Essendon. The Bombers lost Dustin Fletcher before the game then three players were forced out through injury before a second half comeback fell just short thanks to the ass-backwards exploits of Joel Bowden. While it may be a little karma working against the Bombers after they pioneered the chip-kick keepings-off tactic in the nineties, the manner in which the Tigers won means they are still losers in the eyes of the football world.

St Nick is on fire!!!

• St Kilda are still a touch shambolic off the field but when it comes to winning games, they are doing quite nicely...a thrilling second-half effort securing a memorable comeback win over the Hawks. After four wins in a row, the Sainters are certainly moving in the right direction...which is a wonder when you consider what happened to Malcolm Blight, who finally showed how pissed off he was about it, and how that ended up with the B.S. appointment of Grant Thomas. And that didn't end so well either...

Beat West Coast one-handed? 'Piece of piss' says Jamie Charman!

• Brisbane climb up to sixth on the AFL ladder by beating the West Coast and while Leigh Matthews is pleased that his Lions are winning again...it was only West Coast! The Eagles are closing in on dead last and want Daniel Kerr to prove himself in four meaningless games to see if he wants to stay. Yeah...that'll work.

The program of activities includes live entertainment, roving performers, food and wine, art & craft markets, K-Rock Starshow and lots more along the Geelong Waterfront. Skandia Geelong Week has established itself as Australia's largest keel boat regatta.

First held in 1844, it’s also the oldest sporting event in Victoria. The annual Regatta is part of Victoria's maritime history and now attracts competitors and visitors from all over Australia and beyond. The event attracts in excess of 400 yachts and over 4,500 competitors, with thousands of spectators coming along to enjoy the free activities on offer.Skandia Geelong Week is a ‘must do’ event and place to be in January!

How freakin' good was Drew Petrie!!!

The script was written perfectly. Collingwood look like world beaters against power sides like Geelong and Sydney but always seem to trip up against teams they are supposed to beat. North Melbourne are seen as a battling club but always stand up when they are least expected to...So why on earth would anybody tip the Pies to win this one? With all these factors...why did WE tip them to win???

Sure enough, The Kangaroos kept things close in the first half before making their charge in the third quarter and produced the trademark 'gritty' win over the Pies. The victory keeps the Roos in the finals race and gave coach Dean Laidley a great opportunity to use the word 'super' a lot! Collingwood, on the other hand, have to deal with yet another sub-par performance in a game they should win. Mick Malthouse sensed it was going to happen...hasn't quite figured out how to prevent it from happening yet.

They may have screwed up our tips but that picture...makes you smile, doesn't it!

…

Here is a look ahead at today's games for Dress Rehearsal round...chookas everyone!

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Can Richmond make the finals this year...or is it all a big dress rehearsal for 2009? Or 2010? 2011?

MCG, Melbourne - 2:10pm (local): Richmond v Essendon (FOX)

• Terry Wallace has had what you might call an interrupted preparation to the game...but, to use another showbiz cliche, the show must go on!
• If the Tigers do get up today, it will all be thanks to Nathan Brown and his wacky, madcap antics!
• Dustin Fletcher says the Bombers are ready for the Richmond onslaught...good, because they were not quite ready last time!
• Mark McVeigh will miss the next five weeks thanks to an ongoing problem from that time he smashed James Hird's face at Subiaco! Great to see Hirdy still having an influence at Windy Hill...
• The Bombers say that Andrew Lovett's career is not in jeopardy despite another suspension due his nocturnal activities...but his social life might suffer a bit!

Take note Doggies: Port beat Geelong in a dress rehearsal at Skilled Stadium last season - didn't mean jack-diddly come Grand Final day!

Skilled Stadium, Geelong - 2:10pm (local): Geelong v Western Bulldogs (TEN)

• Is Bomber Thompson fired up for this top-of-the-table clash and possible dress rehearsal for the grand final? Um...that would be 'no'!
• Great news for their two injured midfielders - Cameron Ling is back in training already and Gary Ablett's ankle has not been smashed into one million pieces!
• Not only have the Dogs been a little more fortunate on the injury front this week but they have made a a habit of playing opponents who are not at full strength. How lucky can you get?
• The Bulldogs feel that they are ready to take on the reigning champs...and they are certainly talking a good game!
• You wouldn't have thought that the music of Simon and Garfunkel would provide motivation for footy players but that's what Rodney Eade is going with!

