Drunk on a ladder. Round 19.

Looking more and more like a battle of two tipping titans by the week. Young Brenton fell on his own sword somewhat this round, crucially and foolishly tipping with the heart in the Dees and Tiges game. Still close for the minor placings, but without looking at all the forthcoming fixtures, it could be a matter of waiting for one, or both Dickwad and Grant to stumble.
At the moment Dick's holding sway with a margin 90 points better than Grant, you'd think Grant would have to best him by one game to get over the top. Among other things, it's going to be interesting to see how the Tiges, Hawks, Hearts and Heads perform over the next 3 weeks.

Looking the Madness Chart, there's a lot of stability toward the top, 4 geezers who must have sudden self-belief in making the finals at least, and a few who would have some nagging self-doubt. You know who you are.

Calamity struck the Chimps last week. Why? I don't know. Maybe the Dog Flu from the kennel was released, ebola-like, through the boys, but they were all down and we got our lowest round of the year by a long way. Timing is all.

Catfish, frightfully unlucky to fail by a matter of points and be chucked out in the Sean Cox v Dean Cox battle. It's freaky what difference a single letter in your name can make to ones future.
Thankfully Benny killed off Caro to leave only 2 celeb tipsters in the comp.

Unsurprisingly Ian's Heylows didn't break through for their maiden victory to knock Craig's Drunks out. And Dirk's TigerBrats were good enough to see off his old buddy Kurtz' Multi-directional team.

Walking like E-gypt-shans this week. Old Jackal head Anubis made an appearance, as did the Angry Ant, bomber Tony Antrobus, and just to round out another dubious bunch or connections that old ham Mark Jacko Jackson.
Makes sense to me.

Both Harv and Nick picked up perfect 3s, to maintain the exciting tussle at the top.

Taffa went for Des Tuddenham, and The evil Egyptian Dog Spirit, which is, I think you could say a disposal, but not an effective one. Surprising for such a literate chap.

3 rounds to go, even at the top. I don't know how anyone can sleep.

Lots to say but no time to say it.

So I never followed through with the Head I promise you all last week.
There's disappointment in the Roy camp this week, and I have two topics I really want to let loose on this week but don't have time to do them justice.
Seems we're all about missed opportunity and non-delivery here at the Drunk lately.

One topic I wanted to open up this week was one close to my heart. The good ol' Dees.
An interesting thing occurred to me during the week, while the mutterings of 'tanking cheats' are starting to gain some traction. Let's for the moment put aside the whole question of Tankers: Yes or N0? Of course I put it down to team development taking precedence over a win that'll amout to little in the long-run, but I would wouldn't I?
Anyway that's not why I have you here.
I sat down down and worked out the nett result of our 'tanking' and came up with one name. Jack Trengove.
In '08 (when I don't think we were 'team developing' anyway) we were always going to finish last or second last. If we'd finished second last, every other team in the league finishing last would have picked Nic Nat (cos, as you geniuses keep telling us, Watts is a dud), so we still would have ended up with Jack Watts.
Last year, looking back at the results, yeah maybe the Tiges shouldn't have beaten us in R18, but given we beat Port, Freo and WC in the last 8 rounds, I reckon that's about the extent of it. SO, all right, maybe we should have finished 15th, not 16th, more importantly MAYBE we shouldn't have got the priority pick. Jack Trengove, let's say.

Well relax, we didn't need him anyway. Our miraculous turn around over the past few weeks, including that sensational win against the Swans were done sans Jack.

Thanks for your time ladies and germs, glad I've been able to put that scuttlebutt to bed.

PAY UP TIME
Yes, I know it's my fault, but now the time has come to pay up your $60 each. Hopefully this year it's late enough I won't be able to spend it and have to scrounge up $2k from down the back of the couch again.
Bank details in the email.

PLUS I'm thirsty, how are you? Lets have another catch up on Thursday 19th August. Mark it down more details to come.

Drunk on a ladder. Round 18.

Dickwad holds the slimmest of leads going into the home straight. The Slleping Grant has awoken and seems determined to defend his title as only first year Drunk to win the thing.
God help the rest of us.
Busy. Gotta go.

Sadly I must report that Roy's basically... well... dead.

Either that or he's moved out of his little caravan of sticks and turned into a case butterfly, or whatever those things turn into.
Fail.

Last week, the final round before the Finals:
Roosters 2040 def JoelCoreyEnright 1981
Jono Brown proved himself the best of the Outsiders heading into the finals and won the thumb wrestle with Sammy by a mere 59 points.
Catfish 1950 def South West Norths 1572
Coxy's Catfish sent Kurtz' South West Norths in a spin and did enough to ensure a finals berth.
Big Bird 1944 def TigerBratwurst 1787
The other Coxy, Big Dean Cox's best was better than Dirk's wurst, and so he too nestles into a cosy finals berth.
The Ruddy Nightmares 1829 def Orange Thieves 1583
In the biggest game of the round Benny's dream comes true and Joffa's Oranges fall from the tree of life into the basket of despair, missing the finals, well the true finals, by not very much.
Grant's Pappags 1840 def Brenna's Brennas 1646, but both finished top 4, in the bottom half of the ladder. I don't mean to be disparaging but it's not the REAL deal is it? But there is life after round 18 for everyone.
Jim Cheese-whipped Caro's AoR, 2034 to 1673, to send her down, but not out. Top of the table finish to Jim's Cheesedale, 8th for Caro.
Barry's Bustlers 1498 def Heylow 1314
Battle of the Titans here. I reckon Ian saved his best til last, but it still wasn't quite enough to win a game.
Champanzees 1919 def Punchdrunk 1626
Not enough monkey business from my Chimps to leapfrog Cheesie for top spot, but enough for a top 4 and enough to relegate Craig's Drunks to the bottom half of the bottom half.

And here's how it works from here:
Everyone's still playing, just some people are playing for glory, others for... I dunno, sympathy? Not sure.
Depending where you finished:
TOP HALF


BOTTOM HALF