finals fever is here and i barely have a temperature...

oh to think last year i was in line at ticketek getting tickets for the elimination final and we had our picture snapped for the crowtiser, oops i mean the advertiser. and last year watching the boys train i was interviewed by the news and they used my voice as the voice over, (well not meaning to brag, hee, hee but one of my good friends has always said i should be on radio...mm triplem female footy commentator, i'll take that or perhaps the footy oprah of the tv world, lol). and last time this year as the semifinal approached i watched the mighty power come back in a magnificent second half to extinguish the dockers hope of a repeat appearance at the G. and listen to son number two have a complete meltdown as wingard kicked another miracle goal...(HOW CAN HE DO THAT? he screamed in pain. WINGARD WINGARD I HATE YOU!!! he yelled) and moi? i temporarily forgot i was a mother and replied...because he can and we are the MIGHTY POWER!!! and yes some of you may think that is terrible but when footy is your religion there is room to be forgiven for one's sins. (perhaps i am being punished now...WAH!) and last  year  when it came prelim time we were driving over  making our way to the victorian headquarters of the lady army to watch the second best final of the series, (the first being port and freo) which ended in heartache but still full of optimism for the future season.

      and ken hinkley says he is worried about the supporters, that's who he worries about. well ken let me tell ya, you will end up with one big, fat hernia if you are going to do that. a season that promised so much but delivered too little, a season that saw many supporters verging on the cusp of diabetes, who spent weeks comfort eating and making the stocks of four and twenty pies skyrocket to an all time high! ken take my advice and concentrate on season 2016 instead, the last thing we need is for you to be admitted to emergency with a hernia the size of two sherrins put together. yes ken, focus on next year and don't leave it too late to be ruthless, OK? make it the new mantra and bring in some fancy hypnotists to lock that in for 2016 coz the way i see it without a full strength side and coming from behind we were pipped at the post, too little, too late, WAH WAH WAH WAH! now i hope all the players are watching the finals and feeling sick in the guts, so sick it burns a hole in their jocks...the end.

     well viewers what did you think of the first lot of finals? it pains me to admit it but the crows and doggies was the best match with tigers and roos not far behind. even though the stats favoured the doggies and i still thought they would over run them, their kicking cost them the game. when the final siren sounds stats are irrelevent, look at the scoreboard folks, that is where the game is won. the eagles were supreme predators even without priddis and masten, they swoopped down upon the hawks and clipped their wings. they are certainly looking ominous folks and almost impossible to beat at home but stranger things have happened. i suspect the hawks will rebound quickly, one would assume being hardened finals campaigners they will be up for the challenge. and sorry to say it freo buddies but the dockers are the most vulnerable out of the two and one may think the easier team to beat. i know who i would rather be playing but for son number two's sake i hope i am proved wrong.

     i watched the dockers with son number two just in case my footy counselling was needed. it began fairly optimistically and looked as though freo may cinch a comfortable victory. but sydney refused to go away and again their kicking lost them the game. unless the dockers can regain their first half of the season form  i am not sure they are going to see another GF appearance at the G. will ross lyon forever remain the bridesmaid and not the footy bride? in the next few weeks we will find out. and OMFF ( oh my friggin footballs) what about the roos and the tigers?  i predicted the tigers would lose. the curse lives on to yet again rip out the heart of their supporters. did you hear dimma  at the press conference say fucking moron? OMG how many are going to lose their minds over that? personally i coin that as robbo would say, raw emotion. ( thanks for that one, robbo) hardwick must be wondering what on earth he has to do to get his team over the line. would have, should have and yes perhaps if the umpire had called holding the ball it would have resulted in a tiger's goal. but we will never know will we? strike three and they are out again, what a waste of a season. perhaps the afl neesds to introduce a new rule like in cricket where someone else runs for you while you bat. the tigers can maintain their finals position but get another team to play for them instead, ooh harsh? sorry tigers fans until you crack the finals you will be relegated to the chokers box.

     and so to end folks as much as i love football i am barely running a temperature now and i wonder if i am being punished for my evil footy thoughts and wishes? one team i loathe down (sucked in) but the one i wanted to fall, got away. perhaps this time i shall seal my lips and pray for world peace instead so that footy karma doesn't come back to bite me on the bum. oh well onward and upward to 2016 and yes, i will still be watching the finals. can we at least have some decent contests in the vain of the elimination finals which were by far the best games to watch...the end!

FFandF XXX 

the lady army plus others last stand...hip hip hooray, wah wah wah!!!

well the last game finally arrived smack bang on lovies birthday. have to say i am a little disappointed. my fine penmanship  did not even receive a response from the CEO regarding my special birthday surprsie request. hey i thought i started off rather well...

dear keith

 i am writing in regard to the compensation i believe i deserve and am entitled to as a port adelaide member and supporter. this season has been bad for my health. i have lost count of the number of chocolate bars i have consumed to allevaite my disappointment and stress, it has probably skyrocketed into the hundreds of kilos!!! a season that promised so much but that delivered too little- so now that i have your attention i would like to put in a heartfelt request, hee, hee...

      and i thought that funny got you noticed, perhaps i should have written to ken instead considering he was most worried about the supporters. god knows how many of us are verging on the cusp of diabetes! pft i won't take it too personally, at least i tried. and what on earth was i requesting for lovie? a date with russell ebert? a velevet chaise lounge upholsterd in teal? borrowing the 2004 premiership cup so she could make some punch in it for her birthday lunch? nope viewers i was just hoping that perhaps she might have been granted access to the changerooms before the game to have a few snaps taken with her fave players. for goodness sakes she is 73 it's not like she is going to distract them with her beauty (although in her heyday she would have distracted every friggin male in sight...seriously she was a natural!). no perhaps her cooking but then again i wouldn't want her arrested by the diet police!

     so even though my plan did not come to fruition it did not damper our enthusiasm for the game. not quite at full strength we had exemptions for illness but to top it all off we also had our esteemed lord howe member join us (incidentally i also put in a joint request for her and lovie to go down into the changerooms) but she almost didn't make it. it looked as though we were going to have to put in a search and rescue request but fortunately the airlines came through and delivered her to the lady army... even if she was a little late. i have to admit viewers and i have now gotten over the shame of it but my two sons came along with their dad as guess what? yep...freo supporters. well one dedicated one and a fly by night one when it suits him, so i had to contend with them but as commandress of the lady army they were relegated out of sight. ( seriously my mum hates my exes guts and i couldn't simply ruin her birthday, hee,hee) i had also prepared son number two earlier for the fact that freo were going to get rolled. it seemed to have been a forgone conclusion considering the B side arrived in its place.

