Review R3: Port v North Melbourne Review

[HombschyPAFCgun]

Loved pittard's game, his best is coming to the fore and he is making less mistakes! Just love that he takes the game on when we need it. HOMBSCH- good game, negated mega signing Waite again (like he did when he was at Carlton). Not as offensive, but kept him quiet.

 

[Hellgood]

Ok now I've got my moan and bitch about other people moaning and bitching out the way, time to rightfully focus on the positives:

1. Pittard. Just a very smart customer. Hard at the footy, wins contests and has that lovely raking left foot. Love him. His willingness to continually take risks combined with his improved ability to execute is an enormous factor in our successful transitioning from defence into attack in a blink of an eye.

2. I don't know about others, but in these reviews I often neglect to include Broadbent in my praise. He was superb last night and such an asset to have with the ball in hand. Has the body to not just compete in contested situations, but to dominate them whether it's in the air or on the ground. Like Pittard, he frequently turns defence into attack in one piece of play. After seeing us struggle so much at achieving this through the dark years, I should be a lot more appreciative of him than I usually am.

3. The hardness of the side in general. Round one over here in the West was an absolutely brutal game of footy, last week not so much but I think we can say it was an aberration because last night we were viciously one minded about going for the ball again. North are a very dangerous side (especially at Etihad) who are prone to some pretty atrocious lapses, but I think their level is clearly better than what they dished up in Adelaide in round one.

4. Ryder. What an asset to have.

5. 150 games for Brad Ebert. I can remember seeing him playing for Peel Thunder in the WAFL in his first year as an Eagle so it's hard for me to believe he's been around for so long. Always looked and behaved as a leader even as a young kid in a foreign team. He's got a lot more footy ahead of him and I am so glad that it will be in a PAFC guernsey.

6. Jay Schulz finished? GTFO.

 

[Concussion]

I would like to evoke the words of John McEnroe here. You cannot be serious.

Going to start off with the negatives:

1. Supposed supporters who can't handle Kane Mitchell. Some serious mouthbreathing particularly early on in this thread. What would you rather, him play poorly and we lose so you can justify your bitterness? I'll now quote Maradona: 'You can suck it and keep sucking it'.

It doesn't give him a free run in the side and I expect he'll continue to be in and out of the side and called upon when necessary. He damn well gives his all though and has made significant improvements to his game since coming to the club in 2013. If he's good enough for Hinkley and the leadership group to have his back, I'm pretty bloody sure he's good enough for you.

2. What is it about Angus Monfries that has made his presence at the club so hard for some to accept? See so much crap hung on him from some usually very thoughtful posters. Is it some kind of inbuilt defence mechanism that protected you from claiming him as a Port footballer because you had emotionally invested in seeing the Essendon players banned? That's what I suspect, because there is absolutely no reason not to love the guy for his efforts for this great club. He's stood up time and time again for us in his three years here and if we were to have a finals MVP since being relevant in that part of the year again, he'd be bloody close to it. But I keep hearing he's slow, lazy, plays for free kicks...

This is a footy forum where everyone can have an opinion, and just like an a-hole, everyone has one.
I see where the frustration with these players comes from and they shouldn't be free from criticism just like any other player at the club.

 

[Hellgood]

This is a footy forum where everyone can have an opinion, and just like an a-hole, everyone has one.
I see where the frustration with these players comes from and they shouldn't be free from criticism just like any other player at the club.

Well my opinion is that if your opinion is that you would rather see the side lose to prove your bitter point about Kane Mitchell, then yours isn't worth s**t.

I'm not saying he can't be criticised, I too question his frequent frenetic kicks forward without assessing the situation but a lot of what I see written about him has descended into the realms of mouthbreathing.

 

[Concussion]

Well my opinion is that if your opinion is that you would rather see the side lose to prove your bitter point about Kane Mitchell, then yours isn't worth s**t.

I'm not saying he can't be criticised, I too question his frequent frenetic kicks forward without assessing the situation but a lot of what I see written about him has descended into the realms of mouthbreathing.

Well that is your opinion, which is either right or wrong, depending on who is reading it.

 

[1954]

Well that was definately the win we needed to have, and the even better news is there is probably still a lot of improvement to come.
The Lobbe / Ryder combo is a mouthwatering prospect, the Krak looks like he is going to be a real asset to the team, and that left handed handball by Arch to set up Youngy for the goal that put us back in front was absolutely sublime.
Handball of that quality, ( particularly in clearance situations ) can cut the opposition to pieces.

 

[pastmyprimus]

A great win not only against our bogey side but also a side that plays Etihad stadium as good as any. I was sitting with the large majority of the Port fans behind one of the goals. North set up a lot of effective attacks from defense. Players ran hard, moved the ball quickly and the upfield players positioned themselves in space waiting for the ball to arrive. Scored a number of soft goals that way.

North also set-up well from kick-ins after Port scored a point. One variation was to line players up at short intervals along one boundary line. Was effective in getting the ball quickly out of defense.

But credit to the boys. After a disappointing loss last week, they looked more like the team of 2014.

Ryder and Pittard deserve special mention. Ryder was underdone the first couple of games. He looked match-fit yesterday, and put on a display. He's a gun player, no doubt. I'd say Pittard's the most improved player on our list since he joined the club. He's lifted it another notch this year.

