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He's with Gold Coast Suns playing in the engine room with the superb Gary Abblett Jr.  Also in that area is one of my favourite players and ex-Freo favourite, Michael Barlow.

All the best to Mark O'Connor on his dayboooo for Geelong tomorrow.  Some achievement only joining last October, playing 4 reserves games and getting the nod for the seniors.  Thank fekk they're not playing Freo.

Round Seven – The round of shocks...big shocks.

St. Kilda 108 – 85 GWS Giants
This was another great Friday night game for the neutral to watch.  It had everything especially the final quarter come from behind win by the Saints.  The Giants will be licking their wounds and the injuries are starting to mount.  Their cause was not helped by the suspension given to Green for smacking the opposition player the week before.  If you're going to do that don't do it in front of a national audience with the ball in the other player's hands.  Nice to see the Saints quietly making their way up into the Top 8 where I have no reason to doubt they'll remain.

North Melbourne 145 – 86 Adelaide
The last remaining unbeaten record was obliterated in incredible fashion by the dominant 'roos in this game.  Read this carefully; first quarter score North Melbourne 10-4 (64) Adelaide ZERO (0).  You read that correctly.  Adelaide failed to score in the first quarter.  Thereafter it was nothing more than a damage limitation exercise for the Crows.  And Eddie Betts kicked his 500th. career goal.  Jarrod Waite capped off a great performance of six goals by getting suspended for belting a Crow player.  Why, oh why would you?  Suddenly the media vultures (some refer to them as reporters, even fewer suggest journalists) are hailing the downfall of the Crows.  I consider this a mere blip.

Carlton 79 – 56 Collingwood
If there is one game a Carlton fan does not like to lose it is this one and after years in the doldrums the Navy Blues fan are getting the Listerine ready and the strepsils on stand by as they are beginning to crow again.  This was the game to mark 125 years of the Collingwood Footy Club but it was a flop.  They were insipid at best and but for the efforts of a small handful of players it could've been even more embarrassing.  To rub salt into the wound, Dale Thomas the ex-Pie premiership player of 2010 who jumped ship a few seasons ago to follow his beloved Mick Malthouse to Carlton, scored the cheekiest goal of the game, selling a perfect dummy before a couple of bounces and kicking the goal.  Oh the toothless ones were not happy.
On a sad note for Collingwood, their 1954 Premiership Captain, Lou Richards, passed away on Monday.  Anyone who was in Australia and watched the Sunday Footy show would be familiar with him.  Funny bloke.  RIP.

Themmuns 97 – 87 Port Adelaide
Not happy.  Port totally dominated this game but couldn't hit a bull's arse with a barn door.  Jaysus it was frustrating, made all the more so but the crowing of the budgies about how they are genuine premiership contenders.  And without Not-a-cluey.  Well the rest of the teams might as well hoist their white flags now.  I watched the second half and thought the Power would get the win such was their dominance around the ground but they just couldn't bloody score goals.  Fekkers are playing the Bulldogs on Friday night here in Perth.  It'll be heard to live with them.

 
Gold Coast 124 – 99 Geelong
A couple of former Freo players were in opposition tonight with Michael Barlow and Sam Menegola lining out for the Suns and Cats respectively.  The former had the last laugh including scoring a great "banana" kick from the forward pocket.  Menegola didn't do so bad bagging three goals. 
This was a game that early season form suggested would result in a Cats win.  Well the Cats only led for a brief few minutes in the first quarter, thereafter it was all Suns.  Ablett was his usual mercurial magic, kicking a superb goal on the run from the edge of the 50m arc on the boundary.  This is just so hard to do, but then again, it is Gary Ablett we are talking about.  Quite night for Tuohy.

Footscray 80 – 75 Richmond
The new deliberate out of bounds rule was the main focus after this game.  A umpiring decision deep in the bulldogs' defensive pocket in the last minute is all the talk as it allowed the bulldogs to gain possession and clear the ball away after relentless Tigers' pressure. 
This was another clinker game to watch.  The composure and control of the Bulldogs in the final quarter was fantastic and was all the talk at Mini-me's game the next day.  At one stage Footscray were 26 points down in the first quarter but you don't become premiers by giving up that readily.  The final quarter was just superb.

Sydney 135 – 81 Brisbane
Finally the Swans won a game.  In fact they were never behind in this game.  Franklin kicked eight goals.  Nothing much else to report here.  I'm still optimistic that the Swans will make the finals if they can get all their injured stars out on the paddock.

