Some of the responses in the BPL Mid-Season Review were not too surprising - James Podsiadly, Mark Harvey and Jack Riewoldt feature prominently, for example - but other answers were right out of the box. One particular match featured as one pundits' best of the year - and another's worst. Then the Mick Malthouse-Stephen Milne spat was one expert's highlight and another's lowlight. Which goes to prove that beauty, and ugliness, on the footy field are all in the eye of the beanie-wearing fan. And that opinion and conjecture make this sporting world go around. About the only thing we could agree on was this: Geelong's not a bad side.

TIM LANE
3AW and Channel 10 commentator
BPL Columnist

01Highlight: Your most memorable moment?
A: Geelong carving up anyone.

02Lowlight: Your most forgettable?
A: The transplanting of rugby league tackling, and players, into the game.

03MVP: Your player of the season?
A: Brendon Goddard (St K)

04MVC: Your coach of the season?
A: Ross Lyon (St K)

05Surprise Packet: Your eyebrow-raiser (player)?
A: James Podsiadly (Geel)

06Benched: Your most disappointing player?
A: Mark Williams (Ess)

07Spinetingler: Your match of the season?
A: The Melbourne v Collingwood draw in Round 12

08Upside: Which team has the most potential, and will have the most success over the next five years: Richmond, Melbourne, West Coast or North Melbourne?
A: Melbourne

09Rising Star: Who's it been - Michael Barlow, Nic Naitanui, Dustin Martin, Tom Scully, Jack Trengove, James Podsiadly or someone else?
A: Podsiadly

10Final Saturday: Who'll play off in the Grand Final?
A: Geelong and St Kilda

11The Fevola Experiment: has it worked?
A: No

12The Ablett Question: is he definitely going?
A: He probably may go .... perhaps.

ASHLEY BROWNE
BPL Editor

01Highlight: Your most memorable moment?
A: Buddy's two goals against the other night. Considering the stage, the opponent, the state of the match and the sheer audaciity of it all, nothing could top it.

02Lowlight: Your most forgettable?
A: West Coast and Port Adelaide. No spark, no pizazz and two clubs who would appear to have the wrong people in charge.

03MVP: Your player of the season?
A: Luke Hodge (Haw)

04MVC: Your coach of the season?
A: Brad Scott (NM)

05Surprise Packet: Your eyebrow-raiser (player)?
A: James Podsiadly

06Benched: Your most disappointing player?
A: Chad Cornes. All bark and no bite, these days.

07Spinetingler: Your match of the season?
A: Hawthorn v Geelong in round two was played at a sustained, frantic level I haven't seen all season. The Hawks lost on the scoreboard and in the medical room and it took them six weeks to recover, effectively ending their season.

08Upside: Which team has the most potential, and will have the most success over the next five years: Richmond, Melbourne, West Coast or North Melbourne?
A: Melbourne. Tom Scully, Jack Trengove and Jordan Gysberts can play in my team anytime. Not so sure about Jack Watts just yet.

09Rising Star: Who's it been - Michael Barlow, Nic Naitanui, Dustin Martin, Tom Scully, Jack Trengove, Daniel Hanneberry, James Podsiadly or someone else?
A: Michael Barlow has slotted into Fremantle superbly and his success this year will fundamentally change the way clubs fill their lists. Because imitation is the greatest form of flattery, most clubs will mine the VFL, SANFL and SANFL for mature-aged players next season.

10Final Saturday: Who'll play off in the Grand Final?
A: Cats and Saints, with Dogs and Pies to bow out in the penultimate weekend. Same as last year.

11The Fevola Experiment: has it worked?
A: Given where the Lions are on the ladder, I would say not. Fev hasn't really changed - he can be mercurial and diabolical in nearly the same heartbeat.

12The Ablett Question: is he definitely going?
A: I reckon he signed with the Gold Coast during that 'window' late last year and now regrets it, particularly as his brother is struggling in the VFL and may not be on the new club's list next season. Given his druthers, he might be wishing he had not yet signed.

WAYNE CAREY
Dual premiership captain, BPL Podcaster

01Highlight: Your most memorable moment?
A: Jack Riewoldt's 10 goals in Round 12.

02Lowlight: Your most forgettable?
A: The injury to Nick Riewoldt early in the year.

03MVP: Your player of the season?
A: A toss-up: Luke Hodge, Brendon Goddard, Gary Ablett.

04MVC: Your coach of the season?
A: Mark Harvey (Frem).

05Surprise Packet: Your eyebrow-raiser (player)?
A: Michael Barlow, James Podsiadly (and Melbourne FC).

