C
CyberKev
Guest
Sod me sideways! I toiled away last night writing this only to see the connection fall dead during transmission, wiping away the sweat of my toil to a vocal backdrop that would have made a hardened wharfie blush burgundy
Lets hope that the Gods are kinder this time around, or maybe its just a case of the Gods following bloody Collingwood!
<table border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align=left bgcolor=#f7f0de colspan=2><span>FRIDAY MAY 30</span></td></tr> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td align=left><span>Port Adelaidevs Collingwood </span></td> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td colspan=2> AAMI Stadium<span>8:10 PM AEST</span> <span>It was only last September that the hardening foundations of the Port vs Collingwood rivalry became officially concrete. Port was seen as a real deal Premiership threat, but all that changed when they choked big time and gave the ambling magpies an unexpected free ride to the Preliminary Final. McGuire has been stoking the fire ever since and turned-up the heat a few hundred degrees celsius during the week with another of his demented tirades against all things non-Carringbush! Hopefully Port will answer this drivel on the paddock and I suspect they can provided their key defenders play Tarrant smart (i.e. forcing him wide at every chance) and Rocca tight. If these two don't fire then Port is home, particularly with Tredrea back in form up front, Stevens & Wanganeen firing on all four, and a distinct advantage in the ruck. Collingwood , as ever in Adelaide, will fancy its chances but you can render them largely impotent with the right level of commitment. Port should not have any trouble raising the ire and the edge in talent should do the rest. Power by 10 pts</span></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan=2>
</td></tr> <tr> <td align=left bgcolor=#f7f0de colspan=2><span>SATURDAY MAY 31</span></td></tr> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td align=left><span>Western Bulldogsvs Kangaroos </span></td> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td colspan=2> Telstra Dome<span>2:10 PM AEST</span> <span>These two sides share little in open rivalry terms, but the very fragility of their respective circumstances ensures a feisty encounter. The Bulldogs have given heaps to sides over the past few weeks without getting any points and I'd love to see them get up here. I suspect, however, that the Kangaroos have the grunt and confidence to drag themselves over the line. I'd give the Dogs the midfield edge here, but it isn't overly significant, and is more than negated by the Kangaroos advantages at either end of the ground. I fear another tight Bulldogs loss here, which will further esconce the club in the unwanted role as honorable loser. Too many honorable losses can lead to total collapse down the track as confidence ebbs and I hope the Hounds can avoid this. Kangaroos by 6 pts</span></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan=2>
</td></tr> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td align=left><span>Fremantlevs Carlton </span></td> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td colspan=2> Subiaco<span>3:40 PM AEST</span> <span>Freo doesn't really have a rivalry with anyone outside of West Coast, but perhaps the little spot of verballing between the two coaches during the week will signal the start of something here. Carlton really should be holding its tongue at the moment, however, as the club is ordinary to the max and is certain of making the bottom four again this year. Too many of its better players are either injured or looking tired and it lacks the necessary impetus to take a game by the scruff of the neck. Ambling Brisbane let the Blues have a bit of fun during the first half last week, but when it got willing it was all one way traffic as the Lions demolished the Blues with a frightening ferocity. Freo, on the other hand, are riding high on confidence having won their last two in Melbourne (admittedly against dismal opposition) and their last four all-up (for the first time ever). I think Freo is nicely balanced across the park, with fine mobile talls, capable midfielders and a healthy dose of dash. They want finals football and this time around they're going to get it. Dockers by 62 pts</span></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan=2>
</td></tr> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td align=left><span>Richmondvs Sydney </span></td> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td colspan=2> Melbourne Cricket Ground<span>7:10 PM AEST</span> <span>A very interesting contest this one. Both sides suffered bad losses last week, but while Richmond's may have been worse in margin terms, Sydney's was the poorer in terms of general play. The Tigers have welcomed back a couple of handy types and will be seeking a hasty return to the robust midfield and crunching defensive play that has troubled quite a few sides this season. Their biggest worry may be the post-Subi hoodoo, given that painfully few sides win the week after making the dreaded trip West. Sydney? They've been going okay, but I still don't think that they're anything wonderful. the defense is short, the midfield lean, and the forwards struggle to kick high scores if Hall isn't on fire. As such, I think the Tigers can defy the hoodoo and get back on the winners list. Tigers by 15 pts</span></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan=2>
