View Full Version : From an outsider's point of view...
highflying
9 Sep 2002, 23:58
Even though I don't support Port and live in Victoria, I can still feel the huge pressure on your team in the lead up to the game against Essendon.
This match is spelling out nothing but danger. Like Collingwood, Essendon is also a team with nothing to lose, especially this week with distractions of Lloyd, Fletcher, they'd be excused if they lost. But the difference is, it is no more the game with a double chance, instead, losers go out.
It must be a terrible feeling, not having won a finals match. The two most recent ones are ones you never should have lost. Being labeled as chockers by everyone, the pressure to win a final is enormous. I guess it is even worse for you being Minor Premiers, it would be utter embarrassment if you went out in straight sets.
This would be a perfect time for Mark Williams to do some motivation for his players. Sheedy, Malthouse and Matthews all do it, and it works for them. What you need is the confidence and belief that you can win a finals - not have a voice at the back of the head thinking something else. When complacency goes away, its immediate replacement - lack of self-belief - can be worse.
As a team, I regard Port Adelaide very highly, much higher than some of my Victorian counterparts. I really do hope that you beat Essendon on Friday night.
Mudholian
10 Sep 2002, 00:13
Thank you for the post.
While our history is not acknowledged by "outsiders", we have had disappointments and overcome them. Six years is a fraction of what we call our tradition and we will just go forward, and strive to do better next time, either this week or beyond, whatever happens.
I think the players need little motivation. There is no lack of heart, hell, I think some are trying too hard and carrying a burden. If anything, Williams might ease up on the "motivation".
Thanks all the same.
Cheers for your comments. Reasoned comment is even more welcomed. Don't seem to get much of it round here. I honestly think on Friday Night it will be a different Port team and that it will carry through the rest of the club. I have a feeling we were too dismissive of the defeat against Hawthorn and were just paying lip service to the whole in the gut everyone that was there felt.
However not once did Mark Williams come out and say that the players were "bloody angry" like he did today. The pain associated with the defeat still lingers in all of us. But this isn't the end of the world. We have this week to prove ourselves and the depression of it having to take another week is just starting to subside.
I'm actually looking forward to getting out to the footy on Friday night because I'm confident that even if Essendon get over us it will be the fight to end all fights. Primus, Tredrea, Francou and Hardwick aren't gonna take the battering the club has been given. We have turned the corner now just like we did after St Kilda 2000. Keep the faith.
Originally posted by Mudholian
While our history is not acknowledged by "outsiders", we have had disappointments and overcome them. Six years is a fraction of what we call our tradition and we will just go forward, and strive to do better next time, either this week or beyond, whatever happens.
I think the players need little motivation. There is no lack of heart, hell, I think some are trying too hard and carrying a burden. If anything, Williams might ease up on the "motivation".
I think you may be right Mud.
There should be so much motivation inside the playing group that Choco could throw the names on the board and let em get to it. If it were I in the same situation I would be wishing the game was Wednesday Lunch Time.
Win this week and suddenly things aren't so bad, the monkey will be gone, we will live to fight another day. We'll go to Brisbane with nothing to lose, win and a premiership should be ours.
However a loss the week will be terrible but again the club will fight back just as we did after that St Kilda game in 2000.
Either way all is never lost. But hopefully all will go our way this week and we will head off to Brisbane with some confidence and nothing to lose.
Vindaloo Mat
10 Sep 2002, 15:05
yes....I agree that easing off the pressure is the way to go....Sheedy on the other hand will be milking it up.
I also think it is a myth that we cannot handle finals pressure. In our last two games we have been in winning positions with 5 minutes to go....now we should have won at least one of them....however, how did we get to a winning position if we cannot handle finals pressure ???? SUrely we would have been flogged by 100 points.
This will pass. North Melbourne lost on the weekend and they were beaten by a better side, they had a down day. No-one says they cannot handle finals football. When we win one all this will be forgotten.
In general sides who are regular finals players tend to average 50% winning ratio. Port will be no different. All that means is that we are in ofr some good times !!!
GO PORT !
0/4 always looks very bad. But can any team say that they have not gone through a period in their history when they have lost 4 finals games on the trot? And remember the first two of those 4 were against the eventual 1999 and 2001 premiers. There is a lot less mental pressure on us now; although Sheedy is well known for his mind games, with Collingwood there were also the mind games we played on ourselves. Win this one and we have made a start but the finals series could still be a waste; win this and the Brisbane game and we have achieved something this year, especially as we will very likely go on to the premiership then.
Have faith pap heads, i shall be investing some of my hard earned $ on the Port Power to win by 30 plus pts,
the bombers look likely to be understrengh & you guys have a very good record against the dons especially at footy park,
just keep all press reports away from the players untill after the game.
Originally posted by noddy
Have faith pap heads, i shall be investing some of my hard earned $ on the Port Power to win by 30 plus pts,
the bombers look likely to be understrengh & you guys have a very good record against the dons especially at footy park,
Change Bombers to pies and that would of been my call this time last week:(
Good luck hope you win some cash.