| IF | THEN | |
| Adelaide | the Crows were worried about losing Kurt Tippett... | … they can cease being worried. Tom Lynch goes very, very nicely. |
| Brisbane Lions | the Lions can pick up five wins out of matches against the Dees, Power, Saints, Tigers, Giants, Dogs and Cats … | … they’ll finish the season well ahead of where most of us thought they would. |
| Carlton | the Blues are going to make “radical” changes, as forecast, to their list … | … it's going to be really difficult if they commit to retaining players with trade currency. |
| Collingwood | Travis Cloke doesn’t improve his goal kicking ... | … it may just come back to cost the Pies in a big final. Think Hawks 2012 and Cats 2008. |
| Essendon | Essendon keeps putting out press releases saying no one should be commenting about the ASADA investigation … | … it should stop putting out press releases commenting about the ASADA investigation. |
| Fremantle | Chris Mayne was on the open market … | … there would be 17 clubs devising a way to recruit him. |
| Geelong | Tom Hawkins ever manages to shake off the physical problems which are hindering him this season … | … this football team will be near-complete. Again. |
| Gold Coast | Tom Nicholls can maintain his progress and Zac Smith can return from his ACL just as he left off… | … we might, one day, be spruiking these two as the best ruck combo in the game. |
| GWS | the Giants had their time over again... | ... would they have used their incredibly lofty array of draft concessions to attract more experienced, big-name players? Probably not. Would the AFL have made them do just that? Yep. |
| Hawthorn | there is any part of Buddy Franklin's life which is straightforward and simple … | … well, there's not. How long will he actually miss this time? And is it really a knee? |
| Melbourne | 19 inside 50s for a match shows anything … | … it may be why Paul Roos ain't interested. |
| North Melbourne | North Melbourne doesn't consider taking the captaincy off Andrew Swallow and giving it to Jack Ziebell... | … it should. |
| Port Adelaide | the Power want to play finals … | … destiny is in their own hands. Next three: St Kilda, Brisbane, Adelaide. |
| Richmond | the Tigers want to guarantee keeping Jack Riewoldt on their list … | … they are going to have to increase their offer. Dockers coming hard. |
| St Kilda | the Saints didn't abandon Moorabbin as their home base ... | … would everyone associated with them right now be as obviously demoralised? Nup. |
| Sydney Swans | there's ever been a more underrated captain than Jarrad McVeigh … | … well, there probably hasn't. |
| West Coast | John Worsfold really wanted to coach beyond 2013 … | … you'd think he'd know by now. Which means he doesn't. |
| Western Bulldogs | the Dogs can get some silk in their midfield … | ... the future won't loom as bleak as it does right now. |
Click here for more Sliding Doors
Follow Damian Barrett on Twitter: @barrettdamian
