The old saying goes “Bad dress rehearsal, good opening night!”…well, that’s what the loser of Geelong- Western Bulldogs will be saying!
This round is shaping up as the footballing equivalent of the dress rehearsal. Look at Saturday’s blockbuster in Geelong for example – the first-placed Cats play the second-placed Dogs and while there are premiership points up for grabs, it feels like more of a run-through in preparation for, potentially, a full-blown performance late in September.
At the other end of the table, the Dockers and Demons will play off in Perth – a great chance for Nicholas Naitanui or another of the gun Western Australian kids to get along and see which of these awful teams is more likely to claim them in the upcoming National Draft. Then we have the Showdown in Adelaide where the Crows and Power will build on their bitter rivalry, though the on-field action is just a dress rehearsal for the real battle – usually held post-game at the local pub!
And Sunday afternoon’s Carlton-Sydney clash could be a great dress rehearsal for contract-procrastinator Brendan Fevola…just to get a feel for what it could be like playing for the Swans! And nobody loves showing off on the big stage more than the Fev!
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TEAM NEWS
- Kangaroos have a big game but they still dump a big man!
- That Gary Ablett would have been handy for the Bulldogs game…maybe next time!
- The Doggies, however, have no significant outs and two big inclusions…
- Operation 2009 is well and truly under way at the West Coast…
- Andrew McLeod is back for the Crows…can he make up for the loss of the Birdman?
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TIPS FOR DRESS REHEARSAL ROUND:
MAPGIES by 29: Not the most enjoyable way to kick off a big weekend of footy but a Collingwood win seems most likely.
CATS by 18: Watch them beat the Dogs without Ablett and Ling…and then be very, very afraid!
TIGERS by 21: Somebody’s tenuous finals hopes will drag on for another week…unfortunately, we think it will be Richmond!
LIONS by 43: They are playing West Coast…West Coast don’t give a shit any more! Next…
HAWKS by 28: Will we see a bagful of goals from Buddy to push him closer to the ton? We think so…
SWANS by 7: Sydney love playing grind-it-out footy games at the Dome…can’t say we love watching them!
POWER by 28: You look at that Adelaide forward line now and one word comes to mind…’how?’
DOCKERS by 35: If Freo can’t beat Melbourne at home then they should just give up…seriously!!! Just hand back the keys to the AFL and give the franchise to Tasmania – give them a shot at the big time!
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Tonight’s action:
The drawn grand final in 1977 proved to be the perfect dress rehearsal for North Melbourne!
Telstra Dome, Melbourne – 7:40pm (local): North Melbourne v Collingwood (SEVEN)
- North Melbourne were the big movers in club membership this season…but can they keep them all on board in 2009?
- We finally got to the bottom of the Shannion Grant suspension…well, sort of! But the Kangaroos are still giving little away…they have even managed to muzzle their media chatterbox-president! A rare feat indeed…
- The Kangaroo is to be removed from their alternate strip…provided it gets the ok from Collingwood, of course! Because when it comes to anything clashing with the Magpie jumper, money talks!
- Collingwood are pushing for that top-four finish…and a qualifying final against Geelong at a packed MCG! It would be an awesome game…as much as wanting the Pies to finish in the four is a little cringeworthy!
- Speaking of cringeworthy, Brodie Holland needs to play footy this year or else it could be curtains! Um…Holland is still playing footy? Since when?
Why would the Eagles, Deemons and Shockers want to win and ruin their chances for a top pick?
So freo and Deemons will draw!