round 22: the official stats...

well i thought i was going to see some stats that would have pin pointed where it all went down hill...in the scheme of things not really...the stats do not reflect fully what was the key factor...one word PRESSURE, no make that two words, UNRELENTING PRESSURE. and to think years ago i was a witness to FREO being a pretty dismal side, no make that a crap side and recall many a time they were thumped. now the shoe is on the other foot but i will certainly not begrudge them. having been a freophile for a good ten years i can support them but not before my number one team. but i say don't discount the old heave ho and i for one would be happy to see them take the flag this year only because i know we are still very green and would prefer them to gain experience on their way to becoming awesome. so think about that supporters  or specifically those who were quick to jump on the bandwagon and point out how badly we were thumped and how... OMG if we play like that in the finals we will not get too far. well guess what viewers i personally don't give a rats ass and wonder what planet some of you are on...seriously let us put it into perspective. how long do you think it takes to cultivate a premiership winning team? the way that some of you carry on you would think it was overnight. and not using excuses but yes please put this into your memory bank. we are the third youngest side in the comp. the last few years we were dismal and played like losers because we were losers and apparently were allowed to have our mobile phones tucked away into our footy socks when we were meant to be training. ( i got that from a reliable source) and so let us be thankful that ken hinkley has been true to his word and has instilled some discipline and the core value of respect back for the club and for others.

     as for me my personal stats were not very flattering.  (shame on me) watching from the couch i was reported for using the f-bomb and paying out the pav coz he was playing for some lame free kicks. ( son number two who is a dual supporter did not appreciate this) add to that the word BS with emphasis but other than that it was relatively tame. and yes i did watch it entirely and it wasn't pretty. and i almost cracked and went to my room to read the lonely planet guide on hawaii...hee,hee!!! (because i am also planning an end of season trip)  one consolation was finding out that essendon finally beat the blues. i have to admit keeping an eye on the score i was already beginning to imagine the magnitude of round 23. so yes we were thumped but the bombers won which meant that we were not going to be handed the golden ticket, which meant my request was granted, thankyou footy gods!!! nothing like being a legitimate finalist and i say simply fitting considering our season. now we will just have to see who our opponent shall be...tigers or pies? which one? which one would you choose?

      i actually had the opportunity to put that exact question to an all time footy legend today. i had the pleasure of meeting and shaking hands with none other than mr. russell ebert himself...my childhood idol. and this is what i said..."hello mr.ebert. it is a pleasure to meet you and i just wanted to tell you that you were my childood idol and i wore the duffel coat with your number on the back..." which seemed to take him by surprise. ( and i think the reason it took him by surprise is that i look so youthful and so he might have been thinking that i couldn't have possibly been born then...testament to good slav genes!!! hee,hee) we had an indepth chat about the changes in footy and the pressure facing players in this era compared to his playing days. when i asked him which team for the finals he replied thoughtfully...richmond because he commented that port might be able to exploit them where collingwood were a seasoned finals campaigner and are coming into full strength ( and yes i agreed with him). so that was the highlight for me today. i must say he is in excellent nick for his age, very fit and very personable.

     so as i am typing this it seems that the essendon saga has been partially resolved with the announcement that the bombers will not be playing finals which has caused a frenzied discussion about how the final eight will pan out. i am still predicting the roos because this whole scenario has been nothing short of crazy. so a crazy ending seems fitting. but i can tell ya there will be some teams hoping it ain't gonna be them. well i guess we will know come sunday. so until then viewers if your team is a finalist you might want to start considering your wardrobe. i certainly am looking forward to round 23 to witness the last game in the historic prison bar guernsey. my only regret is that i didn't buy one when they were on offer. who knows i might get lucky and be selected for one. yes footy gods if you don't mind that is my request for this week that i win a guernsey and that POWER are winners when the final siren sounds. bring on the finals!!! love FFFXXX.

lets get on with the game and talk about the weather instead...

blah,blah,blah,blah....blah dee blah blah...selfish, ill conceived, how many times do i have to say it? and yes even dr.reid raised his concerns but if anyone hit the nail on the head it was listening to the distraught mother of an essendon player...two words she said... morals and ethics, mm, yes to those who may well think you are too high and mighty put those back into your vocabulary. and one last but crucial point...would they have injected their own children? don't think so and with that i will let you gain all you need to know by reading the paper and listening to the radio because like most people i am pretty much over it now and not happy that is has become a huge distraction to the season. and we are still yet to know the finals outcome...will they or won't they? i don't care. i just want those damn bombers to shove some firecrackers up their ass if they have to and play for some pride and knock off the blues this round as a favour to...mm, let me see... now which team would i be thinking about??? hee,hee.

