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Go back and read from about page 7, it wasn’t even close to a draw we got thrashed on the BF complain train.We didnt lose ... and we didnt win, it was a draw. (Not counting the last two quarters)
But we did play a shyte team, and at one stage were leading 7 goals to 3, and should have gone on to bury them! Instead, only to see them catch up and take the lead through some absolute abysmal defenses lapses.
There were some good takeaways, and we can certainly learn from the mistakes ... But I am "just calling a spade, a spade." Plus there were clear signs that Hinkley Ball is still alive & well.
We didn't get thrashed because we have enough raw talent to beat mediocre sides. That's why we can win enough games to make finals. You may be one of the "Hinkley doesn't have the cattle" apologists but if he was capable of organising the talent at his disposal into a coherent team we'd be a good chance to actually make a Grand Final.Shambles mess all over the ground, that’s why we got thrashed.
100%Reckon there getting bigger each year
Smaller tighter and higher would look so much better
G Cornes optimistic:
Port’s dismal exit from the 2023 has impacted on the club. Their notoriously impatient members who sometimes occupy an alternative universe, demand change and they demand success, as if it’s a commodity that can be dialled up and delivered by MenuLog.
If Friday night is an indication, that improvement may be imminent. Port’s football department has been working overtime during the summer break. For a team that had serious deficiencies in three of the four key areas, Port did remarkably well to finish in the top four in 2023. But it all came crashing down in September. Your weaknesses will be fearfully exposed in September.
With injury to, and inconsistent form of Scott Lycett they struggled in the ruck. In defence, they were lacking one tall defender.
And in the forward line, injuries to Charlie Dixon, Mitch Georgiades and Todd Marshall constantly disrupted their forward line structure.
Too much was left to Jeremy Finlayson who tired towards the end of the year.
But there is much to like about the form of the newcomer Ivan Soldo who relished his opportunity to play in the ruck on Friday night.
Soldo won’t be complaining about trial games because his form looks certain to give him another AFL opportunity.
But there is also Jordon Sweet, who wasn’t going to play second fiddle to Soldo. Both ruckmen competed strongly against Riley O’Brien but Soldo perhaps has greater flexibility to go forward. In defence in 2023, Port always appeared to be too small.
They were lacking a third tall intercept marking defender. But they have managed to pry Esava Ratugolea away from Geelong.
He was quietish on night Friday – almost as if the confines of Alberton Oval were strange to him and beneath his talents, but he has impressed all since arriving at the club and is one player who can make Port a better team. Brandon Zirk-Thatcher was the big surprise. He stood Taylor Walker on Friday night and more than held his own.
Expectations weren’t particularly high when he walked into Alberton for the pre-season but he has made the coaching staff notice him for the right reasons and it will be hard to leave him out in the opening round. Friday night didn’t solve Port’s forward line issues. In 2023 it was a constant work-in-progress, and Charlie Dixon who at his best is their key forward, is not completely free of injury. He rarely gets an easy kick and restricted as he sometimes is, finds difficulty to get separation from his opposing defender.
Mitch Georgiades is back but will need more time.
The most impressive performance from a Port forward came from young Tom Scully in the fifth and sixth periods. But he’s unlikely to unseat Dixon, Marshall or Lord. Still, with the improvement in defence and the ruck and their truly elite midfield, Port should again be a contender.
Sat next to your mate Liz at the Port-Crows trial game. Turns out we were seated directly behind you at the AGM. Discovered Liz & I have very similar opinions on everything Port.Jesus.
It's a ridiculous game plan imo.Our tall forwards hardly lead, not because they can’t, but cause of Hinkleys gameplan. It’s to cause congestion, therefore possible ball up. This is when we apply the press. I could be wrong, but that’s how I see it.
A new coach will remedy this
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Agree, 2 weeks & agree the Afl will throw the book at himWell his surname isn't Brad Maynard so - 18 weeks suspension.
Tbh I reckon 2 weeks is fair.
But we are talking about the inconsistencies of an organisation that is very dubious to say the least.
Our group is certainly of that same opinion! Look forward to having yarn one day.Sat next to your mate Liz at the Port-Crows trial game. Turns out we were seated directly behind you at the AGM. Discovered Liz & I have very similar opinions on everything Port.
Yep, makes way too many mistakes from both skill errors & poor decision making. Hoping he can reduce these otherwise he's too much of a liability despite having some positive traits.It was only a suggestion as he has shown that he is so mistake prone throughout his ALF career so far. I reckon you could count on at least two bobo’s a game that would cost the team goals. He has just not lived up to his pre draft form. Remembering that he was playing against grown men and excelling.
Ok so you’re saying we have had enough talent all over the ground including our defense to make a Grand Final.We didn't get thrashed because we have enough raw talent to beat mediocre sides. That's why we can win enough games to make finals. You may be one of the "Hinkley doesn't have the cattle" apologists but if he was capable of organising the talent at his disposal into a coherent team we'd be a good chance to actually make a Grand Final.
You go back and look at the game, mate!Go back and read from about page 7, it wasn’t even close to a draw we got thrashed on the BF complain train.
And to think this was a trail game
Line up for round 1.
5 goals up at qtr time and we’re total shyt, as sure as the sun rising in the morning.