…

SATURDAY NIGHT

John Worsfold should forget about these dress rehearsals and just cancel the rest of the season already!

GABBA, Brisbane - 7:10pm (local): Brisbane v West Coast (FOX)

• The Brisbane team would certainly be less colourful if Brown and Black were both missing...but it takes a lot for Browny to miss a game of footy.
• If Simon Black does miss, a player the calibre of Nigel Lappin would have been a handy replacement. If only the guy could stop falling apart!
• Daniel Kerr is prepared to have a no-play, no-pay clause in his next contract after his latest indiscretion. Though he doesn't say which AFL team that contract will be for...
• This report from WA tries to makes us believe that sidelining experienced players at the risk of finishing on the bottom of the ladder is some sort of dilemma for the Eagles...bullshit! It's not a dilemma finishing last these days, it's a f#!@*$g reward!

…

No time for dress rehearsals at St Kilda...it's virtuoso performance or bust!

• While Hawk fans will be hoping for a speedy recovery from Shane Crawford, very little happens at a fast rate when you get to his age...particularly in the mind.
• Yes, we don't think that Buddy Franklin will ever have a problem with confidence either...he just can't kick straight sometimes!
• Nick Riewoldt agrees that Buddy will have a few off days in front of goal...well, you don't get much better qualified in that department than big Nick!
• Riewoldt also offered this golden nugget of information - if we play well, we might win...
• While St Kilda desperately need to win to keep in touch with the eight, they also desperately needed to get Grant Thomas out of their lives. At least one of these things have been sorted already...

Mark Harvey would never get rid of Solly...he loves the bloke! Just look at them - they are like a pair of slightly vacuous twins!

It is season over for Freo's Dean Solomon after the AFL tribunal handed down an eight week suspension last night for his nasty clash with Geelong Mayor Cameron Ling. The sentence is not only greater than that handed down to Barry Brainfade earlier this year but it's actually the heaviest handed down by the tribunal since Carlton's Greg Williams shoved an umpire in round one 1997.

With Solomon out of contract as season's end, there was talk that his career could be over but there is no way he won't be back at Fremantle in 2009. The guy is only 28 years old, a premiership defender and, most importantly for the Dockers, a former Essendon player. So Mark Harvey will ensure Solly sticks around - along with Mark Johnson, Kepler Bradley...heck, don't be surprised if Harvs recruits Jason Johnson and Damien Peverill to join them!

In fact, the Dockers were reportedly seeking legal advice over the severity of the penalty...perhaps they will argue that continuing to play every week alongside Jeff Farmer, Josh Carr and friends is a far greater punishment? They are probably right...

...

The Solly case ends a frantic couple of days for the League's match review panel:

• Amon Buchanan had a five-match sanction reduced to four with an early guilty plea...for hitting Luke Hodge in the head. Hodgey must have been falling because there is no other way this shortarse could physically hit anybody that high!
• Daniel Kerr doesn't even look like he wants to play now anyway so the tribunal probably did him a favour with the three-match ban. But there could be more trouble on the way for Kerr! Not that he seems to care...
• The tribunal members cleared Ryan Crowley and Daniel Pratt last night...they must have been feeling a little fatigued after deliberating on the Solomon case for a while. Or maybe they needed to rush home to watch Ladette to Lady...

...

In other news:

• No bionic knee for Brett Burton! It could be a long while before he's back taking screamers and spraying set shots...if he gets back at all!
• Essendon do their own suspension work...and it is a repeat offender too!
• So why did Shannon Grant really get dropped by the Kangas last week? Something smells funny here...
• Dean Cox is pissed off! Well, they just got flogged by Richmond...at home...and that just shouldn't happen. Ever!
• Brendan Fevola still copping flak from Nathan Buckley and now some of the AFL's best are weighing in on the Fev story. Will he just sign this new contract with Carlton so we can forget about him for a bit?
• Gold Coast Cappers not catchy enough? The new GC17 club narrow down the choice of team name to five boring-arse options!

Solomon sees red...

