| IF | THEN | |
| Adelaide | someone said to you after last year¹s prelim final that in 2014 the Crows would miss and Port Adelaide would make the final eight | … you would have locked him or her up. |
| Brisbane Lions | as is now expected, Brisbane has decided to retain Michael Voss as coach … | … make it public. |
| Carlton | there haven't been questions asked about Nick Duigan from rival clubs … | … there will be. 38 games in 2011-12, one in 2013. |
| Collingwood | Nathan Buckley had his time over again ... | … would he have introduced the Leading Teams way of life? Hmmm |
| Essendon | Essendon continues to plead with media to cease making sweeping public comment on the drugs investigation … | … add hypocrisy to the words to describe the Bombers. The club captain and the president feel it's OK to do so. |
| Fremantle | Pav and Sandi are, indeed, able to return to 80 per cent capacity by September … | … everyone else, look out!! |
| Geelong | the Cats really want to wheel and deal in the trade period … | … they have options. They've got a heap of quality and emerging big men, including a ruckman who hasn't played a game this year. |
| Gold Coast | there was more of the type of exchange between media and Guy McKenna post-match last weekend … | … we're all the better for it. Well done to both parties, both stood their ground. |
| GWS | the Giants didn't have the first pick in the draft and the potential to lure Buddy ... | ... we wouldn't be talking about them at all. |
| Hawthorn | the Hawks lose again to the Cats … | … all is not lost. Just makes the Cats more nervous in a big final. |
| Melbourne | Jack Watts' good form of the past two matches is because Neil Craig is coach and not Mark Neeld … | … make sure you ask as many questions of Watts as you do of Neeld. Works both ways. |
| North Melbourne | Lindsay Thomas hasn't committed the dumbest act on a footy field this year … | … Jarrad Waite has. Real tough guy stuff, the headbutt. |
| Port Adelaide | Chad Wingard's re-signing isn't one of the most important of the season … | … it's right up there. The kid can seriously, seriously play. |
| Richmond | Aaron Edwards can retain his form … | … he'll be a valuable asset to the Tigers in the finals this year. Still reckon he took the best mark EVER in the '07 semi-final. |
| St Kilda | Nick Riewoldt and Lenny Hayes aren't, in those moments when one's head hits the pillow and the mind gets all reflective, lamenting what could have been ... | … one would think they will be soon. |
| Sydney Swans | Kurt Tippett can continue to play as well as he did last week … | … we're going to have to admit we were wrong. Kurt 1, Sliding Doors 0. |
| West Coast | there's a more disappointing side this season than the Eagles … | … it is the Giants. |
| Western Bulldogs | there is a game which simply has to be won by a club this year … | … it is the Bulldogs over the Giants. You've managed to escape the heat all year, Doggies. No escaping it this week. |
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Follow Damian Barrett on Twitter: @barrettdamian