Hawthorn 94 – 91 Melbourne
Oooooh so close for Melbourne.  I didn't see the game but was following the scores on-line.  Had they won this game they would have found themselves safely in the Top 8.  As it was the experience of the Hawks held out for a much needed second win for the season.

Fremantle 116 – 79 Essendon
Happy!
I had two reasons for wanting us to win this one.  Firstly Freo were up against the druglord Worsfold's disgraced team of drug cheats, and secondly there was a Tyrone hoor playing for them.  I dunno which was the worser.  A quick Bombers start had Freo on the back foot and they led by 27 points, but a strategical change saw Connor Blakely start to tag Zac Merrett and the game swung dramatically in Freo's favour.  Four great goals from big full forward Matt "ooh-aah" Taberner  and a brace from McCarthy and Kersten along with sterling efforts from Brad Hill and Lachie Neale were the difference.  Nat Fyfe was his usual sublime best despite the often questionable efforts of the Bombers players to shackle him.  Freo have now equalled last year's total games won.  Little wonder I stopped writing.    A quiet game from McKenna but I have to say the fella is built like a bloody tank.  He'll be some asset to the bushmen when/if he returns to Gaelic Football.

So, there you are – another incredible weekend of AFL games.  Interestingly every team lower on the ladder than their opponent heading into round seven emerged victorious for the first time in an eighteen-team competition.  It wrecked my tipping only managing three correct.  But some fella in Perth bet $10 on the nine winners and pocketed $41,000.  Nice work.

Round Six

Greater Western Sydney 75 - 73 Footscray
Now this WAS what a proper Friday night nationally-televised game should be.  It had everything from great scores, shite umpiring (more on that later) and suspensions resulting from gulpins smacking fellas on the chops.  It was edge-of-your-seat stuff, even for the neutral and  I was happy to see the Giants win as I'd tipped them.  People are forecasting these to be the Grand Finalists this year, but I can tell you which team definitely WON'T be playing in the GF...

St. Kilda 130 - 55 Hawthorn
I didn't see any of this game and by all accounts unless you were a Saints fan, you didn't miss much.  Not even the absence of Cyril Rioli could be used as an excuse.  Saints were just too bloody good all over the park, with the mercurial Nick Riewoldt (cousin of the AFL's biggest gurner from Richmond) helping himself to four goals.  St. Nick just keeps going and with the pressure of captaincy no longer on his mighty shoulders the fella is having a great season.  (Got a bit of a soft spot for the Saints).

Carlton 97 - 78 Sydney
Guess which other team will NOT be playing in the GF?  Actually you don't need to try too hard.  This is the first time in the history of the AFL/VFL that a previous year's GF team recorded a first six game loss the following season.  And there are many who aren't displeased, mainly because Sydney built its formidable success on the back of huge privileges from the AFL, attracting (among others) two of the biggest names in the comp in Franklin and Tippett to multi-year multi-million dollar deals recently.  I listened to this game on the wireless and the roar of the Carlton faithful for every goal was sensational.   The wireless commentators were drowned out.  Sydney are firmly anchored at the bottom of the ladder after this.  Great to see an old Freo boy, Alex Silvagni, having a good season.  He'll always be a crowd favourite at Freo. 

Port Adelaide 150 - 67 Brisbane
Dear God, last week the Lions were running Geelong close before being overwhelmed in the last 20 or so minutes.  This week they were back to being, well, shite again.  And I mean shite.  Don't even bother watching the hightlights.   Yep, that bad.

North Melbourne 107 – 94 Gold Coast Suns
Finally the Roos have won a game this season to rise up above Sydney.  But not before having to deal with another mercurial genius of the game, Gary Ablett Jr.  I didn't see or hear any of the game but by all accounts the little maestro (if you call 6ft. little) had a sensational game and almost did the business singlehandedly. 

Themmuns (a few more than us) – 62 Fremantle
Yep, not happy.  Not even remotely happy.  Shite umpiring won the game for the trash in the first quarter. Simple as that.  Cannot for the life of me fathom what the umpires were thinking.  But I suppose when you appoint a themmuns season ticket holder as the principal referee, you have to expect severe bias.  And then for the totally biased WA media to suggest that (a) Nathan Fyfe was going to get suspended for pushing the Trash actor (yep really painful to watch...in fact more painful to watch than the alleged "strike" he was purported to have received on his chop; indeed, he deserves a slap from his captain for the bollixing around he did on the ground - made Ronaldo look like Vinnie Jones), and (b) start up stupid rumours that Fyfe was going to Saints next season when everyone knows he's a restricted free agent with all that implies.    Well, I cannot wait for next weekend when we play the other drug cheats, Essendon, and the most infamous drug cheats, aka themmuns, play my second team, Port Adelaide. (In through the nose...hold....hold....hold...out through the mouth...)

