those one ruck duels Pitto had with himself
were excruciating….he lost every one of them…!

Too busy watching replays to post.

Quick thoughts: Walsh BOG - don't argue. Hoping he can maintain this for two more games and be the player of the finals hands down, maybe even a Norm.

Loved Weitering. One opponent not enough, let's bring down that Smith upstart a peg or two, cop a blow to the throat and still deliver a brilliant pass to start the winning-goal-chain, after spoiling the contest from Lever's kick just before that.

Saad quietly and classily went about his business as per usual - he is not easily fazed.

TDK does amazing things to my...sorry, showing my age...but, hey, we were quickly floating into the sewer until he stepped up for our first two goals, then he thought he'd bend down like a rover at game's end when everyone was stuffed and slam the hot ball towards goal and at least kill the clock. Apparently he rucks as well.

Cripps just being Cripps despite being more banged up than he's letting anyone know. C'mon...we know he's gonna tear the oppo a new one as soon as he's right - maybe next year, maybe next week. Still a sorely needed presence.

Motlop - shouldn't need many touches, being a small forward, and doesn't. Took his moments and weren't they crucial.

Hollands - been mentioned already but what a half a quarter (or whatever it was) at the crunch - energy, smarts, finishing, the wisdom of youth - you are Mens Sana in Corpore Sano.

Pitto the slogger - regardless of anything you might have done wrong - and you got a lot right - you got enough body on the absolutely buggered and gawn Gawn to get last touch on that last centre hit out and take a Demon forward entry out of the equation. Why was he buggered? With a little help from TDK (and maybe a broken toe, but whatever...) you destroyed his will to live...well, maybe not that extreme but you wore him out as you do. And you did some other stuff, but you're not...

Acres! Mr Everywhere! How did they not notice you sneaking into the forward pocket at the almost death? You were just having a breather after smashing your shoulder yet again aeons before THAT mark (creating the loudest roar of the game and maybe since Krakatoa) and thinking about making a cuppa when you're called upon again to haul our ar*e out of the fire. Well, if I must...dodgy shoulder and all, you say, and I might even tease with a sloppy way-too-close-to-the-post soft shoe shuffle. And nice delivery, by the way, Doc...

Doc! Does this man eat live scorpions for breakfast? After all he's been through, I suppose a popped shoulder is like a tiptoe through the tulips. Great presence of mind and tough as all get out to run, mark and deliver to the spot when all those around (except Weiters and Ollie) are losing their heads. Legend.

Newman - hardly noticed you...because that's how reliable and efficient you've become - you might be a Weiters one day. What a leap you've made this year.

And everyone else, in their own way, finding a way when our Coleman bagger couldn't clunk it and paper over the cracks as he's done several times this year.

The cracks continue to reveal themselves, and we find ways to seal 'em. All teams have 'em. We're slowly becoming a perfectly rounded and seamless wrecking ball. Here's to the whole seamless bit happening sooner rather than later, and it's obvious that I've incoherently rambled way past my bedtime with metaphors that insist on failing the pub edit test.

Good night and go well, bluebaggers, and go Blues!