And now things get interesting! With the Carlton win behind us, the fixture ahead is starting to look a lot like an early dose of finals footy. The coming weeks hold matches against teams currently sitting in 9th, 5th, 1st, 10th, 8th, and 6th, with not one easy win among them.

It’s rare to be in mid-July with the prospect of the minor premiership and the possibility of missing finals altogether both remarkably still on the table. It’s going to be a sprint to the finish line this year, and it all begins with a Friday night blockbuster against a Dogs side who suddenly find themselves outside the top 8 and desperate for a win.

This week on the Roar Deal, we’ll be talking through the first Gabba prime time, premiership-shaping blockbuster since all the way back on Easter Thursday.

Also this week:

-Could a Suns home final be played at the Gabba?

-Mike Drop returns with Essendon’s fixturing firmly in Mike’s sights

-Dom's becoming self-conscious about his saying

And much more!