Prediction Blood Diamonds

[Janus]

"That's alright. I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be." - Blood Diamond

The chemical composition of coal and diamond is, scientifically speaking, exactly the same. The only difference? Diamonds are created in a high pressure, high temperature environment. That is how any champion team is formed - not when things are easy, but when they are hard. When things are at their toughest. The great Port Adelaide teams of the past knew this - that the greater the challenge, the sweeter the victory tasted.

The 2016 season hasn't even started, and already we've lost two best 22 players. Things have become more difficult, and only a fool would deny that we are now walking a tightrope for the entire season. But let's just consider what improvements we have made to the team over the off season:

• We've recruited a powerful key forward in Charlie Dixon, who despite a minor setback in the past week, has completed all the fitness side of the preseason. This will enable us to straighten up our play more.
• We are welcoming back guys like Ollie Wines and Jared Polec, vital cogs in the way we play our game. Alipate Carlile and Jackson Trengove are also joining our side pain free. In fact, aside from the loss of Ryder and Monfries, and the loss of Dixon for a few weeks, the entire squad is at 100% fitness (or close to it).
• We've also recruited a former top five draft pick in Dimitri Toumpas, who has earned high praise from the coaches and has put forth a great case to be considered for the R1 team.
  
• We've recruited a world class strength and conditioning coach in Mladen Jovanovic to complement the fitness work done by our world class head of high performance in Darren Burgess
• We've recruited Nathan Bassett, a highly defensive minded coach who, according to the players, has a very clear and concise way of getting them to know exactly what he wants
• For the first time in a long time, every single position on the park (apart from ruck for obvious reasons) has pressure on it. No one can coast, because there are players out of the team that deserve a spot just as much as the players in the side.
• The entire squad learned over the course of 2015 to take nothing for granted. Losing Ryder and Monfries will ensure that Port is switched on early and prepared to crush opposition because there is no guarantee that Lobbe will be available for every match, so we are going to have to bank as many wins and percentage as we can, when we can.
• Matthew Lobbe has previously shown that he thrives under the pressure of rucking the entire game because he feels like he is making a meaningful contribution to the side.
  
• Players like Jake Neade are beginning to mature and grow into a more robust body, which is going to enable them to stand up to the rigors of football.
• And lastly, we've strengthened our midfield coaching by bringing back Gary Hocking from the Magpies, leaving our reserves to a club legend in Chad Cornes.

There are many reasons to feel optimistic about the coming season. We will cross the back up ruck dilemma if and when it occurs. But don't for one second think we aren't still balls deep into a premiership assault this year. Pressure creates diamonds...but our diamonds will be created from the blood, sweat and tears of our players. 22 players, looking down the field, together. Focused on one goal. All these set backs have done has made them more resolute.

We're exactly where we are supposed to be. Now it's time to go to work.

 

[Boxx]

I sit in the red seats in the Black Diamond section... so I guess this makes me a Club 1870, Blood Diamond member!

 

[Changaneen]

Nice Janus............but can you please do this a week before nab challenge , ive still got bloody cricket and super bowl crap in my face. I want footy back !!!!

You pumped me, i cant wait. We won the 2004 flag without Primus and Francou. I have a good gut feel about the next three seasons.

First game for me is going to be the Friday night massacre against the Bombouts. Theres half a team i don't know who to boo, but i'm sure by quarter time, when we are 30 points up i'll quickly learn the campaigners names.

 

[Wind Power]

Nice Janus............but can you please do this a week before nab challenge , ive still got bloody cricket and super bowl crap in my face. I want footy back !!!!

You pumped me, i cant wait. We won the 2004 flag without Primus and Francou. I have a good gut feel about the next three seasons.

First game for me is going to be the Friday night massacre against the Bombouts. Theres half a team i don't know who to boo, but i'm sure by quarter time, when we are 30 points up i'll quickly learn the campaigners names.

I'm making a special effort to get to that game. I'm predicting that my voice will take an extra few days to recover from that game.
As far as booing goes just boo everyone in Bombers gear.

 

[Magus]

For me, I'd like to see mistakes from 2015 not happen again. Then I will know that we are actually identifying the ways we need to improve. This would include:

Dropping out of form players after a few weeks, not half the season. There's backing in your players, but then there's simply crossing your fingers and hoping for the best. Ken did too much of the latter.

Flying the flag for your teammates. Boak was bullied against Sydney. Robbie was knocked out against Carlton and we did nothing. Thankfully the agro was restored later in the year. Keep it going into 2016.

Midfield structure and team defence. Our two most glaring deficiencies in 2015. We were comprehensively beaten in the middle too many times and didn't seem to have any answers. This comes down to either work rate and the desire to defend when we don't have the ball, or coaching and structure. I'm hoping that the restructure of the coaching dept. is the right move.

 

[philreich]

I found it somewhat amusing that a GWS fan on the main board picked us to finish 12th. All going well, we'll finish a lot higher than that!