     holy footballs i don't mean to get ahead of myself but already the word is in the air...it could come down to round 23 but personally i think they should just stop the season immediately and give the top eight an extra two weeks to prepare. friggin footballs i dare not want to think about it but one of my colleagues raised it at school today...raised the topic of finals. i say we are in with a chance against freo and should not be underestimated. however, i would have preferred to have played that game at home. but if essendon should do what most people now are probably doubting at least my mind can forget about the stress of the possibility of having our finals campaign pipped at the post. now that would be hard to take. not that i am expecting a grandfinal appearance this year but footy gods if you are listening the team deserves it and i think a lot would agree. yes we deserve to have a taste of the finals for all the hard work, sweat and reduction in fat intake. for all those boys who said no to their mamma's dessert and second helpings at dinnertime. doesn't that count for something? and what about us the supporters who come to each and every game and follow the step by step guide to brainwashing our offspring into barracking for the team of our choice? huh? what about that? (i take my role very seriously altho i have to confess to a 50% success rate but better than nothing, better one to follow in his mamma's footsteps than none at all.)

     and man what about this weather? for friggin sake how much colder is it going to get? my gas bill has skyrocketed. didn't see that one coming. so much for installing ducted gas heating i thought it was suppose to be economical... too cold for me folks. yep i am definitely not a cold weather gal and am not appreciating the temperature. how is one suppose to train in such conditions? thankfully i managed to find a rain free hour this evening to pound the pavement. i certainly needed that after discovering son number two had completely scoffed the last of my spanish dark chocolate the little bugger. ( which incidentally i was looking for after a hard day at the office...) and yes from the smirk on his face as i entered the lounge holding empty wrapper i can tell he enjoyed every bite of it. he says he is doing me a favour. you know what... he is right!!! LOL.

     well i gotta admit the couch ain't looking too inspiring this friday night so i think i will find something better to do. our game is also on at the same time as essendon which will be interesting. they couldn't have scripted that any better, now could they? the rest of the round looks a bit lack lustre. CROWS against the demons, big deal can't see that one shaping up to be the match of the year, altho CROWS fans should expect a good win at home. the roos vs hawks could be interesting especially if the roos manage a win because maybe for them it ain't over till the fat lady sings. (it helps having a good percentage.) the cats/swans game should be the match of the round and i reckon the doggies might get another win in against the lions.

     of course in my household i have son number two the dual supporter who is a bit torn as to who he should support. he has decided to wear his freo guernsey and hat and then to finish it off with a port scarf. like me he is hoping for a dons win to get PORT over the line. but i am also requesting an interstate win, ( apologies WA buddies) no fear, no guts, no glory. we should be playing until the end and then i guess we shall see what happens and what shall then come before us.

    so to the tipping. we did rather well bar the tigers, the mother/son combo but this week i shall leave it to my sweet boy who has taken quite an interest in football, the stats, the players, all the club songs, furiously googling to find out what he doesnt know. he has asked to be the guest tipster and what is a mamma gonna do but grant his request of course. so this week i will leave it entirely up to him. and this is what he has to say for round 22...
pies, crows, hawks, swans, essendon, dockers, suns, richmond and bulldogs...

PS BTW, the POWER boys came back to school this week plus another. our canteen manageress bless her, wore her hand knitted POWER cardigan and scarf. we had a snap taken and i have to say the young lads make me look like rather short not that i am actually lacking any height.

round 21 and other stuff...

josh pyke at the gov...

good evening viewers i have to confess i am currently taking fat enhancing supplements...true. as far as i know they have most likely been banned by weight watchers. yep just finished scoffing a few... commonly known as double dark choc brownies with some macadamia nust thrown in. as far as i know, technicially they are not illegal but something tells me that they well and truly could interfere with my highly successful "fat guts be gone" training program if i continue to eat them, hee,hee, god i am hilarious, not really it is late, can't you tell?

