AFL round 18 ‘expert’ tips
It’s “What is the point?” round
What is the point of playing any more home & away games? What is the point in even playing the finals?
It’s all over. Collingwood has already won the premiership – haven’t you heard?
Anyway, here are the pointless tips in this pointless round in the year that Collingwood conquered all (except for the game where they only kicked 4 goals against … you know who):
Ray (4) (86)
Essendon v St Kilda: Well I hope so. We don’t play well against them for some reason. Win or lose, it doesn’t matter now; not since Collingwood won the flag in Rds 16 & 17.
Collingwood v Carlton: Huh? I thought the Pies would already be flying off to Vegas (or somewhere classy like that) to celebrate their premiership. What a nerve of the AFL to make them play again this weekend.
Pt Adelaide v Hawthorn: At least we can take some consolation from watching Hawthorn knock themselves out trying to make the top 4 when the season is already done & dusted. The only interest in this game is will the umpires allow Buddy to cheat again by saying, “it’s his natural arc”? Of course they will.
Sydney v Geelong : Call me crazy but I think the news has filtered down the highway to KittyLand that the 2010 season is all over. They won’t even try to win this.
Brisbane v Melbourne: I might be wrong but I think the Dees one-off showing last week was just an MCG thing. They’re on the rise but winning interstate is still beyond them just yet. Besides, Brisbane just can’t keep losing, can they?
Richmond v Adelaide: Bloody hell, this is really hard to pick. Go for Richmond because it’s at home and because Adelaide’s season ended last week when they went down in the ‘Mullet Cup’ held @ Moron Park.
Bulldogs v Nth Melbourne: I am totally underwhelmed by this game.
Fremantle v West Coast: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz……………………………….
.
Baldrick (4) (87)
Right, I’ve had enough of this upset nonsense, time to get the teams back on track.
ESSENDON v St.Kilda
Collingwood v CARLTON
PT. ADELAIDE v Hawthorn
SYDNEY v Geelong
BRISBANE v Melbourne
Richmond v ADELAIDE
Footscray v NTH. MELBOURNE
Fremantle v WEST COAST
.
Greg (3) (88)
Last week I threw away the Footscray game as I was p*ssed off over the way Aka was dumped.
This week, I will try common sense and pick:
St Kilda – Collingwood – Hawthorn – Geelong – Melbourne – Adelaide – Bulldogs – Fremantle
.
Rox (4) (82)
Saints to beat the Bombers - much as I’d like to see the Bombers win and even though Hille is back.
Collingwood to beat Carlton – it’s disturbing, but I don’t loathe the Pies any more. Too many other contenders.
Hawthorn to beat Port.
Cats to beat the Swans – did you see the look on Roos’ face last week? Poor bloke.
Melbourne to beat Brisbane - A sentimental tip, but they could.
Tigers to beat the Crows - as above. I’ve developed a soft spot (just below the ear) for the Tiges, and I wish they were coming to Hobart instead of NMFC.
Footerscray! to beat NMFC. – Go away NM. Ever since the Barry Hall incident last time, you have joined my least favoured teams and I don’t want you on my side of the Derwent.
Freo to beat the hapless, hopeless Eagles. – Not that I care one way or another, but it’s a point.
Promoting 'Beautiful Bright'.
Click 
http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/11438/Default.aspx?seasonid=75&roundid=760&fixtureid=5372&display=1&newsid=98875
Thanks for the link to the Collingwood website HJ. Your contribution is valued.
Yes, I don’t know why we bother. Did you see Rohan Connolly’s piece in the Age today?
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/stars-in-the-stripes-win-a-new-fan-20100729-10xzn.html
I do not want to know, Rox. Everyone is jumping on the Pies’ bandwagon. Good – all that backslapping is helping all the other teams. But I think there’s still a good chance of it being a sweet September with a Saints v Geelong GF. Don’t tell C’wood fans though; let them go on like they are.
Baldrick has forgotten to take his medication today, by the look of those tips.
Look let’s just face it. Hating Collingwood is like hating the Catholic Church, the Monarchy and Yanks.
It’s something that we learn to do as children and never grow to question. It’s easy. Which is why children can do it. We don’t question it. Which is why children can do it.
And if we never stop then we hold onto our childish past. It’s kind of a blanket we can suck on the corner of when we’re frightened.
I mean Ray consoles himself on last years defeat at the hands of an undermanned and on the day, poorly performed, Geelong by saying “At least it wasn’t Collingwood.”
