MATTHEW RICHARDON’S TOP 10: Hawthorn have form to win AFL flag as Christian Petracca fallout wears on

1. Another home and away season done and dusted.

We now head into a holding pattern with the pre-finals bye round this week. I’ve never been a fan of it to be honest. I’d prefer to see the bye after the preliminary finals. Much the same as the NFL in America. They have the weekend off before the Super Bowl. It really builds up the game up over two weeks. It would also give any players concussed in preliminary finals a chance to still play in the grand final.

2. The one good thing about the pre-finals bye is the AFLW opening round gets clear air with the season kicking off on Friday night on Channel 7.

And it’s a huge double header as well. Sydney and Collingwood followed by West Coast and Richmond. I can’t wait.

3. Hawthorn have captured the imagination of the footy world.

Hokball is scintillating to watch. I said last week they could go all the way. I’m saying this week they will. Not even a bold prediction that. Tell me why they can’t?

4. Player movement is a must in any sport.

I have no problem with that when the player is out of contract or a free agent. But when a player asks and receives a long term deal there is an expectation they will see it out. Sure circumstances come up that require a trade request. But more and more players are asking for trades with multiple years left on those deals. Mostly these have been facilitated in the past. But occasionally not like the Joe Daniher request to go to Sydney from Essendon. I’ve got a feeling the clubs might play hardball over a few of these requests this trade period. It’s hard to find gun players and replacing them with high draft picks is a risky move.

5. Zac Tuohy announced last week that this finals campaign will be his last.

The popular Irishman is retiring after a stellar AFL career. It got me wondering where he sits among our Irish recruits. I think Jimmy Stynes is number one but Tuohy is not far behind for me. The Cats are a big chance to deliver him a second premiership as well.

6. Nick Daicos will get the Brownlow medal that he missed out on last year.

Another incredible performance last Friday night from the superstar with 40 possessions and two goals. He has been a possible vote getter in 14 to 15 of Collingwood’s games if you look at the Brownlow predictor. What a sublime player.

7. Congratulations to Razor Ray Chamberlain who hung up the whistle last Friday night.

He’s been a great character in our game. I wouldn’t be surprised if Ray is snapped up for a roll in the media, hopefully on Channel 7 ofcourse, to discuss the controversial umpiring decisions each week. Razor loves a chat and is good fun as well.

8. What Carlton supporters went through last Sunday was the textbook definition of agony.

Being beaten by the final goal of the game by St Kilda and then having to sit through Port’s win over Fremantle - which they only secured in the final minutes. I sometimes think it would be better to not be so invested in your team. The anxiety can be excruciating but they got there in the end.

9. Fremantle would have to be the biggest disappointment of the last month.

They were sitting pretty inside the eight only to lose the last four games of the season to miss finals. Their downfall can be traced back to August 4 where they blew a five-goal lead to the Bombers at the MCG. Josh Treacy also went down that day injured and didn’t play the last three games. It was a season defining day and is when it all went wrong for the Dockers.

10. Have you ever seen the movie The Cooler with William H Macy?

In short he works for a casino and whenever someone gets on a run at a table he’s sent to that table to stop the run because he brings bad luck. Willem Drew is Ken Hinkley’s cooler. He did the job again on Caleb Serong to help Port secure second spot. And what a great effort from Port to finish second. Great resilience from this group. I bet the Port fans that booed Kenny feel a bit silly now.