Bring on Hawthorn.

 

[tangolikelama]

Robbie Gray brilliance followed by that infamous Ah Chee Handball

 

[PJ Power]

Any surprises that we won playing one ruckman and just Schulz and Westhoff (someone give him a rocket please) as our tall forwards?

Any surprise that Schulz played better with that particular set up?

I tell you, it worked for two years.
We may be worse off when Ryder is the resident third tall forward.

 

[Ian Jackson]

We won a game against our bogey team, who was up for the contest, away from home. Even though we're still off our best this is a win to celebrate. It gives us something to work off, it keeps us in touch until all the pieces do come together.

I agree, an important gritty win!

 

[tangolikelama]

Watching the Wines incident I reckon is a dislocated wrist

 

[PJ Power]

Watching the Wines incident I reckon is a dislocated wrist

Me too. Ouch.

 

[Shaxx Attaxx]

Watching the Wines incident I reckon is a dislocated wrist

Yeah seemed like next to no impact so dislocation seems right. Is that better or worse recovery wise?

 

[PJ Power]

No way, he's got the defensive side of his game down now, he stays exactly where he is.

His defence, and that of Broady has really improved these past 12 months.

Out of interest though, who was on Thomas last night? I would have picked Jonas for the job, but couldn't see from the TV. Whoever it was lost him around the drop of the ball far too easily.

 

[Jojay]

Yeah seemed like next to no impact so dislocation seems right. Is that better or worse recovery wise?

A dislocation is worse unfortunately... minimum 8 weeks. 'Hopefully' it's just a fracture... which could see Ollie back in 4 to 6.

 

[Ian Jackson]

After 3 games I don't think we are close to where we need to be defensively. From the first 3 rounds this year compared to the last 3 games last year we aren't running hard enough to defence. We seem to be hitting the forward 50 with 40 players clogging goal and getting caught out on the rebound with opposition marks 30-40m from a no angle goal. And I hate myself for being so negative after a win.

We also need to hold our tackles!

 

[SureBuddy]

Isn't it a better feeling waking up on Sunday after a win! Gonna enjoy today much more than the last 2 weeks that is for sure.

 

[Lighthouse End]

Nah...they can't afford tarps

Doesn't the AFL pick up the tab for their expenses?

 

[Dalphonso]

Any surprises that we won playing one ruckman and just Schulz and Westhoff (someone give him a rocket please) as our tall forwards?

Any surprise that Schulz played better with that particular set up?

I tell you, it worked for two years.
We may be worse off when Ryder is the resident third tall forward.

If Ryder is up forward it will release Westy to go on the ball where he can be more effective.

 

[Portmanteau]

Any surprises that we won playing one ruckman and just Schulz and Westhoff (someone give him a rocket please) as our tall forwards?

Any surprise that Schulz played better with that particular set up?

I tell you, it worked for two years.
We may be worse off when Ryder is the resident third tall forward.

Don't judge this until Lobbe is back in the team IMO. Ryder's ruckwork (and mark in the fourth quarter), showed everything we wanted out of him as a second ruck/third forward last night. When we have Lobbe feeding our midfield, Ryder (or Westhoff) will be getting quality ball against the third defender.

 

[Portmanteau]

There should be a subset of the clearance stats called 'decisive clearances'. Seems like the team who gets the most of these will win the game. Ryder's ruck and follow up work led to several of these last night. When Lobbe comes back we should be able to deliver these decisive clearances more consistently across four quarters.

 

[Only Forwards]

The second the incident happened I saw Wines grab his wrist...

All I could see from replays were both sets of arms locked together, then Ollies hand snapped back. It looked like his hand/wrist was in an accidental lock, not malicious at all.

I've seen broken wrists before and they swell up quickly. There was a shot of Wines before he left in the Ambulance and the wrist didn't look swollen, at best it's a sprain but I think, especially the way Ken spoke, it's a fracture which will sideline him for weeks.

Cheers.

If malicious then whoever the North player was deserves to be cited.

What's more is they should know better if it was a 'grappling move' considering Judd dislocated Adams' shoulder doing s**t like that.

 

[tim cotrill]

wal liked this message I sent to him.
that means wals using his right hand?
that means wals alright for next week?
illuminati confirmed

 

[Janus]

Any surprises that we won playing one ruckman and just Schulz and Westhoff (someone give him a rocket please) as our tall forwards?

Any surprise that Schulz played better with that particular set up?

I tell you, it worked for two years.
We may be worse off when Ryder is the resident third tall forward.

Nah, there's a difference between having a tall contested marking forward like a Ryder (notice where he was when he marked the ball for his shot on goal - right near the goalsquare) and playing another lead up forward like Butcher who relies on getting away from his opponent like Schulz to hit the scoreboard.

That's why I couldn't understand why people were calling for Butch to play this game. He's a tall, yes, but there are different types of tall. If he was a Petrie/Hale/Hawkins type I could see it...but he's more the replacement for Schulz than an extra string to the bow. He always plays as the number one key forward for the Magpies.

 

[PJ Power]

If Ryder is up forward it will release Westy to go on the ball where he can be more effective.

Westhoff just needs to show more intensity. His attempts at marking and all round lack of speed at the moment are a long way from his best form.