Round 9 preview

This is a bit of a different way of doing things but I still am giving you my tips.

• Collingwood vs Geelong (MCG) Friday night. I am tipping Collingwood by 3 points. I wanted to tip a draw as I really couldn't decide on this game. I ruled with my head rather than my heart but I wouldn't be surprised who would win this game. Looking forward to watching this game.
• North Melbourne vs Western Bulldogs (Etihad Stadium) Saturday Afternoon. I am tipping the Dogs by 31 points. I feel as if they have more man power at this stage to take this game but when North get players back then they will have more of a run then.
• Sydney vs Fremantle (SCG) Saturday afternoon. The Dockers haven't won at the SCG and that's why I am tipping them in an upset by 8 points. They have broken one hoodoo this year and this is going to be the time that they are going to beat the Swans at the SCG.
• Essendon vs Richmond (MCG) Saturday Night. Essendon should win this one by 44 points. Richmond did play with more intent but with Dream time at the G being showcased, the Bombers will want to impress more.
• Melbourne vs Port Adelaide (TIO) Saturday Night. Port Adelaide to win by 38 points. Melbourne will play better but Port have played in Darwin and Melbourne haven't so that's why they will win.
• Adelaide vs Brisbane (AAMI) Sunday. Adelaide will win by 10 points. I feel as if with whatever the Crows have been through and the homeground advantage they will take this game. Brisbane need the win as well but the Crows will prevail.
• Carlton vs Hawthorn (Etihad Stadium) Sunday. Carlton to win this by 22 points. Hawthorn do need this game but Carlton are playing better footy at the moment and will win this game.
• West Coast vs St Kilda (Subiaco) Sunday. West Coast to win by 13 points. West Coast have played better footy as of late than St Kilda so that's why I reckon they will win. St Kilda should rock the boat a bit but won't overtake the Eagles at home.

So a few tips against the grain let's see how I go.

More to follow....

Ok let me at em!!

Umpires!!! Need I say anymore? No probably not but I am going to anyway...

This week just gone was Umpire appreciation round. Um since when???? People say we should appreciate the umpires for all they do for the game, ok I have so many problems with that on so many levels!

I must admit it will be a tough gig being an umpire, that would be for sure. But there are so many positions out there that will be much tougher. Realistically people who work long hours are the ones that I appreciate the most. Doctors, nurses, some police officers (and I say some, excluding one in particular but that's a different matter all together), Firemen and women and most importantly the volunteers. The volunteers on many levels of the game are the ones that should be appreciated and not the umpires.

Umpires get paid to do what they do. They have got it good. Hey I would get abuse hurled at me if I was getting paid that much. I got less at one job and still got abuse hurled at me. In a way I am pretty immune to it so for these umpires to not want abuse hurled at them well boo hoo! Get used to it it comes with the territory you goonbags!

Umpires need to earn the right to be appreciated. There have been to many times when they have made many blunders, and I mean many. I applauded the AFL (yes don't get used to it) when they dropped Scott McLaren for that rushed behind incident. Whether it was rushed or not is not the point here but the fact that the AFL had some balls (which I was wondering whether they owned any) to say that bad decisions will not be condoned. The AFL needs to do this more to make sure that the right decisions are made. You can't get them all right I must admit that but surely the most obvious ones need to be picked up and if you have umpires constantly making mistakes, then you can truly understand how for me "Umpire appreciation" week is an absolute joke.

The AFL needs to constantly review decisions made because at the end of the day, the reason why umpires are getting abused at is not because it's fun for supporters but because they suck at making decisions! If you don't want to be booed at or cop abuse from footballers, then do the job that you get paid for. Hmm maybe I should be an umpire? I would do a better job that some of these bozos!

An appology

For not getting my tips across to you, ran out of time. I will do better this week I promise!! Here are my tips with how I went, kind of a two for one thing.

• Collingwood by 36 points. I tipped Collingwood to win by 14 points. Collingwood look impressive and now we are looking at Friday night where they play the Cats at the MCG in a top of the ladder clash.
• Western Bulldogs by 38 points. I had Sydney to win by 6 points. A bit out there. Disappointed with the Swans in this game really thought they would win. The Dogs were impressive with Barry Hall turning it up against his old side.
• West Coast by 29 points. More of a surprise than anything. I had Melbourne to win by 21 points. So the game was a complete turnaround.
• Geelong by 81 points. Another surprise in a way. I had Geelong to win by 16 points. More surprised with the margin but I was impressed with how the Cats played. If Collingwood wasn't playing as good as they have been then you would say that the Cats are premiership favourites but the Pies are for me.
• North Melbourne by 9 points. I had North to win by 3 points, so I wasn't too far out. North were impressive but the last quarter when the Crows got into the game and just lost I know if I was a North Supporter I would be disappointed with that fact.
• Hawthorn by 3 points. I had Hawthorn by 34 points. Richmond played well and to me should have won the game if it hadn't been for some idiotic umpires. See the next post I will tell you what I think. Hawthorn were disappointing even though they won.
• Carlton by 26 points. I tipped Carlton to win by 22 points. Not too far out. Carlton have been playing well over the past month. How far can they go?
• Essendon by 12 points. I tipped St Kilda by 1 point. I thought it was going to be close and to the Bombers credit they outplayed the Saints.

Well 5 out of 8 seemed to be the norm. Let's see how I go next week

More to follow...