      so first quarter, ho hum bit slow to get started until their gears kicked in, most likely after a bollocking from ken and from then on it was port, port, port. schulzy was awesome kicking four but somehow it felt like perhaps it was his last game, which many of us will hope is not the case. yep great to be victorious but in the end it made no difference to finals aspirations. at least they did not throw in the towel and finished off the season strongly but questions remain...will schulzy stay or go? will butcher finally get the chopping block? no disrespect i know he tries hard and does some great stuff on the ground but i do know who i would rather have shooting for goal in the dying seconds of the game. however it already looks as though they have wielded the knife and change is taking place, ( some call it being ruthless) pity they did not use it earlier, on some of our key players to get them back into form. josh carr gone to coach north, tyson edwards gone, where to i couldn't tell you. rumours of chad cornes returning to coach the magpies and nathan bassett to get a seat in the coaches box. #theywillnotfryindubai ( thanks little sista for that one) and big charlie dixon coming, perhaps they can throw in harley bennell while they are at it. mm, time will tell but i suspect there is going to be a lot of clearing out and a few traded if any club is willing to rehome some of our talent who have not had much of an opportunity to break into the senior side.

     so i am afraid viewers it is time for me to put my port polar fleece blanket away. the finals are on our doorstep and i have a few prayers that i wouldn't mind being answered by the footy gods, hee,hee...i wonder what they could be? so if you have a second team or another one you wouldn't mind winning the GF well then goodluck to you. my heart says freo but my mind says no...hawthorn for a third is my prediction and then next year we will halt their tilt at a fourth...if only footy dreams could come true. 

love FFandF XXX
ps ken was right we got what we deserved, harsh but true
pps if only, if only...WAH WAH WAH!!!
pps watch out lady army we are headed for some changes too, stay tuned for 2016

season extinguished...time to regenerate for 2016

well we certainly did extinguish the suns flames on the weekend but thanks to the roos our season was officially extinguished the week before. any slim chance gone, makes me wonder if the dockers were really trying that hard, one cannot help think strategy but of course sometimes that can backfire, we shall wait and see. let us just smash them this week instead and lament the fact that we are ninth which will refuel our resurgence next season.
     well the season certainly held some surprsies this year. didn't see the emergence of the bulldogs nor the rise of the eagles. up until last week the eagles looked completely majestic and a genuine premiership chance. when you have the wins in the bank and a second chance then you may be able to afford a blimp on the footy success radar. as much as i hate to admit it the crows were phenomenal in the first quarter, just blew them out of the oval. god it just makes me feel sick, hee,hee...how much more are we going to be subjected to? it was only a few weeks ago that roo was rolling out the excuses, yes as i quite rightly recall they were 2-3 years away according to his predictions. well now you may as well hand them the cup if you believe the hype so fickle is the football world and the experts who inhabit it. but beware i say, get too far ahead of oneself and you are heading for a spectacular fall. and the higher they place you on the pedestal the harder you fall and the more it is gonna hurt. ouch!!!! i do have my secret football fantasy but i shall keep that a secret. i don't want to be tempting footy karma just yet but i will reveal that my prediction is...no big surprises, hawks for a third flag.
     come finals time viewers and it will be a completely different ball game. having finals experience in your footy socks counts for a lot. playing in front of your home crowd is a huge bonus, just ask us who were there last year for the richmond flogging; pity i am gonna have to watch it from the sidelines, boo hoo. the best i can hope for now is that freo make it to the grandfinal for son number two's sake and that they actually win it. if not i will take the edge on your seat experience anyday after that dismal display from sydney lasty year. 
     so this week will be the lady army's last stand. it also happens to be lovies birthday...laundry threats have not allowed me to publish her age. sorry folks i admit my shame and am not willing to give up my golden laundry ticket just yet. if all goes according to plan then perhaps there will be a nice surprise for her. in anycase there will certainly be birthday cake so come down to bay 100 and stop me from ingesting my weekly allowance of fat grams and sugar in one slice! and to the footy gods if anyone truly deserves a win on her birthday it is our legendary lovie, make the margin her age and then we're talking. so onto the last game for the power folks and onto supporting the magpies in their pursuit of a sanfl premiership. some of us feralinas made it to alberton and back to grassroots footy which is where it all began. and who knows maybe the finals will still deliver a few surprises yet...just make it the ones i want footy gods, hee,hee.
love FFandF XXX

Lovie with the lady army...

 

dust anyone? ...celestial dust? lol

well  what a weekend that turned out to be. yes viewers gotta admit i put my hand up, i confess, i admit....yes i was one of those getting well ahead of myself at the tail end of last season believing that premiership glory was merely a formality. shame on us all, we only have ourselves to blame for frustration, anger, rivers of tears, oh why? oh why footy gods did you do that to us? what is gonna happen to all those fans who bought renaults? are they going to drive them at high speed and eject themselves before they hit the brick wall and blame it on the steering? talk about heading for a crash...bam, bam bam...KAPOW, down we went but last friday night we rose to the occasion, just didn't we? and how frigging awesome was that? truly it was beyond our expectations. team unison, (ok we fluffed a few) but four quarters of football played the port adelaide way. although perhaps too late, still a revelation and proof that we have what it takes. imagine when we are back to full strength and have polec setting the grass alight as he runs out of the back half. and why should anyone really be that surprised? just double, triple drats we will have to watch the finals from the sidelines...boo hoo!

     we booked this trip in january buoyed by the end of 2014. we left no room for the possibility that our beloved team would crash and burn. playing off for top position was our prediction but what did we face? we faced the prospect of most people believing we were ripe for yet the second flogging of the season. were you predicting a disaster? did you take down your fluffy dice form the rear view mirror so you would not be identified? aren't you so glad they were wrong? are you jumping for joy and hopeful that the season shall not go to waste but serve as fuel to reignite an assault for the 2016 premiership? ( omg stop for a pause) i am, ruthless is back and i had the pleasure of witnessing it for myself!!! and yeah sucked in hodge. we put the hawk on the fork.

     i just love a quick trip over to melbourne, a mummy escape where i can saunter around melbourne town ( after a win) flaunting my scarf and engaging in impressive football chit chat with young men working in womens shoes. is this some kind of ploy to lure us mature ladies in? ha ba ha ha...well it might work for some but for me, once i get them chatting about football and finding out what team they barrack for i have walked out with a nice big discount. i am away before they can chase me down and say it was a mistake, my boss is going to kill me! where did she vanish they think...OMG is she related to constentino? meanwhile i am hiding behind the rubbish bin until the coast is clear. (apart from footy i have to say shoes come close but not close enough...actually add chocolate to that too... hee,hee).

     yet to those who wished me luck and rolled their eyes and muttered under their breath (no chance) it was like a dream come true. i have to confess and no disrespect, i did request a good game and a gallant defeat at the most but as the game wore on (ok i prayed for the butch) i sent out a universal request for some celestial dust to rain down upon our players and it did! i suppose now most teams in the eight will breathe a collective sigh of relief that port aren't playing in the finals. of course we hoped for the miracle to come; well actually my football fantasy to come to fruition which would have been worthy of a film in the making. but alas the roos put a halt to that. and as ken says we got what we deserved, and that is a timely lesson that football is a tough, competitive, brutal game and one cannot afford to rest on their laurels. week in week out ruthless pursuit must remain because you don't get into finals on potential and talent alone. if only, if only...ok i will stop that now coz it is only torture and there is no chocolate left in the house to console me.