Well, that was another incident packed weekend! Important wins by St Kilda, Richmond, Collingwood and Hawthorn helped boost their respective finals chances while injuries to key players will test the playing stocks of both Geelong and Adelaide. Well...maybe only Adelaide! But the biggest story from the weekend comes out of Geelong where the Cats and Dockers are still counting the cost of a wild encounter at Skilled Stadium on Saturday.

Yeah, nah...sorry...and that...

Fremantle took a highly physical approach to the challenge of playing the reigning champs with the antagonising pair of Ryan Crowley and Josh Carr unsettling a few Cats...leaving them quite unimpressed. While they came close to crossing the line a few times, Dean Solomon took a few mammoth steps over that line when he attacked Cameron Ling with his pointy elbow!

Ling will probably miss the next month of footy and while Solomon went live-to-air after the match to apologise for the incident, he won't receive a lot of sympathy this week from the AFL tribunal. How he got out of the Geelong region unscathed is close to miraculous. Then again, has Solomon been sighted since his TV apology? If not, we fear for his safety!

Oooh, that looks nasty! Dean Solomon came out and apologised for that as well...

At least Lingy will be back out there and scaring young children later this season...but Brett Burton won't! His left knee collapsed during Adelaide's loss to Collingwood and his season is over. While it is most likely that Burton will be back at some stage of 2009, have we seen the best of the high flying Birdman? Or will he undergo the same radical knee surgery as Nick Malceski and introduce the bionic leap to AFL football?

...

Here’s a look back at who claimed all the points as part of the Eight Point Game round:

SUNDAY

A bit like Tadhg's shoulder, the Swans just keep popping out every now and then...

• Hawthorn eased back into footy after the split round with a solid win over Sydney - one that was supposedly their last big psychological test before the finals. Um, aren't they playing Geelong in a couple of weeks? And wouldn't you think that Buddy only kicking four goals from 14 scoring shots is a slight concern? Surely, the Swans need to bring back Barry Hall this week because they need him...well, most of him!

It was at this point that the Dogs had the match all wrapped up...

• Well...that was a complete waste of time! The Western Bulldogs cruised to victory over a committed but just not very good Melbourne and neither coach was particularly happy with what they saw. In good news for the Bulldogs, Melbourne didn't resort to going the knuckle like Freo did on Saturday so there are no major injuries from the match. In fact, they have some really good players to come back in for the Geelong match!

Daniel Kerr might miss a few more games for this little incident...

• Richmond make a mess of the West Coast Eagles to stay in the finals race. The Tigers kicked 11 goals in the second term. That's right - not an entire game...in just one quarter! The Eagles are now less than one per cent from the very bottom of the ladder so while John Worsfold might be confident of rebuilding, it could take a long, long time.

…

SATURDAY

Brownlow Medal punters shat themselves when they saw Gazza's ankle!

• Once the Freo biffo subsided, Geelong just took care of business and ran over the top of the Dockers despite losing Ablett and Ling for the second half. They now prepare for a top-of-the-table clash at home against the second placed Dogs next Saturday and it will be live on Channel Ten! That's not a misprint...live and free-to-air. What a treat!

Shoulder trouble or huge Star Trek fan?

• You thought that Adelaide's season was looking shaky after what Geelong did to them? Well, they lost convincingly to Collingwood and saw their two leading goal kickers go down for the year. This gave Mick Malthouse to reheat his extended interchange argument as his weekly whinge topic, saying it was unfair for the Crows to have two less players. Of course, it didn't stop Geelong.

David Hille...Luke Darcy wants your phone number!

• Essendon survived a couple of Brisbane fightbacks to run out convincing winners and chalk up four straight! Matty Knights is certainly not talking finals...which is wise considering they are two games and a shit percentage out of eighth spot. But Luke Darcy was definitely talking David Hille during the game...he, along with others, are quite taken with the Bomber big man!

Hey Crabman!

• North Melbourne stay in the thick of the finals race as they hold on for a thrilling win against a blunderiffic Port Adelaide. Power captain and infamous goal celebrator Warren Tredrea had the opportunity to be a real hero but he missed a final minute shot from a tight angle to win the game. Dean Laidley clealry felt that karma played its part in Tredrea's miss so he must be a big fan of My Name Is Earl! Wonder if he jokingly refers to Daniel Wells as Crabman...

