| If | the Crows don't devise a way to get Sloane back to his early season dominance ... | then | ... the season will continue to slip away. Also, can't work out why Thompson can't get back in. |
| If | Beams is sidelined again for multiple weeks ... | then | ... Rich must elevate his impact on games to at least something commensurate with his bulging pay packet. |
| If | you think back on the week just gone ... | then | ... just about everyone had an opinion on the Jed Lamb KO. But where was the AFLPA voice? Surely it could have sent a very strong statement on unnecessary head hits. |
| If | you see Elliott among the ins ... | then | ... the Pies are always a chance. The Magpies' most important player. |
| If | you want a snapshot of Joe Daniher's must-watch career ... | then | ... look at the final two minutes of last week. Failed to spoil a ball which resulted in a Swans goal. Took a magnificent hanger, coughed up the ensuing kick. Stuff just happens around him, and by the time he hits 100 career games, could be in the comp's top half-dozen players. |
| If | there was one player whose hands you wanted around the ball with three seconds remaining last week ... | then | ... it was Michael Walters. Still can't believe he missed. The stars bounce back, so watch him atone this week. |
| If | Joel plays ... | then | ... we're uncomfortable. Fully agree with Alex Rance that a badly concussed player should not play the next week. |
| If | there's one thing for which we've got a soft spot ... | then | ... it's a toiler. Love the Ryan Davis story. An Eagle in 2008-09. Not seen after that until 19 games last year as a Suns rookie. Then again not seen until re-selection this weekend for Gazza's 300th. |
| If | you can reintroduce Kelly, Lobb and Smith ... | then | ... you're not going to lose to the Cats in this one. |
| If | Jobe Watson hasn't shut the door on a 2018 contract ... | then | ... Hodgey definitely shouldn't. But we think he will. |
| If | Tom McDonald started the year slowly ... | then | ... he's more than made up for it the past six weeks with some staggeringly crucial performances in the ruck and as a forward. |
| If | Dumont is "managed" out of the team but listed as an emergency ... | then | ... we're confused. Might Ziebell be too sore to play?. |
| If | this mob's No.1 hated rivals are the cross-town Crows ... | then | ... the Tigers sit No.2. They've played it down all week, but watch things explode Saturday night. Can't wait. |
| If | it's possible to be too clever in an AFL Tribunal hearing ... | then | ... the Tigers were just that at the initial Houli case. They brainwashed the three-man panel, when all they needed to do was brain-rinse. The two-week suspension was "too perfect". Three would've ensured there was no appeal. And yet four is the right result. |
| If | something special is to happen in 2017 ... | then | ... the Saints need to leave Perth with the win. |
| If | you were stricken with glandular fever in April and dominating matches by June ... | then | ... you're a very special talent. But we already knew that of Isaac Heeney, THE key to the Swans' unlikely flag hopes. |
| If | we have a feeling about an upset this round ... | then | ... we'd better share it. The 'flat-trackers', we think, are a sneaky chance against the Dogs. |
| If | Murphy's back ... | then | ... that's a big positive. But still no Tom Boyd, Libba out again. Crunch game, this one. |
And by popular request ...
| If | we normally give headquarters a clip in this space ... | then | ... it's only fair this time round that we compliment Simon Lethlean for bravely challenging a seriously flawed decision - and in so doing also challenging a player he admires like few others - by his own judiciary system. |
Follow Damian Barrett on Twitter: @barrettdamian
