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A disturbance in the force
posted by Mrs D on September 7, 2006 21:41
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Take that Lucas!
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Round 13 - Lucky for some ...
posted by Mrs D on July 6, 2006 22:28
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Round 13 - Lucky for some ...
Luck is a funny thing. It comes in two flavours - good & bad. Good luck is elusive. You can't manufacture it or hope for it. It just drops from the sky unannounced and very welcome. But bad luck, well that's a whole other story. Aside from always comes in threes, it's hard to shake once it has you in its maw. The number 13 is listed along with black cats, spilt salt, broken mirrors and killing albatrosses as bad luck. Maybe some of the teams got up to some collective walking under ladder action over the mid-season break, cos things didn't go well for the Round 13 losers. But the sun always shines on the Winners. Let's take a look see ...
Third on the trot for the Roos, and they celebrated Grant's 250th by rubbing salt into Essendon's gaping losing streak wound. To make matter worse Hird hurt himself again.
After an initial first quarter snooze, the Demons posted a 40 point win over Port.
The Saints marched all over the hapless Hawks. Saint Kilda held Hawthorn goalless in the first and third quarter and finished the day 70 point victors.
Brisbane kicked at the big sticks 27 times ... guess how many goals they kicked? 8! They mustn't have been wearing their glasses. Lucky for them Carlton are rubbish.
Syd-en-ee had a last quarter resurgence and although Freo had lead all night, they weren't when the final siren sounded.
Gosh those Crows are pretty good. Talk about stamping your authority on a game. The Cats were never in it. The Geelong bashing bandwagon is still on course if anyone would like to get on it.
Richmond DOMINATED the Pies. The Tigers showed their wet weather play in style. Their win only soured by Newman's broken leg, an injury which TV execs love to replay over and over again in slow motion - yuck.
And finally - the upset of the round. Be truthful now, who tipped the Bulldogs? Fourth win in a row for the Doggies, it was a big ask for them playing at Subiaco. Speaking of big ...Cox is a big loss for the Eagles.
The tipper Chair sure is putting in a sterling effort this year. She's won AGAIN this week, making it back-to back wins, and is now two points clear at the top of the table.
I'm hoping that she'll be generous enough to share some of her insider knowledge with the rest of us. (Or at least let us rub her lucky belly - like those laughing Buddhas at the lotto shop.)
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Round 11 - Battle of Midway
posted by Mrs D on June 15, 2006 21:31
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Round 11 - Battle of Midway
You know what makes me sad ... Round 11 marks the midway point in the home and away season. Why, it seems like only 12 weeks ago that we were waiting for it to begin. And now look where we are - half way through the season already! Doesn't time fly when you're having fun. Looking back over my own tipping scorecard, well you know what they say hindsight is 20/20, but things aren't very clear when you're in the thick of things. Its time to get some perspective. You've got 11 rounds left to turn it all around - lets get tipping people!
And now - the wrap up:
One of these statements is the truth: Essendon are a great reason to watch Friday night football. Geelong have got their season back on track. The ground was pretty misty for an indoor game. [As an aside : Gary Ablett Senior couldn't attend a recent award ceremony down in Cat town as he had run over his own foot with a lawn mower. He was a great footy player but obviously not the sharpest mower in the shed.]
After remaining goalless in the first quarter, the Crows were hard at it in the wet at the Gabba and scrapped over the line against the Lions. Looks like Brown is the difference between a win and a loss for Brisvegas.
Speaking of Brown, Nathan made a very welcome return for the Tigers. They made short work of the Kangaroos, with Thompson the only multi goal scorer for the Roos with a bag of 5.
The Port put on a powerful display against the hapless Hawks beating them just shy of 100 points. That's 3 wins in a row for Port and 6 losses in a row for the Hawthorn.
I had my fingers crossed that the reported gastro epidemic would only leave the waterboy and a runner fielding the Doggies side ... but nope. Freo missed opportunities and the Bulldogs did enough. (Damn it!)
Another low scoring affair at the SGC, this time between the Swans and the Saints (what a surprise). A stellar mark and goal by the whitest albino in albino town (aka Riewoldt) put the Saints in front in the dying minutes of the game. So ends the Saints 7 game losing streak at the ground, the last win there was 1998.
Didn't the Blues give everyone a run for their money! Quite exciting stuff. The Eagles were at it again, with another 'come from behind', 'leave it til the last minute' win. They must be getting a commission on heart medicine or something.
Melbourne are pretty good aren't they? They made the Pies look pretty ordinary, which is a nice trick to pull off. So many highlights - the Yze soccer goal, the speedster Davey and Bruce had a nice day out against Buckley and Tarrant.
His fortunes have echoed that of the Doggies, its been a long time coming, and there have been detractors but this week he's finally cracked it. Tipper of the round is RedWhiteandBlue.
I have two theories - its easier to tip when your team is winning OR there is something in the water over at Med.
