Review R9: Port v Melbourne Review

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Party time!!

Well it wasn't pretty early, but a great win in the end! Certainly didn't look like we'd have this sort of result halfway through the second quarter, but thank god we clicked!

That first 1 1/2 quarters is everything I hate about how we play at times. Disinterested, lacking confidence, no movement, no run, no toughness at the ball, no run on the outside and just stupid mistakes. Hoffs run too far was ridiculous. Schulz's free on the line was ridiculous. You just sensed 'here we go again' and for a long time it looked like we'd go through one of these disastrous results again.

Credit to the coaching staff, they changed things around a bit and it worked. Ebert moved into the middle, Pittard became the loose man in defence, Jonas & Impey switched players and it worked. Suddenly we were tighter down back. Boak and Ebert started to get into it in the middle, as did Gray and we were finding plenty of space up forward. Amon's goal was the firestarter and we didnt look back from there.

2nd half was party time. Dominant in the midfield winning the contested ball and finding fields of space on the outside. Our forward line clicked well and our backline was as thrifty as ever.

We needed this sort of result.

PLAYER REVIEWS
The Best
Ebert - Now thats the Brad Ebert we know and love! Back to his best this week after a couple of down weeks. Played more inside than we've seen from him in a couple of years and shone in that role with double figure clearances and fine disposal. Ran hard all day as we expect and was good defensively. Vandenberg couldn't go with him.

R Gray - A joy to watch. An absolute joy to watch. His numbers will say it wasn't his most dominant game but everything he did was gold today. Whether it was winning clearance after clearance when we were under the pump, or his clinical disposal in the second half which saw him snap a nice goal and dish off a handful of others, he was doing it all in style. Is the best player to watch in the league.

Hombsch - His move from Pedersen to Hogan helped change the game in our favour. Did the job on Hogan and was able to take a number of marks dropping back. Used the ball well (just not up forward) and provided great run coming out of the defensive 50. Another super solid game for Hombsch.

Schulz - I've been calling for him to kick the important goal for a long time now and he delivered today. That goal on the 1/4 tiem siren gave us some real confidence going into 1/4 time, even though we came out slow after the break. Not only that, but he really got us going in that 2nd quarter with some great running, hard leading and some crucial goals. Dunn has been a decent matchup for him in recent times but Schulz well won the contest today. One of our best!

Monfries - Stoked he played so well in his 200th match. Has been a great player all year, whether its playing deep forward or as more of a leadup player and today was no different. 3 great goals and dished off 3 assists as well. Led strongly all day across half forward and was able to find plenty of space on his opponent. One of the hardest workers in the team.

The Rest
Lobbe - A much much better performance in the ruck this week, although not against the best ruckman going around. Sluggish start but really started to find our players in the 2nd quarter and didnt look back. Even took 2 marks! Wonders never cease!

Clurey - Not a lot of the ball, but defensively he was fantastic. I'm not a fan of Howe at all but he can be very dangerous at his best and Tom just stopped him from getting anywhere near it. Had something like 1 handball at half time and zero influence on the result. Tom got a bit more of the ball in the second half and apart from one smothered kick, used it well. Good to see him take his chance!

Jonas - Quiet with the ball but defensively was much better than we've seen in recent weeks. Spent time on Bail and Pedersen but it was his job on Garlett after half time that was fantastic. Garlett was dangerous in the first half and he completely shut him out of the game. Then moved back to Pedersen and kept him out of it as well. Back to his best in that regard!

Pittard - Was given a forward tag in the first 1 1/2 quarters by Toumpas but was able to break free after half time and I thought really helped to set up our win. Decision making was as good as its ever been and was super calm with his disposal.

Stewart - Happy he kicked a goal but outside of that, didnt have too much to do today. Led strongly up the field but wasn't involved in much of the play.

Carlile - Smacked early by Hogan and was changed onto Pedersen with great success. Really shut him out of the game after he had a big start. Moved back onto Hogan and then Fitzpatrick in the second half with decent success as well. Good for him to turn it around after last week.

Krakouer - Came on partway through the last quarter and was stoked that he was able to run forward and kick a goal. Did a decent job as sub.

