The minor premiership will go to the Central Coast and Queensland will win the grand final.
Of course that's only if Adelaide do a significant job on Queensland and Melbourne do the same to Sydney. Of course there's always the chance that Newcastle will finally smash Perth and with the above scenario, we could see the boys from the Hunter bring home the bacon. Round 21 may also cough up the Roar winning 1-0, but the incredible Sydney hammering Melbourne 3-0 at which point the goal difference between Queensland and Sydney would be the same. A count back of results between the two clubs will see Sydney finish top due to the 1-0 win they got at Suncorp Stadium back in September.
Confused? Me too!
So let's scrap the idea of me betting my $1 on any of the scenario's facing us this weekend.
Instead, why don't we enjoy the fact that the FFA have sat down and concocted one of the best finishes to a season in many years. They had to have; this could not have been the workings of anything else.
80 games of football and it may all come down to a solitary kick or head by Griffiths, Brosque, Smeltz or Harnwell.
1.1 million people attended those games at a healthy average of 14,500. The aggregate attendance for last week's round of matches was a record 80,685 which will surely be smashed again this weekend. The only point overlooked by the FFA in concocting this was that they didn't share the finals amongst the states. Three teams from New South Wales and one from Queensland have left the southern states hung out to dry in domestic competition anyway. As a bonus they have come up with the idea of having the final four play these also-rans.
What a way for Melbourne to go out, knowing that they could have stopped Sydney from a place in the Asian Champions league. Aurelio Vidmar will at least be back in favour with Adelaide fans and the board if they knock off the best team in the competition (Queensland).
It all adds up to a thrilling weekend which ever way you look at it.
Newcastle could be faced with an unbearable two-day wait while the last match between Adelaide and Queensland is played out at 6.30pm on Sunday. They'll have beaten an inform Perth and, although the game is at home, it's also where they were beaten by the same team on November 9 last year when the Glory boys smashed the Jets 4-1. It was Perth's first win in over 12 months. It was the first match "No nonsense" David Mitchell took over as coach. Stan Lazaridis is out with a hamstring injury for this one but hey, they didn't need him last time. The biggest danger Newcastle are facing is stopping the dynamic Nikita Rukavytsya.
The big Ukrainian may not have to face the save of the season that Ante Covic produced last week against John Aloisi, but while Newcastle face such a problem, their coach Gary Van Egmond may take a leaf out of the great Ferenc Puscas' book: "If they score 8 we'll score 9," With Joel Griffiths the best striker in the country in a rich vein of form it’s just possible.
Newcastle's near neighbours, the Central Coast, entertain Wellington. Tell me their fans aren't biting their nails. They continue to break record after record in the attendances but have lost their last three at home, conceding 12 goals in the process. Such is the mood in the camp that Lawrie McKinna has come out and said we don't deserve to win the league. He did however back that up with "we've got to be ruthless and not so naive in the Phoenix clash."
I hope Adam Kwasnik doesn't have to challenge for a ball in the air 'cos that broken nose could end up around the back of his head. John Aloisi and Tom Pondeljak will add to Wellington's 35 goals against; the worst defense in the league.
Sydney v Melbourne could be the biggest crowd of the season, surpassing the Roar's 31,933 last week. It's the two (former) champions coming up against each other. Sydney is the biggest 'rags to riches' story, if you've ever seen one, this season. From being in the relegation zone, as it were, to a possible minor premiership, hosting of the grand final and therefore the Asian Champions League next year. What a fairytale! Football's a funny game they say. They replace two coaches then they lose Mark Rudan to Japan, refuse to play a World Cup winner in their line up (Juninho has played only 20 minutes in the last seven games) and find themselves on the verge of greatness.
They'll need Brosque at his best because the Victory are; winning their last three in a row. Hernandez, Muscat, Archie Thompson, Caceres are all hungry Mexicans, willing and able to be fairytale characters.
If you want to put your house on the result between Adelaide and Queensland, then do so, but buy a tent before you do. Vidmar asked at a press conference earlier in the week "what, is this a firing squad?” after questions were put to him about his coaching future at the club.
He says he's going to buy fast, particularly strong defenders for next season, but he'll need them this weekend if they're to stop the likes of the youthful Zullo, Cruise and Minniecon. Frank Farina has them all in contention to start and add to that the return of Reinaldo and the future doesn't look good for Adelaide. It's Queensland's first appearance in the finals, so how will these young guns handle the pressure? Stay tuned!
Adelaide were terrific early in the game last week against Perth, but got run over after that. It's amazing to think that if they lose and Wellington and Perth win, then Adelaide finish bottom of the league. I will say, however, that Pantelis, Dodd amd Djite might not have read the script.
It's not all gloom and doom though. There'll be upsets, controversy, brilliance, misfortune, exhilaration, surprise. It's the reason we go to the football; we just don't know what's going to happen.
That, my friends, is why I've never put my money where my mouth is; even if it is only a dollar.