Preview Elimination Final: Port Adelaide v Richmond @ Adelaide Oval, 2:50pm Sun 07/09/14

[bananatigz]

Interesting bunch port, popped over there thread to have a look maybe wish them goodluck, every post is how s**t we are and how much they are going to absolutely destroy us and how they can't see port losing etc etc, but apparently we are all arrogant flogs. They are deservedly favourites sure but would have thought we are a decent shot

 

[Richo is God]

 

[Boggle]

Interesting bunch port, popped over there thread to have a look maybe wish them goodluck, every post is how s**t we are and how much they are going to absolutely destroy us and how they can't see port losing etc etc, but apparently we are all arrogant flogs. They are deservedly favourites sure but would have thought we are a decent shot

Yeah. "Interesting" is one word you could use. All sorts of "interesting"...

 

[Damo80]

They are deservedly favourites sure but would have thought we are a decent shot

No chance. Just have a look at respective form lines over the past two months... Just can't see it happening...

 

[Groupie_]

Interesting bunch port, popped over there thread to have a look maybe wish them goodluck, every post is how s**t we are and how much they are going to absolutely destroy us and how they can't see port losing etc etc, but apparently we are all arrogant flogs. They are deservedly favourites sure but would have thought we are a decent shot

I don't get why they're favourites. They've been s**t since mid season

We should be favourites

 

[Tony Harrison]

I don't get why they're favourites. They've been s**t since mid season

We should be favourites

How often does that favour us? Especially in big, built up games.

 

[tora tora tora]

And for your reading amusement, I present a "review" of the upcoming Port game by Liam Mannix of the Age who is convinced Richmond are no chance because (and I quote):

"After beating Sydney, Richmond celebrated like a team that had won a grand final. Realistically, it beat a team without superstar Lance Franklin and with little to play for. While its achievement in making finals is praiseworthy, it shouldn't distract from the fact that the club has gone backwards from last year. It relies heavily on a few superstars – Martin, Deledio, Cotchin and Riewoldt – with talent too thin below them."

Apart from clearly not knowing that Richmond has more than four blokes who can play, I'm just loving the entire "Sydney had nothing to play for" vibe.

Not one commentator said, earlier in the year, that the Sydney game would be a dead rubber. They ALL said basically that IF Richmond were still in the hunt in round 23 THEN we'd be no hope against the Swannies. But now that we've beaten them, all of a sudden they were easy-beats.

The stupid. It burns.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/finals-preview-port-adelaide-v-richmond-20140831-10anvc.html

compared to the 2013 Elimination final
we have lost & replaced with
Vickery .... Griffiths
Tuck .... Miles
A Edwards ..... Foley
King .... Gordon
Jackson ..... Batchelor

None of the Ins have much finals experience - but I think the way we have got in, defeating the top of ladder in round 23 is as good as a final. Last year we had Essendon in the last round in a dead rubber; and had lost in previous weeks to carlton.
But we were, and still are, getting flying starts, and having to stave of comebacks by opposition. It just feels like the extra season experience, hitting form at the right time of this season should stand us in good stead for 1 or 2 finals wins.
Jackson was in great form last year - he is not this year. He is being covered by Miles.
Foley is contributing as much as Tucky
Gordon had 12 disposals & 1 goal last week King had 10 disposals 4 tackles in the elim final
Batch & A Edwards playing different roles so can't compare
last week Griff has 11 5(marks) 15 (HO) 1 goal) Vickery last year 14 6 (marks) 9 (HO) 2 goals

impossible to split Griff & Vick. but I reckon we look better with Griff marking up the ground. I'd go with no changes

 

[David3030]

Anyone seen mick malloy lately? Surely he went apeshit after that win!!!

http://shar.es/11vU7Q

 

[Bojangles17]

Seems as though port will be wearing their Jail Bars.. Does that mean that we wear our clash?

That's what I'd like to know

 

[Bojangles17]

Interesting bunch port, popped over there thread to have a look maybe wish them goodluck, every post is how s**t we are and how much they are going to absolutely destroy us and how they can't see port losing etc etc, but apparently we are all arrogant flogs. They are deservedly favourites sure but would have thought we are a decent shot

They've been wrong for a while now , I expect that to continue , can't deny they haven't beaten a decent side for months and we match up against them nicely , thems the facts

 

[John the Butcher]

That's what I'd like to know

Don't think so, no real clash. (Port Adelaide vs Glenelg SANFL)

 

[Boggle]

compared to the 2013 Elimination final
we have lost & replaced with <snip>

Good analysis, I think.

I'd also add that Grimes, Rance, Houli, and Sheds are in much better form and, of course, the team has been showing some real backbone under pressure, so overall it's a better outfit than 2013.

