What if the final round kicked off at the same time – Timeline

There has been plenty of talk about playing the final round simultaneously, but what would’ve happened if this actually happened.  I thought I would attempt to recreate this and see if we missed any excitement.  For the purpose of the blog all games start at the traditional time of 3pm Sunday.

2:50pm Bozza and Slats are in the studio, attempting to cover five games at once.  This could be too much for the boys but luckily Adam Peacock has given up on watching his Newcastle United boys so his sleeping pattern is spot on for the final day of the league.

2:53pm Harry Kewell makes his final entrance onto a football field as a player, flanked by his four children.  A quick Fox Sports interview takes place before the Heart v Wanderers kickoff.

2:55pm We receive one final reminder of the current table, seven teams, six finals positions and the wooden spoon still up for grabs.  Just for you hiding under a rock this week here is the table before kickoff.

1. Brisbane
2. Western Sydney
3. Central Coast
4. Melbourne Victory
5. Adelaide
6. Sydney
7. Newcastle
8. Wellington
9. Perth
10. Melbourne Heart

2:58pm Fox Sports loses reception after the ‘B-League’ blow a power point whilst trying to create an Archie Thompson robot ‘The Thirteenanator’.

2:59pm Power is restored, but twitter is still in melt down.  A number of premature tweets of ‘early goals’ or ‘red cards’ appeared in timelines throughout the country.

3:00pm Kick off and all games start on time, even the Wellington game where it’s 5pm.

3:01pm GOAL Archie Thompson scores for Victory, first goal of the day, how many more to come?

3:21pm GOAL Joel Griffiths puts Newcastle 1-0 ahead of Gombau’s team

3:22pm GOAL The action is coming thick and fast now, Nick Fitzgerald puts the Mariners up 1-0.

3:28pm GOAL Caceras makes it CCM 2-0, can they steal 2^nd place? Is Brisbane beatable, only time will tell?

3:29pm GOAL Troisi sends Victory up 2-0 and a home final looks assured

3:27pm GOAL to the Wanderers, Topor-Stanley puts the Wanderers back into second spot

3:34pm GOAL What a strike from, who else but Orlando Engelaar, Heart 1-1 Get that man a pen to sign with any club next season; The man is a Jet (Maybe he should play for Newcastle).

3:37pm GOAL Terry Antonis puts Sydney in the box seat for sixth position, Newcastle fans slump in their chairs.  Suddenly their result doesn’t appear to matter.

3:45pm GOAL On the stroke of half time Gui Finkler puts Victory up 3-0, and the knife firmly into the Phoenix fans.

3:46pm GOAL Perth and Newcastle rejoice, Griffiths has now scored for both teams and ironically helped put both teams in a better position

Half Time Table

1. Brisbane 52
2. Central Coast 42
3. Melbourne Victory 41
4. Western Sydney 40
5. Adelaide 38
6. Sydney 37
7. Newcastle 36
8. Perth 29
9. Wellington 28
10. Melbourne Heart 27

Central Coast holds a 2-0 lead over Premiers Brisbane, and currently both teams receive the week off.  Newcastle fans are buoyed by the late goal to Perth, giving them hope to grab sixth position.  Perth needs to beat Sydney and Newcastle needs to find the back of the net a few more times, what will happen? We have no idea, that’s the drama of football.

4:05pm All games kick off simultaneously in the second half

4:17pm RED CARD Timmins is sent off for Wellington, surely now Heart has a chance of avoiding their first wooden spoon.

4:19pm GOAL Captain Mark Milligan makes it 4-0 and an emphatic win for the Melbourne team

4:22pm ONO he missed a penalty, after a dreadful challenge by Germano; Shinji Ono skims the crossbar with a penalty.  Maybe it’s not to be for the Wanderers.

4:32pm GOAL A great run from Hoffman (yes I know) and the shot takes a wicked deflection.  Heart lead 2-1.  Gosford (and the sauce bottles) could get the week off.  Ono must be feeling dreadful now.  A Sydney derby is a real possibility now.

4:41pm GOAL Santalab, after his successful FFA challenge finds an equaliser, will he ruin Harry’s party?  As results stand Wanderers need another goal to finish second.

4:46pm GOAL Hersi makes it 3-2, wow what a match! What a delicious treat from Hersi.  Can the Heart fight back for Harry, the Mariners need you now!

4:48pm Newcastle fans have started turning their focus to the Sydney match with the home team still holding the advantage of sixth position.

4:49pm Farina instructs his team to the corner flag (even though it’s 1-1) for the first time this season POSSESSION IS IMPORTANT.

4:50pm GOAL Adam Taggart puts the golden boot beyond doubt with what would be a consolation goal. Newcastle lead 2-0 but will finish 7^th.

4:51pm GOAL Jeremy Brockie (remember him) finds the net for Wellington, the game finishes 4-1

4:52pm GOOOOOAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL Sydney will finish sixth and travelling to Melbourne.  Garcia finds the back of the net, sending Newcastle crashing out of finals contention.

4:55pm FINAL WHISTLES SOUND ACROSS THE COUNTRY. Melbourne Heart win the spoon, Harry Kewell, Michael Bridges and Jacob Burns leave the pitch for the final time.

Wow what an afternoon, I need a lie down.  Thank goodness we don’t do this every weekend.  Sadly for Newcastle the team once again miss the finals and face an uncertain financial future.  The FFA will be happy with games in Melbourne and Central Coast next week and some great crowds at Brisbane and Western Sydney the weekend after.

FINAL TABLE

1. Brisbane 52
2. Western Sydney 42
3. Central Coast 42
4. Melbourne Victory 41
5. Sydney 39
6. Adelaide 38
7. Newcastle 36
8. Perth 28
9. Wellington 28
10. Melbourne Heart 26

Next Week

Friday Night (Good Friday)

Melbourne Victory vs. Sydney at Etihad Stadium

Saturday Night

Central Coast vs. Adelaide at Gosford

 

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