IN THIS week's Sliding Doors, brought to you by ventraip australia, our chief football correspondent Damian Barrett puts Stephen Silvagni, Ken Hinkley's team selections, Roos' coaching process, Bont's Brownlow, Tim Kelly's future, plus more in the Doors' spotlight.

What's Barrett saying about your club? What's he saying about the AFL? Check it out.

If That was Stephen Silvagni spotted in Adelaide during the week, and yes, it most definitely was ... then wonder if he was there to check on the futures of Betts and Gibbs. Or maybe even Jenkins, who simply has to get outta there after being dropped again.

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If you've got nothing else to do late Sunday afternoon ... then plonk on the couch and watch what should be one of the great one-one-battles. Harris Andrews v Aaron Naughton. Both fearless.

What a night for Aaron Naughton!



Enjoy all of the star Dog's marks from a memorable performance. #AFLDogsTigers pic.twitter.com/UGU9HPwVuy — AFL (@AFL) May 4, 2019

If the Blues went very hard for Shiel this time last year ... then they've gone a whole lot harder for Coniglio this time round. And getting more hopeful with each passing day.

If Jordan Roughead was so out of it last week after the ball smashed into his head that he couldn't remember things, dropped the easiest of handballs, and actually thought Bevo was his coach ... then I have no idea why he's been selected to play this week. Very quick recovery from a brain rattle last weekend.

If the official status as a Bombers leader was removed from Cale Hooker in the off-season ... then clearly the unofficial status has remained. So crucial to this club's turnaround in the back half of the season.

If the Dockers have averaged six and a half goals from their past four matches ... then Ross may not be boss in 2020 if a similar average is attained across the next four games. Crunch time for coach and club.

If you're judging it on media strategy from a football club ... then making Tim Kelly available for a conference in Perth this week was A-plus. If you're judging Kelly's words as an intention to stay a Cat, then re-think.

If the season has to this point been a write-off with 14 consecutive losses ... then there would be cause to say it was half a success if a win could be secured against the hated Pies at the home of footy on Sunday.

If the obvious names are Fyfe, Martin, Dangerfield, Cripps, Rance, Bontempelli, Gawn, Grundy, Kelly (Josh) when it comes to the best player in the comp ... then don't dismiss Whitfield. Might just take this team on his back to the pointy end of the season.

If Clarko gets himself even more worked up than normal when he has to coach against a former protégé ... then he also gets pretty fizzed up when there's a new face in the opposition box. Good luck Friday night, Rhyce!

If the Demons simply think that once the horrors of 2019 are over that the highs of 2018 will re-emerge in 2020 ... then they'd better do some re-thinking. There are some ugly, possibly unfixable problems.

If you see Ben Buckley and Glenn Archer bent over, hands on knees, gasping and panting this week ... then that's because they're recovering from the "exhaustive process" they claim they undertook to find a new coach. Might need some of the stuff Shayna Jack is alleged to have taken just to recover from that oh-so "exhaustive process".

If you keep throwing team selection Hail Marys ... then one day the prayers might be answered. Ryder, Dixon, Westhoff and now Lycett have all copped it at some stage this year. Even Boak and Gray may not be safe.

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If a top two, or even top four, spot may yet be determined by percentage ... then a round 20 match against the embarrassingly woeful Demons presents as manna from heaven.





If Ratts has secured two wins from two hitouts ... then there's no reason he can't go three from three after Saturday night's game against the Crows. They're massive underdogs, the Saints, but they're playing a team which is a borderline rabble at the moment.

If I'm sensing a fairytale closing to an unusually underwhelming season for this club ... then it's a round 23 farewell for McVeigh and Jack, and a 300th game for Bud.

If the season started with a 3-3 scoreline ... then it's been more than stabilised with a 10-2 outcome since. Doing everything, and more, to defend the flag.

If Bont was able to poll well in the Brownlow counts of 2017 (19 votes), 2016 (20) and 2015 (13) ... then he's tracking to trump those results this year. Having a very big season.