     we may be out but we are certainly not down. the proof is in the fact our team has risen to the challenge to rise above their disappointment to show that every game still counts. bring on freo i say. if we manage to knock them off the top perch, well then at least we would have avenged our first round loss and perhaps upset the balance of the finals positions which may just work in someone elses favour. first to extinguish the suns and then to send freo adrift. a big last home game and a special one at that because lovie will be celebrating her birthday. so come on guys make it an extra special one for her because if anyone epitomises the never give in mantra, it is our mum, our own heavenly angel.

lovie and her gals

     

can someone lend me a baby or toddler?

well that was a much better effort don't you think? not that i saw the bullies thrashing. fortunately for moi i was at an arts conference serenely printmaking until i saw the score and accidentally stabbed myself with the linocutter. oh dear. and a big oh ouch, damn you guys don't you know i carry the scar of your out of form effort drenched with printing ink as my reminder?...Ok time to move on, i have seen worse but i ain't heading down that pathway, i refuse, absolutely refuse, although some were obviously trying to bait us. weren't they? you would think that no team had experienced a fall from grace before they hit their target of premiership glory? and that is what we have to suck up folks. but we are a strong, loud and proud bunch and will turn up even when we are suffering the ill effects of the flu. i wonder who that could have been? hee,hee.

     i watched the game enthused by the first quarter effort and overall toughness that permeated the field to wash away the doubters. well done lads. and through my flu infested coughs i still managed to reach record decibels. just ask white lightning aka matty white whom acknowledged my loud efforts with a wave and indeed the lady army loved that. achee had a fabulous game. he is a big bodied midfielder that can add some grunt to our engine room. and what about that handball folks? oh my frigging footyballs that is surely a secret weapon. overall a better performance but i for one was struggling to work out who number eleven was. and lo and behold i could not believe my eyes when i saw the butch. one great goal which i praised the footy gods for ( pity he couldn't repeat that effort) but he works hard, crashes the packs and gets the ball to ground. just a gentle reminder butch, you were actually in the forward line not the backline so no more punching the ball away when you can mark it. good to see him get a dose of confidence.will he stay or will he be gone? time will tell.

     my only complaint besides having the flu is those darn pesky kids who always seem to score the footys at the end of the match. so can someone kindly lend me a child, preferably a cute one and of toddler size so i can hoist him/her upon my shoulders and be in the running for a much coveted football. i know...triple shame on me. until  the next game viewers, which will be in melbourne (and incidenatlly i will be there) i don't know whether to be afraid, really afraid. tough assignment but as my little sista tweeted last round, i expect to see no running away and 22 pairs of hardened balls on that field. embrace the opportunity men and play like you haven't missed out on the finals.

time to make a stand...

omg time to make a stand power fans and support as one. are we going to allow the media to ridicule our great club and supporter base? if you are like me you definitely will not. flu infected i go dragging my aching body and weary mind to the game. despite being sick i am sick of all the crap i have been hearing. and as my sister said...i want to see twenty two pairs of hard balls on that field today stand up and be counted regardless of the fact we will not see the light of finals. yes it certainly hasn't gone to expectation or plan but perhaps this will turn out to be blessing in disguise ....to send a bit of a shockwave and reality check into our team so that they come back bigger, better, stronger and hungrier in 2016. all is not lost. the road to premiership glory doesn't necessarily follow a straight line. and to think just two wins, carlton and crows come to mind and we would be in the eight right now. personally i would rather that we weren't because our form doesn't warrant it. is she for real? (you must be thinking).damn right i am. i would rather miss out and do a freo and come back with determination and fire to turn things around and aim for that premiership cup. we certainly don't want to be reminded of 2007 do we? suck it up guys, cop it on the chin and make it your mission to prove the doubters wrong.

#weareportadelaide#disappointedbutnotdefeated#22hardballsonthefield...that's it from me, sick but soldiering on, boo hoo...FFFandF XX

how much worse can it get?

well season 2015 over folks, how much worse can it get? well for one thing ed sheeran has joined the cast of summer bay and i had to perform the heimlich manouevre on lovie . poor lovie she was so depressed by saturdays effort she was choking on her haighs chocolate!!! omg like you and many others  i am somewhat bewildered dwelling in the realm of what could have been or should have been, taking residence in the world of footy pain. how long i stay there i do not know, let us hope that it is short lived...

     ok i'm out...what you gasp in disbelief. that was the shortest stay on record, and how on earth did i manage to achieve this miraculous recovery you may wonder? well it is pretty simple folks. despite this disappointing season i have faith that the team will actually benefit from this deviation to premiership glory. the line to the grandfinal does not always run in a linear fashion folks. if this season had been hinkley's first then no-one would have much to say. if this season had followed 2013 many would have not been surprised. it is a bit hard to swallow that only two games have kept us out of the eight and there are certainly a handful of games that we could have won but simply didn't. but has our form warranted it? to be brutally honest...as much as i am pained to admit it, the answer is no. as ken famously once said, " you get what you deserve." and quite frankly that sums it up precisely.

     so many ifs, if we hadn't lost polec...if we hadn't lost ollie for those weeks...if we, if we, if we. in the harsh reality of the football world, if we's stand for nothing. when someone exits, then somebody else has to stand up. so for these last four games i suspect that the fringe players may get their chance to prove themselves and give the club a  reason to keep them for the future. if not, adios, time to get tough, be ruthless and have a springclean of stocks and replenish with a few who can add more depth and strengthen our back line for a start. in my opinion we need a defender, a forward and some grunt in the midfield. i will be interested to see what path ken, the coaching staff, the players and the club follow. we may be surprised by some of the changes but football is also a business and the dollar has a very loud voice.

     if it is mental then it it will be time to toughen up and dig deep and do some footy soul searching to see where they're at. yes potential, potential, potential but that ain't much good without action and discipline to back it up. ask me, i'm a teacher and i should know. i have seen students squander their potential because psychologically they just can't for whatever reason seem to get it together. and i have seen students with far less potential who have far more motivation and incentive to suceed. so who is the easier to teach? no guesses for the second. however, the first is the one who can have the greatest influence if they can tap into that potential of gold and turn it into something usable.

     so how much worse can it really get viewers? the answer is when supporters stop supporting because of one season that hasn't quite gone to plan. when i the self appointed commandress ( teehee) of the lady army and her troops throw in the towel and give up. but that ain't about to happen now or in the near future. when the going gets tough the tough get going. so listen up guys, play the season out to the best of your ability and press reset for 2016. come back, bigger, better, stronger and hungrier and make that your mindset. we know how tough it can be when the weight of expectation becomes a burden so now you can set yourselves free...well in four games time you can, hee,hee.

ta ta for today,

love FFandF XXX

the lady army plus others...ps we have some members missing

shining lights in the darkness...