Melbourne 112 – 74 Essendon
Whilst I tipped the bombers to win, I was still happy to see the demons get up in this game.  They have been riddled by injuries to key players coupled with suspensions and the death of Jesse Hogan's father, so for them to win this one especially after losing to the Tigers the way they did and Essendon's great win over the pies on ANZAC day was great to see.  I didn't see any of the game but the much maligned former no.1 draft pick Jack Watts was drafted back into the ruck and still managed to kick four goals.  (Now why can't Sandilands do that?  Oh, did I say that out loud?)

Collingwood 107 – 78 Geelong.
I initially thought when I saw the TV schedule that once again the TV companies got it wrong, anticipating a right good hammering for the pies.  I'm pleased to say I was wrong.  This game started at the start of the second half of mini-me's first game of the season so I was forever keeping tabs on the progress score on my phone.    However, I got home in time to see from the latter part of the third quarter.  It was great viewing and whilst I'm not as rabidly anti-Collingwood these days I wouldn't have begrudged the Cats another come-from-behind win.  As it was I was actually secretly cheering on the pies as they held on to record their second and definitely best win of the season so far.  The Cats' midfielders were well contained by the sheer tenacity and imagination of the Pies players.  The last ten minutes were really interesting as the Cats did all they could to get close on the scoreboard but in the end the pies resilience in the face of such pressure was commendable. 

Adelaide 140 – 64 Richmond
Deemed the game of the round between the only two unbeaten teams thus far this season, it was just that until the start of the second quarter.  Thereafter the crows just changed gear into top and blew the Tigers away.  Now the only unbeaten team in the comp, the Crows are looking even more ominous than they were last week.  And, woe betide any team that thinks they can just batter their way past this lot.  Simply formidable.    I'm looking forward to seeing the Crows against the Cats and the Giants and that will give us some indication of where the Premiership is going to end up this season.  My prediction of the Swans in the final is shot, but I still stick by my suggestion that the Crows are going to be the team this year.

Righto, well, it was a round of shocks and disappointment and "quelle surprise(s)".  Crows 6-0, Swans 0-6, Freo 3-3.  Could be worse I suppose.

Round Five

Port Adelaide 137 – 47 Carlton
What garbage.  What utter garbage to put on as a "prime time" game on the much coveted Friday night TV spot.  What the AFL was thinking is beyond me.  How they can justify having a membership of Carlton superseding the viewing population of the country is beyond me.  But then again, this is the AFL we are dealing with where it is strictly forbidden to criticise on-field officials (and indeed anyone involved in the financial juggernaut that is that organisation.)
What is there to talk about in this game?  Nothing.  Port were just way to strong all over.  And my criticism is not aimed at Port in any way.  I recorded the game with a view to watching it later.  I started to watch the first quarter.  After fifteen minutes I had stopped and deleted the whole thing.  Crap!

Footscray 122 – 90 Brisbane
On the other hand, this game was only televised in Melbourne and Brisbane.  It was a clinker.  I began to listen on the car wireless as it was just to bloody exciting. Up until a few minutes into the final quarter Brisbane were leading but were eventually overrun by the experience of the Bulldogs and the win was a fitting tribute to the 300-game hero of the Bulldogs, Robert Murphy.  He is a great player.
The Lions led by 32 points at half time but a 12 goals to 2 fight back was enough to get the Bulldogs over the line.  Now, whilst the Bulldogs were the sentimental underdogs in the Grand Final last year and everyone bar any Sydney fans was barracking for them, there would've been a fair few thinking the same way in this game had the Lions won.  Good signs at Brisbane, but can it be sustained.

Adelaide 153 – 86 Gold Coast
The signs are ominous for the rest of the competition.  Not that Gold Coast is that bad; it's just that the Crows are looking bloody awesome and invincible.  I didn't see the game but the reports and the highlights reel shows a team that is not only winning, but winning very convincingly.  A sense of foreboding descends....

