View Full Version : The "Positives from Today's Game" thread
Capital Power
14 May 2006, 18:02
Sorry to clutter up your inboxes, I just thought we needed one. I was getting bored sitting here waiting for Macca's review and the 3-2-1 thread.
Post all the positive things you can come up with from the performance this afternoon. I'll start...
* Pearce
* ummm......
Damon White was pretty sentastic I thought. Kept working and presenting all day. So that puts him in the top 1 percentile for the "kept working and presenting all day" category.
Ford Fairlane
14 May 2006, 18:06
White, Pearce, Lade, Surjan, Salopek, Shaun on ball.
eddie_vrv6
14 May 2006, 18:24
Western Bulldogs didn't get a record score against us :confused:
Bryce Gibbs is family is actually going to see him stay in SA :confused:
My mum was in the corporate box for West End so she would have had free booze all day, that's about all I could be positive about.
crazy_big_al
14 May 2006, 18:33
there was none
Macca19
14 May 2006, 18:37
Pearce continues to impress. White stood up for the first time with Tredders in the side. Shaun looks to ahve succesfully made the move from HBF to middle. C Cornes is probably the best tall utility going around at the moment. Lade will win the BnF by a mile.
Probably a positive start is the early start time, I've still got some time to head up to the gym and work on the guns.
Capital Power
14 May 2006, 19:02
work on the guns.
OMG - a mod with a deadly weapon :eek:
Tredders66
14 May 2006, 19:11
''positives'' lol.
Shaun Burgoyne....Thats about it really.
Sandola
14 May 2006, 19:39
The way Lade, Pearce and Shaun worked together, especially in a side with very little evidence of teamwork at the moment..
White has finally figured out how to take marks in the AFL.
The way Wilson keeps going for 110%, even when he's only got 60% to give -- why can't everyone play with his attitude.
1. The weather.
2. Choco can't hide behind any mickey mouse excuses this week. Whatever he's trying to do with the players either isn't working or isn't getting through. Phone 199 EVICT and enter "choco".
3. We're on track for a top 5 draft pick at the end of the year. :thumbsu:
Toots Hibbert
14 May 2006, 20:17
Increased probability of getting Bryce Gibbs. Would give Ross Gibbs and Crows fans the screaming heebiejeebies. :thumbsu: :thumbsu: :thumbsu:
I got McDonalds for lunch
PJ Power
14 May 2006, 21:10
Lade's leadership.
Pearce has become such a mature and reliable contributor.
Surjan's tenacity. Not all tackles held or were perfect, but he found an opponent and made sure they didn't have it all their own way.
Salopek getting the ball - disposal lets him down.
Shaun Burgoyne's second half clearance work. We need 6 of him , 6 Lades and 6 Chads at the moment.
White's workrate and ability to fight back into the game despite a nervous first 20 minutes. Nice to see him get some ball inside 50 and score goals.
Capital Power
14 May 2006, 21:13
Agree 100% PJ, especially the top one. If we hadn't lost by a zillion he'd have been BOG for sure..... Again.....
1. Catching up with friends.
2. Surj back in the team for 1 week
3. Pearce getting in practice for the annual race during the grandfinal
4. Catching up with friends. Sorry, that is a double positive but that is about all today was good for
Alaistair Clarkson is out of contract at season's end.
Ray Nolan
15 May 2006, 00:17
Hmm let's see - White, Pearce, S. Burgoyne & Lade. Oh and the ample seat & leg room due to the low crowd.
Total Power
15 May 2006, 00:37
Increased probability of getting Bryce Gibbs. Would give Ross Gibbs and Crows fans the screaming heebiejeebies. :thumbsu: :thumbsu: :thumbsu:
Wont happen, we will win atleast 2 out of the next 3 games. We will finish 9-12th this year :(
PJ Power
15 May 2006, 00:49
Wont happen, we will win atleast 2 out of the next 3 games. We will finish 9-12th this year :(
Don't overestimate us.
Brisbane, Essendon and Carlton would all be justified for fancying their chances to belt us by 10 goals each.
Total Power
15 May 2006, 00:53
Don't overestimate us.
