[babytiger2001]

Just when you thought the ladder was safe and set in stone... well, we may be mistaken. Plenty of meaningful games are left that will have an impact on the top eight, and how things will shape up when the finals begin next month.

This weekend's fixtures...

Friday, 14 August
Hawthorn v Adelaide -- at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (M.C.G.) -- 7:10 p.m. Melbourne time

Saturday, 15 August 2009
Richmond v Collingwood -- at the M.C.G. -- 2:10 p.m. Melbourne time
West Coast v North Melbourne -- at Subiaco Oval -- 2:10 p.m. Perth time (4:10 p.m. in Melbourne)
Brisbane v Western Bulldogs -- at The Gabba -- 7:10 p.m. Brisbane time (same in Melbourne)
Sydney v Geelong -- at ANZ Stadium, Homebush -- 7:10 p.m. Sydney time (same in Melbourne)

Sunday, 16 August
Melbourne v Fremantle -- at the M.C.G. -- 1:10 p.m. Melbourne time
Port Adelaide v Carlton -- at AAMI Stadium -- 2:40 p.m. Adelaide time (3:10 p.m. in Melbourne)
Essendon v St. Kilda -- at the Docklands stadium -- 4:40 p.m. Melbourne time

And now, the various broadcast info, via streaming webcast video...

On ESPN360.com (and is this true for other ESPN's around the globe, except obviously in Australia and New Zealand?):

• Hawthorn v Adelaide, live
• Sydney v Geelong, live
• Port Adelaide v Carlton, live

On Manian's channel on the justin.tv site:

• Hawthorn v Adelaide, live
• Richmond v Collingwood, live
• Sydney v Geelong, live
• Port Adelaide v Carlton, live

And on both Freo's "Footy Net" channel on the USTREAM.com service as well as on Mrrobertson's channel on justin.tv:

• West Coast v North Melbourne, live
• Brisbane v Western Bulldogs, live
• Melbourne v Fremantle, live
• Essendon v St. Kilda, live

All the news, information and squads to be contained here, as the week unfolds. If you see anything newsworthy and relative to the round ahead, beat me to the punch -- you're strongly encouraged to post it here, for information and discussion.

And for those involved in our weekly tipping competition, the deadline for getting your tips in is just ahead of Friday night's Hawthorn v Adelaide match at the MCG.

Enjoy the footy, everyone!!

[babytiger2001]

The "Ladder With The Lot" -- Herald Sun's "SuperFooty" site

And an interesting tidbit in the physical edition of yesterday's (Tuesday's) Herald Sun: the best- and worst-case scenarios of finals contenders as well as those who have clinched places...

In their current order on the ladder, right now:

St. Kilda, currently 1st -- best 1st, worst 2nd (would have to lose all three remaining games by huge margins, however, to drop to second)
Geelong, currently 2nd -- best 1st, worst 3rd
Collingwood, currently 3rd -- best 2nd, worst 7th
Western Bulldogs, currently 4th -- best 3rd, worst 7th
Brisbane, currently 5th -- best 3rd, worst 9th
Carlton, currently 6th -- best 3rd, worst 10th
Adelaide, currently 7th -- best 3rd, worst 9th
Port Adelaide, currently 8th -- best 6th, worst 11th
Essendon, currently 9th -- best 6th, worst 11th
Sydney, currently 10th -- best 6th, worst 13th
Hawthorn, currently 11th -- best 8th, worst 13th

[el-capitano]

first page

[RichardL]

Originally Posted by babytiger2001

Hawthorn, currently 11th -- best 8th, worst 13th

what is the record worst position of the team that won the grand final the previous season?

[ChrisH]

Hawthorn
Collingwood
West Coast
Brisbane
Geelong
Melbourne
Port Adelaide
St. Kilda

[el-capitano]

Hawthorn v Adelaide
Richmond v Collingwood
West Coast v North Melbourne
Brisbane v Western Bulldogs
Sydney v Geelong
Melbourne v Fremantle
Port Adelaide v Carlton
Essendon v St. Kilda

[mrsbabytiger2001]

here are my tips:

Hawthorn
Collingwood
West Coast
Brisbane
Geelong
Melbourne
Port Adelaide
St. Kilda

good luck all..... (and to those who scored '0' last round lots and lots and lots of luck )

[babytiger2001]

Originally Posted by mrsbabytiger2001

good luck all..... (and to those who scored '0' last round lots and lots and lots of luck )

Just remember who moderates this forum, honey.

[babytiger2001]

Originally Posted by RichardL

what is the record worst position of the team that won the grand final the previous season?

Good question. I don't have an answer to it, however. I'm sure it will be published sometime in the coming weeks.

Nonetheless, I can tell you the last time a defending Grand Final winner failed to play finals the year after, it was Adelaide in 1999.

But let's throw your question out to the trivia experts on this forum (active, or lurking)...

[babytiger2001]

The teams for the weekend have been announced...

Teams story: AFL Teams, Round 20 -- sportal.com.au

Some highlights:

• Subject to the required cuts for a Sunday match, St. Kilda could welcome back as many as eight players, mostly from alleged niggling injuries. The eight are likely to include skipper Nick Riewoldt, Steven Baker, Sam Gilbert, Sam Fisher, Brendon Goddard, Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo and Leigh Montagna.
• Essendon, looking to upset the Saints' unbeaten run in the same manner as the Western Bulldogs had done to them in this corresponding round during the 2000 season, have been bolstered by the return from injury by Andrew Lovett and Andrew Welsh.
• Geelong's battle-weary back line gets a double boost with the return of full back Matthew Scarlett and Harry Taylor highlighting four changes for the Cats' trip north to Homebush, while Sydney coach Paul Roos recalls 2005 premiership hero Leo Barry for the first time this season.
• Jarryd Roughead is out for the remainder of the season for Hawthorn, while Brad Sewell highlights four changes made by coach Alistair Clarkson.
• Adelaide, for the Friday night game against the Hawks, meanwhile brings in Trent Hentschel for Brett Burton.
• Richmond's Joel Bowden is retiring, effective after Saturday's game -- but not before getting a farewell game for the Tigers against Collingwood.
• And both West Coast and North Melbourne are unchanged, quite an unusual step for two teams firmly in the bottom eight.