Review Port Adelaide vs Crows - Trial Match 1 @ Alberton

[PJ Power]

I said it through the game, but until we fix our ability to defend transition from HB and be better at defending isolated contests in our backline, we will be vulnerable to conceding high scores.

The other priority is to clean up our forward play. We need more space in our forward line, more leading and better kicks into 50.

These things must improve. There was nothing in the first three quarters yesterday to suggest they will.

 

[Peninsula Boy]

My basic thoughts and recap.
I'm not going to go super deep.

The Hornet is very good.
Zerk is looking really good as the 3rd tall down back.
Soldo keeping up around his form. We might get an extra couple of goals from him putting it on a plate to our mids.

Visentini impressive. He looks better than Sweet already. Love his moxie.
Jed was OK. Did his bit.
Boak on the wing is looking really good this year. That is a big tick.
Just about every Mead disposal did something positive for the team. Quietly impressive game.
It continually looks like Bergman has tidied up his kicking. He's in for a big year.
Powell-Pepper is in for a big season but will probably get 2 to 4 games for that.

We are going to have to give time to Burgoyne on the wing. He is a good kick of the ball.
We are going to have to give some time to Esava.
We are going to have to give time for the entire backline to gel together.

Dixon off the pace.
Finlayson looking a bit off the pace.
I didn't stick around fully but Sinn needs to be more active.
The potential of Scully is just too irresistible, isn't it? He could start kicking bags in the SANFL.
Georgy still looking good coming back from injury.
I'm still looking to buy more stock of Anastasopoulos. A very good kick especially to leading forwards.

The tall forwards didn't look great.
The medium defenders weren't great one on one and with space.

Much happier with these guys commentating the game.
Jonas was good enough.

 

[AdamMarrett]

Trial game or not that was just more of the same old, same old ie get 3 or 4 goals in front, go to sleep, let the oppo catch up or regain the lead, and then start the whole process all over again, it's extremely frustrating.

There is absolutely ZERO killer instinct with this team and there hasn't been for years, it's no wonder oppo teams know if they can hang in there for long enough they will always be a chance to get the chocolates.

The defence was beyond ordinary and still gives up at least one goal per qtr from D grade stuff ups that a primary school team would be ashamed of, and that has been a problem regardless of personnel changes for decades now.

Re the players we traded for, early days obviously but a few observations based on today's efforts

1. Soldo - will be effective, he does lack a bit of finesse but he makes up for that with his endeavour

2. Sweet - looked a downgrade on Sam Hayes and it won't surprise me if he plays more games for the Maggies than he does for the Power

3. Ratugolea - unfortunately Esava gave me the impression that the reality may not measure up to the fantasy, he didn't look anywhere near as physically imposing as he appeared to be at geebung, we need him to be much better than what he showed today

4. BZT - is definitely an upgrade on the corpse of Tom Jonas, but if the aforementioned isn't as good as hoped for that is unlikely to be enough

Ratugolea was never physically imposing at Geelong. He's not that type of player, never has been.

From what I saw of him at Geelong he's a role player not a star or an elite key defender. He could do a role for us but he's probably a level or two behind what Allir is and likely always will be.

I'm not expecting a lot from him other than doing a job for us. I didn't think he was that impressive at Geelong in his time there and I hope he becomes a better player for us then he was there. See how it goes but of the players we brought in I have higher hopes for Soldo and Zerk-Thatcher but that's just my opinion.

 

[1954]

I said it through the game, but until we fix our ability to defend transition from HB and be better at defending isolated contests in our backline, we will be vulnerable to conceding high scores.

The other priority is to clean up our forward play. We need more space in our forward line, more leading and better kicks into 50.

These things must improve. There was nothing in the first three quarters yesterday to suggest they will.

Agreed, there were way too many goals conceded from nothing fwd 50 entries that should have been comfortably repelled, or in transition from our forward line when Power players were seemingly in total control of the situation at the time.

Re the transition bit, regardless of whether it's a trial match or an actual Showdown the tingles have been scoring multiple goals that way against Port throughout Hinkley's tenure, and I saw nothing yesterday to suggest that is going to change in 2024.

