[babytiger2001]

Here we are, it all comes down to eight games to close out the home-and-away rounds of the 2009 season -- and it basically comes down to one game to decide the remaining player in the finals field.

Before we get into this weekend's fixtures, the amazing element of this last round of the regular season is that out of 168 games played in a 176-game season, it all boils down to the Hawthorn v Essendon match on Saturday to see who will finish in eighth spot. In essence, it is a miniature version of the following weekend's elimination finals... the winner plays finals, the loser prepares for "Mad Monday".

Other games have meaning, too, and most notably the Carlton v Adelaide match on Saturday. Both teams are in contention to play home finals on the opening weekend of September, and the winner will earn the fifth seed in the post-season competition. The loser, in fact, could slip down as far as seventh spot if Brisbane beats Sydney.

And not forgetting the 176th and final match of the home-and-away season: the winner between Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs, barring a very close margin either way, has third place on the line, currently held by the Magpies, and finals match-ups for teams having earned the double chance are very much on the line.

So here are the final eight games in the 2009 regular season...

Friday, 28 August
West Coast v Richmond -- at Subiaco Oval -- 6:40 p.m. Perth time (8:40 p.m. in Melbourne)

Saturday, 29 August
Geelong v Fremantle -- at Kardinia Park, Geelong -- 1:10 p.m. Melbourne time (11:10 a.m. in Perth)
Hawthorn v Essendon -- at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (M.C.G.) -- 2:10 p.m. Melbourne time
Carlton v Adelaide -- at the Docklands stadium -- 4:10 p.m. Melbourne time (3:40 p.m. in Adelaide)
Port Adelaide v North Melbourne -- at AAMI Stadium -- 7:10 p.m. Adelaide time (7:40 p.m. in Melbourne)
Sydney v Brisbane -- at the Sydney Cricket Ground -- 7:10 p.m. Sydney time (same in Brisbane)

Sunday, 30 August
Melbourne v St Kilda -- at the M.C.G. -- 2:10 p.m. Melbourne time
Collingwood v Western Bulldogs -- at the Docklands stadium -- 4:40 p.m. Melbourne time

And the listings for the live streaming webcasts...

On ESPN360.com:

• West Coast v Richmond, live
• Port Adelaide v North Melbourne, live
• Melbourne v St. Kilda, live

On Manian's channel, on the justin.tv service:

• West Coast v Richmond, live
• Hawthorn v Essendon, live
• Port Adelaide v North Melbourne, live
• Melbourne v St. Kilda, live

And on both mrrobertson's channel on the justin.tv service as well as on Freo's FootyNet channel on USTREAM:

• Geelong v Fremantle, live
• Carlton v Adelaide, live
• Sydney v Brisbane, live
• Collingwood v Western Bulldogs, 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 West Coast v Richmond match at Subiaco Oval.

Enjoy the footy, everyone!!

[babytiger2001]

And now, some ladders...

Here's the simple version...

Team -- Points
St Kilda -- 76
Geelong -- 68
Collingwood -- 60
Western Bulldogs -- 56
------------------------------
Carlton -- 52
Adelaide-- 52
Brisbane -- 50
Essendon -- 38
=========================
Hawthorn -- 36
Port Adelaide -- 36
Sydney -- 32
West Coast -- 28
North Melbourne -- 26
Fremantle -- 24
Richmond -- 22
Melbourne -- 16

Note that Port Adelaide are even on points with Hawthorn, but they can't play finals because of an inferior percentage that isn't likely to improve markedly after the games of the next weekend.

And the extended version...

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

And maybe the ladder that matters most to some of us, that of our tipping competition, entering the final week of the home-and-away season competition...

Scousecat -- 115
RichardL -- 114
ChrisH -- 114
Spartacus -- 113
babytiger2001 -- 108
krudmonk -- 107
mrsbabytiger2001 -- 106
el-capitano -- 103
NoodlesMacintosh -- 100

[Spartacus]

Originally Posted by babytiger2001

And maybe the ladder that matters most to some of us, that of our tipping competition, entering the final week of the home-and-away season competition...

Scousecat -- 115
RichardL -- 114
ChrisH -- 114
Spartacus -- 113
babytiger2001 -- 108
krudmonk -- 107
mrsbabytiger2001 -- 106
el-capitano -- 103
NoodlesMacintosh -- 100

Here's an idea...declare a home-and-away season "minor premiership", then bracket our top 8 in a head-to-head comp for the finals, similar to the AFL finals comp. What say anyone?