Amon - Really happy with how he went today. Not a lot of the ball but just kept popping up at important times and was able to impact with his skills. Kicked a ripper goal from the boundary to get us going in the 2nd quarter. Certainly something to work with. Put his body on the line a couple times and copped a hit, would like to see more of that from him.

S Gray - Mixed bag today. Loved his work in the first 2 1/2 quarters. Was as good as he's ever played at AFL level. Then struggled for the last 1/4 and a bit with some poor disposal and slow decision making. His best is good enough to perform a role at this level, but he's just got to use his instinct a bit more and learn to get rid of the ball a bit quicker. Seems to lack that extra yard and a bit of awareness

Boak - A game of two halves for the Captain. His first half was arguably the worst half of football i've seen him play, ever. Slow, turned it over consistently and was just nowhere near the leader we know he is. Not sure what happened at half time but he was the best player on the park in the second half and by some way. Overall he was a real key for that performance after half time. Just kept running and running.

Broadbent - Thats the cobra back to his best! Was great in the first half when we were struggling, was the only player standing up down back. Then grew on that as the team got better as well with a wonderful second half as well. His best game for the season by a mile. Didnt put a foot wrong.

Wines - Thought he was our star player in the first half, was winning a lot of hard ball and finding it on the outside as well. Was worked his arse off. Slowed down a bit after half time. Looked tired at times and his disposal was poor at times. Overall though it was another strong consistent performance.

Hartlett - His first half was more of the same from recent weeks - poor disposal, questionable effort, no impact at all. Credit to him, he turned it around in the second half with some better disposal and harder efforts. Topped it off nicely with a goal. Hopefully can grow on this performance next week.

White - That was the best game he's played all year. Noone could go with him on the wing and whilst his disposal was poor in the first half, he got it right after half time. Lots of run and a great goal as well. He's been nearly there for weeks. This week all the pieces came together.

Westhoff - Best game he's played all year. It finally clicked for him up forward and had the better of Mcdonald. Took a number of strong grabs and just looked dangerous whenever he was near it. Kicked a couple of goals which would do his confidence a lot of good.

Wingard - A bit down in terms of finding the ball but something good happened nearly every time he had it. Seemed to play full time forward which was different to his role of previous weeks. Kicked 2 nice goals.

Impey - Poor on Garlett in the first half. A much better second half performance playing a bit loose and spending time on Bail and Toumpas. Needs to be more switched on at times.


POTY Votes:
10 - Ebert
9 - Gray, Hombsch
8 - Broadbent, Schulz, Monfries, Clurey
7 - Boak, Wines, White, Westhoff, Wingard, Jonas
6 - Hartlett, Lobbe, Carlile, Pittard
5 - Amon
4 - S Gray
3 - Impey, Krakouer, P Stewart
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Once we got it going, Melbourne had to attack to have any chance. Once it was a shootout, it was always going to be a big margin.

Confidence building win. Boak, Gray and Ebert all brilliant
 

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That last 2 1/2 quarters was the most enjoyable football we've played in a long time.
Yep.

We kicked 105 to their 16 in that time, if I remember the scores correctly.
 
Still think we need more inside midfielders. We won pretty easily in the end because Boak and Gray were able to carry us but this is against Melbourne.

It's good to see that we were able to run out the game, I guess that's what happens when you bring in our fitter players in Clurey, Amon, Stewart. SGray could've had a fantastic game, just so so so fumbly and once again his skills fall apart at the top level.

Hopefully this is the start of something.
 
Won every stat except "frees for".

Dominated. Eventually.

That first quarter and a half though, and all those clangers, including the silly free kicks. Then started smashing them at getting really damaging centre clearances and broke even at other stoppages.

Used all our rotations yet looked absolutely spent at the end. To this untrained, unknowing supporter, there seems something different going on fitness wise and hopefully there will be a huge payback for all the work behind the scenes.

Well done lads!


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Squillion plaudits to the team (coach included) after copping deserved criticism in recent weeks.

To turn around an 'ordinary' first one and a half quarters like that is true Port Adelaide.

Still doesn't make the "commentary/barrackers":mad: any more..........sorry, polite words fail me.
 
To finally dominate a team after an awful display was great to see. Carry that confidence now to next week and the rest of the season.
 

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