| If | there had been cover in the form of Ollie Wines ... |
| then | after this week there isn't. Sloane now solely in the spotlight as the main out-of-contract, SA-based star. |
| If | Mitch Wallis' discontent continues with the Bulldogs ... |
| then | there's an open door for him here. |
| If | Harry McKay is fit ... |
| then | play him in the seniors for the rest of the year. |
| If | the Pies are the real deal (and we're pretty sure they are) ... |
| then | they will beat the Blues by 15 goals. |
| If | we were ultra-critical after the opening eight games ... |
| then | we've admired the response. Four wins from the next five. 2018 might still be a write-off, but we do respect an in-season comeback. |
| If | this club wants to call for an inquiry into how players are assessed for NAB AFL Rising Star nominations ... |
| then | it would be warranted. Andrew Brayshaw and Adam Cerra both deserve one, staggering they haven't yet been properly acknowledged. |
| If | Henderson and Menzel can present as fully fit in the next six weeks ... |
| then | the Cats can yet again lock in a top-four spot. |
| If | Sherlock Holmes was still around ... |
| then | we'd assign him the case: Whatever Happened To Two-Metre Peter? Missing to this point of 2018, Peter Wright back for round 14 against the Hawks in Tassie. |
| If | you look at the ins ... |
| then | Coniglio is a big one. But among the outs is Lobb. It's the story of the Giants in 2018, which is just about a write-off because of the injury list. |
| If | you look at the fixture and line up the Hawks' next seven opponents ... |
| then | you'll see that upon entering round 14, those opponents sit 15th, 10th, 14th, 17th, 18th, 12th and 13th on the ladder. Finals, here they come. |
| If | the response was positive after an unlucky loss to the Cats in round one, and also after a bad second-half performance against Hawthorn in round four ... |
| then | we are backing the Dees to resoundingly bounce back after the lacklustre loss to Collingwood. |
| If | the finals dream was starting to factor in a Grand Final fairytale ... |
| then | a loud noise in the form of Waite's latest setback has snapped fans out of that soothing slumber. |
| If | all the ruck talk this year has focused on Grundy and Gawn ... |
| then | we remind you that Ryder is still going very nicely, even with that troublesome Achilles problem. |
| If | there's a game that shapes every AFL season ... |
| then | in 2018 it is going to be next Thursday night. Tigers v Swans. Shame it's not at the 'G. |
| If | the two-point win was the positive ... |
| then | the 39-point third-quarter deficit was the overriding negative. When it's against the Suns, even a win can be a loss. |
| If | you'll allow us an early call ... |
| then | the Swans will be at the MCG on September 29. Doing most things right, just need to fix the banged-up Hannebery, and miraculously rush Mills back. |
| If | there's one thing we've learnt in watching football over the years ... |
| then | it is that there is usually at least one match in every season that each club simply cannot explain nor justify. As of Thursday, the Eagles have now had that game. |
| If | Dale Morris is a Bulldogs "in" ... |
| then | it is always a positive for the Bulldogs. But not even he can turn around what is already an unexplainable and disastrous 2018. |
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| If | it wasn't Dusty who touched the umpire last weekend ... |
| then | we doubt there would have been an in-season change of interpretation to the rule. |
