With 5 rounds to go, and that's 45 games, I think we can start to make some assumptions about who might or might not be able to be carried into contention on the coat-tails of their dreams, or momentum.
Taken from the top...
Bob Catter, adopted from the Cattery some 10 or so years ago (a guess), has been there-abouts several times over the years, yet from memory may have finished stone-motherless last year or so. He knows footy but I don't recall be him leading at this stage of the year. It's a lead of one solitary game, but someone has to take it from him. Having said that, there's a queue of seven who can best him if he takes 2 mis-steps they don't. Can he hold his nerve?
Phil Taffs. Extraordinarily Taffa retired from the Drunk 3 or 4 years ago and I honestly never thought he'd be back. He wasn't much good really, and he's a Blues man. I'm not going to do any research here so bear with me, but I doubt he's finished above about 22nd before. Never looked like it. Now he's sitting where? 2nd? It's interesting that Taffa's main hobby at the moment is bagging out The Dons and their 'mystery' program. Maybe he's been on a program of his own? Taffa will get into me for all this, there's nothing surer.
Andy Lloyd. Came to us unwashed and only partly loved about 4 or 5 years ago. Has already done a lot of damage in the DreamTeam, my brain tells me he's won it at least once but it's a fickle thing. (DreamTeam and my brain). Lloydy walked through the Drunk door with somewhat disarming and quietly confident swagger. He'll win one year. Maybe this one?
Phil Smith. Jeez what is it with the Phils this year? Phil's been part of the furniture around here for probably nigh on 20 years. Comes from Adelaide, lives in Sydney, barracks for Melbourne. He's obviously put all those individual misfortunes behind him this year and he's out to win it. I reckon he'd be lucky to have finished top 20 before (read the above point about no research done, sometimes the gut is mightier than the brain).
Tassy Kontogiannis. Has won at least twice. Is consistently thereabouts. Officially won The Funniest Person on Facebook Award at least twice, but don't let that fool you, he will take the unaware down and eat their spleen. Then he'll remember he's vegetarian and spit it out again. Don't turn your back on him.
Andrew Curtain. Been Drunk for at least 23 years. Only Kurtz and the etchings on the Cup can remember if he's actually won it in that time. I suspect he has, I could look it up on Wikipedia I guess. Kurtz is pretty much always in China or a canal boat in France so not sure how he gets so close, but, with his lifestyle, he clearly doesn't really need to win.
Matt Drew. Still pulls on the boots. Seems to be always sitting between 6-8th. Don't know how because he spends 18 hours a day stalking Chris Judd. Last seen in a fetching red dress with a neckline that plunged way too low (Matty, this could help). Could win/place/make finals/bomb out.
Craig Ford. Won this 2 years ago (3?) and still no-one's ever seen him. He's come from the clouds and if you're a believer in trajectory he'll win by about 10. He wants his Cup.
Alexis Bebbington. 2nd year player, finishing just above mid-field last year. Deserves special bravery commendation for joining the Drunk after meeting not only a bunch of us, but also Bernie's toothless mate Troy. Was an early leader and seems over her mid-season wobbles. May yet be the first female Drunk champ.
Franco Schena. Has more Drunk Cup wins than his Magpies have teeth. Was leading. Got the Colliwobbles. Familiar story. Close enough if good enough. Seems to win it every 2 or 3 years so you'd think he's due.
Paul Hoyne. Another 2nd year player. Blues fan sent to the Northern Frontier in the mid 80s as a scout. Thought we'd lost him to the tribes but word came back he was alive and slowly converting the no-necks. Apparently he personally saved this old white-haired guy from an after-life in limbo. But can he win the Drunk? Yes and No.
Justin 'JuzzyG' Graham. Another Sydney Drunk. Last seen talking to sailors at the Slip Inn in Sussex St, but still getting his tips in, which is important. 3rd or maybe 4th year with us and always in contention. By the way, I haven't checked the cost for freighting The Auld Mugge up to Sin City, but if it's this year I'm sure Fat-Boy Hockey will lend us a quid, he's a super-nice fella.
Derek V2 Schneider. More familiar being down the other end of the stairs, but giving it a jolly-good shake this year. Last weekend was Big. His Tigers won big, Germany won the World Cup... and Dirk got 4 in the Drunk, sliding down somewhat. Almost the perfect weekend. BUT Dirk's tipping credo has always been 'Tip what everyone else doesn't tip'. This year he's close enough that it just may work, Big Time.
One more: Current champ Jim 'Richo' Richardson. Either caught napping or sobering up after last year's glory, he'd been written off. BUT look at that duck-egg blue line snaking its way up the chart. That, my friends is trajectory. Could be the winner, or Challenger just before... you know...
If anyone else sticks their hand up I'll deal with them next week or so, including Trobby who's also flying of late. Reckon that's most likely good rock-star drugs from Berlin though.
