IF
 
THEN
 
Adelaide
 
Crows fans were feeling flat about being in little bro's shadow over the past two seasons......Tex and the boys have restored order. For a while at least.
Brisbane Lions
 
Matthew Leuenberger was one of the most enticing ruck prospects 18 months ago......now he's not. By a long way. Dumped to the NEAFL.
Carlton
 
Mark LoGiudice has been on the Carlton board since early 2010, and its vice-president since late 2013......one has to ask the question why it has taken until this week for him to realise how sick the Blues really are in all areas. Hope it’s not just more convenient spin from an under-siege chairman.
Collingwood
 
the Magpies can’t get past St Kilda this round, with or without Pendles......batten down the hatches at Westpac Centre.
Essendon
 
you go back to the final 90 seconds of last week’s incredible win against the Hawks......you’ll gain a great appreciation of the underrated poise of Travis Colyer. The real matchwinner, on two occasions.
Fremantle
 
you jumped off this mob......you shouldn’t have. Don’t ever forget Ross is boss.
Geelong
 
Billie Smedts was silly enough a couple of years ago to have an attempted prank result in a cop pulling a gun on him......it’s hard to top as a silly act. But he somehow did when he belted Lee Spurr last week. Career hanging by a thread.
Gold Coast
 
we’re reading this correctly......Gaz will re-commit to the Suns within the next month.
Greater Western Sydney

 
the Giants have 42 tackles one week and 78 six days later......it’s clearly a choice. Wondering what they will choose in the next fortnight, against the Swans and Suns.
Hawthorn
 
it was a final......would the Hawks have left out Gibson and Mitchell? Nup. The overall gain of that duo getting a rest may prove telling in 2015 but right now, the deficit on that transaction is four premiership points.
Melbourne
 
there’s one team that got away with the headlines this past week......it was the Dees. That second half was as woeful as some of the stuff dished up under the previous regime.
North Melbournethe Roos are a genuine top four team......they will be nicely positioned on the ladder when they get back smooth mover Nicky Dal in round 15. But are they genuine top four? A monster next three matches will be revealing.
Port Adelaide
 
you go back to round 12 last year......this mob has a 6-10 scoreline. Could easily become 6-13. Time to win a game, Port.
Richmond
 
Alex Rance does indeed choose to step away from football to pursue another life......good on him. Full respect. Footy has never been be-all-and-end-all to him.
St Kilda
 
Josh Bruce didn’t buy his captain a good bottle of red this week......he should have. Great effort in booting six, but wouldn’t have been possible without the selfless work of his skipper.
Sydney Swans
 
Adam Goodes thought his reputation was big enough to keep him in the seniors regardless......he only needed to have had an off-season chat to Ryan O'Keeffe. We’re backing him to still have an impact in 2015 though.
West Coast
 
the Eagles have taken 175 marks in the two matches to start the year......how many would you expected their premier ruckman to have clunked? Come on Nic Nat! Don’t give Garry Lyon any more ammo! You need to get off the mark this week.
Western Bulldogsyou remember last year when we were saying the Dogs were close to irrelevant......well, we do too. Trying to buy seat 1A on the bandwagon right now though.


Click here for more Sliding Doors

Follow Damian Barrett on Twitter: @barrettdamian