IF

THEN



Adelaide

Paul Seedsman was still at Collingwood ... ... he'd be a star and starting midfielder. Let's see if he can maintain post-Anzac Day round form in 2016 though.

Brisbane Lions

there's something that sits very uneasily with us ... ... it's that Stef Martin played last week after a nasty head knock and that Allen Christensen will do the same this week. (And that Riewoldt and McCartin did in round four.)

Carlton

we're going to leave ourselves wide, wide open for some friendly feedback in this week's Sliding Doors ... ... it will be this: Levi Casboult will kick six

Collingwood

Mason Cox repeats his debut six-kick, four-handball, three-mark, one-goal performance of last week against the Eagles in Perth this week ... ... we'll start to buy into the over-the-top hype.

Essendon

someone needs a confidence booster this weekend ... ... it's Joe Daniher. And he might just get it.

Fremantle

Ross The Boss wants to re-stump, re-wire, re-plumb ... ... that's his right. But it's a reno on the run, certainly not planned for. And those type of patch-up jobs often leave things worse in the long run.

Geelong

there's a heavy reliance on Joel and Paddy ... ... so be it. They are machine-like in their abilities to stand up when most needed.

Gold Coast

you start 3-0 but proceed to go 0-3 thereafter, which will be the case after Saturday night's visit to Simonds Stadium ... ... with the Dees, Giants, Crows, Eagles and Swans to follow, this season is starting to look ugly.

Greater Western Sydney



before every ultimate success in elite sport there lies a moment that is reflected upon as coming-of-age ... ... Spotless Stadium at 4.35pm on Saturday looms as this side's coming-of-age moment.

Hawthorn

Lake was moved on only for the Hawks to miss out on hard chases of Carlisle and Hooker, and if Gibbo is to turn 33 before next season starts ... ... we know they'll go hard again at some other, possibly unsuspecting, key backman.

Melbourne

there were five years between this mob winning consecutive games ... ... it may as well keep going and make it three in a row against the Saints, and after it does, why stop at three when Gold Coast awaits next week?

North Melbourne the start to the year has been a stunning 5-0 scoreline ... ... you simply have to keep going when you're playing a team minus Johannisen, Murphy and Suckling.

Port Adelaide

Lobbe had've said yes to the Bulldogs' offer in the off-season ... ... he'd be playing in a second versus first Friday night match. Not heading out to Peter Motley Oval in the Port twos.

Richmond

Dixon kicks a bag this week to get Port over the line ... ... a certain Tigers full-back is going to be feeling a whole lot worse than he already is.

St Kilda

you're being "managed" out of the team for a crunch match against an evenly matched opponent ... ... we do wonder what "managed" means. Hopefully McCartin himself knows, and hopefully it's got nothing to do with his concussion a few weeks back.

Sydney Swans

you go back to the national and rookie drafts of last year ... ... you'll realise 83 players were selected by clubs before the Swans nabbed Tom Papley. Never give up on that dream.

West Coast

we were once convinced about this team ... ... we're now not just reconsidering, but actually need some hard evidence that it is not merely a flat-track bully. And we probably won't be any wiser after Sunday night against the Pies. But we might be next week against the Cats.