Brisbane, Essendon and Carlton would all be justified for fancying their chances to belt us by 10 goals each.
We'll beat Essendon, they are a rabble, with Hird out, they are totally clueless now. Carlton is a 50/50 game... and i reckon Lions will start favourites cause its at the Gabba. We will just just do enough to finish 9-12 th, bookmark this :(
9th-12= going nowhere :(
Ford Fairlane
15 May 2006, 00:55
We'll beat Essendon, they are a rabble, with Hird out, they are totally clueless now. Carlton is a 50/50 game... and i reckon Lions will start favourites cause its at the Gabba. We will just just do enough to finish 9-12 th, bookmark this :(
9th-12= going nowhere :(
If the Lions try to play us at the gabba we'll start favourites because they'll be playing at the wrong ground.
Ford Fairlane
15 May 2006, 01:01
I got McDonalds for lunch
What was Dewy getting? ;)
Toots Hibbert
15 May 2006, 01:09
When teams get into the mindset that is afflicting Port it takes multiple weeks of being seriously, savagely lambasted in the media before the players as a group get sick of the abuse and put in a good performance. This coming week will be the first week of heavy duty criticism of our players.
Last week was countered by a good news push from the club about our players being ultra competitive at training. This week noone is going to buy that nonsense. The possibility of an honest effort next weekend is there but my prediction is that it will take a few more weeks of heavy duty criticism before we get a good performance. When it comes that will likely be followed by a return to the bad ways once more. :(
PJ Power
15 May 2006, 01:20
When teams get into the mindset that is afflicting Port it takes multiple weeks of being seriously, savagely lambasted in the media before the players as a group get sick of the abuse and put in a good performance. This coming week will be the first week of heavy duty criticism of our players.
Last week was countered by a good news push from the club about our players being ultra competitive at training. This week noone is going to buy that nonsense. The possibility of an honest effort next weekend is there but my prediction is that it will take a few more weeks of heavy duty criticism before we get a good performance. When it comes that will likely be followed by a return to the bad ways once more. :(
I agree that we will not see any solid improvement until we hit the lowest possible depth.
A 10 goal loss to Carlton might be the sort of trigger needed to actually pull our coaches' and players' heads out of the sand.
RussellEbertHandball
15 May 2006, 02:04
Pearce continues to impress. White stood up for the first time with Tredders in the side. Shaun looks to ahve succesfully made the move from HBF to middle. C Cornes is probably the best tall utility going around at the moment. Lade will win the BnF by a mile.
Pretty much agree with you Macca as the only positives I saw today. Add Surjan to that list. At least he had a go and showed some desperation unlike some of the older blokes. If he get's dropped before some of the senior players I wont be impressed. Shaun won plenty of centre clearances. Problem with both Chad and Shaun playing on the ball is the backline run dries up.
Whilst Tredrea is playing lame and Brogan out, so Lade can't play full forward, I'd like to see Chad given a longer go at FF and every other foward play outside the arc. I figured if you get the ball down there quickly enough he'd outmark any opponent and he would be to quick for the majority of FBs. Also by everyone playing outside the arc it would mean Mahoney and Motlop wouldn't be trying to take hangers over our bigmen or spoiling their marks(Ditto Ebert when he plays FP).
Also having 5 forwards starting around the square might mean we are able to clog up the middle field and slow down the oppositions run through the middle. We gotta try something a bit different as our forward line has struggled to function properly this year. There wouldn't be a huge difference in the Inside 50's stats this year when we have lost. So something has to change.
PJ Power
15 May 2006, 05:50
At least Williams singled out the right players for credit this week. Judging by the article on our website, he mentioned Surjan, White, Pearce and Shaun Burgoyne.
Whether it is the way it is written or the way Williams actually spoke, it comes across as being a little more sensible than some of his other efforts where he churns out the same excuses.
He is right about the reasons behind lack of passion.
We have not had players in recent times who are intrinsically desperate individuals. With such fragile temperaments and attitudes, our current playing group relies on alot of confidence within and alot going right for it, to ensure they click and play well. If some of those "nice" things aren't happening for our players (like the ball doesn't bounce their way, or they don't get some early touches) they pack it away for next week or the week after - that is why we are so susceptible to blow-outs and dishonour in defeat.