06Benched: Your most disappointing player?
A: Kurt Tippett (Adel).

07Spinetingler: Your match of the season?
A: The two Melbourne v Collingwood games.

08Upside: Which team has the most potential, and will have the most success over the next five years: Richmond, Melbourne, West Coast or North Melbourne?
A: Melbourne and North Melbourne.

09Rising Star: Who's it been - Michael Barlow, Nic Naitanui, Dustin Martin, Tom Scully, Jack Trengove, Daniel Hanneberry, James Podsiadly or someone else?
A: Martin and Barlow.

10Final Saturday: Who'll play off in the Grand Final?
A: Geelong and St Kilda.

11The Fevola Experiment: has it worked?
A: Yes, I think he's more than pulled his weight.

12The Ablett Question: is he definitely going?
A: Yep, my mail is he's heading north.

DWAYNE RUSSELL
3AW and FoxSports commentator

01Highlight: Your most memorable moment?
A: Jack Riewoldt's 10 goals

02Lowlight: Your most forgettable?
A: Mick Malthouse's abuse of Stephen Milne

03MVP: Your player of the season?
A: Luke Hodge, Shane Mumford

04MVC: Your coach of the season?
A: Mark Thompson

05Surprise Packet: Your eyebrow-raiser (player)?
A: Daniel Hanneberry

06Benched: Your most disappointing player?
A: Daniel Motlop (Pt Adel)

07Spinetingler: Your match of the season?
A: Sydney v Essendon, SCG, Round 11; Melbourne's one-point loss to Collingwood, Round 2 and North Melbourne's win with Levi Greenwood's goal vs Brisbane.

08Upside: Which team has the most potential, and will have the most success over the next five years: Richmond, Melbourne, West Coast or North Melbourne?
A: Richmond

09Rising Star: Who's it been - Michael Barlow, Nic Naitanui, Dustin Martin, Tom Scully, Jack Trengove, Daniel Hanneberry, James Podsiadly or someone else?
A: The two top picks for the Norwich Rising Star award are ineligible. Podsiadly is too old, and Martin has been suspended.

10Final Saturday: Who'll play off in the Grand Final?
A: I picked Geelong and Collingwood at start of the season, so I'll stick with them.

11The Fevola Experiment: has it worked?
A: Let me think now, he has lost his life savings through gambling, is not living with his wife and kids, Brisbane will miss the eight .......

12The Ablett Question: is he definitely going?
A: Gone.

JAMES DUNN
BPL Columnist

01Highlight: Your most memorable moment?
A: When Hawthorn's Jordan Lewis took off for the ball running with the flight and everyone at Etihad but Lewis could see Jarrod Harbrow coming full-tilt the other way - the audible intake of 40,000 breaths.

02Lowlight: Your most forgettable?
A: For mine, hard to go past Essendon's utterly non-competitive effort on Anzac Day. The occasion, the crowd, the tradition, the rivalry, all demanded a certain non-negotiable approach, but the Bombardiers laid a massive egg.

03MVP: Your player of the season?
A: Brendon Goddard

04MVC: Your coach of the season?
A: Mark Harvey

05Surprise Packet: Your eyebrow-raiser (player)?
A: James Podsiadly

06Benched: Your most disappointing player?
A: Jay Neagle (Ess). I had assumed that he would have been cherry-ripe for a make-or-break year. I was wrong.

07Spinetingler: Your match of the season?
A: Geelong v Hawthorn in Round 2, by a short half-head from the Saints and Bulldogs four weeks later.

08Upside: Which team has the most potential, and will have the most success over the next five years: Richmond, Melbourne, West Coast or North Melbourne?
A: Because it's not two weeks ago, I'll say North.

09Rising Star: Who's it been - Michael Barlow, Nic Naitanui, Dustin Martin, Tom Scully, Jack Trengove, Daniel Hanneberry, James Podsiadly or someone else?
A: They've all been good, but for mine, Daniel Hannebery has been the standout. I would also add Adelaide's Phil Davis, Fremantle's Anthony Morabito and Sydney's Lewis Jetta to that list.

10Final Saturday: Who'll play off in the Grand Final?
A: Geelong and Collingwood.

11The Fevola Experiment: has it worked?
A: Yes. For Carlton.

12The Ablett Question: is he definitely going?
A: No. A one-club player - if the third-parties can come to the party.

CHARLES HAPPELL
BPL Publisher

01Highlight: Your most memorable moment?
A: Lindsay Thomas' 7.5 against Carlton in Round 12. The perfect game from a small forward.