"Doesn't look that worried about the loss, Fev. I don't like the look of that. Don't like it at all. You haven't done much. Haven't helped the side. You've had the loss. That guy there (Chris Judd) has busted his guts. And you are hugging the opposition. Oh well."

That's not Half Back Flanker bagging out Carlton full forward Brendan Fevola...we would be far more succinct with a few cuss words thrown in for good measure. Those statements belong to Channel Seven commentator Nathan Buckley, who was clearly unimpressed with the body language emanating from the Fev after St Kilda's vital win over the Blues last night.

The Saints needed to win this 'eight point' game in order to have some control over their finals destiny and they did just that in front of a good crowd at the MCG, not the Docklands as the ABC reported...though they did manage a decent crowd at the Dome as well! Those Catholics sure have a loyal fan base...wonder if they will all get on board with the Sydney Celtics in 2011?

Having won the 'eight-pointer', St Kilda sit one win and percentage above Carlton in eighth spot. The Blues still think they are a shot at September but not on last night's showing...plus they have the Doggies, Hawks and away games in Brisbane and Adelaide to come. Umm...nah!

But quickly back to Fevola - maybe he thinks that slapping your opponent around the head unnecessarily a few times is the type of action that warrants a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract. But nobody at Carlton or Sydney or anywhere else he is supposedly wanted, would agreee with him...unless he has the same agent as Andrew Bogut!

But with Carlton playing Sydney next Sunday - perhaps the winner can have the four points and the loser can overpay Fev for three years of occassional joy and chronic frustration! Sounds fair.

…

Here is a look ahead at the remaining games for The Eight Point Game round:

SATURDAY

With eight points on the line, expect to see a fast-paced contest between these two teams this afternoon!

MCG, Melbourne - 2:10pm (local): Collingwood v Adelaide (FOX)

• How Many Points Is This Game Worth? Big game! Fifth verses sixth, level on points and both chasing the Swans who sit six points ahead on the ladder …the loser can probably kiss a top four finish goodbye. And because it is so rare to win it all from outside the top four, flag hopes could be dashed for one of these clubs today. EIGHT POINTS!
• After beating up on the Swans, Collingwood are aiming for the top four...and a potential first round match against Geelong. How cool would that be!!!
• Is this the Magpies or the Sopranos...because uncle Tony is getting into trouble again!
• Adelaide are fired up about facing the Pies but then again, they said the same thing about the Geelong game...and guess how that turned out!
• But to have any hope of victory, the Crows need to find a high-scoring forward to spark them in attack. Wonder what Tony Modra is up to...
• It's round 15...did it really take this long for a sub-editor to break out the 'Bock and a hard place' headline pun?

…

Don't the Cats fans love beating Freo! Might be a bit cold for it though...

Skilled Stadium, Geelong - 2:10pm (local): Geelong v Fremantle (TEN)

• How Many Points Is This Game Worth? Win or lose, the Cats are either finishing first or second and looking the team to beat in September. Even if Freo caused a major upset, they would still suck for the next month. Barely worth playing at all. ONE POINT!
• To the surprise of no one, Nathan Ablett is back at Geelong and on the training track. But he's not going to play - it is all in preparation for 2009...honest!
• What the hell is wrong with Anthony Hudson? Bomber Thompson wins Geelong's first flag since before Huddo was alive...and only now can he bring himself to thank him?
• Fremantle are now looking at this year as 'short term pain for long term gain'...well, apart from two finals appearances, they have had a lot of pain since 1995. Any chance of some gain before the year 2025?
• The bell has tolled, or rung, or whatever bell-like sound you can think of, on the playing career of veteran Peter Bell. But he will probably stay involved in footy at the Dockers...or is it the Eagles?

…

Sorry Bomber fans...you won't see Hirdy in red and black or fluoro yellow any time soon!