     well, well, well i have to also tell you something rather strange came through my e-mail and it has got me wondering if i am under some kind of surveillance. i received an invitation from the essendon football club to be at the game to show my support and in fact they used my proper name. mm, got me wondering if they have caught on to this hugely successful and entertaining blog of mine that obviously is going to shoot me into the stratosphere of sports journalism. to be pefectly honest if the invitation had come with an all expenses paid trip with some shopping vouchers and a table booked at cumulus i would have considered it purely for the blog of course. but i can't be dropping everything and running of at the drop off a hat. i have responsibilities, like making sure my kids brush their teeth and put on clean guchas  (undies). i have washing to do and my own training to think about because  well because i just have because a mothers job is never done. and if you are a single mamma like myself ( don't bring out the violins just yet) i have a lot on my plate to consider before i can even contemplate getting out the door by myself...fullstop.

      so to the couch. i have a confession to make. i was actually looking forward to the friday night game considering last week was quite pedestrian ( i got that word from danni minogue tonight on x-factor) but got a last minute invitation to watch josh pyke for free at the govenor hindmarsh. fortunately for me my companion is also quite footy minded so didn't mind hearing the score updates amid the crowd noise compliments of my handy iphone app. the first act although obviously talented and an accomplished guitarist was not my cup of tea. her music was well how would i describe it? music you would hear while you were drowning. the next support act patrick james was far more upbeat, kinda josh pyke like, easy to listen to and enjoyable. i have a new found like for the banjo, very cool. josh pyke, well he was entertaining and i personally don't mind him at all although i wouldn't rate him as  an all time favourite. he is easy on the ear with some songs i prefer more than others. all in all i had a pleasant evening and quite like the atmosphere of the govenor hindmarsh, great venue for a more intimate musical experience.

     this time i explained to lovie that i would be home around the midnight mark so she was well prepared. last time when i went to see birds of tokyo i failed to mention that the main act wouldn't come on until about ten. by the time i got home after midnight she was in a super huff and stormed off. god knows what she thought i was doing because it wasn't raging i can tell ya. in anycase all was well and lovie being a footy enthusiast herself gave me a run down of the game. her verdict, hawks were in a league of their own and taught the pies a lesson and should have probably won by 60 in reality. i can tell you having to take son number two to an eight thirty game in the morning was no easy feat. i had to flood my veins with copious amounts of caffeine and with the weather looking completely dismal i was preparing myself for torrential rain for later in the day. fortunately the footy gods had seen to giving us some cold and windy conditions but decided to not dampen our enthusiasm with buckets of rain.

     the lady army had some last minute changes to its list. little sista piked out and son number two had decided to forgo the cold and stay home with big brother for a cozy, lazy day indoors with gas heating. so in the end there were four and i came prepared with blankets, homemade soup and a spare ticket to save someone a few bucks...the turnout was not huge, about 18,000 which probably had something to do with the weather. i am proud to say i have been to every home game plus one in melbourne so it looks as though my season record will remain intact. an impressive start with a good first quarter lead but i for one know that it takes four quarters to win a game. it wasn't pretty but when it is good it looks effortless and sometimes we just make careless and costly errors. happy to take the win and a step closer to finals. the only real bleak moment was checking up on the tigers and blues to realise that richmond had indeed lost a game they were expected to win. with essendon getting flogged again we are not out of the woods yet viewers. it could still come down to the last game of the season and right now i will be ensuring that i say my footy prayers every night to will those damn bombers across the line next week. an essendon victory ensures our spot but i cannot say that it is a given coz at the moment it looks as though they are going to continue to crash and burn. and i think it is fair to say that most people are just so over this whole saga and have had enough of not knowing whether the dons will lose their points. will they or won't they, that is the big question? i am not so convinced now and if so i think it will be at the very last minute to avoid some kind of legal injunction perhaps. will the finals get hijacked by a goliath legal war? who knows and yes i will sneak it in again...the makings of a new aussie feature film. i did think about casting demis roussos as andrew demetriou but i don't like my chances of getting him to shave off his facial hair!!!

     well the mother and son tipping duo nearly made a clean sweep bar richmond. and the only other games i watched were the cats and the eagles. sorry girlfriend number two but your team did have to do the right thing and lose. i just hope you did not have to kill your husband in the process and that he sought sanctuary in a safe house. i also watched the last quarter between the doggies and the crows and perhaps now one might say ces't la vie. yes secretly i am delighted but will not make a big song and dance about it in case footy karma sees fit to punish me for being terrible....sorry crows buddies, no, not really,XXX.

