At Last! The footy's back after a very long two weeks.
At the risk of sounding flippant, there are a helluvalot of games this weekend that don't exactly get the heart pumping. But I'll do my best and plough through them irregardless, to use a word that only exists in the football world.
Adelaide vs Essendon is on the box tonight, but I reckon the Australia vs India cricket match is worth a look. Also playing tonight are Melbourne and Fremantle, who'll slog it out on the MCG under lights. Some bloke from Hobart called Jamie Shanahan plays his 150th game tonight, but there is little other reason to play this pointless match. Oh yeah, Garry Lyon is making his comeback. Again.
St Kilda travel to Sleepy Hollow to play the Catters. Geelong have to get fair dinkum, otherwise they're no match for Gavin Mitchell and his PSM.
I'm going to be at the MCG with my Richmond-supporting Mum to see the Tigers play Hawthorn. Hawkers have dropped their bundle over the last few weeks, and Saturday's game is a chance for them to get Back In Town. I hope not, I don't want mum getting grumpy. Come on Richmond!
Brisbane are playing yet another game under lights. I think they've only played one match during the day this season. Somebody told me the other day that all matches used to be played on a Saturday afternoon. Yeah right - some people think I'm so gullible.
Roos vs Port. I don't care and neither should you.
In case you didn't know, Anthony Lockett is a chance to kick his 1300th goal this weekend. The entire Collingwood backline has spruced themselves up a bit this week on the off-chance. A couple of thousand Sydney fans who've had a bit too much chardonnay might jump the boundary fence and make for little Tony following his 1300th. After that Channel 7's ratings will drop off like Collingwood supprters at 3/4 time.
Immediately following the possible record breaking performance at the SCG is the much-anticipated Weagles vs Blues, being played at the Home For Football Boredom, Subiaco. There's a chance the game will be interesting since the unpredictable Carlton are playing. It's Lance Whitnall's 50th match, but chances are his mind has been on weightier issues. West Coast are changing their outfits (a possible return to that eye-catching blue they wore earlier in their history perhaps?) in the near future. The "wings" are tipped to go - does that mean that Brett Heady has been de-listed?