Greater Western Sydney 105 – 63 Sydney
The prefix "greater" is quite apt, I feel.  They are certainly the greater team in Sydney, turning a four-goal salvo from the Swans in the opening few minutes into a five goal lead with nine unanswered goals in the rest of the first half. 
I'm not sure if it is a case that the Swans were actually THAT bad, moreso that the GIANTS were THAT good.  Even the 800th. career goal for Lance Franklin was eclipsed by the clinical finishing of the Giants.  Now all is left for this team is to win a Grand Final and perhaps the AFL's aim of chewing into the NRL heartland of western suburbs Sydney will be complete.  It's already looking like either one of three clubs for this year's title.  For the Swans the 0-5 record is its worst in over two decades.  There goes my prediction of the Swans as premiers.  I'm not disappointed.

Geelong 126 – 88 St. Kilda
This game, in many ways, replicated the Footscray-Brisbane game last weekend.  The Saints were more than a match of the Cats and were leading at three-quarter time before an 8 goals to 1 final from the Cats overran a young, but certainly up-and-coming Saints team.  That win has left the Cats, Crows and Tigers sitting pretty on top of the AFL ladder with 5 wins and no losses.   Zac Tuohy has done well to leave Carlton.  In fact, any team would've been better than Carlton.  Well, any team except one....

Hawthorn 125 – 75 The trash
That team being themmuns.  Oh how I enjoyed watching this game (even though I stupidly tipped them to beat the winless Hawks; I'll learn...perhaps.)  Before the game there was a lot of huff and puff about how great the Eagles were and how the hoodoo that is the MCG would be broken.  Well, that was one of the worst performances I have seen on a TV screen stretching back to the 2015 Grand Final.  Oh wait, that rings a bell. 
Great to see Roughead score his 500th. career goal in light of what he has been through in the past 2 years. Oh, and look out for Cyril Rioli's mark.  That boy can jump.
Now of course the excuses are starting in anticipation of the Western Derby to be played in Perth next Saturday.  It's an Eagles home game and I wasn't going to bother going having been offered tickets.  I think I just might go now.

Richmond 88 – 75 Melbourne
What a great spectacle this game was even if I was a wee bit disappointed the Demons lost.  They have been decimated early in the season with injuries to key players especially their two giant ruck men, one of whom along with two others got injured in this game.  Eventually the tigers prevailed and overran the demons in a great game with over 85,000 in attendance.  Six goals from Whinger-in-chief Jack Riewoldt was really the difference between the two teams. A fully fit 22 Demons would've won, I have no doubt.

Essendon100 – 82 Collingwood
Another great game to watch, and it was close right up to the last 10 minutes or so.  Again over 85,000 were at this game (the now traditional ANZAC Day game at the MCG).  The knives are out for Nathan Buckley (he with the face of a boxer – and we're not talking Ali).  Such is the pressure of being coach at the biggest club in the country.  For the Bombers, the drug scandal seems to have been put behind them and they are starting to string some good form together. 

Which leaves me with one game ...
FREMANTLE 67 – 62 North Melbourne
For 90 minutes I endured sitting in my seat cringing at what I was seeing.  The shittiest of shite refereeing, diving players (we're talking about 6'9" ruckmen (actually only one - the other was 7ft tall) falling like they had been shot when challenging for a ball, and getting rewarded for it) and Freo missing the target that even I would've hit.  And then it happened.  If you are going to watch any game, try and watch the last two minutes of this game.  It was pandemonium.  The Roos were leading from practically the start of the second quarter.  In fact Freo hadn't kicked a goal from the 13th. minute of the first quarter up to the 14th. minute of the third quarter and were trailing by 29 points at that stage.  Five goals in the remaining time when we couldn't kick one in the interim?  Not even the eternal optimists sitting near me held out any hope for us.
Up stepped Brady Grey to kick an impossible goal from a set shot waaaay out on the boundary.  The die was cast.  With two minutes to go, Freo were down by 7 and it was not looking good, but along came Michael Johnson unmarked from the half back line (what the hell he was doing up that far forward I will never know) to collect a spill from the back of a contest to drill the ball through the goal.  1 point in it with 1'58 on the clock.  Suddenly the eternal optimists were chirping again.  And then it happened.
With about 45 seconds left, Shane Kersten collected a ball out on the right and lobbed a shot over his left shoulder. We all stopped breathing...the ball bounced in front of the goals and through it went.  Fcuk me the place went crazy.  It was the best end to a game I've ever been at.  It was mental in the stands.  That is the third game in a row where Freo have come from behind to win at the death.    There is a new belief and confidence in the young players which, hopefully, will carry us forward to greater things.
For North, it's 0-5 but it must be said they are not a bad team and they are sure to get over the line soon. 