     and before i go there is one thing that has definitely begun to annoy me. i call it trial by media. chances are hartlett will probably get suspended for a tough but fair bump. first question they asked hinkley and it makes me wonder if you would consider that a bit of pre-empting the match review panel. and as far as they go who friggin well knows? sometimes they focus on the injury which in some cases may not be pleasant... ok that is my mini rant. and so until the next round folks you gotta admit it is getting interesting and the next round for sure will set the tone for some of the final games. so here is my little prayer...dear footy gods please ensure those slack and down and out bombers players get off their friiggin goozicas and give their supporters and the POWER ones something to cheer about. AMEN, lakanorch  (goodnight) to you viewers. love FFFXXX.

getting closer and other stuff...

gettting closer viewers indeed we are. getting closer to finding out how the whole esesendon supplement scandal will come to a head. technically it seems they have not broken any rules. leigh matthews seems to think they will become the scapegoats of the AFL and have not brought the game into disrepute. mick malthouse has had his two cents worth encouraging a strong message to be sent in light of the drug scandals in the states. mm, wonder who that might benefit? but regardless he is pretty much spot on. as far as matthews is concerned each one of us is entitled to our own opinion and me if i have said it once i will say it again. to advocate such a regimen not only sends a negative and poor message to the commmunity it instills an element of doubt and fear that these atheletes are not good enough. it creates suspicion that standout performances are possibly not built upon an honest foundation of hard work, guts and determination. where has the integrity gone? but then some might ask what would i know? i know some things but don't claim to be an expert...me i'm just an enthusiast and passionate follower who if she could would be still out there kicking the footy around and playing masters netball.

     well this week we had two POWER players come to our school. ( and thank goodness i had my hair coloured to add an air of youthfulness to my look, lol!!!) i was certainly feeling enthusiastic about that...wondering if i might glean some inside information, get some jewels for the blog. but hey whoever put their community based education program together obviously knows diddly squat about teaching, kids or education. i think the old folks home would have fallen asleep too. sorry guys but simply boring. where was the pizazz? where was your enthusiasm? where was the creativty and hands on active participation? why do it if it seems a chore? thank goodness you were POWER players so i will see it in my heart to forgive you (just) but for goodness sakes get with the friggin program and damn well fake it if you have to!!! and here i was thinking it was going to be such a bonus getting out of teaching my class. lets hope next week is a big improvement. i can say they were tall and the healthy message is a good one but it can be done better.and yes lunch box boy was trying his best to emit death rays, ha,ha, he really is a one eyed CROWS supporter!!!

     so three games left and this weekend is a big one for the POWER supporters. a win would surely secure our place in the eight and then i will be able to start organising my trip to melbourne,( footy, shopping and food) hee,hee. yes the lady army although not in full force will be heard. little sista is back, i have the voice of a hundred, perhaps make that a thousand. we also have an interstate guest joining us...excellent. the pressure is on to extinguish the flame of the suns and to send them home in darkness. so to the footy gods i implore you to bestow upon us your blessings and reward our teams endeavour, that is my request. please add to that...richmond to flog carlton, cats to beat eagles...oh oh...i just remembered that girlfriend number two is an eagles supporter and her hubby is a pussycats one. i suspect he will be encouraged to vacate their house, no, make that ordered to leave and take refuge elsewhere at some secret location but i could have an inkling... hee,hee. and lastly doggies to sink their teeth into the crows...no apologies to my CROWS buddies....one must think with their head not their heart. 

     and to the guest tipster this week well consider it yours truly with help from my assistant coach son number two, a collaborative effort this round. he says hawthorn, i say richmond, he says PORT, i say roos, he says geelong, i say lions, he says FREO and i say swans and for the last game we say bulldogs!!!  over and out...FFF.

     

    

the weekend wrap...round 20

i look forward to fridays. fridays mark the end of a busy work week for me not that i am suggesting that anyone else doesn't have a busy week but my job is full on and me i don't get a say in the team i coach. 

      well, i have to agree with jars on the first game of the round...boring and to be honest i barely took notice of it which is a shame coz i usually quite like the friday night couch. sat morning saw me organise son number two for basketball. i palmed him off to my sister while i took son number one to his game. ( yes kids sport equals no parent life... now i know how my mum felt having ferried us to all our sporting endeavours) man i had to laugh, the grandpa umpiring thought he was refereeing the NBL...seriously loved those hand and arm actions....i thought his arm was going to get snapped off! even son number one commented at the end of the game. 

     after that it was a training walk because before i know it i will be pounding the pavement and racking up 12km's in the pursuit of a personal best,blah,blah, blah...