02Lowlight: Your most forgettable?
A: Western Bulldogs v St Kilda, Round 6. A contest that showcased the very worst of our game: no individual brilliance, next-to-no skills, almost zero goals, a virtue being made of scragging, harassing and kicking sideways and backwards. Only made bearable by St Kilda's late flurry.

03MVP: Your player of the season?
A: Gary Ablett (Gee)

04MVC: Your coach of the season?
A: Mark Harvey

05Surprise Packet: Your eyebrow-raiser (player)?
A: Jack Riewoldt (Rich)

06Benched: Your most disappointing player?
A: Bernie Vince (Adel)

07Spinetingler: Your match of the season?
A: Essendon v Sydney in Round 11. The scores were level five times and the lead changed 18 times - surely an AFL record - in a true clinker.

08Upside: Which team has the most potential, and will have the most success over the next five years: Richmond, Melbourne, West Coast or North Melbourne?
A: Melbourne and North Melbourne

09Rising Star: Who's it been - Michael Barlow, Nic Naitanui, Dustin Martin, Tom Scully, Jack Trengove, Daniel Hanneberry, James Podsiadly or someone else?
A: Dustin Martin

10Final Saturday: Who'll play off in the Grand Final?
A: Geelong and St Kilda

11The Fevola Experiment: has it worked?
A: No. He's kicked a few goals but not sure the team's functioned better as a whole with him around.

12The Ablett Question: is he definitely going?
A: Yes. How else to explain the prevarication?

JON PIERIK
BPL Columnist

01Highlight: Your most memorable moment?
It wasn't a high-flying mark or a booming goal. Instead, it was the ugly on-field spat at quarter-time between Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse and St Kilda's 'tip rat' Stephen Milne in round three. It's rare these days to see a coach get so involved with an opponent, even one as chirpy as Milne.

02Lowlight: Your most forgettable?
A: The now infamous column by Jason Akermanis on gay footballers. It polarised the sport and community. Aker would have better off concentrating on getting a kick, of which he hasn't had too many this year.

03MVP: Your player of the season?
A: Luke Hodge. Is there a tougher, make that better, general in the competition? Dermott Brereton was right - he should be the Hawks' skipper.

04MVC: Your coach of the season?
A: Mark Harvey, but that could change if the Dockers' slide continues. Many tipped over summer that Harvey would be sacked by now. That he has his team in the top four shows he just needed time to revitalise a stale and soft list.

05Surprise Packet: Your eyebrow-raiser (player)?
A: Has to be the J-Pod - James Podsiadly. Teammate Gary Ablett said he should have played in the AFL seven years ago - you can now see why.

06Benched: Your most disappointing player?
A: Robbie Warnock. The Blues vigorously pursued the former Dockers' ruckman in 2008 and got their man for a high price. Injuries haven't helped but insiders are concerned by his lack of menance and work rate.

07Spinetingler: Your match of the season?
A: Loved the rumble in the rain at the SCG between Essendon and Sydney in round 11. It was old-fashioned footy at its best - committed players who went in hard and kicked long.

08Upside: Which team has the most potential, and will have the most success over the next five years: Richmond, Melbourne, West Coast or North Melbourne?
A: A toss of the coin but have to go with the Demons. They may have come of age against Collingwood in the Queens' Birthday draw at the MCG. In the likes of Scully, Trengove, Grimes and Gysberts, the Demons, provided they can find a marking forward, could eventually enjoy a Geelong-esque dynasty.

09Rising Star: Who's it been - Michael Barlow, Nic Naitanui, Dustin Martin, Tom Scully, Jack Trengove, James Podsiadly or someone else?
A: It's Martin for me. Love his toughness and commitment to the contest. Naitanui is too spasmodic and still doesn't know where to run to find space and uncontested possessions.

10Final Saturday: Who'll play off in the Grand Final?
A: Geelong and St Kilda. The Cats are tracking just as well as last year, even though they have regularly missed a handful of their best players, while the Saints' lockdown style has ensured the wins have continued even without Nick Riewoldt. When the skipper returns, watch out.

11The Fevola Experiment: Has it worked?
A: No. Fev has enjoyed some good moments but he looks battle weary after a decade in the game. That the Lions are outside the eight means Michael Voss' bold recruiting splurge on seasoned players has also been a failure.

12The Ablett Question: Is he definitely going?
A: Probably. Otherwise why hasn't he already recommitted to the Cats? Their offer has been on the table for the past year. Nothing has changed there. It adds up to the champion midfielder at least verbally agreeing to join the Gold Coast when they met last year.