It’s grand final week - at least for Hamish and Amos. The boys preview their head-to-head fantasy showdown (with Hamish at a distinct advantage as Amos spends the weekend on the beers, tip the weekend’s AFL action and assess Hawthorn’s top-four chances. Plus: Essendon’s coaching search, Scotty Boland’s Test snub, trade-period rumours, and Amos unveils a plan to use AI to find out which AFL journalists actually know what they’re talking about.

Hamish and Amos agree that Geelong gets away with too much. Hamish makes the case for the young guys being future premiership players under James Hird, and Amos says that everything's okay after they limp across the line against North.

Amos and Hamish debate Kako v Watson. Hamish wonders whether Tsatas will be at Essendon next year.

Hamish still thinks Hird should be coach.

Essendon snapped a 12-game losing streak with a nervy 3-point win over GWS — and now, less than a week later, they're walking straight into the MCG to face a Hawthorn side sitting third and in career-best form. Hamish and Amos catch up on three rounds they missed, argue about what "back" actually means when you're 17th, and preview the direct clash live before it happens. Plus: Spain are world champions, Argentina somehow found a way to implode in the final, England win a bronze medal nobody asked for, and the Commonwealth Games lawn bowls gets its moment in the sun.

because sometimes you need to look elsewhere for good news

We're back after a week off — blame a power outage — and we've got plenty to catch up on. Two rounds of football, two losses for very different reasons, a legend in the Hall of Fame, and a farewell to one of the greatest figures the game has ever produced. Hamish breaks down the Carlton heartbreak — a 23-point lead somehow not enough — and Amos has some explaining to do about 17 behinds. Plus, we take a moment to honour Neale Daniher and celebrate Dustin Fletcher's long-overdue induction into the AFL Hall of Fame.

Farewell Neale - a legend taken by a beast of a disease.

Brad's gone. Is Hirdy the saviour? Hamish things so.

Big turnaround after a loss to Melbourne as Hardwick kicks 4 up forward.

Hamish tips the Bombers against Richmond but not with any confidence.

Hamish finds "some" positives out of last weekend.

Hamish and Amos debate whether or not Pendelbury's pending games record is the greatest achievement of VFL/AFL football

Hamish reflects on how bad things are at Essendon. Amos thinks there's still plenty of upside.