On your bike tipsters
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Round 10 - go with the odds
posted by Mrs D on June 8, 2006 05:24
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By some spooky coincidence or due to my own laziness (I prefer the first option) I seem to only get around to writing wrap ups on even numbered weeks. I'll try to do better ...
Round 10 - go with the odds
All the favourites won in Round 10, although at times it didn't seem it would end up this way. There were some stirring victories, and season crushing defeats. Of course, by favourites I mean betting favourites, not the "I only eat the red ones" or "Gaelan is the best housemate eva" type of favourites. Its always a good idea to see who the punters are putting their hard earned on, just as an indication mind you. For those poor tipsters not living up to their tipping potential (eg: sitting at the wrong end of the ladder) here's something that may take the mystery out of tipping. If you tipped with the TAB, you'd have 54 - which would make you equal second. Enough said.
And now a quick wrap up:
The Crows pummelled some poor team by 138 points, 24 majors all told. I can't remember who the losers were, cos from my reckoning there was only one team on the field.
Western Bulldogs and the Hawks had a bit of a tussle all day, but the Doggies were fitter, quicker and fast finishing.
Weren't the Eagles something? ... and the Cats something else all together, something unsavoury and usually found on the bottom of your shoe.
Collingwood beat the Lions at the MCG. Mr Buckley was very good for the Pies kicking 6. Poor Caracella paid a hefty price for the win - fingers crossed for a swift recovery.
Freo celebrated Connolly's 100th game by winning (yay!) against the Tigers (more yay)
The Manuka Fortress* hasn't been kind to the Roos this year. The Swans had more supporters there, which may have been crucial in their victory over the slumping Roos. *actual fortress doesn't exist
Should anyone care about the game between the Blues and Power? Power won. Carlton are limping through the season, with their form as bad as Denis Pagan's hair.
Melbourne v Saint Kilda. I kinda saw this game as a battle for Heaven, you know Demons versus the Saints. Hell won - a bad omen for the 6.6.06 ... but what a day out for Mr Neitz, who kicked a lazy 8 goals.
A whole lotta of 8s this round, but there is only one winner - the two headed tipper Maddog Muir. This email from the triumphant pair came across my desk this morning:
We just wanted to inform you that Simon has been avoiding the office this week due to our surprise win at footy tipping. He bullied us into joining the competition, and has this week been beating by two girls who know nothing about football, and choose teams by their colours. We don't expect to repeat this win ever again so we are revelling this week.
Ah bragging rights ... a great footy tradition.
A special mention to MichelleC who has scored 8 in the last two rounds, winning the round 9 tipping and only missing out this week by the slimmest of margins.
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Round 8 - you win some, you thump some
posted by Mrs D on May 25, 2006 00:04
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Round 8 - you win some, you thump some
The AFL didn't have a name for round 8. They'd obviously got bored during that particular meeting and all went outside for bit of kick-to-kick. I've been mulling over a few suggestions that I may submit :
Footy cuisine round - meat pies & chicko rolls for all
It's just not Footy - where teams play other games like netball, basketball (although this may have already happened) and scrabble, just to name a few
Mardi Gras - this one might be a bit contentious. Extra points for players that can really work a shirtless outfit.
Diversionary tactics - this it where the coaches really get to shine. They get to try anything that will take focus away from their team's performance. I'm thinking Sheedy will love this one.
... and now on with the results - I've broken them down into 2 categories - win some & thump some ...
The win somes were:
Richmond surprised everyone with a dazzling display of skill, hard running, massive kicks and aerial feats never before seen on the field to win against the Crows. Wait on that didn't happen. What I meant to say was this was it wasn't pretty but they got the four points.
After a first half arm wrestle, most notable for its clangers, Freo overcame the Roos in the second to take the day. 6 goals from the lovely Pav and a great show stopper from the Wiz were highlights. North Melbourne were only just pipped by Richmond as the most boring club in the AFL.
The West Coast v Dons game looked for a while to be the classic top v bottom game - the zillion 50m penalties helped. Kevin "Crazy" Sheedy was telling 'em all how he'd send his boys in hard, which he did. And now they are all suspended. I thought some vintage footage of Woosha would turn up showing his 'skill' in the 'hard man' department. Now Sheedy has taken to baggin other coaches to deflect attention that his team is even more at the bottom (if that is possible) of the ladder than before.
The Swans were too good at the postage stamp ground (SGC) for the fast moving Dogs. Sydney's quick starts in each quarter and 6 to 2 in the third was the Dogs undoing.
The thumpings were:
The Demons have taken their fifth scalp in a row thanks to a lacklustre showing by the Hawks. Not scoring in a whole quarter means you lose games - that is a scientific fact, proven here by Hawthorn. Neitz bagged 6, and took the crown for most balls kicked thought the big sticks by a man playing for a team called Melbourne - 550, now that's a great achievement.