after exposing the general public to the state of the jungle growing on my legs ( it is just as well i have dark skin) i thought i better do the right thing and get them waxed into respectable shape. the weather at times is becoming almost glorious and soon it will be time for shorts and some serious power walking....so yes i did not watch the POWER  and CATS clash in its entirety...am i serious? yep during the first quarter i was lying on the beauticians table unable to reach my iphone to check the score. ( just as well i couldn't because the screams i would have emitted upon seeing the score would send my beauty therapist into a tizz over the temperature of her wax!!!)  and yes it was not looking good in that last quarter until we seemed to shift into another gear and kick our way back to a respectable loss. a respectable loss because i am under no illusions...last year that would have blown out into a 100 point plus loss...one game at a time folks.

       as i predicted feeling somewhat nostradamus like in my footy predicting, the doggies did us a huge favour. ( and i am now glad i did not admit to what i was actually thinking when it came to the CROWS and the ROOS.) for heavens sake i just don't understand that team. they seem to be like a jekyll and hyde. seriously i thought they would flog the CROWS after their effort against the cats. and of course now we will never hear the end of the finals chances... but until those premiership points are stripped from essendon there is no golden ticket. and it has just become a huge distraction, certainly a season that will not be forgotten and yes can i sneak it in again? the makings of a new aussie feature film!!!

      collingwood well what can i say? the first quarter looked like it was gonna be the swans with not an ounce of trouble. and of course i spoke too soon and am surprsied i did not incur the wrath of FB pies supporters because i know there is at least one. too good, far too good and hey until the finals series arrives it is up for grabs... but pencil in FREO for me as a contender and one team i would be happy to see take the flag.

     well my guest tipster scored a reasonable six from nine and will be back to join the lady army plus one for the upcoming and yes important clash with the suns. and i don't want to get ahead of myself on that one but i do feel the pressure and want so much for the team to get a taste of what the finals are all about. that would be a much deserved outcome but i will try and remain ken hinkley about it. so until the next round...love FFFXXX.

will it be a film???

well viewers if it is to be believed james hird is going to be charged with something...found out secondhand so don't take it for gospel... apparently that was heard on the radio and hee,hee someone who knows me heard my scenario on triple m. so before someone else steals my idea...i have found the perfect aussie actor to play james hird...david wenham...just remember you heard it from me first...LOL!!! enjoy your footy this weekend viewers.

round 20: back in the team...

nothing like having someone back in the team to add some depth and dimension to the side...yes viewers am talking about my little sista who has finally returned after two months cavorting through ireland, england and let me just add the south of france. some team mates just make a difference with their presence and you just don't realise how important they are until they are gone.but gee it is great to have them back and that is exactly how i feel about my little sista coz she is part of my team the team called family....oh sweet aint it?

     round 20 here we come with a few games that will make the difference for a few. some still holding onto the thin thread of hope. if the CROWS lose well then it is cest la vie but personally i think the roos are a far more dangerous proposition. in fact i made it onto to triple m today to present my scenario, third time on the air, maybe i will make it into the footy world yet. and the scenario went roos to be ninth...get the golden ticket...bound their way to the grandfinal and play geelong...brother coaching against brother...you wouldn't believe it would you? i say it is an australian feature film in the making...indeed it is.

      so seeing that i am feeling a bit like the nostradamus of the footy world let me also add the bulldogs to beat carlton. so for my guest tipster this week i present my little sista who is part of the infamous lady army. a passionate port supporter whose favourite past time includes outing trolls on the port adelaide facebook page this little lady is fiesty, passionate, emotional and loud. her tips or this round go to hawks, richmond, cats, bulldogs, swans, suns, essendon, roos and freo. so that's it short and sweet...cest la vie!!! 

love FFF XXX.

PTV: FIVEaa's call - The final two minutes v Crows

post game wrap:F***ING UNBELIEVABLE...

well viewers this past round just goes to show that anything is possible, a round of upsets and heartbreak for some but not for us!!! thankyou footy gods times a million. just goes to show sometimes it comes down to the bounce of a ball and what a bounce that was!!!

    friday night brought a cracker of a game for the roos, man they can be dangerous and with the crazy doping scandal seeming to get bigger and bigger who knows, the roos just might be the ones to get the golden ticket. they have a tough run home but if they play to that friday night standard they are capable of beating anyone. and i bet there would be a few teams sweating on the outcome. just imagine if they did make the eight and bound all the way to the grandfinal. and just imagine if they were to play geelong. brother coaching against brother... sounds pretty far fetched? well nothing would surprise me and with a healthy percentage the roos are probably the team who can and will be the most motivated. man if that does happen you can say you heard it first from me, hee,hee!!!