what an amazing game, don't you think viewers? personally i tipped against my beloved team...how dare she you must be thinking but i was attempting a bit of reverse tipping... believing that if i tipped the pies then port would win.( there was method in my madness) what did you do? wear your lucky jocks? organize for dane swan to be nabbed? hee, hee...good try but unfortuntaely he didn't make it into the lock up....double drats!!!

     it seemed as though the footy gods were smiling down upon us. early indications showed the weather to be fine. how promising that was until it decided to drizzle, then rain but still that did not dampen the boys determination. the first quarter was sensational. i felt as though we were almost reliving the hawthorn matched played earlier in the season. i knew we had to get off to a good start because that was going to set the tone and show us where the boys were at mentally and emotionally. and they certainly meant business but of course one could not underestimate the pies who in my opinion have been one of the teams that have surprised me this season. i knew they had a young list but i guess when most of your energy is focused upon your own side you can lose sight of where everyone else is at and who is the next big thing to be looming on the horizon. well for me i would have to say at this point in the season...west coast, bulldogs and collingwood have most likely exceeded their own expectations and have left more than a few of us surprised and wondering how they will fare in the end. but come finals time the cream will rise to the top and if you have a few finals under your belt it could mean the difference between success and failure. we have certainly witnessed that before.

     so where does that leave port? still in a precarious position but with some hope of sneaking into the eight depending on themselves and the wins and losses of those closer to the race. and if they can bring that effort, guts, determination and bravery to every contest until the fat football sings well then who knows? stranger things have happened. who would have predicted the bombers flogging or the suns getting up swiftly and easily on the back of abletts return? i have decided to remain optimistic and take it one game at a time because really that is all one can do right now. and whatever will be will be.

     but what i can tell you is this. being at the game was more than awesome. it felt eerie, eeriness permeated the air enveloping the crowd in a sombre blanket which was cast aside as the game progressed. the crowd was loud, really loud. the game was on and it was a great game to watch although the last few minutes seemed to last an eternity. wolfman was back to his best. i love it when he is set free to run, take a solid mark, kick a goal or save us in defence. broady and hombsch played a sensational game along with ollie, wingard and impey. our captain led from the front, robbie added his usual magic when needed and ryder got going and showed us glimpses of why he was added to our stocks. oshea slotted in and clurey will be another player for the future. loved seeing jakey neade get in there...sometimes it pays to have a little man with a big heart. everyone tried their guts out, despite some of the turnovers and a fast finshing pies, the boys dug in, dug deep and clinched a nail biting and well deserved win. to be honest it would have been absolutely heartbreaking had the pies stolen it in the dying minute of the game. i believe it was perfectly fitting that the team won for walshy and played the type of footy that would have brought a smile to his face. it was epic, it was glorious and it was emotional. the tribute at the end will stand out as one of the touching highlights of the season. the lights shining in the darkness as the stadium lights went out was magic. the birds of tokyo playing in the background as many linked arm in arm and cried a few tears, tears of relief, tears of joy and tears of sadness. however among it all was the one light that shone the brightest. and that light was port power bringing home the win that honoured their friend, mentor and coach. well done team. i for one can say it was surely a heartfelt win. one of the ones that made us all incredibly proud. one of the ones of when the job needed to be done it was done.

image from port adelaide football club...

how low can you go?

yes viewers some of us may have sunk to a new low and have now officially written off 2015 but that is nothing compared to waking up and hearing the unbelievable tragic news regarding phil walsh. puts life into perspective doesn't it? my heartfelt condolences go out to phil's wife meredith who has not only lost her husband but her son too and also to their daughter who has lost her dad and brother. one should not speculate about the circumstances although it seems only natural to want to understand how one could be murdered by their own child. 

     we all want a reason to understand why.unfortunately this is something that happens to others as well. daughter murders mother, on my way to work i found that one out. phil walsh being coach of the adelaide crows, former assistant coach and mentor at port adelaide, west coast, geelong where he fulfilled other roles brings it to our attention. who could have or would have thought? such very, very sad and tragic circumstances for all of those concerned. and i for one am still shocked and deeply saddened by this news along with everyone else 

RIP Walshy.

who has the blues???

well viewers come on spit it out, get it off your chest, admit it if you dare, if you have to...is the season over in your eyes? are you now in the midst of the footy blues? some of you definitely are. for goodness sakes i even had a member come to my house for therapy ( luckily i was still in melbourne town). looks like i am gonna have to moonlight as a footy therapist if this season slide continues...so i implore you POWER TO STOP THIS IMMEDIATELY! i have enough to occupy myself without having to add footy counsellor to my list of things to do, hee, hee. 

     boy oh boy. it started off so well. airport collection via luxury vehicle with heated seats, yes can you believe it, heated seats? back in fine company and also back to melbourne lady army headquarters which are ever so comfortable. so much fun, so much banter, so much cheese and soooo much wine, hee,hee. little did i know what lay ahead for us the lady army representatives the following day...(%&%&) personally i was not thinking it was going to be a walk in the park. and personally i was thinking what better time to start a shift in momentum. confidence was in the air, not a care in the world did i the lady commandress entertain, ( after all it is not every weekend i get to escape my children and to indulge in footy, food and fun) but alas no...make that a big no, make that a huge no, make that a painful no... just our luck to face the blues who decided to come out and play. thanks carlton you could have saved that for someone else!

     yes folks as disappointing as it may seem the reality is despite the lopsided umpiring and some of those outrageous decisions the guys were outmuscled and out played, simple as that. yes carlton may have been bottom but they certainly didn't play like it. and what better incentive to know you are in the game and have a fighting chance. the last time we were at the G we were lamenting a 3 point loss and the dream of playing in the 2014 grandfinal. but according to many, the boys were spooked, their confidence shot and yes would have to agree because turnovers cost us the game in the end and losing robbie gray didn't help our cause either. but perhaps blue betty may also be partly to blame. OMFF ( oh my friggin footyballs) what was that monstrous contraption? and whose ridiculous idea was that? BIG LOL...seriously the most disappointing thing for me was not witnessing it with my own eyes!!! i was too busy acquiring the red wine for the lady army...i should have got a barrel while i was at it, hee, hee. if i had known where blue betty was garaged and captain carlton was hiding i would have personally got a pair of bolt cutters and made CC drive it onto the field in the last quarter so i could have picked up hoff and given him a direct route to the goals. alternatively i could have run down the umpires and blamed in on CC himself...24 frees to 10, that number says it all but at the end of the day the guys have to suck it up, put that one aside and regroup for the next match.

