| If | 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 ... |
| then | 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. |
Rory Sloane and Bryce Gibbs celebrate Adelaide's win over the Tigers. Picture: AFL Photos
BRISBANE
| If | 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 ... |
| then | he's not the Hodge we think we know. |
Look out, Jordan. An old mate is coming to say hello. Picture AFL Photos
CARLTON
| If | you thought the Blues won last week ... |
| then | 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. |
Charlie Curnow celebrates one of his five goals in R1. Picture: AFL Photos
COLLINGWOOD
| If | Elliott doesn't get back soon and then stay fit ... |
| then | 2018 will be another Magpies write-off |
Jamie Elliott has a laugh during Collingwood's team photo session. Picture: AFL Photos
ESSENDON
| If | you go back to this time two years ago ... |
| then | 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. |
FREMANTLE
| If | IF we were told the re-plumbing, the re-wiring, the re-stumping began roughly this time last year ... |
| then | what the hell was that match-selected 22 last week? Think we need to wean ourselves off the Ross Lyon Kool-Aid. |
Ross Lyon talks to his his team during the R1 loss to Port. Picture: AFL Photos
GEELONG
| If | Bucks clearly has no regard for Tom Mitchell ... |
| then | we expect something very different from Chris Scott. Maybe even an old-fashioned, Shane Heard-style hard tag. |
GOLD COAST
| If | you looked beyond the horrendous conditions of last week’s game in Cairns ... |
| then | you would have noticed a Suns team playing with a modern plan. Dew making immediate impact. |
Kayne Turner leaps over Lachie Weller in R1's big wet. Picture: Getty Images
GWS
| If | it's been Wingard and Walters at the top of our favourite-players-to-watch list for some years now ... |
| then | they're about to be overtaken. In fact they have been. Toby Greene has whizzed past them, our new No.1. |
HAWTHORN
| If | we thought Sam would forever be the best Mitchell to play for Hawthorn ... |
| then | there’s at least a pause in the thought process when we ponder that situation in early 2018. |
Tom couldn't go past Sam, could he? Picture: AFL Photos
MELBOURNE
| If | 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 ... |
| then | he’s not the Lewis we think we know. |
NORTH MELBOURNE
| If | the Roos are any chance against the Saints ... |
| then | Ben Brown will need to kick six. |
PORT ADELAIDE
| If | there was one player this club didn't want to lose with an Achilles issue ... |
| then | 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. |
RICHMOND
| If | you're a pessimist ... |
| then | there are some real concerns about a premiership defence. But if you're an optimist, it's way too early to get worried. |
Richmond leaves the field after the loss to Adelaide. Picture: AFL Photos
ST KILDA
| If | you've already won three best-and-fairests ... |
| then | you’re already a club great. Not sure what Jack Steven has left to prove. |
SYDNEY
| If | Longmire lets Buddy loose as a deep forward for an entire season, as he did last week against the Eagles ... |
| then | his personal record of 113 goals in 2008 will be challenged. One can only hope. |
Watch: Buddy's big day out against the Eagles
WEST COAST
| If | Kennedy doesn't get that knee right really soon ... |
| then | this will be a very long year for the Eagles. |
WESTERN BULLDOGS
| If | it wasn't for the issues at the Crows and Magpies ... |
| then | there would have been a lot more headlines about this club this week. And as for that cock-up with Redpath, very embarrassing. |
Jack Redpath leaving the Tribunal in August, 2017: Picture: Getty Images
| If | the Tribunal keeps endorsing the match review officer's decisions, and it’s now three from three (Gray, Brennan, Douglas) ... |
| then | the system may finally work. Really like what is unfolding here. |
