It was a legitimate honourable loss, ironically delivered partly by a dishonourable act. We’re going to have to hit ole Rosco Lyon and Rory up for favours! Time to Restump Podcast all the purple palaver.

Another lethargic start to a game has once again hurt us. We’re so close, but we are where we’re supposed to be because genuine really good sides don’t consistently have lapses or make certain mistakes. But the reality is, we’re good enough to challenge, if we simply tidy up a couple of areas.

The Giants are a hot side and, as the competition’s in form side, should arguably be premiership favourites. They were at full strength, revved up on their home deck and incentivised with a top four spot. Admittedly, we had finals to qualify and play for, but we were on the road and without our best key forward, our lead ruck and our best key defender. The performance was mostly admirable.

While few were a bit wide of thee mark, Andy Brayshaw again left no uncertainty surrounding how much of a priority his valuable signature is. Caleb Serong had a monster of a day especially under thee heavy tagging tactics of Toby Bedford and it was magnificent to see Sammy Sturt put in a ripper.

Bailey Banfield has copped some unfair criticism at times, but you can’t defend his brain snap. To be so undisciplined at such a pivotal moment with so much on the line, is unforgiveable. But Paddy Voss gave away a dumb 50m penalty which, directly or indirectly, however you assess it, resulted in a goal to the Giants. It wrongfully didn’t carry the same scrutiny because it wasn’t in the final minutes. Jye Amiss missed 2 absolute sodas in the 3rd quarter, put another one out of bounds on the full and also missed Luke Jackson with a simple kick. Brennan Cox was seemingly on another planet on occasions and Jordan Clark and Brandon Walker watched Brent Daniels run amok all day. There are many moments throughout a game that deserve the same frustrated response that Bailey Banfield is suffering.

Beyond that, once again the game against Geelong last week and the game against the Giants on Saturday really should have determined whether we made the top four or not, not whether we made the eight. Six games we’ve lost by 13 points or less and in five of them we were leading at three quarter time. There is a bit more to blame than Bailey Banfield idiotically giving away a 50m penalty.

So, its all down to the final three games of the final round of the season for us. With the two games that can partly determine our fate on Sunday prior to our game, we’ll know if we can make the eight or not before the first bounce.

We need our former coach, Rosco Lyon, to get his Sainters to repeat their effort and result against Carlton which they delivered against Geelong on the weekend. And/or if Rory Lobb can repay some of what he owes us by sandbagging his teammates, allowing the Giants to prevail, then we’re in with a live chance.

Hawthorn aren’t losing to North Melbourne so we can rule a line through that. So, if Carlton and the Dogs both win, its goodbye 2024. If one or either of them lose, its all up to us to turn the Power out.

One minute Shai Bolton has requested a trade, next minute, apparently, he hasn’t. For that to occur, it means he is surely going to. It is difficult to think he’s not going to be in purple next year, but we walk away if the price is overs.

Unfortunately, the Mi Casa Property Boutique metres gained competition didn’t get up on the weekend, but it will absolutely be running for our final home and away season game. It’ll be your final chance to snare a freebie spend at 2 Brothers Foods.

Plenty of goings on at the Cockburn club, so bring your opinions and rumours and make them heard. Join us in the purple conversational pool pod, the water is warm.

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