     (post match)

the one shining light viewers was meeting up with lady army reinforcements, muchos gracias gabi and cynthia our argentinian wing of LA. another was confronting el presidente himself as the lift doors opened. "OMG it is the port adelaide footy hierachy! i exclaimed. Kochie do you need a hug?" and yes members my footy counselling ways kicked in again and i had to console the president himself much to the amusement of my fellow LA members. and yes we waited and watched as a dejected group walked in feeling the pain and significance of the loss...opportunity evaporated, a gallant comeback that just fell short of the line. a comeback that had the most annoying carlton fan silenced. don't you just hate it? so, so hard when you have to suck that one up viewers. ( i did however have the opportunity to strangle a carlton supporter myself but he took that in jest as it was intended to be, lol)

     so to keith thomas... we know they are a young side, well at least i do. you do not need to explain yourself to me. perhaps the weight of expectation and the pressure has taken somewhat of a toll but when the going gets tough the tough have to get going regardless of the simple fact that this isn't the same team of 2014 because it actually isn't. we have yet to field our strongest team and if finals do not happen to come to fruition then so be it. come back better, bigger and stronger. indeed add stronger to that coz we seem to be a little lightweight in that area. lovie is very concerned about this but we did encourage her to volunteer in the kitchen.  but  excuse me, where were you guys when robbie was slung to the ground? where was the comeback? you should have sent gibbs a strong message. hardwick, byron and josh carr wouldn't have let that slide, so next time bloody well stick up for your team mate or i will charter my own helicopter and chase you around the oval and flour bomb you myself!! srum te bilo guys ( hrvatski translation...shame on you)!

     so now i come to my next point. i think as a paying member i should be entitled to claim compensation. after that loss i entered into what is commonly known as carbicide. i have lost count of the number of cuppa soups i have consumed and vita wheats with vegemite i have inhaled at school. i have lost count of the lollies i have stolen from a fellow colleagues lolly jar that happens to sit conveniently on her desk. ( fortunately for me she has been blaming it on the kids, hee, hee and until she installs video surveillance i do not think i can be stopped!) in fact i haven't been able to stop my slide into carbicide since my return. the rate i am going i may as well claim some complimentary training sessions with burgo too. 

     we ate our way around melbourne folks and what a tasty journey that turned out to be. first stop the amazingly delicious and consistent supernormal. great ambience, great service, friendly, attentive but also restrained. the best duck ever. in fact every morsel is soooo delicious that i cannot help myself but return to this wonderful eatery every time i visit melbourne. tapas style with an asian focus...dumplings were delsih, kimchee excellent, can't go past the sauteed mushrooms and rice cakes. also tried the brocoli salad with egg and bonito flakes, yum! if this eatery was situated in adelaide it would definitely be my regular food haunt. the coffee is always great because in this town competitton ensures that it is. you are pretty much guaranteed a good coffee wherever you happen to be.

      next dinner date was at the highly anticipated lucy liu. just the three of us, me, little sista and niece we were definitely the inconspicuous food critics. groovy interior, very good service but if i am to be honest there was absolutely no wow factor in the food. the steamed greens and prawn dumplings were delicious but everything else pretty much rated as average. the short rib rendang had me eagerly awaiting a dish that would be flavoursome but it really came out as an ok. the thai fishcakes were terrible, deep fried and resembling nothing of the authenticity i have experienced in thailand myself. however, the organic tempura tofu and vegetables passed the taste test. overall i would say as much as the service was friendly and hospitable it was overpriced and not a place i would be running back to or recommending when there is so much else on offer. however i would recommend the top paddock in richmond. by the buzz and business of this place you can see why it is so popular. definitely a booking is required during the week but fortunately for us we did not have to wait long for a table for six. a delicious brunch style menu, i enjoyed a steak between some freshly toasted turkish bread and a very good cup of coffee. i sampled little sista's trout which was cooked perfectly so i forgave the fact that it didn't hold true to the flavours stated on the menu. to add to that was wonderful friends, a big ladies catch up listening to latest news and throwing is some good laughs too.

     i have to admit viewers by the time i was ready to leave melbourne town and had done my post match analysis i seemed to have developed a second wind. knowing full well it would be my responsibility to revive the confidence of the lady army plus others; i came away surprisingly re-energised and creatively awoken. awoken to the possibilities that awaited our fine lady army members, hee,hee. little do they know what is in store for them. and little do port know what is in store for them but one must act when the time is ripe and that time is now!!! please stay tuned for a new and improved  look for our lady army members coming to a home match close to you....ba ha ha ha ah ah aha.

until the next home game, if the blues have hold of you add some colour to your life, it just could be the therapy you need. do not lose faith followers. plant a seed of hope not a seed of doubt.

love FFandF XXX

PS a million thankyous to the wonderful hospitality of the ellis clan, we love youse all!!!

PPS before i forget we also made a lovely train trip to bacchus marsh to visit the infamous pascoe who incidentally was meant to join us at the g with her teal poncho. unfortunately she was unwell but fortunately for us we had a wonderful afternoon meeting her gorgeous grandaughter alice. happy first birthday little angel xxx

where to find supernormal... aka superfabulous

how many lives do we have left???

OMG are we running out of lives viewers? is this the end? is it all downhill from here? personally i still have faith which is better than hope. the reason i say that is because my block of old gold dark chocolate still remains intact! (70% cocoa might i add) and yes every bit of it remained intact, not one square was consumed during the course of the match.  i didn't even reach down to inhale it to revive myself! lol. however, i will admit to 3 glasses of red perhaps hoping that the game looked better than what it really was...drats!!!

     the first quarter was highly competitive. strong, contested footy but on the park we looked small compared to the tall, solid cats. have we got too lean for the sake of the run folks? mm, just a thought. and if so, is it time to recruit some of the mamas or papas for that matter ( who have some culinary nous) to pack some meat on their bones? even at half time we were within touch. i for one was actually feeling relaxed and confident that the game was ours for the taking considering what was up for grabs. 

before the match i even received a text from a buddy who is a cats fan almost conceding defeat before the game had started. and of course from another one post match who dared to rub it in, tagging me on my FB timeline. how very dare he? and make that double very dare he taking advantage of my weakened position, ( triple drats) hee,hee.

      what can i say fellow fans? well firstly CLANGER comes to mind, 9 out on the full...BIG OUCH! and a few suspect umpiring decisions which doesn't help but inevitably does not lose you the game. i am still not prepared to concede our season has come to an end but if we go back to back losses with another defeat at the MCG then even i... devoted, enthuisiastic, optimistic power fan may begin to let the doubts creep in. i do have another theory though. the lady army were somewhat depleted thanks to one of our esteemed members relinquishing her boundary spot to hob nob it in a corporate box. ( apart from free booze , i did hear the food was not up to our standards...sucked in!) she has a voice that could shatter a thousand eardrums and was sorely missed. two rows from the boundary and another wine and i could have leaped the fence and tackled stevie j myself. but of course pledging to demonstrate exemplary fan behaviour i resisted the temptation. i am not sure i could do the same next week if we lose the plot....because i shall be travelling to melbourne for footy, food, fun and catching up with my interstate friends. ( some of which will be fake lady army members for the afternoon). come on guys fire up and get your act together. we are bringing the noise and i kindly request that you bring your A game. according to my mathematical predictions if we can win by about 350 points then we will get a huge percentage boost. (that may just be enough to propel us into the eight)...OMG look what i have resorted to...i am becoming footy delusional.