I can't help thinking that people aren't giving the boys enough credit for just how much they've turned things around in the last nine weeks.

I'm also wondering if I'd rate Port as a better team than the Sydney outfit we took on last weekend. I'm not sure that any team would have done a much better job than the Tiges. Just consider that our total differential in the two games against Sydney this season was 8 points (a 3 point win and an 11 point loss) whereas Port's was -30 (a 4 point loss and a 26 point loss).

Given the form fluctuations it has to be said that we shouldn't read too much into this history. That said, I do think it shows that we're more competitive than some seem to allow.

The only team that scares me at the moment is Hawthorn. Based on the last five weeks of football, Richmond is the no. 1 team in the competition (every other team has lost at least once in the last five weeks) BUT when you look at who each team has played, Hawthorn have beaten both Sydney and Geelong. That's some serious contender status right there. But other than the Hawks, I don't think we're obviously outclassed by anybody.

I think that Sunday's game with Port is going to be a blinder and very far from a foregone conclusion.

 

[Darth_Tiger]

They will murder us because they almost beat freo in Perth. Almost. Therefore they are back in top form Pity we didn't almost beat Sydney.

 

[docko911]

Both teams are fully fit.

Key difference in this game could be mental pressure. Last year Port made finals against all odds and expectations were low, and they subsequently knocked off Collingwood and very nearly Geelong. We on the other hand were very close to top 4 played a side who didn't even deserve to be in finals and we ultimately crumbled.

Almost a polar opposite situation this year. We have little pressure as 9 weeks ago we were closer to the spoon than finals. Port were top 4 and knocking off a couple of the big boys, home field advantage lots of pressure.

For this exact reason I think we will win comfortably.

 

[Roachy8]

.what about the current Jack Dyer medallist...Jacko
Do you reckon he might be a sneaky in?

Personally I would not think so - has played 2 AFL games since May and just 2 scratchy VFL games since retuning from injury.
Tough ask to step up into finals intensity pretty much cold.

 

[Boggle]

They will murder us because they almost beat freo in Perth. Almost. Therefore they are back in top form Pity we didn't almost beat Sydney.

Hmm... clearly "almost to beat" is one of those grammatical structures which decline or conjugate (or whatever it is!)

Thus

"Port almost beat Freo" (and therefore Port are the best team in the universe)

Whereas

"Sydney almost beat Richmond" (and therefore Richmond are utter flogs)

So glad we cleared that up.

 

[Calcium Man]

They will murder us because they almost beat freo in Perth. Almost. Therefore they are back in top form Pity we didn't almost beat Sydney.

Yes but Sydney didn't play Buddy or Kennedy or McGlynn or Pyke.

I'm sure Freo played a full strength side too, Fyfe was amazing and McPharlin held together their back line

 

[jreesosb]

I don't get why they're favourites. They've been s**t since mid season

We should be favourites

I'm sure with many we will be

 

[Roachy8]

I don't get why they're favourites. They've been s**t since mid season

We should be favourites

How often does that favour us? Especially in big, built up games.

Yup - Tigers are s**t, very lucky to 'fall' into 8th - Port are gonna smash us by 190 points...

 

[Boggle]

Yup - Tigers are s**t, very lucky to 'fall' into 8th - Port are gonna smash us by 190 points...

I love the language here.

I believe our move from equal last to 8th is "rising up" not "falling."

For "falling" see Port's move from top spot to fifth!

 

[Bazzar]

They will murder us because they almost beat freo in Perth. Almost. Therefore they are back in top form Pity we didn't almost beat Sydney.

Interesting to look at their form from round 15 when we started our run.

15- Crows Loss (home)
16- Essendon Loss (home)
17- Tiges Loss (away)
18- Melbourne Win (home)
19- Collingwood Loss (away)
20- Sydney loss (home)
21- Suns Win (away)
22- Carlton Win (home)
23- Freo Loss (away)

6 losses and 3 epic wins against Melb, Suns and Carlton.

No wonder they are favorites against us.

 

[Darth_Tiger]

Interesting to look at their form from round 15 when we started our run.

15- Crows Loss (home)
16- Essendon Loss (home)
17- Tiges Loss (away)
18- Melbourne Win (home)
19- Collingwood Loss (away)
20- Sydney loss (home)
21- Suns Win (away)
22- Carlton Win (home)
23- Freo Loss (away)

6 losses and 3 epic wins against Melb, Suns and Carlton.

No wonder they are favorites against us.

Such an imposing and intimidating record. Why would we bother even turning up?

 

[TyroneVickery29]

I reckon it goes to show how important it is to have our VFL side in the finals, so hard to make changes when the players haven't actually played a game the prior week

 

[CHIMP MAGNET]

Turn up for the loose women and the Terrance Trent Darby song

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Going to be a long week.