AFL SEASON 2007
by John Loffler
PREVIEW ROUND 8
(Last week 6 from 8 total 31 from 56 =55.4%)
Finally there was a bit of normality in my tipping with a hugely successful 6 correct. Mightn’t sound much but it lifted me a few hundred places in a couple of big comps and a few thousand in the AFL comp!
Football lovers and historians among us may remember some of the stirring and motivational speeches given by coaches of the past so it was probably surprising to listen to the tame address given by Sheeds to his Bombers at three quarter time last week in their game against the Kangaroos. Then again it must be hard to continue breathing fire and brimstone at every address you give your players after 20 something years. I must admit that even I scratched my head at times about what to say to motivate players after just 3 years coaching. These days if somebody said to me they were going to give me $300,000 for playing my guts out every week I would be motivated beyond words.
The CEO of the AFL must have relatives here in Perth as he scheduled a chat with Ben Cousins and his dad while he was over here laying down some AFL law about what Ben needs to do before he can come back and play in the competition. All these rule changes coming about with regard to illicit drug taking and testing and recreational drugs. They will no doubt refer to the period as the AFL BBC (before Ben Cousins) which adds another category to the library that already holds AVCR (after Video Cassette Recorders) which was the period referred to as NDVD (now Digital Video Discs) or NCD (Now Compact Disc) and all this is years after the BCTV (before colour TV) which followed BWTV (Before black and white TV).
Anyway, none of this has anything to do with another round of AFL footy from which we need to pick lots of winners. Good Luck!
Adelaide V Richmond AAMI Stadium Friday Night
Thank the lord we have an easy one to start with on a Friday night to kick the week off on a positive note.
Adelaide by 66
Essendon V Brisbane Telstra Dome Saturday Arvo
The Bombers, motivated by another Kevin Sheedy head-banging, salivating, backslapping pre-game speech won’t find enough spark to knock off the Brisbane Lions….I think. If there ever was a game that can cause you tipping angst then this is it. Played at Telstra dome in therefore dry conditions and the Lions coming off a defeat against the Crows, which incidentally was previewed correctly last week you wouldn’t be far off right by selecting the Bombers to win this as a surprise. Why not?
Essendon by 7
Geelong V Fremantle Skilled Stadium Saturday Arvo
Which smart alec did the draw so that the Cats played both WA teams at the Cattery in consecutive weeks? What a coup! We all admit that Geelong is on fire while the Dockers have yet to hit their top four contention straps. The worry with Freo is just where are those straps? If they don’t show their leathery heads soon then we’ll have to presume they aren’t gonna come. Fremantle have the cattle to hold the Abletts but the Cats also have the power to hold the Docker forwards. Look, I can cr*p on for another paragraph about the science of football but nothing I say and nothing I have seen so far this season will make me suggest to you tipsters that Freo can win this game. So let’s wrap it up.
Geelong by 44
Hawthorn V St Kilda MCG Saturday Night
The Hawks were not shamed in their loss to the Dockers last week and certainly have the players to take this game right up to the Saints. And how do you pick the Saints? Tipsters can not be sure just which head game they will be bringing this week to the MCG. Having got the Ross Lyon game plan right last week can they keep it up for this match? As good as Hawthorn were last week they might find this a bit hard as well but believe me it should be close. I thought Hawthorn made a few silly errors that come from an inexperienced side and this type of inexperience will cost them dearly against the Saints. That sounds knowledgeable enough to pick St Kilda I guess.
St Kilda by 15
Kangaroos V Carlton Gold Coast Saturday Night
The Collingwood Carlton match last week was a great game to watch capped off with a great result. We can’t expect as much fire from the Carlton players this week as they work hard over the next few fixtures to pay their melee fines. Unfortunately not playing with the same passion against a resurgent Kangaroos side will be costly. For the Kangaroos to be successful on the Gold Coast they have to show their would-be supporters that they are a winning club so a loss to Carlton is not allowed. It was on this ground that the Kangaroo winning streak started so will it be on this ground that this streak comes to a halt? I’m wondering whether Laidley can sustain his charges for five wins in a row. Is this one of the 5 games the Blues will win this year? Tipsters who are a few points down may want to go for the unlikely but highly possible in this match. Why not? A game decided on the last scoring shot of the day.
Carlton by 1
Sydney V Port Adelaide at SCG Sunday Arvo
Port Power sitting on top of the ladder? Who’da thought? Sydney’s loss in Melbourne should have been foreseen and if I had picked that one correctly and picked Geelong to maintain their form then 8 correct would have been a succinct possibility. Anyway, Tadhg Kennelly is back for the Swans and that should provide enough Irish luck to get them over the line. South Australian football supporters are in as much wonderment as the rest of us as they watch Port on top of the ladder but they should, and will, be brought back to earth with a thud after this game. Please.
Sydney by 21
Western Bulldogs V Collingwood Telstra Dome Sunday arvo
This is certainly the game of the round if you don’t follow any of the other 14 teams. The Bulldogs are not playing their best brand of football but are nevertheless winning enough to keep them in contention. The Magpies have gone ballistic and certainly their performances to date have not only their supporters staring in wide-eyed wonder but even have their detractors shuddering in horror. Collingwood still have a few better players to come into the side but their youngsters are doing very well. They’ll be up against the Bulldog youngsters and as the game is at Telstra dry conditions football, fast and exciting, will be the order of the day. I kind of think the Doggies play Telstra pretty well and they have a tad more experience than the Pies. In what should be a good game of football, high scoring, I’m thinking the Western Bulldogs need to make a statement about just where they are this year and it will be the Pies that suffer the consequences. Looking at the Bulldogs to win this in the third quarter during which they will set up the victory.
Western Bulldogs by 19
West Coast V Melbourne Subiaco Sunday arvo
The Demons are getting closer to a win. Well, in fact they’re not because against Port they lost by 5 points and then against the Bulldogs they lost by 6 points so in fact they’re going backwards! Embley remains out injured for the Eagles but they have Cox returning. Cousins remains out due to the ill effects of drugs but Chad Fletcher is in the 25. Will he get a run at last? You will have to wait until Sunday arvo to find that out. I know Melbourne is due for a win after their 7 straight losses but I’m finding it hard to make a case for them against an Eagles team that also lost last weekend. Whoosher was not happy I can tell you and West Coast looked ordinary. I thought they played flat, a prone state they can’t afford to play in this week because the Demons are poised for a victory. However, and let’s look at this in a logical way, Melbourne are not as good a side as the Eagles, even on a bad day for the West Coasters, so their struggle to record their first victory will have to wait another week…or two….or three…well whenever it is that they play Richmond.
West Coast by 28
Article last changed on Thursday, May 17, 2007 - 5:01 PM EDT
