| If | you had your time over again ... |
| then | would you have made the decision to play the already banged-up Sloane in round four? Zero chance. Hasn't been seen since, and we've learnt not to believe a word this club says about anything that relates to player injury. |
| If | every coach gets a honeymoon period ... |
| then | Chris Fagan's is now over. |
| If | it's been nothing but more doom in the opening half of 2018 ... |
| then | a glimmer of light awaits, with Fremantle the match-up at Etihad Stadium after the bye. |
| If | Grundy versus Gawn doesn't get you excited ... |
| then | you're hard to please. Bring on Monday for this on-field reason above all others. |
| If | John Worsfold doesn't devise a game plan where Hurley is forced to conform to the style used in the wins of rounds nine and 10 against Geelong and GWS ... |
| then | the back half of the year will be as messy as the opening eight weeks. Last week was disastrous against the Tigers. |
| If | Ross was prepared to produce a flosser in the coach's box in round 11 ... |
| then | a nail cutter in round 12? A nose-hair trimmer perhaps? Hair straightener? |
| If | the questions still lingered even after 37 disposals and three goals last weekend (and we need to admit we did initially ask one of those questions) ... |
| then | Ablett can make they disappear for the remainder of 2018, at least, if this weekend he breaks the shackles of the game's best shut-down player in Jacobs. |
| If | you've managed just one behind from the past two final quarters you've played, and averaged just 39 points in the past two matches ... |
| then | without May and Hall this week against a rejuvenated GWS, we genuinely fear that a monster loss is coming your way. |
| If | we're going to make a bold prediction going ahead of round 12 ... |
| then | it's that the Giants can still win the premiership ... provided they get back Greene and Scully. |
| If | you take a sneak peek at the Hawks' remaining matches ... |
| then | you'll conclude they are making the finals. |
| If | Goody is as fit as his players are telling us he is right now ... |
| then | we reckon the ego will decree that it's budgie smugglers - and nothing else – for him down the Neale Daniher MND slide on Monday. |
| If | anyone at the start of the season had have said the Roos would be a live chance against the Cats at GMHBA Stadium in round 12 ... |
| then | they would've been locked up. |
| If | every credentialed team is faced with a must-win game within the home and away season ... |
| then |
| If | as expected, Dusty is rested next week against Geelong ... |
| then | with the bye in round 14, it won't be until June 28 at the earliest that he returns. That'll make it 26 days between games, the perfect mid-season freshen-up. |
| If | there's a positive out of an axing ... |
| then | it is that the mental pressure actually gets released. Hoping Billings benefits from that, and that he's back to play the Suns in round 13. |
| If | you boast an 8-3 scoreline after the opening half of the season ... |
| then | you're going very nicely. But we're still to see something that convinces us you're a premiership hope. |
| If | the Eagles aren't already refreshed from their week off ... |
| then | they should be. Started their holiday at three-quarter time of last week's game against the Saints. |
| If | you take a look at the post-bye fixture ... |
| then | on exposed form, the Dogs will be underdogs for at least the next seven games. Ouch. |
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| If | there's a deadlock on an idea between the 'look of the game' committee and the 'competition committee' ... |
| then | we're going to need another committee. And then another one to oversee that. |
