a Showdown isn't played at the MCG on a Friday night some time soon ...

it will be an opportunity lost on so many fronts. It is the main AFL rivalry, by the length of Winx's winning margin in her second Cox Plate (eight lengths).

there's a stat that's gone under the radar this year ...

it's Daniel Rich with ball in hand. Averaging a career-high 20 kicks per game, making full use of his greatest weapon (ranked fourth in the comp).

you want to ponder what you once had when it comes to pure, entire-competition captivating rivalry ...

make sure, after you play that one-time great rivalry opponent Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday afternoon, that you tune in to the Showdown that night to see how it is done these days. 

there are only two key forward spots for three players – Reid, Mihocek and Cox ...

the one I see as a lock is Mihocek. Great back story, very good AFL story in his near-12 months at the highest level. Interesting match committee meeting looming next week when Cox is again available .

there's one positive to take from Joe Daniher missing ...

it's that the Bombers have gone early in resting him. Last year, no rest turned into season ending OP.

Ross The Boss doesn't go into foot-on-throat mode against the extremely vulnerable Tigers in the Sunday twilight fixture ...

I'll be disappointed, but not at all surprised. Please don't bore us again, Ross. Time to unleash Hogan, Walters, Fyfe. 

I'm a very-small-amounts betting man (responsibly, as always) ...

I'll be taking what's on offer on Danger not playing against North. And not convinced Selwood is right, either. 

Pearce Hanley is one of the ins ...

that at least enhances the Suns chances in a game they're not expected to win. 

this competition right now needs something ...

it is Jez Cameron at least making a run for a 100-goal season. The entire industry needs to get behind this. Jeh-zzah Jeh-zzah. 

you've heard the phrase, 'He has ice in his veins' ...

attach a headshot of Alastair Clarkson to it to better understand it. There is nothing this man won't face head-on. Mitchell, Hodge, Lewis decided to be traded out when he told them what could come. Roughead playing twos this week when he decided to stay after the same conversation. Scary, hellbent-on-success, brutal leadership.  

there's something more to the Steven May situation ...

tell us; otherwise you've set a very high behavioural bar. Not aware of the contractual clause that says a player can't have a couple of quiet ones in his own time.

there's no justifiable logic to this ... 

I'll say it anyway: the 15th-placed Roos are a chance against the game-clear-on-top Cats.  

Scott Lycett starts the Showdown well, unlike his performance last round against Collingwood ...

maybe old-fashioned verbal bakes still have a place in the modern game. Kenny didn't miss him last weekend.    

big Naughton made a mockery of a backline minus Rance and Astbury ...

there are equal fears for what could happen this week against Jesse Hogan. 

our radar has gone up on an issue ... 

it is the St Kilda-Hunter Clark combination. Crossroads.  

we thought lacklustre fixturing on Friday night was a thing of the past ...

round eight's Swans-Bombers SCG game looms as a worry. There are real reasons for the Swans' fall this year, but they are difficult to watch at times.   

the premiership defence is unfolding the way I see it to be ...

the Eagles, after a slow start, will follow up their win against the Suns last week with victories against St Kilda on Saturday and Melbourne next Friday and have a nice 6-3 scoreline. 

you need reminding ... 

Naughton, incredibly, placed fourth in the Bulldogs' best-and-fairest in his debut AFL season. What we're seeing now was expected.  

a player indicates to an umpire that he is using his allotted 30 seconds to kick for goal only then to sneakily pass to a teammate to soak up even more time ...

there's a simple solution: that teammate must be told to play on. It's being rorted nearly every week, this rule.