That’s rubbish, HJ. Hating Collingwood is a contemporary influence, not an inherited one. I don’t hate the Collingwood team, only the behaviour of their supporters. It’s not something we do just for the sake of it. It’s very real and you Collingwood supporters just don’t seem to understand how you have got yourself into this obnoxious culture. The fault is with you, not with everyone else.
Does Baldrick have a death wish? Or does he know things we don’t?
It’s Stochkolm Syndrome, Rox.
From Wikipedia:
“Stockholm syndrome is a term used to describe a paradoxical psychological phenomenon wherein hostages express adulation and have positive feelings towards their captors that appear irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims.”
He feels under seige.
Oh well you get to hate Essendon supporters this week Ray.
LO bloody L.
The Saints were crap, HJ, and Essendon played very well. But why would I hate their supporters? They’re not morons.
They kicked your arse Ray. You’d tolerate obnoxious supporters of any colour if you kicked THEIR arse.
However, head to head over the past 40 years (my guess at the time you have been a sentient Saint’s follower) your mob have had my mob chocker block up ya a couple of times a season singing about walking cakes. Now the bombers have beaten you 3 in a row, your tolerationce for them (who also have a 40 year history of rising up up against the hapless Saints) must be wearing rather thin.
No. The only supporters that are universally hated by all other supporters are Collingwood ones.
(Charming comment though, real class).
Ray still talks to me and I’m a Bombers supporter.
Dustin Fletcher is a legend and the Saints were very disappointing. I’m sure Ray will agree.
Baldy must be laughing his head off.
Rox, one swallow………….
Have a look at the rest of my tips. Think it might be time for my tablet.
Don’t worry about HJ, Rox. He’s just your classic example of a Collingwood supporter. All class!
As for the Saints, they were atrocious and I have no idea what is wrong. Yeah, Fletcher was great but why play a first-game kid on him? It just allowed him to get plenty of it and create drive off the back line. Essendon successfully shut down our attacking backs in Gilbert & Fisher so why didn’t we do the same to them? And what’s wrong with going down the middle?
Anyway, I hear the Saints are relocating to Albury Wodonga next year to play in the O & M league. Hopefully they can beat Myrtleford.
You know what Baldrick? I think you might get more than the lot of us this week. Geezus I hope Collingwood loses!
Not much chance of C’wood slowing down. Let’s hope they burn out by the finals. They’re hot.
Never tipping favourites again, this is a joke
Baldrick, you witch!
No Rox, he dipped out on Carlton. Still, Pt Adelaide & Essendon were inspired choices. Everything I’ve ever said about the Pt Adelaide morons is hereby retracted – they have done the AFL a great service by throwing Hawthorn’s top 4 aspirations out the window and maybe even dented their finals’ chances full stop. The Hawks have still got to play C’wood and could conceivably miss out on September action. Fantastic!
Yep, this is Hawthorn’s run home:
Sydney (in Sydney), Melbourne, Freo (in Melbourne), Collingwood.
No sure wins there and it’s a real possibility they could miss out on the 8.
Although I tend to think it’ll get down to beating C’wood in Rd 22 to secure a spot. And they usually beat them.
That would be a bonus too though, as it would derail C’wood on the eve on the finals. Great stuff!
So The Pies and the Cats next week. There are some hard games to tip in that round.
Hey look! Greg and I both tipped Melbourne. I thought they might be a chance.
Yes, after 5 games you & Greg have 3, Baldrick 2 and me? ….. 1.
I think it’s great that C’wood and Geelong face such a huge game so close to the finsals. With any luck the Pies will be a spent force by September.
As for St Kilda, I’ve come up with the following theories to explain their form slump:
1. The Riewoldt factor. After we lost Riewoldt in Rd 3 we lost 3 games out of 4 before working out how to win without him and went on a roll that included steamrolling Geelong. But since he’s been back we’ve only won 1 game out of the 4, which is more than coincidental. They just haven’t re-adapted their game plan and now have 4 weeks to work it out.
2. The Etihad surface. Subconsciously I think the Saints have been slowing down in fear of the slippery surface. This seemed evident on Friday when they just were not running as hard. It’s a shame that our next 3 games are also @ Etihad.
3. They’ve taken their foot off the accelerator and have been too focused on just coasting through to the finals considering their relatively easy draw (no top 8 sides in the last 5 games).