 

[Andre]

The main board sees Ryder and Monfries out and Dixon in and that's the extent of their knowledge for 90% of them. Getting into arguments there that the lessons of 2015 have been learnt and the coaching changes is an exercise in futility. Just wait for results to start doing the talking.

Can't wait for the real stuff. Doing the March, visiting GDV, hoping the stand in 60+ (age and pounds overweight) AAMI stadium stereotype official who doesn't have a clue stand in doesn't replace the usual person for any games, singing NTUA, cheering the boys with the eldest and hoping there's a game or two where an upcoming opposition coach is in the Corp box behind our seats, to rib that their team is next.

I want to see the opposition bleed (figuratively and literally). Bring it on.

 

[Byrons Firen]

I found it somewhat amusing that a GWS fan on the main board picked us to finish 12th.

Then he/she's either 12yrs old or an idiot. There's no 3rd option. Actually one team out of SA probably will finish 12th.

 

[philreich]

Bulldogs fans are cute. After making the finals for a record-equalling 1 year in a row in 2015 (yeah I know - slight exaggeration), their fans on the main board seem convinced that they'll dominate Port again in 2016. It'll be very sweet to give them a well deserved flogging in round 12.

 

[Andre]

Bulldogs fans are cute. After making the finals for a record-equalling 1 year in a row in 2015 (yeah I know - slight exaggeration), their fans on the main board seem convinced that they'll dominate Port again in 2016. It'll be very sweet to give them a well deserved flogging in round 12.

Come September Bulldogs fans will be all 'Why can't all our finals, including the GF if we make it, be at Etihad? It's unfair we have to play any games elsewhere where we're a 5 goal (at least) worse side' *stamps foot*

 

[philreich]

Come September Bulldogs fans will be all 'Why can't all our finals, including the GF if we make it, be at Etihad? It's unfair we have to play any games elsewhere where we're a 5 goal (at least) worse side' *stamps foot*

Little wonder that the Dogs and Saints are affectionately referred to by some as The Indoor Plants: as soon as they're forced to play outdoors, it's a whole new ball game.

 

[Andre]

Little wonder that the Dogs and Saints are affectionately referred to by some as The Indoor Plants: as soon as they're forced to play outdoors, it's a whole new ball game.

Reminds me to some degree of Port 2001-2003, a game plan that works during the year, but is unsuited to September. The Bulldogs couldn't beat an average Adelaide in Victoria, they don't impress me outside their bubble ground.

 

[SureBuddy]

Dogs are actually a great team. They have so much young talent coming through it's not funny. They are adding back Libba, who before last year was their best midfielder. Not sure why some on here are bad mouthing them? I expect them to continue on in the same vein as last year and finish top 6.

 

[TeeKray]

Random piece of trivia - Port and the Bulldogs haven't played in the same finals series since 1999. And only two of those years (2011 & 2012) have seen both teams miss. Might only be room for one of us in the finals this year.

 

[Macca19]

I cant wait for this season to begin

 

[Magus]

Dogs fans don't seem phased at all about losing Crameri for the year. Should be interesting to see how they cope.

 

[bacharach]

Bulldogs fans are cute. After making the finals for a record-equalling 1 year in a row in 2015 (yeah I know - slight exaggeration), their fans on the main board seem convinced that they'll dominate Port again in 2016. It'll be very sweet to give them a well deserved flogging in round 12.

Dogs fans have everything to be excited about given where they have come from. They are a young exciting group who properly smashed us last year and they finished higher than us. Don't be too quick to get all high and mighty.

 

[Janus]

Dogs are actually a great team. They have so much you're a girl with ung talent coming through it's not funny. They are adding back Libba, who before last year was their best midfielder. Not sure why some on here are bad mouthing them? I expect them to continue on in the same vein as last year and finish top 6.

No they're not. They're a mediocre team, based purely on offensive prowess and natural talent. Look at every other game in the finals series last year and you won't find one where the losing team scored over 100 points. That's because winning football is defensive football when it comes to finals.

They are going to struggle big time this year. They don't have the fitness base that we have, nor did they get the vital experience of actually winning a final and proving to themselves that they are good enough to match it with the best. All they saw was that if you ignore the defensive side of your game you can still possibly pinch a final (against a woeful Adelaide) and that gave them a false read as to what it takes to make an impact.

They'll be up there over the next few years - but no one should be worried about them this year. Attack is easy to master. Defence is the hard thing.

 

[SureBuddy]

No they're not. They're a mediocre team, based purely on offensive prowess and natural talent. Look at every other game in the finals series last year and you won't find one where the losing team scored over 100 points. That's because winning football is defensive football when it comes to finals.

