Thursday, April 17, 2014: You can sure as hell lose it...

Round 5; the end of the first quarter. So many questions, poised like rattlesnakes staring down a kill. This is the real stuff, fella, there's no more excuses.

Richmond take a 1-3 record to Brisbane who are yet to trouble the scorers. Vickery's been dropped, eliminating one of Jack Riewoldt's more convenient excuses, and Brisbane's top line has been decimated by injury. The newspapers for tomorrow have already been written; the Tigers in Crisis story that they'd rather run, and the one that praises a victory against all the odds - yet strangely expected.

Collingwood and North sitting pretty much on par. Both still working to shake off the doubts incurred in round one embarrassments; one will leave a legitimate top 4 threat, the other will remain an also-ran. Fremantle could all but end Sydney's season, Sydney could upset a Premiership threat. Port Adelaide should prove their credentials in Perth. Despite entering the season at opposite ends of the expectations spectrum, Essendon and St. Kilda arrive at round 5 on par.

There is intrigue in all of Sunday's games; the Bulldogs and Carlton already bickering over a potential Good Friday game, Adelaide can't afford to lose to GWS and Melbourne's famous one-in-a-row win against Carlton makes their clash with Gold Coast a little tasty.

But that's all the entree. Hawthorn and Geelong have established a rivalry that you couldn't make up. Form says the Hawks will walk it in, but these Cats never both themselves with such prognostications - we have another chapter of a stunning story about to unfold.

This early in the season no deficit is insurmountable, but round five always answers questions. This year perhaps more than most.

As they say - you can't win a race at the first corner, but you can sure as hell lose it.

Update: Relegate Carlton - it's going strong.
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In the news...
Tom Boyd will debut for the Giants against Adelaide this week. The tall number one draft pick will join Jeremy Cameron and Jonathon Patton in the GWS tall dept.

Good Friday used to be about celebrating the generosity of Christ. A new narrative has emerged as Bulldogs Big Cheese Peter Gordon has defended his teams right to play North in the still hypothetical Good Friday clash. Essendon and Carlton are rumoured to be chasing the spot.

TEAMS will be here some point tonight.