View Full Version : Not highly fancied
Crows.ok
16 Feb 2001, 16:01
Having a quick look at some tipping on the Ansett Cup, and apparently almost no-one at Bigfooty thinks Crows can win on Saturday in NZ against the Bears.
I think we have a show. The Lions seem to have a lot of players unavailable, in particular Keating. We have just about a full squad, with only Burton, Eccles and Hewitt of note not available. Ayres has said the club intends to have a dig at it.
I guess we'll just have to hang out and see if the preseason has gone as well as it has been reported to have gone. Good luck to Richardson, Ladhams and Bode in their first games in Crows colours against AFL opposition.
Oh, and get on the main board and tip the Crows. Its the only way to secure bragging rights!
One thing against a Crows win on Saturday night in Wellington is the travel factor...Brisbane have a direct three hour flight, arriving on Friday afternoon, allowing them to have a light run. Our guys arrive in the early hours of Saturday, with a stopover in Melbourne, after leaving Adelaide at about 3.00 p.m. on Friday, giving them no time for a run, let alone a good night's sleep.
Before the Port Power supporters come back with the "excuses, excuses, excuses" line, I must say that this sort of preparation for a game can't be ideal, and if Port was going thru the same situation, I would not be surprised if they didn't win.
Tipping at this time of the year is a waste of time. No one can have any idea how their teams will go so I wouldn't be overly concerned.
I'm not going to waste my breath trying to convince the Vic's and others that the Crows are going to be ok this year. Hopefully the team will do that out on the ground.
Supporters from other teams wouldn't have the slightest idea about what goes on at the crows and the fact that a few people said that Brett Burton was overrated just confirms that. Like you Crows.ok (and all other supporters from all clubs) I think we'll do fairly well this year and am sure we'll be hovering around the 6 to 10 group at worst.
I know what you're talking about Spogs, no point trying to convince the Vics about the Crows chances this year, they won't hear of it. I read in the paper that the Lions have 6 of their regulars out, while we have five not playing. Bit of a surprise Stevens isn't in the team as well.
blackdiamond
17 Feb 2001, 14:44
Crow54!
No need for us Port supporters to say excuses, excuses, excuses!
The Crows have no hope anyway!
Its amazing how before us Port supporters even have a chance to reply to the post that you bring us up already, footy wouldn't be the same without us, would it! http://www.bigfooty.com/ubb/redface.gif)
P.S. Darren Jarman and a few others will be missing as well, but you shouldn't be using that as an excuse either!
------------------
Port Adelaide Forever
Scotty mate,
No excuses. The crows have told us they are serious so if we lose then we cop it. I won't lose all hope for the premiership series but we do want to put up a show.
BTW, you're always welcome here. Love the rivalry and look forward to a season of good old fashioned on the outer up yours sort of stoushes that only us South Aussies know how to produce.
Here's a quote from a Michelangelo Rucci report in today's 'Tiser:
"Williams, like Ayres, has to get his team to the finals to be sure of his contract being extended. He has more reason for optimism given PORT HAS A BETTER SQUAD" (my upper case).
I know we've had a bit of a discussion before about the merits of each team, but how on earth can Port have a better squad, considering we have so many more all-Australians, and a few double premiership players? They surely would have more experience than the Power boys, who for the most part are still a young, learning team? Perhaps I'm showing my ignorance here, thinking experience counts. Perhaps the Port team is more TALENTED, and experience counts for nothing.
Rucci is a biased wanker, it's as simple as that. The two teams are reasonably even, there's not much between them.
Crows.ok
18 Feb 2001, 08:58
Originally posted by ant:
Rucci is a biased wanker, it's as simple as that. The two teams are reasonably even, there's not much between them.
I'd contest that the teams are even, I don't think so. Adelaide has some all-australian players on its list, three currently. Adelaide has more trophies in the cabinet. Adelaide performed better than Port last season. Adelaide players have better statistics than Port players lats season. Adelaide scored about 50 more goals than Port last season (but we did let through about 50 more points to opposition sides than Port did). Adelaide players received more Brownlow votes.
On just about every measure that one can resonably think of, Adelaide has the better list. Its only in Ruccis imagination that Port have a better list.
He is just plain dead wrong about it, that is all.
Crows.ok
18 Feb 2001, 17:39
Originally posted by Crows.ok:
I'd contest that the teams are even, I don't think so. ...
On just about every measure that one can resonably think of, Adelaide has the better list. Its only in Ruccis imagination that Port have a better list.