They are going to struggle big time this year. They don't have the fitness base that we have, nor did they get the vital experience of actually winning a final and proving to themselves that they are good enough to match it with the best. All they saw was that if you ignore the defensive side of your game you can still possibly pinch a final (against a woeful Adelaide) and that gave them a false read as to what it takes to make an impact.

They'll be up there over the next few years - but no one should be worried about them this year. Attack is easy to master. Defence is the hard thing.

They are not a mediocre team at all. Their defensive side is not #1, but it is not anywhere near as s**t as you are saying. They were 6th overall for Points scored against, had a percentage of 115 and got 14 wins. Not a bad result at all for a team that was coming from no where the year before. Out of all teams right now, their young talent is arguably the best. Another year, another pre season, do not write them off at all.

One game in a finals series that was a blockbuster and high scoring, is not a reflection on them at all. If Stringer doesn't twinge his hammy in the first 10 minutes, they win that game.

The defensive aspect of their game will come, when it does, watch out everyone else. The best part about the Bulldogs last year was their sublime foot skills. I was so jealous every time I watched them pin point targets from everywhere, while our mob were atrocious.

They utterly destroyed us last year in round 19. A do or die game for us that killed off our season once and for all. Was rather embarrassing.

 

[philreich]

Dogs fans have everything to be excited about given where they have come from. They are a young exciting group who properly smashed us last year and they finished higher than us. Don't be too quick to get all high and mighty.

You may be right, but it's on our oval this time, so I reckon we have every right to feel confident of success. We need to win all our home games this year - teams like the Doggies must NOT be allowed to spoil that home record.

 

[Steve Dore]

Well at least we are not discussing the Crows


or craft beers.

 

[Valentino]

First game for me is going to be the Friday night massacre against the Bombouts. Theres half a team i don't know who to boo, but i'm sure by quarter time, when we are 30 points up i'll quickly learn the campaigners names.

I'm making a special effort to get to that game. I'm predicting that my voice will take an extra few days to recover from that game.
As far as booing goes just boo everyone in Bombers gear.

Understand your sentiments but what's done is done and I want to move on and look to the future.
They are just one of the 17 opposition teams and I think they will suffer for a long into the future for their mistakes.

 

[DaTBird187]

No they're not. They're a mediocre team, based purely on offensive prowess and natural talent. Look at every other game in the finals series last year and you won't find one where the losing team scored over 100 points. That's because winning football is defensive football when it comes to finals.

They are going to struggle big time this year. They don't have the fitness base that we have, nor did they get the vital experience of actually winning a final and proving to themselves that they are good enough to match it with the best. All they saw was that if you ignore the defensive side of your game you can still possibly pinch a final (against a woeful Adelaide) and that gave them a false read as to what it takes to make an impact.

They'll be up there over the next few years - but no one should be worried about them this year. Attack is easy to master. Defence is the hard thing.

That final v Adelaide last year was by a wide margin the worst example of finals football in years. It was like a Harlem Globetrotters exhibition game.

 

[Janus]

They are not a mediocre team at all. Their defensive side is not #1, but it is not anywhere near as s**t as you are saying. They were 6th overall for Points scored against, had a percentage of 115 and got 14 wins. Not a bad result at all for a team that was coming from no where the year before. Out of all teams right now, their young talent is arguably the best. Another year, another pre season, do not write them off at all.

One game in a finals series that was a blockbuster and high scoring, is not a reflection on them at all. If Stringer doesn't twinge his hammy in the first 10 minutes, they win that game.

The defensive aspect of their game will come, when it does, watch out everyone else. The best part about the Bulldogs last year was their sublime foot skills. I was so jealous every time I watched them pin point targets from everywhere, while our mob were atrocious.

They utterly destroyed us last year in round 19. A do or die game for us that killed off our season once and for all. Was rather embarrassing.

I guess we'll see won't we. Easy to display sublime skills when you play out of the elements every home game. And for what it's worth, I never said their defensive side was s**t. It's just not going to win them finals.

I said they'll be up there in a couple of years. I just don't think they'll be there this year. Those skills will be put under the same pressure we were under last year by every team that plays them. And if they had won that game, they would have been smashed just like Adelaide were. Finals football highlights the weaknesses in any game plan. It's why Lyon will never win a premiership. It's why Hawthorn have won three in a row. Port 01-03 dominated teams too, but that side never won anything until we brought in some players with a defensive hardness to their game. You need to have both a defensive and offensive mindset for finals - strike when there is an opening, defend when there is not.

They look fantastic now because they've got guys like Murphy, Boyd and Morris in defence doing the hard running and link up work. That's why their young midfield talent is allowed to shine as brightly. But those guys are all 33 years old this year, and the rest of their defensive stocks aren't that great.

The Dogs are good, but I'd be holding off on any predictions of league wide dominance for them.

 

[Marmozet]

Bulldogs play Etihad extremely well, and guess what? They play 14 games there this year. Winning most of those should be enough to see them make finals. But they are definitely vulnerable when playing outdoors.