 

[RossFC]

Found the part where McKenzie almost broke his neck. Very lucky he avoided disaster there.
View attachment 2024-02-24 08-34-58.mp4

 

[TeeKray]

Have you watched any of the other games? They’ve all been s**t.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

I literally haven't watched a second of any other game because I have much better things to do with my life.

I can only comment on what we're doing and it looks about the same as last year. About the same as last year isn't bad but it won't get it done when it needs to get done. We still look disorganised up forward, brittle down back, strong in the middle. Maybe that will change but until it does we will call it as we see it.

 

[TeeKray]

Ratugolea was never physically imposing at Geelong. He's not that type of player, never has been.

From what I saw of him at Geelong he's a role player not a star or an elite key defender. He could do a role for us but he's probably a level or two behind what Allir is and likely always will be.

I'm not expecting a lot from him other than doing a job for us. I didn't think he was that impressive at Geelong in his time there and I hope he becomes a better player for us then he was there. See how it goes but of the players we brought in I have higher hopes for Soldo and Zerk-Thatcher but that's just my opinion.

The lack of intensity is a worry for me. You can teach a lot of things but you can't teach competitiveness, fight, the eye of the tiger. Generally you've got it or you don't.

I think he can be handy as an interceptor but if we're thinking we're going to stand him at full back on Tom Hawkins and that it'll be an upgrade on McKenzie playing that role then I think we're very sadly mistaken.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

Geez there isn't much in that Pep hit... hard to even tell if he is turning his body to bump or tackle and just gets there too slow. I'm fine with any head contact being rubbed out, but you can guarantee if he was called Maynard they'd be making excuses for him.

 

[Scodges]

Trial game or not that was just more of the same old, same old ie get 3 or 4 goals in front, go to sleep, let the oppo catch up or regain the lead, and then start the whole process all over again, it's extremely frustrating.

There is absolutely ZERO killer instinct with this team and there hasn't been for years, it's no wonder oppo teams know if they can hang in there for long enough they will always be a chance to get the chocolates.

The defence was beyond ordinary and still gives up at least one goal per qtr from D grade stuff ups that a primary school team would be ashamed of, and that has been a problem regardless of personnel changes for decades now.

Re the players we traded for, early days obviously but a few observations based on today's efforts

1. Soldo - will be effective, he does lack a bit of finesse but he makes up for that with his endeavour

2. Sweet - looked a downgrade on Sam Hayes and it won't surprise me if he plays more games for the Maggies than he does for the Power

3. Ratugolea - unfortunately Esava gave me the impression that the reality may not measure up to the fantasy, he didn't look anywhere near as physically imposing as he appeared to be at geebung, we need him to be much better than what he showed today

4. BZT - is definitely an upgrade on the corpse of Tom Jonas, but if the aforementioned isn't as good as hoped for that is unlikely to be enough

Rat probs still carrying, or nursing his knee. Would have held back & just going the the motions.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Macca19]

The SPP bump looks better in slow mo, but he still plants his feet and drops the shoulder a bit.

If that happened to one of ours we’d be calling for two weeks.

Stupid thing to do in a meaningless trial game

 

[Macca19]

Thought some of Soldo and Sweets ruckwork was really good after a poor first quarter. Scully looks really good. Bergman was great, as was Burton. Jed looked busy. Georgie looked really good.

Was better than i was expecting. Thought our ball movement was pretty neat

 

[PJ Power]

Just repeating what others have said, but JHF and Butters were sublime. JHF had a superb patch midway through the game where he just accelerated from stoppage after stoppage. Mind you, their mids were impressive too especially considering Dawson played forward.

Liked Mead a lot too.

 

[Abraham Nuscrack]

Question & before i get smashed by crows fans, SPP deserves his weeks for his action. However this was a match sim game & not an official AFL organised game.... Does that mean MRO doesn't have authority on this game?? What would happen if a non-AFL listed player did the hit?

 

[240volt]

Have you watched any of the other games? They’ve all been s**t.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Yes norf beat Collingwood so there obviously going to be top 4 this year.