      so what do you think viewers? do we still have any lives left? or have you already conceded? all i can say that some of the lady army are very close, let's not make it dangerously close team, coz then the reality will be the power express has run out of steam...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

until the MCG, 

love FFFandF XXX

PS wingard... best on ground by far but he can't win the game on his own

doggies sent back to their kennel...time to short circuit the cats nine lives!!!

port fans...were you feeling slightly nervous? were you 100 percent convinced the power would muzzle the doggies bite and silence their bark? mm, honestly? i thought it would be a free flowing game, fast paced, tightly contested. i thought the doggies would be let off the leash and allowed to hunt in packs...well they certainly hunted down our captain inspiration but from my viewpoint it looked more like a wrestle. it wasn't until the last quarter when the power switch was flicked, the power surge came to fruition and yes folks that was rather awesome to see. the fans confidence is back returning with the shift in form...time to get into the next gear power!

     well what can i say folks? no time for pacing last saturday night, ( so to lose a few kilojoules just wear a few less layers and let the cold get to work on your fat cells instead!) the lady army was almost at full force with a few missing but some eager ring ins to take their place. nothing is more enjoyable than a convincing win. nothing more enjoyable than taking your thermos of home made chocolate or spiced coffee, hee, hee to enjoy with some pastries! and indeed there were some eyeing off our gourmet delights but what do you expect from the lady army? we are an assortment of culinary queens ( just to let you know this week it will be slow roasted lamb shoulder rolls)...oops correction, (have just been advised by lovie they will need to be kept warm and somehow I don't think they will let her in with her pie warmer, hee,hee).
     so i have just recovered from last weeks victory. i was in a victory cloud and it was difficult to see, lol. the lady army made their way into the game day village post match for a drink and a bit of a boogie and by the time the last train took us home, i for one knew i was heading for a sleep in....but drats, no rest for the wicked coz someone had to be on taxi duty for rowing. however, well done lady army and bonus points for our lord howe resident, such dedication, such passion even if she disappears every now and then to calm her nerves. we might have to start flying her back for every home game because guess what? everytime she has been there we have won.
      so now we are sitting at five/five. the guys have been crucified by the media for the three losses in a row but there are still some who have not jumped off the power express just yet...choo, choo. i said the slump came early. i still say there is method in burgo's madness. and i say we need to win the next two before the bye to make a full-on assault upon the second half of the season. i feel a power surge coming on and no better way to inflict some damage than to show it on the scoreboard tonight. it is a big game viewers but a home one at that. we need to have everyone firing tonight and to keep up the goal kicking. i prefer the look of the forward structure, schulz taking away the defenders leaves gray and wingard to weave some magic. stewart is a solid player that can kick a few goals and i must admit i was sitting on the fence in regard to sammy gray but he had a great game last week. thought clurey took some great marks and wolfman was back in full force. just gotta love the wolfman, so versatile, can take some great marks and save us in defence when it counts. and what about ollie? ollie,ollie,ollie, oi,oi,oi...future captain and brownlow medalist in the making. what a difference he has made to the midfield. we have the depth and will be a force to be reckoned with when paddy and trengove return. yes i know some of you think we are a better team without ryder but i say nope. it is just going to take time and they will need to sort out the forward line and to be very clear about what their role is. OMG you would think i was some kind of footy expert, ba ha ha ha ha.
     so lady army it is up to all of you tonight to secure our position. your commandress will be late due to unforseen circumstances. i have organized for lovie and the kids to be at the gates as soon as they open so some of you are being called upon your duty to help her out as i think saving 12 seats might just be  bit too much of a stretch. great weather, clear skies but cold it will no doubt be. rug up tonight lady army and fellow supporters and remember to bring the noise...as well as your thermos and sheep skin lined guchas, hee,hee. onwards and upwards captain inspiration...#team effort, #6and5, # the lady army loves youse all, # over and out!!!
love FFFandF XXX 
    

let us not leave kane in pain...and other things i should have written...

oopsies gee just like the losing streak of the power i seem to have gone missing in action myself. but guess what viewers? i am back. back after that ugly win by richmond. pooh, pooh, crap, crappy crapola...seriously i detest those who espouse winning ugly is acceptable for the game....that is complete rubbish! man i felt like i was at auskick or at a rugby match.  doesn't make for good footy at all, difficult to watch and a plan based on fear as far as i am concerned. come on don't be afraid to unleash the footy beasts. take a leaf out of ross lyon and phil walsh's book and let us see the natural game.  (more on that later). sometimes i even think they should bring in thirds like netball; no forwards or defence in the opposing teams scoring third. what do you think? does it have to come to that? better still out there is lurking some football genius, a strategist who will solve this dilemma in a creative way. ( ps make sure you come to port, thanks)

      signs were breaking the surface during the richmond clash fellow fans but shitty goal kicking let us down; nothing like a few goals in a row to get some momentum going. have to admit i commandress of the lady army even resorted to hurling croatian insults at maric. ( don't be alarmed, nothing obscene, otherwise lovie would have had me by the ear and outta the oval in a flash, hee,hee). but sadly not the send off kane cornes deserved. on the other hand one game doe not make a 300 game career. good luck champ and thank goodness you have joined the fire service because... some of the ones i saw recently at a friends wedding didn't look as though they could get a cat down from a tree, hee,hee. 

     fast forward and the melbourne game has come and gone. seriously folks i reckon i have lost a few kilos from my recently acquired footy watching habit. it's called pacing. it's called not being able to keep still. and the benefits are you get to burn off a lot more kilojoules without even having to try very hard, hee,hee. yes indeed instead of sitting down and enjoying a cold beer and a homemade pie while watching your team cruise on comfortably, you get to frantically pace up and down instead. you also get the bonus of employing the distraction strategy which is rather handy if you have a lot of household jobs that need to be done. i for one get my laundry done, the boys lunches made for school if it's a sunday. my bed is made, the vacuuming and throw in some dusting for good measure. but honestly were you on the verge of a complete freak out watching that first quarter? were you sitting there thinking oh my friggin footballs this is unbelievable. were you about to unleash the scream of NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...PLEASE STOP POWER I JUST CAN'T TAKE ANOTHER WEEK OF WATCHING YOUR GAME PLAN GO TO CRAP!!! WHAT THE FOOTY???