Mr Magoo
15 May 2006, 06:55
If the Lions try to play us at the gabba we'll start favourites because they'll be playing at the wrong ground.
No please by all means let the Lions play at the Gabba this week as god knows we need all the help we can get at the moment. :o
Pearce, Burgoyne, Lade, White all positives this week & that is where the problem lies we are currently relying on 4-6 players to carry the workload of a team. I'm not sure if they are playing like individuals or being coached like individuals at the moment but when we did play man on man for about 20+ minutes, we got right back into the game.
Interesting chocco said that their would be changes to personel this week which is about 4 weeks too late for my liking.
wharfie_1870
15 May 2006, 12:11
The crowd was so small that I didn't even have to queue when buying my lunch................oh, and Pearce continues to improve.
eddie_vrv6
21 May 2006, 18:45
Bump!
Crowd was larger than last week
Another debututon played an okay game
Looking forward to the large amount of posts from Crows supporters being all grumpy come draft time when we pick up Gibbs
Ebert was, finally, a stand-out
Porthos
21 May 2006, 18:48
Looking forward to the large amount of posts from Crows supporters being all grumpy come draft time when we pick up GibbsPremiership beats #1 draft pick.
Any good Port boys coming out of contract? If we're doing badly enough, planning some PSD trade shenanigans might become an option.
My positive from today's game was that I double booked myself, and planned a road trip to Costco in Tokyo with a bro. Come home, click on Bigfooty with baited breath...win or loss? The thought of a thrashing like this hadn't even entered my mind. We are damn near our lowest ebb. The thing I'm saddest about is Tredders.
Porthos
21 May 2006, 18:59
My footy pie was pretty good too. Hot dog disappointed though.
nivek48
21 May 2006, 19:06
Ezard debut well.
Brett & Sal were good.
and the chips were hot, too :thumbsu:
A big positive is that Choco has finally run put of youngsters to blame for Bishop's inadequacies.
(This very same post was deleted from a similar thread on TPFP :D )
JuddyisGod
21 May 2006, 20:17
How far off is Tredrea from good form?
birdmanptr
21 May 2006, 20:54
Premiership beats #1 draft pick.
Any good Port boys coming out of contract? If we're doing badly enough, planning some PSD trade shenanigans might become an option.
Are you saying we will go top if you are a betting person you can get set with me we would be about 8 to 10/1 to get the flag if i was framing a market.
Capital Power
21 May 2006, 20:55
Bump!
Eddie, get your own positives thread ;)
OK, positives from today
* The C-words got beaten by an also-ran as well. Reduces the stress of Monday morning
* I didn't waste three hours watching it (just thumping the steering wheel listening in the car)
* The younguns got a good mention in the "best players" and the "match" report
* We aren't playing at home next week. Should get some of the pressure off (imagine saying that two seasons ago or even last year)
Porthos
21 May 2006, 21:21
Are you saying we will go top if you are a betting person you can get set with me we would be about 8 to 10/1 to get the flag if i was framing a market.Hey, if Brisbane were at their peak, there'd be no show, but the competition as a whole has some very flawed sides in it at the moment.
PJ Power
21 May 2006, 22:37
1. Geelong supporters would be as depressed as we are atm.
2. As has been pointed out, there was no hiding anywhere for Bishop or Thurstans today. They stood out like the hacks they are today. I loved it that people called the radio and singled these two out.
3. Symes - hasn't completely caught the bug of hopelessness that has afflicted almost every one of his teammates.
4. Brett Ebert - for standing up like a man and actually playing to his potential. Now back it up Bretty boy.
Most depressing -
pretty much the rest of it, but I would have preferred with the benefit of hindsight for Warren to have taken a really good, long break. He is inviting all of his knockers to come out looking for him. Obviously not 100% fit and pretty much providing less than nothing. He deserves better as a captain, but most depressingly his leadership is nowhere to be seen.
Very depressing also, when you start to see Pearce and Michael Wilson jog when chasing opponents. Like I said, the disease is spreading through the team. Get Lonie and co. out of there.