OR
4. They’re stuffed!
It must be so hard for those that hate Collingwood to witness their outstanding performance as we approach the finals whilst their own teams tumble from the dizzy heights of the mid season.
The only teams showing consistency at the pointy end of the season are Geelong and Collingwood and I’m sure that, given the chance to play off in the grand final, the Collingwood haters will have a long off season to come to terms with the result.
Rox – stick with the Magpies next week and you will gain another point in the tipping competition.
On the contrary, Greg, we are really enjoying watching Collingwood supporters gloat over their recent form, which is not something other supporters tend to do when their team is on fire because, let’s face it, the finals are played in September and that’s when Collingwood tends to fall in a heap.
stick with the Magpies next week and you will gain another point in the tipping competition
I’ll be tipping them too, Greg. I reckon they’re approaching it like a grand final, just like they did in Rd 16.
Tigers and Doggies home. Good boys!
Yes. Bad luck for Baldrick. From 7 games it’s now:
Rox: 5
Greg: 4
Ray: 3
Baldrick: 2
You’re catching up Rox.
Btw, did you see the hail in the Richmond game in the last quarter? Unbelievable.
No, didn’t see anything of the Richmond game, except the final score. Must have been on Fox.
Woah! Just saw it in a replay.
Freo off to a flyer – 45 up at quarter time. I’m calling the round:
Rox: 6 (88)
Greg: 5 (93)
Ray: 4 (90)
Baldrick: 2 (89)
I’m still last though. No need for panic.
I’m predicting a new no. 4 next week.
Don’t worry Rox, i’ll tip the same way next week, should get similar results.
Oh well, if you want to make a mockery of things …….
I was literal in the “what’s the point” header.
How do you think Geelong will go agaist the Premiers? Bit of a pointless game isn’t it?
It’s called a practice game Ray
They might even set up a draw to let the others catch up a bit
Practicing for what, Greg?
“The only supporters that are universally hated by all other supporters are Collingwood ones.”
And, to all who have a single skerrik of honesty – universally admired and envied.
Especially by people who, for 30 years were nominal supporters of clubs who made bonfires you can see from space out of wooden spoons, but whom have rallied in the wake of the rewards of that mediocrity (#1 draft picks one after the other).
I suspect we will be competitive, and then face a rampaging Bullies the following week, now that’s a test as well. We might still scrape into the finals.
Baldrick, I think C’wood is a much big danger to you than the Bulldogs right now. C’wood are playing at their peak and I can see them getting really fired up this week again, like they did against St Kilda. Whereas I reckon the Bulldogs are front runners and not that good in the close ones.
At this stage I’d suggest the top4 won’t change, although the Saints need to get their act together and win their remaining games just to be sure. As it stands, you’d have to say it’ll be a Geelong v C’wood GF, but you never know what might happen in September.
I won’t be in the country for the Grand Final, will once again be in the Vaterland for 3 months.
If we do indeed play the scum and lose, the pain should be minimal but I bet you they’ll find me over there. Will be taking the Cats jumper nonetheless.
It might be a good idea not to be here for the GF, Baldrick. I don’t think Geelong will win it this year. And I think the options are limited to this:
Geelong v Collingwood
Geelong v St Kilda
St Kilda v Collingwood
Your best chance is against C’wood, but that’s only a one in three likelihood.
Not all that fussed as I said before. I am a contented Cat.
Contented….
Concented….
Conceited….
Ah, that’s what you meant?
No, your problem is you suspect everyone is shifty.
When i say I am contented, it means I am contented, I am not desperate for Geelong to win another final.
We have won enough, we have nothing to prove, if we lose, we lose to teams who played better than us. If we win, we proved we were better than the other teams, simple really isn’t it?
Of course I would be disappointed if we lost against Footscray or St.Kilda and devastated by losing to the scum because they are the scum (and if you thought we are smug with winning, watch out if they do win the flag). However, I would be happy if the former two were to win because it would be terrific for their supporters. Catters know the feeling of being in the wilderness for a long time.
So, the outcome of the 2010 Grand Final is not all consuming.
Kick off for the Premier League and a resurgent West Ham is imminent.
I don’t “suspect everyone is shifty”, Baldrick. It was a joke.
Is anyone else having the trouble tipping this week that I am?
I normally don’t look at who is playing until the very last minute, and it shows
Get an octopus.
My octopus’ tips were submitted yesterday – where are everyone else’s?
Coming, Rox, coming. I am busy today and will be doing lawns soon but I will faithfully deliver the ‘experts’.