If you've bothered to read any of my muttered ramblings in here before, you might have noticed I've sort of fallen into a habit of trying to tie footy in with various songs. I can't really explain why it turned out that way... perhaps it's due to me having a radio station playing random stuff in my head most of the time, a result of an unfortunate meeting with an angry pissed midget at a Taxi rank in Perth one night. I copped a stray aerial in the ear.  It has it's advantages... if I hold my head on the right angle, face the sun and squint, I can pick up some sort of underground FM station in Paris. I dunno what they're on about but the chicks sound hot.

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Sorry I'm late.

Hate to rank and run but my internet link here is very slow, flukey, and there is someone else waiting to plug in.  I have to be very quick...

1(1) Geelong.  Very, very good.  Ablett a sook.  Mooney a passenger.

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Yes it's been a tough day, week, month and year so far, but the grass is still pretty green around here. In fact it's not only green, it's purple, red and white baby yeah.

Okay, maybe I've spent too much time in the garden lately, but being in the purple can still be a lustrous, non-invasive and calming place to be. Despite some unfortunate batches and cross-pollination, there remains little selectively in-bred and prickly features so common in other varieties.

So why is it so good to have a green, purple, red and white garden? Well read on..

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Well, I suppose after months of highly competitive efforts where we were never really out of any match, we had to put in a duff game sooner or later.  The funny thing is that despite the scoreline, I thought that it wasn't a procession after all.

That's the thing about Geelong at the moment.  I really don't believe they are some sort of superteam - they excel at playing steady football, have very precise skills and are selfless and team-oriented.  Occasionally they do play out of the box and completely crush their opposition (hello West Coast!) but more often than not they force teams into making their own mistakes and the accumulated lead becomes something of a shock.

We certainly started with the right idea, playing the same sort of game that saw us take it right up to Geelong on Anzac evening.  For most of the first half our tackling skills and close checking were very pleasing to see, and we again showed that you really can put the Cats under stress by mucking up their "effortless" flow.  We were aided by the most staggeringly pro-Fremantle umpiring I've ever seen...not that the frees weren't there, but the fact that they were finally being paid rendered me speechless.

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The pained caw of a grease-craving seagull tears through the cold, moonless Wednesday night at the Fishing Boat Harbour, laying an electric jolt over the softgurgling base line of lazy water. Three men are present: two bronze fishermen, rigid in pose, and the coach of the Fremantle Dockers, who leans against the wooden railing with locked arms and with legs intertwined, himself statuesque. Groans and clicks escape from the timber that supports him. What weight does this man bear? What density his flesh? Not that of an ordinary man.

Light blue-grey beams project from his eyes, illuminating still black ships and the wine-dark sea. A fluid tangle of baby squid bubbles up through the phosphorescence as it sweeps. Normally, such a sight would cause him - he who was, at least, absently amused by his ‘difference' - to sniff and faintly smile. But not now. No, now his bottom lip slides further into his mouth, and his top incisors bite down on it ever harder.

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Moving right along...

22 - Scott Thornton - Oh dear.  This season has only served to magnify Scott's weaknesses and minimise his strengths.  Has been utterly hopeless in holding down a key position in the backline, which has cost the team dear by putting us behind in matches.  His trademark run was still there against the Bombers, and indeed his marking turned back the clock somewhat - but he isn't really the answer for an ageing defence.

23 - Chris Mayne - Just as one frizzy-haired Freo hero prepares to shuffle off the scene, a new incumbent has emerged.  Jeff Farmer needed another teammate prepared to bust a gut to lock the ball in our forward line, and Chopper fits that bill nicely.  Once he puts on some muscle mass, his contested marking should improve which is the obvious problem with his first year game.  Very exciting future.

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The bye round always gives idle hands a chance to wander over a keyboard outlining thoughts on the current playing list and their futures.  Of course, having attended all but one Freo game so far this year hopefully gives me a tad more credibility than the Hackdorn when it comes to these things!

1 - Luke Webster - I'm sure every Freo fan has their fingers crossed that this solid clubman's synthetic knee holds together.  It's a modern day mystery why Luke has never managed to become a regular - after all, he was one back in the halcyon days of late 2006 and has few weaknesses in his game.  If he can return productively, he deserves a year-by-year contract as he still has something to offer.

2 - Josh Carr - The mighty niggler's powers have faded somewhat alarmingly in 2008.  Whilst he still wins the ball well enough, his disposals lack the impact they used to have and the umpires seem hyper alert to his potential wrongdoings.  Still in the best 22, but lacking sparkle that he needs to recover.

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OK, we're done with the split and have rounded the penultimate corner prior to the straight.  What do we know?

i) Worsfold is a knob.

ii) Geelong are very, very good.

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I was bloody cold at the footy yesterday... sitting on the northern wing which develops a deep layer of permafrost during the winter months when the sun doesn't quite shine on the concrete. I buried my hands in the pockets of my work-supplied bluey, made sure the beaten old Hard Yakka cap was pulled tight on my elegantly weathered head and reflected on life a bit.

 That last bit's a  lie, really... I was too wrapped up in the tension of the game and the overall goosiness of umpires to reflect on life per se... but I gave it a bit of thought.

Cold weather is a good metaphor for those testing times in life when the spirit flickers a bit, when we find ourselves challenged by adversity or hardship. Many of us have our faith or belief that we call on in times of need, of course. I tend to bury my hands deep in the pockets, hunch my shoulders and wander on regardless... habits which may or may not be derived from having grown up in a bloody cold climate with a father who dabbled on weekends as a church organist and choirmaster. You do what you can, after all. Which might also go a ways to explaining why I relate to the imagery of Jesus as an object of faith... what's your excuse?

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Those of you who read the blogs may remember my early "SO HOW WILL WE GO?" blog.  It is the most read blog I have done by a fair margin so some of you at least will know of it.  Those who don't can now change the channel or do some homework to catch up.

I thought it was time to revisit this breakdown of FFC 2007 v FFC 2008 and try to get some perspective on the current situation.  This could have been done at the mid-way point of the season but I thought the split round made more sense because the Rankings are awaiting the completion of the round. 

As can be seen, the end result of the last go round with this break down was a pretty positive one.  As it turns out, things have gone south faster than a pengiun in a jet boat and we find ourself perusing the results of the U/18 Carnival's best player lists rather than the Qantas flights website looking for seats in September.  So, not for the first time, I have been proven wrong.  How Wrong??? Lets have a look.

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