WITH the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership season racing to a conclusion, Damian Barrett's Sliding Doors is really heating up.

So what's Damo saying about your club? What's he saying about the AFL? You can't say that, Damo, can you?

Oh, and be sure you tune in to AFL Daily as Nat and Damo put the spotlight on all the big issues. Check it out.

IF ...

Rory Sloane's true sporting obsession is surfing ...

THEN ...

he would have loved the introduction of the boards to the 2020 Games, and even more so the bronze medal won by Owen Wright, whose recovery from serious injury may be the greatest back-story of any athlete in Tokyo.

IF ..

Zac Bailey continues the type of development seen in the past two seasons ...

THEN ...

he might have a Brownlow on his CV by the time the Gabba is used as the Olympic Stadium in 2032. 

IF ...

Charlie Curnow kicks six on Friday night, the Blues win, and he gets through his first match in 25 months ...

THEN ...

I hope he lets rip with a Kaylee McKeown-style "F… yeah".

IF ...

a broken leg is going to keep him out for the remainder of the year ...

THEN ...

Scott Pendlebury will have even more time than usual to watch the Boomers and his mate Patty Mills, who actually assumed his place in the Australian Institute of Sport basketball squad back in 2005, seek an historic gold medal.

IF ...

any Essendon supporters have forgotten when their team last won a final ...

THEN ...

it was an Olympics year, all the way back when Athens hosted the 2004 Games. Maybe there's an omen there somewhere that it could happen again in an Olympics year. But after last week's fadeout against GWS, probably not.

IF ...

David Mundy was drafted a year before the Athens Olympics (2004), reached 350 matches last weekend and will be contracted for at least one more season ...

THEN ...

I'm not ruling him out still being on the Dockers' list when Paris hosts the Games in 2024.

IF ...

you line up Chris Scott's routine as Gary Rohan's post final siren goal sailed through in round 14 against those of Dean Boxall's after Ariarne Titmus' 400m freestyle win in Tokyo ...

THEN ...

the judges, in a very close call, have given the gold to the swimming coach. Got the nod for perfect execution of the Ultimate Warrior move.

IF ...

the Suns looked like Ian Thorpe in the first half of last week's match against Brisbane ...

THEN ...

they morphed into Eric The Eel in the third and fourth quarters. Seemingly nearly drowned with just one goal to 13 after the main break.

IF ...

Steve Bradbury was the last athlete standing in the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics in the short track 1000m ...

THEN ...

maybe that's the 2021 Giants in the bizarre fight for eighth spot on the AFL ladder. No one seems to want it.

IF ...

the Clarko-Sam Hawthorn coaching succession plan works anywhere near as well as the Emily Seebohm transfer of power to Kaylee McKeown in the 100m backstroke ...

THEN ...

Jeff will be entitled to one of his big, smug smiles.

IF ...

the one downer in the pool in Tokyo this week were the questions which flew over the best combination in the women's 4 x 200m freestyle ...

THEN ...

the Demons can relate to that as they continue to try to get their forward line to gel.

IF ...

Scott Pendlebury is the focus of most media attention when it comes to AFL players who could have had significant careers as basketballers ...

THEN ...

Todd Goldstein is unfairly overlooked. Had a lot of interest from US colleges. North very glad he chose football, and is compiling another outstanding season.

IF ...

under Kenny the Power have gone very close before without securing the main prize ...

THEN ...

they should channel Jess Fox. Silver in London, bronze in Rio, another bronze in Tokyo. And then a beautiful gold in Tokyo.

IF ...

the Tigers need inspiration to hang in there and attempt to keep the dynasty going for at least a little while longer ...

THEN ...

they'd no doubt relate to US swimmer Katie Ledecky's Tokyo Games. Copped some early blows in the 400m and 200m freestyle when Ariarne Titmus spectacularly chased her down and then made her look a mere mortal. Enhanced her all-time greatness when she responded, with yet another Olympic gold, her sixth at three different Games, in the newly added event for women, the 1500m. And has qualified fastest for the 800m.

IF ...

the Saints still have finals ambitions ...

THEN ...

they're going to need to win at least three of their four remaining 'heats'. A massive 'in' for Friday night's 'heat' No.20, against the Blues, with Rowan Marshall out of quarantine.

IF ...

Isaac Heeney hadn't chosen Australian Football as his sporting profession ...

THEN ...

given his regular springing in 2021 onto the shoulders of opponents he might have challenged the record of high jump's greatest exponent, Cuba's Javier Sotomayor.

IF ...

you recall the mayhem of the opening 20 minutes of the 2018 Toyota AFL Grand Final when Collingwood had kicked five goals to none and very nearly a sixth ...

THEN ...

there was one Eagle - Shannon Hurn, who in round 20 plays game No.300 - who displayed a calmness that ultimately stopped the Pies flow and helped the Eagles secure the premiership. It was a calmness akin to that of Richard Fox this week, who somehow stayed fully professional as a broadcaster while daughter Jess won bronze and gold in the white water.

IF ...

it was an Olympics year the last time something very special happened at this club ...

THEN ...

tea-leaf reading Bulldogs supporters will have detected something meaningful into the Tokyo Games being delayed 12 months. Entering round 20, 2021, atop the AFL 'medal tally'. Going beautifully.

AND THIS ONE'S FOR THE AFL

IF ...

the AFL was the IOC ...

THEN ...

there'd be no boxing in Tokyo. Placed a club ban on it this week, after an investigation into Mitch Lewis being KO'd by a Hawks teammate in a training drill.