     and you know what? i was waiting for it. i was waiting for the fan in pain hotline to go into overload and for my phone to explode and set my house on fire but for some reason either by the simple act of faith or turning off the TV in disgust or fear of even watching the game, my phone remained silent but the voices in my sisters household did not. once the switch was flicked so were we. high fives, jumping for joy and my new catch cry with accompanying actions... choo, choo the power express is coming through echoed through the walls of a house in welland. thanks cynthia and son for joining us in the celebrations! and thankyou POWER for finally getting into gear and showing us what you are capable of. great comeback, convincing victory and a confidence booster. personally i think a lot had to do with restructuring the forward line...too many talls spoil the mark but a few new faces willing to work hard will raise the work rate. so now my beloved team you need to back it up with a few wins in a row. first one to attend to is the doggies. it is time to show them who is top dog, time to assert yourself back into the hierachy. looking forward to a far more free flowing game and a newly confident port ready and willing to build upon a much needed victory from last week. and the good news is...the lady army is bringing in the reinforcments. the bad news, krakouer has gone back to the SANFL. here's hoping to his speedy return and an elevation after round 12. and yes footy gods a win for us considering i risked myself going into enemy territory last week because a mama has to do what a mama has to do. ( i took son number two to watch freo play crows...and what a game it was)

     so enjoy this round viewers and take my advice do not get ahead of yourself like the foolish crows supporter ( an older woman) from last week at half time. yes indeed so much so that she took it upon heself to abuse my sweet boy at half time while he was waiting for me to come out of the ladies.  i returned to find him in tears but reassured him he would get the last laugh. and so the footy gods soon saw fit to swing the football freo's way and in the end i had one happy little boy who went from tears to a smile upon his face. and as my sister said she should consider herself lucky that she was not found by me. legend has it i have the voice to burst a thousand crows fans eardrums, ba ha ha ha ha, seriously that could almost be true. so until next time, keep passionate but don't stoop to the lowest to abuse children at a game folks. just remember if you get caught you will face the lady army tribunal and trust me you don't want to be facing the wrath of the feralinas!!!

love, laughter and footy passion,

FFFandF XXX

PS thankyou to those crows supporters who contacted me via twitter to make sure son number two was ok. he is and said...mum there are bad supporters in every club. and that much is true folks. come on freo declaw those cats!!! hee,hee,hee.

the honeymoon is over...

the honeymoon period is over folks, yes indeed. let me ask you this question. are you having a love affair with port adelaide or are you married to the club? if you answered love affair then perhaps there are those of you feeling the temptation to jump into bed with a new and exciting team. personally i would advise against it. once the thrill wears off you may end up being worse off. just ask those exes out there, for some i know that is true, hee,hee. but moi? i am married to the club. make that... we the lady army are married to the club. and just like a great marriage in the beginning it seems to be all roses, excitement, you are contsantly on a high and in good spirits. perhaps that is how it seemed the past few years where port has resurrected itself from basket case to the ride that everyone wanted to catch. but after those past two performances i doubt many are putting their hand up for a lift. but if like me you are married to the club you will see them through the good and the bad. hopefully you will stick around long enough to know that the lows will somehow transform themselves into highs or perhaps strike a good balance between the two. i don't know. i can only speak for myself and the hardcore lady army followers!!!

     oh my frigging footballs, my sms line was indeed running hot through the course of the power/lions game. it seemed as though i was the first port of call as friends texted me in disbelief. can you believe it? can you believe that? OMG what is happening? where have the power gone? mm, perhaps it was a team of imposters i replied. i certainly earnt my mantle of footy counsellor. after a few messges i just responded...hello this is the footy fan in pain hotline. please wait a few minutes as the lady army commander is on another text comforting a fellow fan who is about to implode. you will be attended to at the soonest convenience. ps you are currently in the queue and with 60,000 members the lady army commander may be slightly delayed!!! lol. make that double, no triple friggin footballs, it was a long night and yes fellow fans i understand your pain. but i do not control the outcome of the power games...the players do, simple as that. 

      i hope this is just a glitch in the radar. that burgo really does have a masterplan and at this point in time seems somewhat crazy and defies all sporting logic but will reap rewards...yes,yes,yes he does. (well Lewie doesn't seem to think so) what else can i say viewers? personally i reverted to the do your housework strategy in the hope that checking the scores from time to time would show me the footy. alas it did not but i certainly had a sparkling clean house. vacuuming done, dishes washed, dusting done, bathroom floor scrubbed. ( true, i had to give lovie a pair of sunglasses to wear before she came in the door so she would not be blinded). in the end son number two turned on the tv and said...mum you have to watch your team and i did. and i did just get a glimmer of hope with those two goals in the third but then it just went pear shaped from there. OMG who would have picked brisbane? not me folks ( although i did say...see blog below that richmond would probably win. should have stuck to my gut instinct...drats could have gained one!!!)

     all i can say from embarrassment will come improvement. having made my debut at arndale shopping centre as a ten year old in the talent quest and scoring 4/10 for trying; i then developed into somewhat of a fine singer, hee,hee. but that was for having the guts to try. to some of us it looked as though the guys were not even trying. smashed at the stoppages, ( come back ollie!!!) our famous run nowhere to be seen. inaccuracy at goal plus the inability to stamp our auhtority on the game led to a huge short circuiting equalling a power failure. no disrespect to brisbane because obviously they were the better side but seriously guys this is not what we have come to expect. these are the games you need to put in the bank or guess what? you will be playing catch up football and kissing your finals chances adios. what on earth is going on? you must stand up regardless of players injured or missing or i warn you there will be a fans arrest!!! that's right i will be issuing lady army warrants for your immediate arrest. (can't you see i am resorting to humour to mask the deep undeniable pain i feel at seeing your opportunity to make headway into the eight?)

     whatever it is or whatever others speculate we do not know. have to agree with ken's assessment. time for another reality check, coz guess what? there is a new young and exciting team in afl town stealing your thunder. go back and watch some footage of this team and see yourselves once again because this is where you came from...and remember actions speak louder than words. a huge game coming up against another rival coming off of a win. they will like to think that you are now beatable. you have much to prove and more importantly you have someone to prove it to. think of team, think of kane and send him off in the way in which he deserves. we will bring the noise, you bring the play!!!

ps (i am available for inspiring speech writing in cae you need it, hee,hee)

PPS nothing more to say, we lost, end of story.

PPPS time to end fan pain coz i don't have enough time to man the hotline.

love FFFandF XXX

the letdown... i thought it was a myth...BOO HOO!!!

letdown shmetdown, i thought it was a myth. i thought it was time we broke the cycle. i thought it was time for the boys to say shove your myth up your bum bums but oh no...myth is really at this point reality. for god sakes it was mumma's day! how very dare you guys??? shame, shame, shame. i was feeling surely this one was gonna be in the bag, playing for your mumma's, playing for a spot in the eight. oh my frigging footyballs it looked as though you had all been cursed and your mojo depleted. and to lose at the portress, the pain, the pain, my fantasy mothers day destroyed, oh the pain, the pain and even more pain...WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHBOO HOOOOOOO POOO!!! ok i'm over it now.

     seriously folks the weather had been kind, no rain, thanks footy gods. chilly evening but have to admit even i was lacking some of my own mojo. ( that's what happens when you are responsible for baking your best friends daughters wedding cake and have been on the slivovitz the night before...srum te bilo to me too.) the only explanation i have is that 1) the boys have had a pretty brutal start to the season  which has aready made a dent in their tanks 2) we were simply outplayed by a better team on the night who were hungry for victory and were hunting for trophy rights... the conquering of the portress. damn you eagles!!! my request was for a bunch of canaries to turn up. perhaps my favours with the footy gods are beginning to run thin. blah, blah, blah, bah humbug!