So, the western derby this weekend.  Well, it's going to be fun.  Among the unwashed themmuns supporters.  I've got the chloroform ready.

 I first started getting sciatica when I was about 14.  It was so bad I couldn't sleep on a mattress in bed and had to lie on a rug on the floor.  That went on for years but as I got stronger and developed better core strength, the pain lessened. 

Fast forward to 2006 and the pain got so bad I used to be bent double in the morning after getting out of bed (which was an achievement in itself).  I went to my GP who referred me to an orthopedic surgeon and then came the Eureka moment after an MRI.  The cause of the condition was diagnosed as spondylolisthesis.  Basically I was born without the disc between L4 and L5.  This has caused the spine at L4 to "slip" out of line by 14mm and crush down on L5 which in turn has been pressuring S1. And right there in the middle of it all are the sciatic nerves.

Because of the slippage I have had to give up running and it has actually worked.  I would take the advise of Benny and go to a private physio and get checked out.  Or go to your GP first and ask about spondylolisthesis. 

You will find that rest does actually help so there goes the football and/or hurling for the year.

Finally, five days of footy have come to an end.  And with it is some interesting outcomes so, here it is, my ever fair view of the weekend's proceedings.

Themmuns 91-65 Sydney Swans
I sat down on Holy Thursday to a plethora of excuses from the incredibly biased Channel 7 Perth commentators telling anyone who would listen that the poor eagles only had a 5-day turnaround before facing the might of the Swans - who were minus several of their key players, I might add.
Well, if the Swans had kicked straight in the first 15 minutes the game would've been over (pretty much).  As it was the infidel started kicking past their midfield and as often happens when you do so, you score.  Then you score again...and again.  Suffice to say the game was not the best of the weekend and the Swans have now dropped to second bottow with 0-4 win/loss record.  Worrying times ahead especially when you consider they play the Giants next week in the Sydney derby and that does not augur well...not a bit.    Of course, the Perth media has themmuns as flag favourites (as usual).  Pfffft.

Footscray 89-86 North Melbourne
I left at the end of the first quarter to go to Good Friday Mass and the game was pretty even, if a tad boring.  Feeling inspired by the commemoration of the sacrifice made for us by the good Lord, I came home with Mini-me and managed to get the last 15 minutes of the last quarter.  Well, what a game it had been (apparently).  Anyways, it was a real ding-dong affair and had Lyndsay Thomas kicked straight with the very last kick of the game it would've been a most deserved yet unlikely victory for the Roos.  As it transpired, the bulldogs held on.  Worrying times at North as they are now propping up the table with Sydney and Hawthorn on a 0-4 win/loss record.  And to make matters worse they now have to come to Perth next Saturday to face the formidable...(drum roll)...

Fremantle 106-104 Melbourne
What a game.  Best of the round.  What a turnaround for the royalty in two short weeks.  From being trounced by Port Adelaide by 89 points in R2 with the usual suspects masquerading as experts lining up baying for the head of the coach, the boys have had two very good wins to leave them just outside the top 8 on percentage (ahem considerably out but that's another matter - why can't we play Carlton or Hawthorn or Sydney this weekend?)
I watched the game with Mini-me and it was inspiring to see the efforts of the youngsters.  The last 5 mins are worth the entrance fee along.  Seven unanswered goals in the third quarter had Freo in the driving seat and in order to keep the MCG faithful from leaving too early, Freo let them back in the game before a last minute toe-poke from Cam McCarthy got us over the line. 
There are lots to be very optimistic about this year.  But I will not get too confident. 

GWS 112-81 Port Adelaide
I was keeping an eye on this game with the AFL app.  Port were right in it up to the last quarter before the Giants put her in overdrive and pulled away.   Looking pretty damned formidable at this stage but it is early days yet.  And they haven't played Freo (cough)  Giants are now 4-0 for the season.

Gold Coast 108-82 Carlton
Well, that is the last bloody time I'm tipping Carlton this year.  Let me down big time.  I didn't see any of the game but according to match reports on-line, I didn't miss anything.

Adelaide 153-88 Essendon
According to the Essendon coach, Worsfold, the pharmacist who knew nothing of the off-field behaviour of themmuns players in the 00s, the bombers have hit a wall in the season.  Well, it must be the Great Wall of China cos they were shite.  Big day for Walker and the wonderful Eddie Betts who kicked 11 between them.  Betts is some operator.  Check out his accuracy from the forward and half-forward pockets.  A week on from yet another incident where racism has raised its ugly head in Australian society, he had the perfect answer.

