you wanted to put not just a full stop but an exclamation mark on your statement that there was nothing wrong with the camp on the Gold Coast ...

no better way to do it than a tough, gritty, leadership-driven Easter Thursday win against the team which smashed you in last year's Grand Final.

Luke Hodge on Saturday night doesn't at some stage of the match a) belt Jordan Lewis, b) push Jordan Lewis or c) sledge Jordan Lewis ...

he's not the Hodge we think we know.

you thought the Blues won last week ...

you can be excused, given the amount of unbalanced lauding they received for having a good crack against the reigning premiers. No more admirable losses, though. Time to start winning.

Elliott doesn't get back soon and then stay fit ...

2018 will be another Magpies write-off

you go back to this time two years ago ...

the Bombers were coming off a 10-goal loss in Woosha's first game as coach. There have been countless positives under his watch since, and the club rightly rewarded him with a contract renewal this week.

IF we were told the re-plumbing, the re-wiring, the re-stumping began roughly this time last year ...

what the hell was that match-selected 22 last week? Think we need to wean ourselves off the Ross Lyon Kool-Aid.

Bucks clearly has no regard for Tom Mitchell ...

we expect something very different from Chris Scott. Maybe even an old-fashioned, Shane Heard-style hard tag.

you looked beyond the horrendous conditions of last week’s game in Cairns ...

you would have noticed a Suns team playing with a modern plan. Dew making immediate impact.

it's been Wingard and Walters at the top of our favourite-players-to-watch list for some years now ...

they're about to be overtaken. In fact they have been. Toby Greene has whizzed past them, our new No.1.

we thought Sam would forever be the best Mitchell to play for Hawthorn ...

there’s at least a pause in the thought process when we ponder that situation in early 2018.

Jordan Lewis on Saturday night doesn’t at some stage of the match a) belt Luke Hodge, b) push Luke Hodge or c) sledge Luke Hodge ...

he’s not the Lewis we think we know.

the Roos are any chance against the Saints ...

Ben Brown will need to kick six.

there was one player this club didn't want to lose with an Achilles issue ...

it was the one player who went down with such an ailment last week. Hope Ryder only misses four weeks, but fear it will be a longer.

you're a pessimist ...

there are some real concerns about a premiership defence. But if you're an optimist, it's way too early to get worried.

you've already won three best-and-fairests ...

you’re already a club great. Not sure what Jack Steven has left to prove.

Longmire lets Buddy loose as a deep forward for an entire season, as he did last week against the Eagles ...

his personal record of 113 goals in 2008 will be challenged. One can only hope.

Kennedy doesn't get that knee right really soon ...

this will be a very long year for the Eagles.

it wasn't for the issues at the Crows and Magpies ...

there would have been a lot more headlines about this club this week. And as for that cock-up with Redpath, very embarrassing.

the Tribunal keeps endorsing the match review officer's decisions, and it’s now three from three (Gray, Brennan, Douglas) ...

the system may finally work. Really like what is unfolding here.