1. The pie that I had before the game went a long way to ending my considerable hangover.
(I guess this is offset by the fact my hangover possible stemmed from waking up way to early to actually have to attend the game.)
Toots Hibbert
22 May 2006, 00:16
Ezard looks a pretty good prospect. Symes showed promise. Pearce continues to impress. Salopek was not bad. Ebert was excellent.
konstas_87
22 May 2006, 00:49
Sorry to clutter up your inboxes, I just thought we needed one. I was getting bored sitting here waiting for Macca's review and the 3-2-1 thread.
Post all the positive things you can come up with from the performance this afternoon. I'll start...
* Pearce
* ummm......
P. Burgoyne was gun before injury to his hammy.
Pearce, Surjan and Symes all seemed pretty good young players.
Ford Fairlane
24 May 2006, 09:13
I tortured myself by watching some of the game again and found some small comforts ...
Ezard was better than I thought. Tenacious, tackled hard, wasn't afraid to give out some aggro - thought there is a bit of Josh Carr about him. He also looks a reasonable size too (short but solid - someone left the weights room unlocked and he got in). Couple more years in the system and he'll be ok.
Symes is quality. Carries his SANFL composure to the big stage. Once he gets off the macrobiotic mung bean diet and eats some protein, and someone gives him the key to the weights room (or Ezard shows him the secret entrance) he'll be a very good AFL player.
Deluca showed some surprising aggression. Clearly coached by Matty Primus. He's also quite mobile and agile for a 203cm teenager.
Ebert - nuff said. Just about his best AFL game.
Salopek looks like quality. I query his pace but he finds time and space and is just about our most reliable disposer of the ball.
I'd like to include Surjan but he just doesn't convince me. Too small and his footy smarts are not always evident. Fell off a chase on Charman that cost us a goal was one instance that stood out.
So no matter how shyteful this year will be, it looks like we're turning up some quality players of the future. Let's hope Choco doesn't trade any to bring the next Cochrane or Lonie (*shudder*) here. And keep pushing them through this year, no matter what Tredders says about not picking them just becasue they're young. We're rewarding/punishing on performance Tredders and on that basis they deserve games.
Speaking of Tredders, somewhere late in the second quarter he seemed to have an epiphany and remembered he's very good at leading to the ball, collecting and turning an opponent inside out. Finally started to do it again, and that could be the turning point for his season. Up til then, he reminded me of Wayne Carey when he played on Jakovich and used to get caught up in useless tests of strength which Jako always won. When he used his superior mobility, Carey was unstoppable. Take note Warren.
On the flipside, some performances were more horrific than I remembered. Bishop say no more, like Sampson his powers are disappearing with his hair. Toby I think cost us 4 goals in 5 minutes in the third quarter by missing shots or clear set ups for us which were immediately transferred downfield for goals to Brisbane. Mahoney looked slow chasing his opponent downfield - at least he was actually trying, not jogging like others.
Toots Hibbert
24 May 2006, 10:54
On the Surg dropping off a chase:- I think I forgive him for that one. Surj was running fast and Charman who had just started moving made him overshoot the mark by heading at an angle to take him out of Jacobs reach. He maybe could have doubled back but even if he had, the ball would have been gone by the time he got to Charman.
On Ezard:- I like your comparison to Carr.
On Symes:- He does look like a class act doesn't he. I'm willing to concede Porthos may have got the better of the buddy draft. ( Carn Thommo, give me something to hang my hat on, and Choco:- Unleash him!)
On Salopek:- He's looking OK but regarding his disposal I'm not as rapt as you. He needs to improve a bit I reckon as he doesn't always kick the ball to advantage. He had the ball in space in the middle and kicked it over (?)Eberts head to a Brisbane player on the HFF (3rd quarter IIRC). He's well behind Junior and Lade at least.
On Tredders:- I remember thinking during the last quarter that he seemed to be showing some signs of getting back to form.
On DeLuca:- I reckon you can see the Primus influence as you said. I guess we wont really know for a couple of years about Fabian. I hope he came out of a different mould than Adrian. Is there anyone out there who knew them as kids and has an insight into their relative talent?