Telstra Dome, Melbourne - 7:10pm (local): Essendon v Brisbane (TEN)

• How Many Points Is This Game Worth? Essendon won't win enough games for finals but have won too many for a priority draft pick - so it's more about team development for them. But the result is critical for Brisbane as they need to win on the road if they have any hope of catching the Swans in fourth spot. FIVE POINTS!
• Essendon will welcome back Henry Slattery - not only is he awake again but he's straight back in the team and ready to play! Just in time to fill the space in front of Jono Brown...oh crap!
• Didn't these guys retire a dozen or so times last year? Yep...but it seems that both Kevin Sheedy and James Hird can't keep away from Windy Hill. Haven't they got homes to go to?
• Leigh Matthews doesn't have a problem with players diving for free kicks...well, the fans don't necessarily agree with Leigh's point of view!
• Now that Michael Voss has snubbed the new Gold Coast franchise (and who could blame him!) and heading west to coach at the Eagles - how cool would it be if Vossy came back to be the next coach of Brisbane in 2011 and smash the GC17 in the first Queensland derby!

…

Chances of a repeat of last year's prelim final flogging? Hmm, not great.

• How Many Points Is This Game Worth? The Power have been out of the running for a few weeks but North are only half a game out of the eight...though they will still be outside if they win. But there has been no mention of the mythical 'Shinboner Spirit' this week, so the Roos can't be playing a mythical 'eight-pointer'! FOUR POINTS!
• There has been no 'home sweet home' for Port Adelaide as AAMI Stadium has not treated them well this year...maybe that's why they are looking elsewhere for some Carr insurance!
• Brett Ebert is about to sign a new deal at the Power...once it's done, hopefully the media can get photos of him holding an oversized novelty check above his oversized novelty head!
• Despite injuries, Port still have a decent midfield so North Melbourne really do need to improve in this area if they hope to win. Yes, that appears to mean you, Daniel Harris!
• Dumped Roo Shannon Grant dusts off the old apology script and gives it another run. The guy is so close to playing 300 games and has the rest of his life to play up on corporate golf days...what the hell is he doing?

...

SUNDAY

Will Spida Everitt take over as Sydney's biggest nutjob with Barry Hall out?

• How Many Points Is This Game Worth? A Hawthorn win probably ensures they finish in the top three and play all their finals games in Melbourne. A Sydney loss would mean either the Pies or Crows are only half a game behind them in fourth. It's still a big game but the real eight-pointers will be coming soon...for the Swans in particular! SIX POINTS!
• Brad Sewell will play for the Hawks after being in doubt due to having his appendix removed...you'd have thought that footy clubs would automatically rip them out of every rookie so this kind of thing doesn't happen! How unprofessional...
• Buddy Franklin reveals that he is frustrated at the amount of attention he receives from the public...well, perhaps you could try being a little less awesome!
• How well prepared will Sydney be for this match? Paul Roos has been very busy this week disciplining Barry Hall and not meeting Brendan Fevola.
• Speaking of Barry, it seems he is a little confused as to why he lashed out last weekend...well, don't ask any of us for clarification. We don't understand what's going on in your head either!

…

Things didn't go so well for Melbourne the last time they faced the Dogs!

Telstra Dome, Melbourne - 2:10pm (local): Western Bulldogs v Melbourne (SEVEN)

• How Many Points Is This Game Worth? Not that many. We think it's worth two so a Doggies win would make up for the draw with Richmond and could bring them level with either the Cats or Hawks in the later rounds. Two points would also be a nice incentive for Melbourne without endangering their chances of landing the best kid in the country at draft time. TWO POINTS!
• So, are the Doggies certainties to win? You can bet on it! We don't gamble that much but you'd have to think that is money in the bank...
• Um, why does every little piece of shit that falls from the mouth of Jason Akermanis become a 'story'? Shanghai...are you f*@$&#g kidding me?
• Melbourne are launching their 'Debt Demolition' this week as they attempt to save their club...fair to say it won't be the only demolition involving the Dees this week!
• It has been a tough year for the Demons but they can at least take heart in the performances of their youngsters...but any time they play and one of their guys doesn't almost die, it's a bonus!

…

A few flying high shots would certainly help Richmond's cause...