Stop, he's already deadPORT ADELAIDE V ADELAIDE - MATCH SIM
TOP STATS
26 Laird
21 Butters, Rozee
19 JHF
18 Crouch
17 Houston, Mead
15 Dawson
11 Wines
19 Hitouts - Sweet
16 Hitouts - Soldo
CBAS
Port Adelaide️
Wines 19, Butters 16, JHF 16, Meade 16, Rozee 15, Soldo 14, Sweet 12, Boak 4, Visentini 4, Evans 4
Adelaide
ROB 24, Laird 21, Dawson 14, Rankine 14, Crouch 13, Berry 9, Keays 7, Thilthorpe 5, Taylor 5, Pedlar 4, Rachele 2, Burgess 1, Edwards 1
CBA’s courtesy of: Code Sports
Stats courtesy of aflcentral
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Just to timid to take the field.Was Clurey rested for this game ?
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I could understand the game plan (to a point) when you have s**t kickers like wines and boak delivering to the forward line, but its unforgivable with the class we have now in the midfield that we continue the rubbish of kicking to a contest.Our tall forwards hardly lead, not because they can’t, but cause of Hinkleys gameplan. It’s to cause congestion, therefore possible ball up. This is when we apply the press. I could be wrong, but that’s how I see it.
A new coach will remedy this
Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
No current season stats available
Sinn not ready for a full year on the wing. Should have tried Finlayson there instead of Clurey. Instead they'll play Burgoyne and shrug their shoulders if it doesn't work. Same shite different year/positionJase Burgoyne was probably worst on ground. Burnt the ball on a no. of kicks where he was under no pressure. Not sure why he was picked in the ones team ahead of Sinn who looked much better in the internal? Hopefully Sinn gets that chance against Freo.
Was strange to see Bergman playing wing after Goldsack spent preseason talking up how he was playing in the backline. Wherever he plays I hope its better than what we saw Friday.
Ken said pre game that plan A is to play Bergman on the wing.After watching the replay I’m still no wiser as to whether that game was a good or bad indicator to the season ahead. First hitout against proper opposition, windy day and a lot of the ball over on the far wing that the camera up made it difficult to fully comprehend how we are travelling.
Thought when the ball was out in space we looked far superior however when the game was a contest clearance game the crows looked well on top (would be interested to know the Centre bounce / stoppage clearance numbers?) Whilst there’s no denying the ability of the 3 young guns I’m not convinced they are great clearance players (yet) so we’ll need a big season from Ollie to feed them the ball.
BZT was a pleasant surprise, read the ball well, looked reasonably efficient by foot.
Esava looked completely lost, by all reports he has been dominant at training, lets hope this was more a one off. We just need him to hold his own and allow Allir x2 to play his intercept game.
Speaking of Allir looked very rusty early on which made sense as it was his first hitout of the year. Looked a lot better as the game went on.
Jase Burgoyne was probably worst on ground. Burnt the ball on a no. of kicks where he was under no pressure. Not sure why he was picked in the ones team ahead of Sinn who looked much better in the internal? Hopefully Sinn gets that chance against Freo.
Was strange to see Bergman playing wing after Goldsack spent preseason talking up how he was playing in the backline. Wherever he plays I hope its better than what we saw Friday.
Willie Riolilooked damaging, good things always seem to happen when he has the ball. Hopefully he gets a full season this year as I think he could be in for a big one!PLAYERCARDSTART15Willie Rioli
- Age
- 28
- Ht
- 175cm
- Wt
- 78kg
- Pos.
- Fwd
CareerSeasonLast 5
- D
- 12.0
- 3star
- K
- 8.0
- 3star
- HB
- 4.1
- 3star
- M
- 3.3
- 3star
- T
- 2.8
- 4star
- G
- 1.2
- 4star
No current season stats available
- D
- 11.0
- 3star
- K
- 7.4
- 3star
- HB
- 3.6
- 3star
- M
- 3.0
- 3star
- T
- 1.8
- 4star
- G
- 0.6
- 3star
PLAYERCARDEND
Losing SPP will hurt, has become a crucial player for us, and is so consistent in a position / role that is probably the hardest position on the field. Fingers crossed its only 2 weeks but expecting 3-4.
Long kicks to a crowded forward line looked a concern. You hope it was the windy conditions that resulted in that type of play, but history suggests it wasn’t. Also none of our key forwards looked likely at all (in the proper game) which is another concern considering the crows had a number of key defenders out.
JHF had a patch where he really did look like the A Grade elite player we expect him to come. Think it was at a point where the crows had taken some of their key players off, now for hornet to do that against the opposition’s best players.
Hopefully next week we see a few more positives. I’d like to see Sinn in for Burgoyne, Dante for Sweet and Scully and George in for Finlayson/Lord.
I can only assume this is because he spent all preseason on Dixon's ghost and go the shock of his life when his opponent didn't immediately try to slap the ball to the nearest midget.Esava looked completely lost, by all reports he has been dominant at training, lets hope this was more a one off. We just need him to hold his own and allow Allir x2 to play his intercept game.
Sinn not ready for a full year on the wing. Should have tried Finlayson there instead of Clurey. Instead they'll play Burgoyne and shrug their shoulders if it doesn't work. Same shite different year/position
Sam Skinner. Unfortunately 3 knee reco's had robbed him of the pace and mobility to play at AFL level.Who was that state leaguer we picked up a couple of years back? Was apparently scary good in pre-season (on our KPFs), only to prove he had the turning circle of a cargo ship and could not keep up with the likes of Mitch Lewis or Hipwood.
Just to timid to take the field.