On Thurstans:- I nearly went troppo in the third quarter when he was given the ball thirty metres out from goal and took the easy option by trying to kick with his left rather than propping onto his right slotting the easy goal and maybe taking a bump straight after for his trouble. Soft Soft Soft.
Porthos
24 May 2006, 11:52
Got another.
Danyle Pearce is good enough that he's worth playing a Brownlow medallist on.
Powerstufff
24 May 2006, 13:49
I actually thought we had a lot of positives with our young guys. I was nowhere near as distressed as the week before.
Ford Fairlane: .....Ezard was better than I thought. Tenacious, tackled hard, wasn't afraid to give out some aggro .....
I enjoyed his effort all through. As I've said elsewhere he must have dropped off some set task for Chocco not be publicly patting his back.
Ford Fairlane: .....Symes is quality. .... he'll be a very good AFL player.
Yep
Ford Fairlane: .....Deluca showed some surprising aggression. Clearly coached by Matty Primus. He's also quite mobile and agile for a 203cm teenager.
Yeah he gave it a go but I was pretty unimpressed with his second shot on goal, I'd hoped for more composure. Still if he trots along with Symesy to the weight room/raw steak breakfasts we'll have something to work with.
Ford Fairlane: .....Ebert - nuff said. Just about his best AFL game.
Thank heavens. Loved that second quarter goal. Looked like he did in his inaugural year.
Ford Fairlane: .....Salopek looks like quality. I query his pace but he finds time and space and is just about our most reliable disposer of the ball.
Coming on nicely now. In a better team he could be spectacular.
Ford Fairlane: .....I'd like to include Surjan but he just doesn't convince me. Too small and his footy smarts are not always evident.....
I'm deliberately trying to stay neutral on 'the Doc' after being burnt last year. He was good last week and has been great with the Maggies.
Ford Fairlane: .....Speaking of Tredders, somewhere late in the second quarter he seemed to have an epiphany and remembered he's very good at leading to the ball, collecting and turning an opponent inside out. Finally started to do it again, and that could be the turning point for his season....
Absolutely. Though being there (and not having the benefit of TV closeups) it was when we were being filleted in the 3rd quarter that I remarked that he suddenly seemed to have switched on. I hope Chocco gaffer tapes the switch in that position.
Macca19
24 May 2006, 18:08
On the Surg dropping off a chase:- I think I forgive him for that one. Surj was running fast and Charman who had just started moving made him overshoot the mark by heading at an angle to take him out of Jacobs reach. He maybe could have doubled back but even if he had, the ball would have been gone by the time he got to Charman.
Cant agree with that. On the video you can see him visibly back off the chase because he assumed Wilson was going to chase him from in front...Wilson did it and you can see Surj go 'oh crap' and start properly chasing again after he baulked him. Was a poor effort.
Yup, the Ezard/Carr comparison is pretty apt. Lets hope he can become as good and as influential as Josh was. His tenacity was excellent.
Symes does look all class. He has some pretty creative handball and doesnt mind going in and getting it. Hes not just a recieving player. I think we have found a real gun in Symes.
Salopeks disposal can be a mixed bag at times. He does look slow.
Deluca definately did some Primus-esque things. Roved his own tap and charged through the middle I think twice. Still about 10kg too light.
I watched the third quarter with interest and really did notice Tobys stuffups that quarter. You dont wanna screw a guy over, but he made 4 costly turnovers in about 6 minutes. Three of them looked like over exuberance to make amends. You just shouldnt miss that sorta shot on goal that he missed. He then completely stuffed up a 20m pass to I think Ezard on his own which ended in a turnover and goal. Then he handballed to the opposition twice - once in our forward 50 and that other one directly in front of their goals. It was probably his worst ever match at AFL level. Dissapointing for him.
Hopefully for the rest of the year we can see some other kids play alright. Chaplin and Pettigrew are the main ones im interested in.
Mr Magoo
25 May 2006, 03:50
I really hope that they persist with Deluca for a few more weeks as this is valuable game time he's getting at the moment. He is one of the many youngsters that we have on our list that need to bulk up .... 10-15kgs would be about where his ideal playing weight & then i get the feeling that he might start enjoying playing in the ruck a bit more.