He is just plain dead wrong about it, that is all.
Probably poor form to reply to my own post, but on todays form maybe Rucci has a point after all. Port were out of the blocks on a flier, and from what they showed Crows have quite a way to go to get competitive.
I know, I know, its only February, but Crows do need to improve in ruck, in the centre, in ball movement generally and in conversion of entries into the forward 50 into goals.
So, you guys who did not post any tips in the Ansett Cup, wise move fellas.
After a long hot boring summer I couldn't wait for last night's game...a leaner, fitter, more skilful and more scientifically trained team of Crows. What a farce! Back to 2000! A game in NZ probably isn't a good test, but I did expect a bit of an effort. How ironical that Gary Ayres said the Crows had concentrated on their skills training over summer, and were beaten by a better skilled team! In today's Sunday Mail he is quoted as saying there were two completely different skill levels displayed...what a waste of six months.
Unless this game was an aberration, it looks like we're in for a a long, cold, dismal winter ...
What planet are you Crows supporters from?. We all have to listen about how great you are and how your dud recruits are going to be superstars and then you lose one game and all of a sudden its all over for the season. Thats only until you finally get a win and then we have to listen how great you are, all over again.
Our midfield definitely needs to improve Crowsok, our stars there didn't fire. Their midfield players like Voss, Black and Lappin got too much of the ball and despite the best efforts of our defence, just couldn't stop them. A bit surprised about Crowell and McGregor being in the key defensive positions, even though they did alright.
From what I heard on the radio our movement into the forward lines was not great and didn't give our forwards much of a chance considering the calibre of their defence (Leppitsch, Akermanis, Michael and Pike).
I was pretty disappointed about it but I'm not losing hope after the first game in February. It may be a bit simplistic to say but if our better players can get more of the pill we should improve. It was only our first game against real opposition (Brisbane are a darn good side) so I'm hoping things will get better.
Carb70, you may be right about us but deep down we'll always stick with our side. Just letting off a bit of steam. Well done to your team anyway.
Crows.ok
19 Feb 2001, 15:01
Originally posted by ant:
Our midfield definitely needs to improve Crowsok, our stars there didn't fire. Their midfield players like Voss, Black and Lappin got too much of the ball and despite the best efforts of our defence, just couldn't stop them. A bit surprised about Crowell and McGregor being in the key defensive positions, even though they did alright.
From what I heard on the radio our movement into the forward lines was not great and didn't give our forwards much of a chance considering the calibre of their defence (Leppitsch, Akermanis, Michael and Pike).
I was pretty disappointed about it but I'm not losing hope after the first game in February. It may be a bit simplistic to say but if our better players can get more of the pill we should improve. It was only our first game against real opposition (Brisbane are a darn good side) so I'm hoping things will get better.
Carb70, you may be right about us but deep down we'll always stick with our side. Just letting off a bit of steam. Well done to your team anyway.
The midfield need to improve on quality of delivery into the forward lines. As far as quantity goes, Crows had almost as many entries into the 50 as Lions did. Its conversion once we get it into the forward line just at the moment that is a concern.
Also interesting, we gave away two goals through 50 meter penalties. And finally, there were in all only 2 ten minutes periods where Crows did not match it with Lions, at the start of the first and last quarters.
Sounds like parts of last year all over again, doesn't it? Short lapses, let the opposition get a few quick ones, and end up losing by just that margin.
We have got five to six weeks to fix this. All is not doom & gloom, I think even this poor result from Crows shows we do have the players, but our system is sometimes fragile. Crows did fix these lapses for a period mid-season last year. They need to fix it again, right now, and more permanently.
Macca19
19 Feb 2001, 20:08
Originally posted by Crow54:
I know we've had a bit of a discussion before about the merits of each team, but how on earth can Port have a better squad, considering we have so many more all-Australians, and a few double premiership players? They surely would have more experience than the Power boys, who for the most part are still a young, learning team? Perhaps I'm showing my ignorance here, thinking experience counts. Perhaps the Port team is more TALENTED, and experience counts for nothing.
I will use one example to this point Crow54...St Kilda....look at how much talent they had last year?? look at the all australians, finals experience, class players they had!! Where did they come?? last, by a LONG way!! Double brownlow medallist, one of the best ruckmen in the league, a class half forward, nathan burke, thompson...a lot of class experience and ALL AUSTRALIAN jumpers there...but what does that mean in the end??? nothing.