Top Five Games I'm looking forward to in the AFL 2015 season.

Yes, the post title is long.

Anyway, now that I've gotten my footy fix (and yes, I slapped my fist into my hand and crossed my arms when I typed that) and watched a few games, I'm more than ready for the season proper. BRING ON ROUND ONE!

5. Western Derbys/Showdowns/Q-Clashes/Battles of the Bridge

I'm pretty excited this year, thanks to Judas Joel Patfull racking off to the Giants I've gotten a three-game membership for them, and one of the games I'm going to aim for is the Battle of the Bridge.  I LOVE Q-Clashes (although I'm going to miss Q-Clash 8 for reasons I'll go into later), not to mention the hype around Derbys and Showdowns is so great that even those who don't support the involved teams get a little pumped.  There's just something about fighting to be the dominant team in your state, the team that is FOR your state, that adds a little extra meat to the game, and I can't wait to see how it gets played out in another state (plus I've always had a bit of a hatred of Sydney for some reason, whether it's because of the trauma of my youth or because they just keep beating us is up for debate). For the record though, QUEENSLAND BELONGS TO THE LIONS!  Feck off scums.

4. Round 4, Essendon vs Collingwood

I'm sure you've all read my post talking about what we were doing 100 years ago.  ANZAC Day is in my opinion the single most important day of the year for all Australians.  Especially two lots of Australians who loathe each other with every fibre of their being (and yet funnily enough I've heard of Essendon/Collingwood marriages that have actually worked.  I'm now a little less shocked that Pakistan beat South Africa last night on reflection). This year will have a little extra spice due to the whole drug saga (if the AFL were serious about punishing Essendon they'd take the game at the MCG on ANZAC Day off them and give it to a more deserving team.  Like St. Kilda for instance - joking!). If Essendon win, it will be unbearable as the media go on and on about how "brave" the players have been in the face of all this (self-inflicted) adversity and that they're a shining beacon of hope to us all. On the other hand, if Collingwood win, it will be unbearable. Because Collingwood.

3. Round 1, Hawthorn vs Geelong

Anyone else work with a rabid Geelong fan who hates Hawthorn more than anything?  So much fun. Anyhoo, rabid Cats aside, these two teams put on one heck of a show when they get together, with both teams being highly skilled and classy. They're always close, passionate affairs, and for a while there we had the "Kennetts Curse" thing to add a little extra curiosity to these games.  Thankfully we only have to wait until round one for this fiery encounter, and hopefully it will be another cracking match.

2. Round 20, GWS vs Essendon

Joelly's 200th! Yes, this is the reason I will be missing Q-Clash 8 (unless Joel misses a game or something, but I don't see that happening.  He's only missed one game in the past three years) and the Giants better give Joel the best 200th game ever (especially as the Lions had a habit of losing all of Joel's milestone matches, although I will argue that his 100th was actually a win that we didn't get due to the dodgiest umpiring since McBurney (I WILL NEVER LET THAT GO)) and have a big win over Essendon. It's a great milestone for the Port reject who turned out to be a brilliant defender and a multiple Club Champion (which he'll be adding to this year no doubt).

And the Number One game is...

Oh come on!  There could only be ONE!  ROUND One!  I'm a freaking LIONS fan, and EVERY Lions fan is salivating for the clash against Collingwood!  We're all hyped-up after nabbing the older of the two Beams Brothers completing our collection (although losing Jack Crisp in the process still smarts.  What a brave young man who would play for the Filth if it would benefit the Lions!).  Ever since 2002 and 2003 these two teams have hated each other with a passion that leaks off the footy field.  Eddie McMotormouth has done everything in his power to try and destroy the Lions and football in Queensland in general (and I reckon if he succeeds there then he'll try to ruin the state just for spite) but guess what? WE'RE STILL HERE and last time we met WE BEAT THE EVERLIVING SNOT OUT OF 'EM!  We were also one of the few teams to beat them in 2010 so neh.

So those are the five games I'm looking forward to this year.  I reckon 2015 is going to be a great year (provided Essendon don't ruin it again) and I can't wait for the season to start!