 

[JakeNeadeFan]

Question & before i get smashed by crows fans, SPP deserves his weeks for his action. However this was a match sim game & not an official AFL organised game.... Does that mean MRO doesn't have authority on this game?? What would happen if a non-AFL listed player did the hit?

I looked into this because I was wondering the same things. The rules state that match reports and suspensions can be given for both intra and inter club practice games. So I'm fairly sure that the MRO does have the ability to hand down penalties.

As to what would happen with a non AFL listed player, I guess they would get suspended in the SANFL?

 

[Chewy316]

The SPP bump looks better in slow mo, but he still plants his feet and drops the shoulder a bit.

If that happened to one of ours we’d be calling for two weeks.

Stupid thing to do in a meaningless trial game

And two weeks is a fine punishment. But you know they will make an example of him like they did with Pickett in 2005 and give him 6 weeks. Then come mid August when a Victorian player does similar, they'll get off on a technicality because the player was slung into his shoulder.

 

[Abraham Nuscrack]

I looked into this because I was wondering the same things. The rules state that match reports and suspensions can be given for both intra and inter club practice games. So I'm fairly sure that the MRO does have the ability to hand down penalties.

As to what would happen with a non AFL listed player, I guess they would get suspended in the SANFL?

Cheers - i couldn't find the rules anywhere but does make sense

 

[Peninsula Boy]

Give all of the new stuff like Esava down back and Jase on the wing a bit more time to develop and see what we have.

 

[JakeNeadeFan]

Give all of the new stuff like Esava down back and Jase on the wing a bit more time to develop and see what we have.

Burgoyne can't reliably kick a drop punt. I'm not sure how much time you can give a player with that sort of problem.

 

[AdamMarrett]

And two weeks is a fine punishment. But you know they will make an example of him like they did with Pickett in 2005 and give him 6 weeks. Then come mid August when a Victorian player does similar, they'll get off on a technicality because the player was slung into his shoulder.

I think that is gone after the Brayshaw/Maynard incident. The AFL will go after anything that causes concussion this year and unfortunately SPP will likely find that out this week.

While I don't think he did anything wrong yesterday given how that passage of play played out I think he's in a world of trouble and couldn't have timed it any worse given Brayshaw's retirement a couple of days beforehand.

The more I've watched the incident I've wondered was he concussed from the bump or hitting his head on the turf. It's hard to tell.

 

[Peninsula Boy]

Burgoyne can't reliably kick a drop punt. I'm not sure how much time you can give a player with that sort of problem.

I've seen him kick well many times before.

 

[Chewy316]

I think that is gone after the Brayshaw/Maynard incident. The AFL will go after anything that causes concussion this year and unfortunately SPP will likely find that out this week.

While I don't think he did anything wrong yesterday given how that passage of play played out I think he's in a world of trouble and couldn't have timed it any worse given Brayshaw's retirement a couple of days beforehand.

The more I've watched the incident I've wondered was he concussed from the bump or hitting his head on the turf. It's hard to tell.

Your last statement is exactly what I have thought as well. Typically if a player is knocked out from the initial hit they go limp. There's none of that there, and you can see a clear whiplash type effect when he hits the ground. Combine that with the fact that it has been shown through various research that every concussion has to have an element of whiplash involved, and one could suggest it was that and not the hit which caused the concussion.

 

[Lingsface]

Is that game ran by the afl or is it organised by the clubs? If so can he be suspended by the AFL?

 

[GremioPower]

* me are we going to do the s**t

Gameday thread automatically turns into review thread

Again this year?
Carn.

I concur it’s sh*t.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Geez there isn't much in that Pep hit... hard to even tell if he is turning his body to bump or tackle and just gets there too slow. I'm fine with any head contact being rubbed out, but you can guarantee if he was called Maynard they'd be making excuses for him.

I've watched it from a couple of different angles and it looked to me like he was running in to help Rioli with the tackle against a bigger opponent then suddenly has a player hurtling towards him like Halley's Comet as Willie swung him around, virtually stops then turns his body to avoid copping a head-to-head hit.

Yeah he's going to get games thanks to Maynard's forgiven actions but to see Port supporters hanging him out to dry is a bit rough. He never looks like he went in to bump, only to help a smaller team mate complete a fair tackle.