[el-capitano]

Considering I've picked Sydney every week- and they're shit this year- I'm not doing too badly!

[babytiger2001]

Originally Posted by Spartacus

Here's an idea...declare a home-and-away season "minor premiership", then bracket our top 8 in a head-to-head comp for the finals, similar to the AFL finals comp. What say anyone?

But there's nine of us involved here. It's worth some thought, and as long whoever finishes ninth doesn't mind missing out on the finals, or at least takes part but is ineligible for the Grand Final DVD as the prize for the finals competition, then I've got no problem with it, either.

By the way, I've already secured a copy of this year's prize that will be earned on Sunday night...



Released before the 2009 season by filmmaker and former Hawthorn player Rob Dickson -- who, incidentally, was killed while vacationing with his family in Africa earlier this year -- it's an account of the 2008 season "from the grass roots kids games up to the Grand Final itself". Narrated by Nathan Buckley.

[babytiger2001]

In news from the Match Review Panel, Hawthorn could be without Lance Franklin for Saturday's match at the MCG against Essendon, as Franklin has been offered a one-week suspension for rough conduct, as per his head-high bump on Richmond's Ben Cousins last Saturday night (see the YouTube link on the Round 21 thread for evidence).

And although Hawthorn may be recalling Jarryd Roughead for the match where a finals berth rewards the winner, they'll also be likely to challenge the MRP's findings on Franklin so he would be able to play against the Bombers.

Meanwhile, staying on the build-up for the Hawthorn v Essendon clash, Essendon may also be recalling a couple of its stars battling back from injuries, Matthew Lloyd and Paddy Ryder, and teammate Mark McVeigh defends the move to say that the Bombers would like to have their most potent team possible out on the ground.

[babytiger2001]

The Tuesday night news update, as the Tribunal meeting is ongoing at the time of this writing, with Hawthorn predictably challenging the Match Review Panel's findings on the Lance Franklin incident (the outcome to come later this evening)...

Geelong's forward and ruck depth has improved with the certain inclusion of Brad Ottens -- who will return from a long-term knee injury and play for the first time since Round 2 when the Cats play Fremantle on Saturday -- meaning that most likely, either Mark Blake or Shane Mumford will have to make way for him. Cats coach Mark Thompson also tipped his hand to say that Steve Johnson and Tom Harley are also likely to feature against the Dockers, and James Kelly may join them, but Paul Chapman may not be risked so close ahead of the finals campaign.

And Brisbane will go into their match against Sydney on Saturday night minus two vital players -- key forward Daniel Bradshaw will miss out due to a strained quadriceps muscle suffered against Port Adelaide last weekend, while defender Daniel Merrett has a hamstring strain.

[babytiger2001]

At the Tribunal last night, Lance Franklin was found guilty of rough conduct, as the judiciary body ruled that he could have tackled Richmond's Ben Cousins rather than to lay a heavy bump onto him. As a result, and barring a Hawthorn appeal, the club's champion full forward will miss the do-or-die match against Essendon on the weekend.

Meanwhile, speaking of suspensions, Carlton have handed internal one-match bans to a trio of players -- Eddie Betts, Cameron Cloke and Jeffrey Garlett -- for missing a required recovery session on Sunday, thereby suspending them from taking part against Adelaide on Saturday.

[babytiger2001]

Lance Franklin will not be allowed to play for Hawthorn against Essendon, as his club's appeal of the player's two-match ban for rough conduct was rejected by the AFL's Appeals Board on Thursday night.

[babytiger2001]

The teams for Round 22 are in...

Teams wrap: Big guns back for Dons -- Herald Sun's "SuperFooty" site

Some highlights:

• Matthew Lloyd and Paddy Ryder will return for Essendon to face a Lance Franklin-less Hawthorn, subject to the pair coming through a training session tomorrow at Windy Hill unscathed.
• Brad Ottens will play his first game for Geelong since incurring a knee injury that required surgery following Round 2, one of four changes for the Cats with Tom Harley and James Kelly among those coming back, at the expense of the injured Paul Chapman and Shane Mumford.
• Lachlan Henderson and Jason Roe replace Daniel Bradshaw and Daniel Merrett for Brisbane, in the Lions' match against Sydney at the SCG, a game the home side must win to gain a home final next weekend.
• Brett Burton is the key inclusion for Adelaide, with tagger Robert Shirley out with a hamstring injury.
• Carlton's internal disciplinary suspensions of Eddie Betts, Cameron Cloke and Jeff Garlett highlight five overall changes for the Blues.