Our stunning win against the Bulldogs should surely be enough to get the Blues over our Membership record, for it was enough to wake this loose flock of 1980's
And we're not talking about the Blues pumping last year's Goldenboys in a shootout they were famous for winning all through 2006. We're not going to ramble on about how brilliant young Gibbsy is - will he ever make a mistake - how amazing our half forward line could be if they continue to click - Fish, Waite, Wiggler and Lappo - or how the young Carrots is now in Best & Fairest contention as the young Blues surge towards goal scoring sprees against any opposition.
No, we’re not here to give a Blue pep-talk. We're actually here to talk about the competition and the upstarts that are turning the comp on its head; who’s in the 8, who won, why they won, and who lost in this week’s fixture.
With Victorian fans rejoicing that only 1 foreign Club could scrounge a win on the weekend, with the Dockers, Swans, Crows and Power all losing, a quick look on the ladder tells you that 5 of last year's bottom 8 are now in this year's top 8. The Mighty Hawks, Bombers, Power, Cats and Kangaroos are all in finals contention nearing the half-way stage, with the Dockers, Swans, Demons, Bulldogs and Saints all joining the Blues for company in the Bottom 8.
Who would have thunk it? The Hawks, riding a wave of young top draft picks bringing forward their new era; The Bombers, successfully utilising the game plan of the Australian Cricket Team by picking as many players approaching 30 or over to win games (Maybe the Blues of the 1990’s did have it right?); and the Kangaroos running hard and kicking goals for each $50 note slapped on to the big sticks by the Southport Football Club… these guys have turned the Footy World on it’s head and inversed last year’s ladder like we’ve never seen year on year.
As it turns out, after tasting premiership glory in 2004 the Power did more shedding than a Manx Cat and are really starting to reap the rewards. And speaking of the Cats, are they finally making a statement, or have they fooled us yet again into thinking they are the real deal? Sleepy Hollow might not be so sleepy come September this year.
Added to this years u-turns are the points earned by the formerly pointless teams standing at the foot of the ladder. The Tigers, a few places down from their aimed for 9th position, run out a smashed up and ruggedly handsome Richo still seething from his push on Mal Michael costing them the week before, earned their first points for the year on the back of some real old fashioned guts and determination. The big surprise earlier this year was that Terry Wallace's frank views on his team WAS actually a big surprise to the
And the
And if the above doesn't point out that anything is possible, let’s look at life from an individual level. Jordon Bannister, seemingly stuck in the Bullants and perhaps past footy's crossroads with our emerging young list, trounced Brad Johnson and played the game of his life to easily make our best players. Recent games of Bannister, Mark Bolton and Clint Bizzell show you that as long as you’re on an AFL list and you get the opportunity, you’re in a position to make the future. And hasn’t Bannister done just that, and as an initial reward he’ll most likely play his 50th game on the weekend.
If anything is possible then we want the Baggers to crunch the Port Power as though they haven’t been supplying our ruckmen for the past 5 years. We want Banno to run alongside Gibbsy alongside the Rock Thornton through our hard working midfield and into the forward line all day. Go Blues!