     as such i had to ride home on the train of footy disappointment. my only consolation being that son number two came home with me holding my hand all the way coz it was mumma's day. bless him. but i have sucked it up with a few slabs of chocolate cake leftovers, teamed with chocolate ganache and a dollop of vanilla icing. make that double shame on me, no probably triple shame is more fitting. yes the tuth lies betweeen the two, no excuses, tough draw but that is how it goes. and if one wants to be a serious contender then digging deep is required. a ten point loss when a 17 point buffer zone was had at half time. i anticipated a build upon the score. at no time did i seem fazed but watching that third quarter, the mistakes, the turnovers, the abscence of their usual daring and run. what happened guys? you seemed to be playing it safe. yes the inside 50's needed to be contained but at the expense of your game...learn from this and redeem yourselves!!! i implore you...

     i have said it once and i will say it again. it is a long season folks but with this long season must come enough wins to secure ones finals berth. the power  i am sure will be aiming to crack the top four this year. there is still enough time to do it but the wins must be convincing, brutal and ruthless when called for to turbo boost a poor percentage. yes indeed one does not need to be a footy expert to know that. and one does not need to be a footy expert to participate in tipping either. what a round for tipping. how many of your tips went to cuca too? four for me viewers, crapola but many of you would be feeling the same tipping pain unless you possess a crytsal ball. so on to the next round viewers, here comes number seven which would make it slightly under a third of the season. already injuries have prevailed, sloane from the crows, a huge out and bobby...man where has that chocolate cake gone? pass me the slivovitz instead. kane cornes has announced his retirement which has sent some of you into a tizzy. for goodness sakes leave the poor bloke alone. 300 games of excellent service, fine achievement and a proud moment for the club to acknowledge and celebrate. leave him be. selfish? i think not. this was on the cards and he certainly deserves to bow out on a high and the guys waiting in the wings are ready to take the next step. elevate krakouer i say. seriously that guy is a gun, love the way he plays. a great story and achievement to bounce back from fatties unfit land and to make it back to the elite level. and for that i will have one more slivovitz in his honour...ZIVOLI!!!

PS my tips for this week are bombers by 15 ( they have to rise to the occassion after WADA announced they would be appealing) for footballs sake can we not move on from this??? crows, hawks, gws, swans, eagles, dockers, pies and port. knowing my luck richmond will probably win.

settle into round seven viewers, until next blog, keep your guchas on!!

love FFFandF XXX

PPS i have made a replica wedding cake to be sent to brisbane for the players to eat before the game, hee,hee...

PPS i have laced it with a bottle of slivovitz...triple hee,hee.

we may have lost the game but  we won the wedding cake stakes!!!

the day has arrived...who will claim bragging rights?

i have to admit viewers my energy levels are a bit low. my usual enthusiasm and gusto for the showdown has dissipated. but i think being united with my feralinas as the lady army may lift my spirits, somehow, some way i will find my battle voice and  we will support our beloved power. to be continued...
     our plans to make our way to the club or to the alberton hotel took a detour. in the end we put our roots down at feralina headquarters. feralinas times 3, brother in law, 2 nieces and son number two made up our viewing audience. and can you believe at this very moment it is the last quarter and i have run away to update my blog? cowardice? nope. superstition? perhaps. it seems that every time i have disappeared to do a job in the guise of keeping busy and wasting time, whatever dent the crows make we keep on keeping on. logical? nuh but hey one must do whatever it takes to make it work. first time i went back home to hang up my washing amidst the protest of the feralinas. second time i have come home to take off my make-up and make the boys sandwiches for school. but now with time running out, i doubt there will be a third time. as i type the power maintain a 13 point lead but still is it enough? i say bring on polec and activate the afterburners. so now i shall go to my shrine dedicated to my little bro and say a prayer that we keep on keeping on....to be continued.
      i returned to feralina headquarters to cop a berating from my fellow feralinas for deserting them. once i explained my logic, all was forgiven. we enjoyed the last few minutes united in victory because by then it was assured...#weplayasone...hee,hee. nothing tastes as good as beating the crows, well maybe the chicken curry, thanks little sista! yes at feralina headquarters we were celebrating, feeling more than jubilant. we made an effort to rid ourselves of any smugness or temptation to taunt feralina's hubby and son who returned to collect her still wearing their crows gear and their yellow caps ( so much for marketing, lol). still we love them and there are only some of a few who hold concession passes in the prescence of the lady army. chicken curry, football analysis but at the end of the day scoreboard conversion told the tale. and as much as i may have been tempted to return to work in my full power regalia, i resisted. i resisted because even i... one devoted, passionate, footy fan still has some wisdom in reserve. it's a long season folks and just as well coz the power are yet to come into full force. they have yet to play their best four quarters of footy. and that folks is what i look forward to.
cheers...FFFandF XXX.

cheers from the lady army...

PS btw i was taunted by mr.kravitz ( my neighbour) who just so happens to be a crows supporter. this can be verified by my fellow feralina who was in my presence at the time of taunting. gotta say he is lucky...coz after a decent consumption of bubbles we did consider marching to his house with the flag...ba ha ha ha ha. GO THE POWER!!!

round five...IS THERE A SHOWDOWN?

mm, round five now, those who are sitting 4-0 are off to a great start and we all know that can make a huge difference come september. well another huge game for the POWER but to be perfectly honest i seem to have lost my mojo...maybe it has been all that you tube watching! i am creating a wedding cake, so if you thought the pressure was on re: the showdon well i have news for you...wedding cake pressure if not handled correctly can lead to disaster!!! but i won't be allowing that to happen viewers. i have an extraordinary defensive cake team on tap and an array of tools and besides when you have the passion for something it shines through.

     so i am gonna make this short and sweet. i have a first time guest tipster who has approached his tips in a rather creative way. my tips for this week are pies by 33, cats, sydney, lions for my roughie, hawks to fly back into form, westcoast but won't be surprised if gws outrun them, bombers and the mighty power. i think the lobbe/ryder combo will do some damage as well as our height advantage in the forward line.

     AS is the tipster for this round, have a read and see whether you can discern his winners from his outstanding haiku effort...LOL.

Having provided my tips in the last two weeks to my group in the form of a cryptic crossword clues and then an homage tot he Man From Snowy River, I was challenged to do Haiku.

Here are my round 5 tips then

Silver fox smashes
McHale’s seven fourteen but
Won’t get the wobbles

At the MCG
Tiger, tiger burning bright?
Gosh! Lengthy! To win!

Winston C’s canines
Will not bridge the coathanger
Nor Manly Ferry

Q Clash not too brash
Il cote d’or, sur la verd floor
Rex roars, Rockcliiff soars

In seventh heaven
Golden browns, texture like sun
Flung Kangaroo dung

And at the Domain
West of Perth or Syd-er-ney
Nick Nat Paddy whacks

No Reamin’ demons
And no shocker for dockers
Dock Sir Roos four points

Was Dick’s kid overheard?
Little jim, in water he fell
Said “We rolled, Re wolled”

Flying as one they
Will always tear them apart
Showed up at Showdown

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