The Pies dominated in their massive win over Geelong. My cat plays better footy than Geelong, and she's got a rubbish right foot. Things are looking decidedly bad for the Cats with their season heading south. On the flipside - everything's coming up roses for Collingwood, with 6 wins, making them 2nd with percentage.
Brisbane won by 11 goals against Port. It was one for the record books for the Lions -registering their biggest winning margin and highest score against the downcast Power. Brown kicked 7, he's pretty good aye. Playing at home isn't suiting Power, losing 5 of it's 6 home games.
Saint Kilda win over Carlton was brutal or splendiferous, depending who you support. Riewoldt kicked a lazy 9 goals. Fev had a go, but was the only Blue avenue to goal and it really wasn't working out for them.
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Round Six - The Round of Rivalry
posted by Mrs D on May 9, 2006 00:24
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Round Six - The Round of Rivalry
There was criticism from some pundits that the 'rivalry' of Rivalry round is manufactured. Obviously they never been to a derby (or a 'darby' for that matter). And I'm also pretty sure that the Dons and Tigers weren't skipping off the field holding hands. This rivalry is rooted in tradition, yes some more recent than others, but it's bigger than individuals and broader than the current season. These are duels to rival the clash of the titans. With that mental image, let's take a look at the winners and losers ...
On a wet Friday night Geelong went down to Melbourne, much like the rain went down the proverbial in Spain. Melbourne held the night, even with a growing list of injuries. Note to Tipsters: feel free to jump on the Cat kicking bandwagon*.
The Saints were too good for the Dogs. More bad luck for Koschitzke landing a fractured skull and more time on the sidelines.
The Western Derby was the highlight of the Rivalry round. Fremantle and West Coast had a real tug-of-war, with Fremantle winning the day. Yeah there was booing - get over it. A more pressing point : Just how did Sandilands spontaneously broke his jaw?
Adelaide and Port had a showdown of their own. Well it was more like a show quarter, because for the majority of the game it was all Crows. In pouring rain and howling gales, the Crows closed Port out of the game after half time.
A thriller at the MCG with the Tigers winning by the skin of their teeth. Debutant Polo had a blinder and was awarded the Yiooken award for best on ground. Sheedy would be the first to say the closeness of the results, doesn't matter if you don't get the 4 points. The Dons have now lost 5 straight.
Sydney further dented the Lions' pride, winning at the Gabba. [Add more lion puns here]
Those tricky Roos, bobbing up for their second win of the year. Thompson finished what he started last week, with 8 goals.
The Collingwood v Carlton game rounded off the weekend. Carlton must be made of sugar, cos they melted away with the rain in the second half. The Pies had 16 goals after half time and the Blues had no reply. Collingwood now sit top of the ladder, just pinching top spot from the Crows by the narrowest of percentage.
Good luck with Round 7 : Women's Round. (Happy Mother's day)
*No cat was harmed on or by this bandwagon
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Round Five : Fremantle Fiasco
posted by Mrs D on May 1, 2006 01:53
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Round Five : Fremantle Fiasco
Goodness gracious me Tipsters. I'm strongly inclined to use stronger language ... I'm more than distressed by the whole fiasco. Clearly robbed, I don't think 'controversial' expresses the real situation - HUGE injustice is closer. Not even 150m penalty against Gehrig can raise a smile, and that was pretty hilarious. Not sure what I'm referring to? Does Freo being deprived of a win ring any bells? Now I've got a headache again.
Apparently there were some other games on over the weekend, but it's mostly a blur now...
Tigers v Carlton game was like watching ping pong, the ball was rebounding so much from end to end. Together they kicked 33 behinds! Ah, top quality Friday night footy.
The Crows crushed a lack lustre Bulldogs, setting the pace early with a half dozen first quarter goals. The Doggies never looked in the game.
Sydney lead at half time and the Cats never resurfaced. Things are looking up for the premiers, registering their second win. Geelong continuing with their terrible away form.
How exciting was the Melbourne v Kangaroos game? The Demons did well without their goal magnet, Neitz. The poor Roos just missed out which leaves them on the bottom of the ladder.
Talking about bottom of the ladder, BrisVegas had nothing to show for their trip across the Nullarbor. Judd led his mob to a decisive victory. Eagles are sitting a game clear at the top of the ladder.
Freo registered their first VICTORY in Tasmania, and Pavlich is now the all time leading goal kicker for the Dockers. Saint Kilda finished fast but weren't the winner on the day.
The Hawks had a stirring come from behind win in the closing minutes in torrential conditions. Allegedly, Essendon are suffering from the new syndrome "Hollywood kick" but there were plenty of earlier missed opportunities (plus no Don is good looking enough ...)
Collingwood's massive 3rd quarter was too much for Power, and even left Malthouse scratching his head.
I wont be announcing this week's winner, until it is determined who won the LauncestonGate match. As it stands now all tipsters where awarded a correct tip for the draw*. This may, nay WILL change.
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Freo