</td></tr> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td align=left><span>Melbournevs Brisbane Lions </span></td> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td colspan=2> Gabba<span>7:10 PM AEST</span> <span>A couple of years might as well be an eternity in footballing terms. When Melbourne played off against Essendon in the 2000 GF they appeared to be eyeing the open highway, but now they struggle down one-way streets with junkyard dogs, alley cats and dusty Pidgeons (once were Hawks). They're ordinary the Demons, with a spluttering midfield, a dismal defence, and a forward line that can look painfully lonely when Neitz decides to go sightseeing. Brisbane have hardly been awesome this year, but they continue to do enough and maintain their rightful spot on the top of the table. They'll well remember Melbourne upsetting them here in the corresponding fixture last season, but I'd give you dollars to donuts on this aberation not being repeated here. Lions by 58 pts</span></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan=2>
</td></tr> <tr> <td align=left bgcolor=#f7f0de colspan=2><span>SUNDAY JUNE 1</span></td></tr> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td align=left><span>Geelongvs Adelaide </span></td> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td colspan=2> Skilled Stadium<span>1:10 PM AEST</span> The Geelong media tried to up the ante for this game with a proposal to provide spectators with thousands of big fingers with which to taunt ex-coach Gary Ayres and the Crow interlopers. In the end they bowed to the do-gooders, however, and now only six people will have 'em, more's the pity! I'm going to give the Cats the benefit of this one and jump on a surging Cat bandwagon for the game. They've played well indeed over recent weeks and may well expose the Crows for pace and enthusiasm. Adelaide is not as good as the media hype suggests and lacks the willingness to fire-up in big games when things get tight. It survives in the eight largely due to the enduring quality of its midfield, but may find the young Cats more than a handful down Corio this weekend. Cats by 8 pts</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan=2>
</td></tr> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td align=left><span>Essendonvs West Coast </span></td> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td colspan=2> Telstra Dome<span>2:10 PM AEST</span> <span>There's always been a bit of spite in these clashes thanks to Messers Malthouse and Sheedy, but Essendon strikes me as a club that is more comfortable talking loudly and flying the flag when things are going comfortably for them, than in times of adversity. The Bombers welcome back some big names, but their big names aren't nearly what they were a couple of years back, their ruck is non-existent, the midfield mediocre, the defence unspecial, and the forwards inconsistent. Essentially the club trails West Coast in all aspects of the game and ar unlikely to win even though the game is being played in Victoria. West Coast have impressed with their workrate and improving young talent and should win this one with a minimum of fuss. Eagles by 22 pts</span></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan=2>
</td></tr> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td align=left><span>St Kildavs Hawthorn </span></td> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td colspan=2> Melbourne Cricket Ground<span>2:10 PM AEST</span> I'm not saying Hawthorn is a good side, I'm not saying Hawthorn is a bad side... I'm saying that Hawthorn is far and away the worst side in this competition and probably among the worst five in the entire history of VFL/AFL football. They have no chance of winning this game and precious little hope of winning another game all season. The attack is a rabble, the midfield lack grunt & experience, the defence is all over the shop... Enough about them. St Kilda got cut-up last week, but have done reasonably well so far. They have an exciting mix of young talls and midfield types that will serve the club very well in future. For this week they will be too settled and focused to lose to such a disjointed opposition and while the Hawks may stick with them for three quarters, the Sainst will do enough in the end analysis. Saints by 24 pts</td></tr></tbody></table>
CyberKev
Lets hope that the Gods are kinder this time around, or maybe its just a case of the Gods following bloody Collingwood!<table border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align=left bgcolor=#f7f0de colspan=2><span>FRIDAY MAY 30</span></td></tr> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td align=left><span>Port Adelaidevs Collingwood </span></td> <tr bgcolor=#f7f0de> <td colspan=2> AAMI Stadium<span>8:10 PM AEST</span> <span>It was only last September that the hardening foundations of the Port vs Collingwood rivalry became officially concrete. Port was seen as a real deal Premiership threat, but all that changed when they choked big time and gave the ambling magpies an unexpected free ride to the Preliminary Final. McGuire has been stoking the fire ever since and turned-up the heat a few hundred degrees celsius during the week with another of his demented tirades against all things non-Carringbush! Hopefully Port will answer this drivel on the paddock and I suspect they can provided their key defenders play Tarrant smart (i.e. forcing him wide at every chance) and Rocca tight. If these two don't fire then Port is home, particularly with Tredrea back in form up front, Stevens & Wanganeen firing on all four, and a distinct advantage in the ruck. Collingwood , as ever in Adelaide, will fancy its chances but you can render them largely impotent with the right level of commitment. Port should not have any trouble raising the ire and the edge in talent should do the rest. Power by 10 pts</span></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan=2>
CyberKev
(digits crossed anyway)
