WITH the AFL season back in action, Sliding Doors is hitting its straps. 

So what's Damo saying about your club? What's he saying about the AFL? Check it out.

IF ...

the big Roo wants to be publicly "honest" with the inevitable departures of more Crows players from here ...

THEN ...

bring it on, it'd be refreshing, and I'm all for it. But Roo, please realise you can't pick and choose the moments you want to be publicly "honest".

IF ...

I'm going to go out on a limb in round three offerings ...

THEN ...

it's Charlie Cameron to jag six against the Eagles. 

IF ...

the glass is half full ... 

THEN ...

the Blues nearly came back from seven goals down last weekend. If it's half empty, they lost to the team which finished second-last last year.

 

IF ...

I thought it was a tad arrogant of the Pies to leave Stephenson out of the round two team ...

THEN ...

good to see order restored and that he's back where he belongs for Saturday night's match against St Kilda. Elite talent. Love his sizzle.

IF ...

this side's backline stays fit and ultimately "clicks" ...

THEN ...

the Bombers will be thereabouts in 2020. Hurls, Hookesy, Saad, Francis and Redman are a nice mix.

IF ...

there's one thing I dearly want to happen this weekend ... 

THEN ...

it is for big Jesse Hogan to kick six in the Sunday night timeslot. Love how he's fought through his latest problem to get back to an AFL game.

IF ...

watching Rhys Stanley last Friday night against Hawthorn was your first viewing of him ...

THEN ...

you'd be wondering why he's not talked about in Grundy and Gawn tones. Consistency has been a problem at two clubs. Yet arguably, he's the most crucial component to the Cats' flag hopes. 

 

IF ...

you remember the first-season matches of Voss (1992), Judd (2002) and  Selwood (2007) ...

THEN ...

soak up the work of Matt Rowell in 2020.

IF ...

Toby is not playing ...

THEN ...

my Spinal Tap 11 interest in this Giants-Dogs game has been reduced to a mere 9.78/10. And my Giants focus will now go from Toby to Josh Kelly. Needs to reassert himself on the entire competition, as he did way back in 2017.

IF ...

you ever think Clarko may be out of ideas (as I may have at one stage this week) ... 

THEN ...

stop it. Forever. Backed his (old) men in. They appreciated it. Paid him back. Win-win. Yet again, for Clarko. 

IF ...

Jake Lever had any sense of theatre, and I know that he has deep down ... 

THEN ...

he will rack up 25 disposals on Sunday, lead the Dees to a win against the Bombers and maybe even playfully flick the middle bird toward a certain person in Adelaide along the way.

IF ...

Zurhaar has rightly emerged as the general cult hero option ... 

THEN ...

Jy Simpkin is looming as the thinking person's cult hero. Understated, but looming in importance in every match he plays.

IF ...

Rozee, Duursma and Butters are getting all the public adulation ...

THEN ...

Marshall is surely getting the private treatment. Was very good last week, is a Kenny favourite, and he's starting to show why he was a first round draft pick in 2016.

IF ...

there's no Dusty ... 

THEN ...

there's no Tigers. Fact.

IF ...

the Power's Marshall is going very nicely ...

THEN ...

so too is the Saints guy with the same surname. Unlucky not to win a best-and-fairest last year, already looming as crucial to 2020. Big test against Grundy on Saturday. Massive moment in Rowan's sporting life.

IF ...

after Callum Mills' debut 2016 season I thought I'd seen the emergence of the game's next great player ...

THEN ...

the ensuing three seasons have proven that assessment to be way premature, or wrong. He's been more than serviceable, Mills, and injury has stymied his progress, but he needs to take a significant step early in his fifth season.

IF ...

you've been charged with striking ... 

THEN ...

there would be at least 38 better defences at a Tribunal hearing than saying you chose to clench into a full fist because "I've dislocated my fingers too many times pushing and grabbing". Come on, Gov!.

IF ...

the Bulldogs received a massive bonus with Toby's unavailability at Marvel Stadium on Friday night ... 

THEN ...

there is now no excuse to be shell-shocked, as they were the last time these two teams met – last year's elimination final – and also in the two matches since. This is going to be a very long season, even with it already reduced to 17 matches, unless the Dogs scrounge a win.

AND THIS ONE'S FOR THE AFL

IF ...

AFL footy boss Steve Hocking chose to start the season with 16-minute (plus time-on) quarters ...

THEN ...

you don't know Steve Hocking if you think he will, either in the home-and-away season or the finals, change back to 20 minutes. That's not how he rolls. And besides, it'd be plain wrong to do so. It's called competition integrity.