Subiaco, Perth - 2:40pm (local): West Coast v Richmond (FOX)

• How Many Points Is This Game Worth? Points are irrelevant to the Eagles at this stage but a win in the west would be an enormous boost for the Tigers who are stuck in 11th spot. But we will only give them three points and that gives them a better chance of just falling short of the finals in ninth spot...because that's how Richmond works!  THREE POINTS!
• Daniel Kerr has been named to play but is in doubt with 'footballer's knee'. Is that the term you use when a footballer gets spiked in the knee by a stingray?
• Any more off-field shenanigans at the Eagles and Adam Selwood is outta there! Whether this is an overreaction is up for debate...and the master of overreaction is having his two cents worth!
• No Matthew Richardson for Richmond - which not only sucks for them but for any fantasy football owners who have Richo in their team...as vice captain...in a competition with no emergencies! D'oh!!!
• Terry Wallace believes that Graham Polak could well make a full recovery from his brain injuries. Ummm, nup - can't take the piss out of this one! We hope that Polak does make a full recovery and plays for the Tigers again!

More Information on this at: http://www.geelong.ws/2008-Geelong-News-and-Articles/Australian-Masters-Games-Geelong-2009.html

Located under the Great Ocean Road menu you will also find extensive accommodation listings for all towns and villages along the Bellarine Peninsula and Great Ocean Road.

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Um, Barry...what the f&@# do you think you're doing??

Any chance we all had of easing our way back into the crazy world of AFL after the split round was snuffed out by the sharp, pointy bits of Sydney's Barry Hall. Having recently returned from a lengthy suspension for his sucker punch on West Coasts's Brent Staker, Hall inexplicably threw out an elbow at Collingwood old bloke Shane Wakelin. Sure, his team were playing some shitty football at the time...but why on earth would he do something like that?

At best, the contact was slight and Wakelin appeared to milk it for all it was worth...but whether he made significant contact or not, the guy must be a freakin' moron to throw his elbows around like that. The incident will definitely be looked at and if found guilty of any charge, he will go for at least two weeks.  Paul Roos will be really pissed off!

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While the Barry Hall media circus will wrap up on the next couple of days, the focus on the playing future of Brendan Fevola looks likely to kick on and on and on...

Fev, stop jerking around and just sign a frickin' contract already!!!

The new contract for Fev saga has dragged on for months now but it took a new but highly unoriginal twist last Thursday night. Having already turned down more than reasonable contract offers from the Blues, his Footy Show mates tried to help him inflate his price even more by running with the story of a massive contract offer from the Sydney Swans. Well, that's what friends are for...

Fev, who was conveniently appearing on the show that night, did not want to discuss his contract...even though it came out days later that he was running off at the mouth about it at the Jeff Fenech 'fight'. Paul Roos quickly ridiculed the offer and suggested that Fev just get on with signing for Carlton...which we all know is going to happen anyway! So...how far away is the 'Fev to West Coast' bullshit rumour?

But when there were very few teams playing on the weekend, it's probably no surprise that the focus switched to a few individuals. Let's hope that we can enjoy some great team footy in the run to the finals and hear less about Hall's elbows, Fev's contract negotiations and absolutely anything to do with Jason Akermanis!

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Alright...some football was played!

Yeah, feeling pretty relaxed...my job is a piece of piss at the moment!

Every weekend is like a split round break for Bomber Thompson these days! After eating his way through a 20-goal hiding over the West Coast Eagles a fortnight ago, the Geelong coach had little to stress about as his Cats totally outclassed the Crows in Adelaide on Friday night. The Cats have managed to win plenty of games without being totally dominant until now...but they might start crushing the pretenders now as they prepare for a serious run at back-to-back flags. Gulp!

On the other hand, Adelaide have lost three straight games and Neil Craig is probably aware that his side is a long way off the powerful Geelong. Graham Johncock may think his team will learn a lot from the comprehensive loss but unless they learn fast, they won't get within eight goals of Geelong come September. But then again...who will?

Two weeks of planning and preparation...all gone to shit!!!

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Dale Thomas kicked three goals for the Pies...and not once did he slide to his knees and shake his tits around!

What the hell is wrong with Collingwood...apart from the blatantly obvious? They look like an average footy side for weeks at a time but then faced with a major challenge like a Geelong or the Swans in Sydney, they come out and kick some major ass! Without Adam Goodes, the Swans looked plain awful for three quarters ...only managing two goals in all that time. As they often do, Sydney tried to charge home in the last but the Pies had their measure...again!

The benefits from a week away from all those pesky blockbusters clearly helped Collingwood - who believe that their strong play against Sydney is based on holding great respect for their fierce rival. So, obviously, they have no respect for the likes of Carlton, the Western Bulldogs and those other teams that made them look silly not too long ago!