Running dead is not good business: Does the AFL need to ditch the pre-finals bye?

My initial snap judgment hasn’t changed. That remains my least favourite weekend of the year. The pre-finals bye is an unnecessary irritant.

It originated as an overreaction to protect the integrity of the final round of the season… now when you ask why it’s still necessary that isn’t even mentioned.

The only way to make it fly long-term is to have the Brownlow Medal last night. The closing act of the home and away before we march into the finals from this morning.

Momentum is the god of modern football. The AFL gives everyone a chance to sample everything else when it’s about to get most serious.

The best comparison piece - while the AFL went into recess the NRL had its highest ever attended round.

Like ditching Thursday nights… running dead is not good business.

The countdown to Thursday night resumes with the Means Test… David King is here. Allocating the categories is its own challenge.

Who inherits the Pressure Index coming into the opening round of the finals?

Is it the Swans? They’ve led the comp since Round 8, but we haven’t seen their best footy for a while now. Have they laid in wait or peaked too soon? And the quirk of never having beaten the Giants in a final despite being the higher ranked team on every occasion.

Or is it the Brisbane Lions? Six straight finals appearances – how many chances do you get?

Is the best bit the form of the Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn? Or is it the worst bit that only one continues on Friday night? The Dogs would appear better placed than the fabled premiership run from 7th in 2016. And the Hawks are on the Cinderella run that lights the imagination.

No one believes in Geelong, and Port Adelaide have a critical mass of skeptics in their midst.

And as for Carlton, who among you is heading to the Gabba for the third time in 12 months?

The pilgrimage of the Preliminary Final, the cathartic return for Opening Round – which remains one of the season’s best games - and now an Elimination Final that requires a bit of cockeyed optimism.

Sam Docherty’s last two games have been at the Gabba. Will he resume his career there on Saturday night?

The football story of the weekend was the resolution of the Christian Petracca scenario. In the choices to Heal, Hold or Deal… the parties chose to heal. What they have is still worth fighting for.

At some point on Saturday, Melbourne had the epiphany briefing against and blaming its superstar player was poor strategy and maybe a bit of care and empathy entered into the equation.

Melbourne needs change, but losing its most dedicated player in acrimonious circumstances isn’t the shift required.

Now the healing can begin both for Petracca’s return to footy and his reintegration with the Demons.

What change looks like at Melbourne and how swiftly it is achieved will likely dictate their fortunes in the short and medium term.

And football yesterday lost a great gentleman – Bulldog John Schulz.

An inaugural member of the Australian Football Hall of Fame, he was the 1960 Brownlow Medallist and a member of the Footscray Team of the Century.

He won five best and fairests and played 24 games for Victoria during his 188-game career with the Dogs from 1958-68.

If you’re of a certain age I’m sure you’ll have wonderful memories of his playing days.

But if you came across John even fleetingly, you’ll have lasting memories of a beautiful man who wore the moniker Gentleman perfectly.