St. Kilda 69-55 Collingwood
More shite from the magpies and a great game for the neutral (read I-hope-Saints-win) to watch.  Some of the decision making in the pies midfield was schoolboy stuff.  The axe is starting to swing I feel for Nathan Buckley, the pies coach.   Both Collingwood and Essendon play next Tuesday in the ANZAC Day blockbuster at a heaving MCG (without Conor McKenna who is suspended) and the loser may as well rack the cue for the season.

Richmond 119-67 Brisbane.
Yep, Brisbane are still shite.  Richmond are now 4-0 for the first time in over 20 years but they haven't exactly played much quality opposition.   Great goal though from Whinger-in-chief Jack Riewoldt.

Geelong 134-48 FLAWthorn
Gawd this was tedious to watch.  The Hawks were miserable throughout the park and made the Geelong midfield look great (which, admittedly it is).  Hawks are 0-4 while the Cats are 4-0.  A couple of sessions of handbags and a smack on the chops for Luke Hodge were the highlights.  I'm not condoning the hit but the same boyo was fairly handy with the elbows himself.  Karma, that old devil. 

So, there you go.  As unbiased and as fair as you've come to expect.  An interesting weekend ahead where there is the potential for the bottom three teams, Sydney, Roos and Hawks to go 0-5.  That would mean the end of my prediction for Swans to reach the GF. 

I'm back.

Yes, a wee 3-week dander on a motorbike over the Atacama Desert, The Salar de Uyuni, the road from Uyuni to Potosi (the best motorcycling road I've EVER been on), onto La Paz where the driving makes Perth drivers (and Swatragh women in Ladas) appear good, then to Cusco and finally to Machu Picchu has come to an end.  And what did I miss?  Well, fekkall as Freo were shite the first two games, according to mini me.  However, the lads found out is was my 50th. last Friday and so helped me celebrate on Machu Picchu by beating the Premiers!  Now the beer flowed in Cusco with that result.  So, normal service shall resume after this weekend's games. 

I'm disappointed with the final result and while there will be internal incriminations and investigations about what went went wrong and what might have been, a sincere grma to the Emmets for keeping Derry exiles entertained this year in all three codes.   

Doire abu.

 

Ah great news to waken up to, here in Oz land.  Well done Ireland and to my fellow Ulsterman, Rory Best, our captain.

Perth drivers.

Fcukin sheeyite.

Aye, 'tis time again for those of you with an iota of interest in the AFL to become jibbering wrecks in anticipation of my insightful, unbiased, fair and equitable reports of the preceding weekend's games.  However, I will not be able (probably) to provide any comments for the first three or four rounds as I'm about to set off on my wee dander over a couple of wee hills in South America, some refer to as The Andes.  So, I will have to rely on the questionable fairness of others who partake on a regular basis on this thread. 

Here are my predictions for the 2017 season.
(1) Fremantle will not be as bad as last season - having half the team out through injury was the reason.
(2) Sydney will be in the Grand Final (at least), though I hope I'm wrong.
(3) Fremantle will be in the top 8.
(4) The trash down the road will be mediocre at best - the obituaries are already being written as their "There is no I in team but there is ME" greatest ever player from Fiji, via Midvale Perth, is injured.
(5) Carlton will finish bottom
(6) Gold Coast will not make finals
(7) Fremantle's Nat Fyfe will win the Brownlow medal
( Geelong will make the top 4, and have secured the services of Mr. Tuohy
...

And with that it's time to start the countdown clock

7 days to go. 

An anagram of the home town, back home in Derry.

I often look back to when I was choosing between fixed and rotary wing training.  Still wish I had done the rotary but my decision was made on family grounds. 

Choppers are not death traps as someone alluded to, because if they were, they'd never be used.  Here in Perth we have two search and rescue Hueys and the police have a Dauphin and a Kawasaki.

That there was no mayday call suggests either the pilot suffered from the effects of somatographic illusion where she got confused in the ambient black night conditions but I would suggest that is highly improbable based on her experience;  fuel starvation which I would find extremely unlikely due, again, to her experience; or a catastrophic systems failure (electrical/fuel/mechanical/structural) one of which may have instigated one or more of the others. 

Either way, a sad occasion for us all.

Jaysus that was quare value.    So impressed with that performance from the girls. 

A very big congratulations from Perth, Australia.  Well past my bedtime but worth the wait.