| If | Bryce Gibbs is to blast his way out of his mysterious form slump ... |
| then | Friday night footy at the Cattery in a crunch game presents as the perfect platform. |
| If | the impact of Daniel Rich has often been queried in recent seasons ... |
| then | it is only fair that his impact in 2019 is acknowledged. His 11th AFL season is shaping as his best. |
| If | Cripps' unavailability due to a foot injury is more bad news for the Blues ... |
| then | we hope it doesn't prove personally catastrophic on Brownlow night. |
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| If | there has been frustration for Josh Daicos in recent weeks as he's regularly narrowly missed a senior call-up ... |
| then | the positive is that he can run onto Marvel Stadium on Saturday night with the full knowledge he has fully earnt his 13th AFL match. Something beautifully nostalgic about a Pies team with a Moore, Brown and Daicos. |
| If | big Bellcho going down was a major setback against the Giants ... |
| then | it was no surprise that his best mate Hookesy stepped up most to cover. Great leadership from Hooker as a forward and ruck in a final quarter performance which has reignited a sputtering season. |
| If | serious injuries to Pearce, Lobb and Taberner had already put the Dockers' season into jeopardy ... |
| then | the setback to Hogan might be the point of no return. |
| If | you've toiled through injury for the first half of the season ... |
| then | there would be a hundred easier first-up tasks for Jed Bews than being assigned Eddie Betts tasks on Friday night footy. |
| If | the ins are Hanley and Miller ... |
| then | that's a big positive. But not enough to stop a 10th consecutive loss against the Swans in the Saturday twilight fixture. |
| If | things seemed to be going swimmingly ... |
| then | they aren't now. A bad loss to the Bombers on Thursday, Brisbane next weekend, then Richmond, Collingwood and Port. There's not going to be a home prelim final. |
| If | the Bombers were able to roll a premiership fancy on Thursday night to keep the season alive ... |
| then | there's nothing stopping the Hawks doing the same in round 15, against the Eagles at the 'G. |
| If | so much has gone so terribly wrong for the Demons this season ... |
| then | the exception is Max Gawn. Started slowly, but never stopped trying and has actually compiled a personal season in line with his extraordinary 2018. |
| If | you're a first-round draft pick from 2012 and largely because of injury you have managed just 38 games ... |
| then | there are better things Taylor Garner could have done last weekend over finding himself in a fight in a bar in Sydney. |
| If | genuine, all-in passion was the key to last week's potentially season-shaping performance against ladder leader Geelong ... |
| then | the Power are going to require a different motivation if they are to do as expected and follow it up with victory against the Dogs. Potential danger game for a team that doesn't always consolidate big wins. |
| If | four of the seven ins for the game against St Kilda are premiership players, including the skipper Cotchin ... |
| then | the season relaunch clearly begins on Sunday at Marvel Stadium against the Saints. |
| If | it wasn't already established that Richo had walked under a ladder on the same day he spotted a black cat this year ... |
| then | it became fact when another soldier, Dean Kent, who had been a good contributor all season, went down at training. |
| If | the profession of AFL coach is considered one of the more volatile and treacherous career pursuits a person can ever embark on ... |
| then | when the planets align to place you firmly in a 'cannot lose' scenario, it's only fair that you negotiate hard with your current employer and haggle even harder with the other one who now shamelessly and desperately wants you. But, Horse, you'd better make your mind up soon. |
| If | Nic Nat is in an Eagles team ... |
| then | that game of footy is always a compelling one to watch. So glad that he is back after his second knee reco. |
| If | it was Grundy last week and the back-in-form Lycett this week ... |
| then | good luck, Tim English. Going to be a very good player, but having trouble with seasoned opponents. |
| If | the bunker system for goal reviews isn't fast-tracked into the 2019 season ... |
| then | there is genuine fear now that a result in the finals series will be compromised. |