     the hawks went down to a ferocious team of tigers that kicked their ass convincingly. i am still out in regards to them. they would have to replay that form in the finals and then i might put my hand up. the bombers absolutely fizzled while the pies soared above them. perhaps it is now beginning to take its toll. what a complete mess and what a disgrace. i will say it again, advocating an injecting program in the relentless pursuit of winning without any thought given to the long term consequences is sheer madness and a bad example, sending a very negative message in my books. and this will be a season that will be remembered for all the wrong reasons except for us POWER supporters hey? yes at least for us we can hold our heads high and have much to look forward to. and how nice it was to sit and watch footy classified and listen to the panel sing PORTS praises and they are not the only ones. and before i forget a big thanks to the DOCKERS for pushing the blues a little further behind us.

     well now to the big game the infamous SHOWDOWN. originally i requested a huge winnig margin. in fact i was secretly hoping for a thrashing somewhere in the vicinity of 120 points!!! hee,hee, i guess every now and then one relives their past traumas but hey i think i have that under control now, LOL. i didn't go to the game and i haven't even see it in its entirety. i was offered two tickets from friends who happen to be CROWS members ( yes i do have friends who support them) but unfortunately could not go due to a family function, namely a baby shower. and you can well imagine it would not be good form to miss that. i do have to confess i did tell a little fib on my FB page... i was sneaking peeks at the score during pass the parcel and guess the flavour of the baby food competition. on the way home lovie and i made a pact not to listen to the radio. when we got back to my place she almost sprinted to turn the TV on only to say she couldn't watch it. so instead we sat at my kitchen table while  i made coffee and looked at my iphone...goal to CROWS, 20 points up...lovie says... we are gone. i say...OMG can you just imagine if they win you will never hear the end of it and how their finals hopes will be alive...goal to PORT...i say come on lovie we are only 14 points down and we still have time. we agree to watch the TV...goal to PORT, OMG lovie begins to start freaking out. she puts her hands on her chest and says i can't watch this...HUGE GOAL TO MONFRIES...i am screaming F****ING UNBELIEVABLE...lovie is trembling and crying ( yes she is a passionate supporter) she says it is a miracle and i say...OMG LOVIE WE ARE GOING TO WIN!!! WINGARD MARKS the ball and we are completely freaking out and now lovie has granted me my swearing concession card and the F"S are coming out thick and fast. GOAL...we jump and scream and will the clock to run down. seriously viewers i thought i was going to have to perform heart massage (just as well i have a current first aid certificate). SIREN...and you know the rest. what a remarkable finish. phone rings and feralina calls me and we are screaming like out of control banshees. man what a game that i will eventually watch and hey to my CROWS mates you are good sports. and with that i bow to the footy gods that may have given us their blessing for season 2013. a finals berth would be the icing on the cake for the clubs remarkable turn around and for that in itself we can be proud to shout the name of PORT ADELAIDE to the heavens above...well OK that it a bit dramatic but hey sometimes one just gets caught up in the emotion of things. and sometimes there is absolutely nothing wrong with that...love FFFXXX.

It's SHOWDOWN time!!!

good evening viewers this probably should be a highly informative and detailed blog post but it won't. nah not gonna start pre-empting the SHOWDOWN already have some friends throwing the first punch. me, i think i am suffering from fatigue. i have been training consistently and have been participating in the fat guts be gone program, it's tough!!! i have barely had time to practise the POWER song on my deluxe karaoke machine, hee,hee... so i am giving myself a rest day. but before i go my requests this round to the footy gods include cats beat roos only coz it goes in our favour. freo to thump blues and a history making match winning margin for the final SHOWDOWN...no apologies for that one.

     my guest tipster for this week will be kept in the family. my youngest brother. eight years my junior he followed all us bar dad on the PORT highway. he enjoys his footy and played a bit. a natural left footer blessed with speed and generally an all round sportsmen. his tips for round 19 are...cats, demons, hawks, west coast, freo, lions, swans, port and essendon.

     so nighty night viewers...one thing for certain it is surely getting interesting in the footy world, drama, politics and my big question... will the bombers self implode or will this whole drama just fizzle out without much of a bang? i tend to believe it has gone too far for that and now it must come to a head and burst. i for one want to know...