Preview Rnd 1 Preview Port Adelaide v St Kilda 1st April 2012

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Schneider is a huge worry for us. Surjan is the logical match-up for Milne. Raises the question of whether we use Logan or O'Shea on Schneider. Don't think Paul Stewart is focused or discilpined enough to play a tight run-with role. Jonas is a good suggestion, but I can't see him sneaking into what is going to be a tough 22 to pick.

They have four outright champion mids and a fifth who is very industrious in Jones. Hartlett needs to bring his best in the centre square to balance the odds for us a bit. As good as he is playing behind the ball, this is where he needs to exert himself as a genuine midfielder.

They seem to have undersized tall backs who get the job done incredibly well (Fisher, Gilbert, Dempster). As much as we might talk about stretching them with height, I don't think our forwards will have their way in contested marking situations.

Not sure where that leaves us to have any advantage. Hopefully, we just come out playing a terrific team brand of hard-running, fierce but creative football.
 

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Just on Schneids. If you're worried about him, you might want to think about Ahmed Saad, too. He may well play, and has proven an impressive mature-age recruit over the summer. He's a small forward, so it could be that we rotate him, Milne and Schneider between the forward line, midfield and bench.
 
PJ Power said:
They seem to have undersized tall backs who get the job done incredibly well (Fisher, Gilbert, Dempster). As much as we might talk about stretching them with height, I don't think our forwards will have their way in contested marking situations.

Don't agree with this. Key position backs are a huge weakness at the Saints IMO. They have Fisher, who can defend adequately but his real strength is his rebounding, Gwilt who's injured, Gilbert who turned into a very average player last year and even before last year was in the same boat as Fisher, and some combination of Blake/Wilkes/Simpkin. Blake and Wilkes are pretty average, and Simpkin is inexperienced and IIRC a bit undersized, the sort of defender Butcher usually kicks a bag against. They'll also be adjusting to life without Ross Lyin' backed there, and for all his faults Lyin' had set up an excellent defensive system which hid the deficiencies of average players. I haven't seen the Saints under Watters yet, but he's got big shoes to fill to come up with an equally good system.

That group is going to have real trouble containing Schulz/Butcher/Westhoff. If they do as you've suggested and compensate for this by chucking Dempster on Westhoff, then that makes things a lot easier for Gray/McCarthy/Wingard/whoever else we decide to play as a small forward who no longer has to deal with Dempster, especially now that Steven Baker has retired.

IMO the Saints have a big edge over us in the midfield and probably slightly ahead in their forwardline compared to our defenders, but if we're going to win this game (and I think we will) it's going to be because our forward line smashed their defence.
 
Just had a look at the forecast and what do you know, rain. Every ****ing time against St Kilda at home it rains. I'm even more pissed off this time as the ****ing rain will keep thousands away from a Sunday twilight game :mad: :thumbsdown: No doubt I'll be there though! :thumbsu:
 
Just had a look at the forecast and what do you know, rain. Every ****ing time against St Kilda at home it rains. I'm even more pissed off this time as the ****ing rain will keep thousands away from a Sunday twilight game :mad: :thumbsdown: No doubt I'll be there though! :thumbsu:

Don't worry too much about the weather yet. We're still a week out and a lot can change in that time, particularly in Autumn. Friday and Saturday's forecast is for a shower or two with temps remaining mild to warm, and usually any significant rain will come with the change, not in it's aftermath #barrypittman
 
Yeah, I looked at the 10 day forecast 3 days ago and it they had it being sunny all weekend! Hope it changes back to it's original prediction in another 3 days ;)
 
Just for the Port Pies fans, Terry Milera played a blinder today in the Zebs, against Box Hill Hawks (Hawthorn's affiliate - plenty of big names for them today). Kicked about 3, and showed lots of flash - huge talking point throughout the game and afterwards.

Unfortunately, he came off after 3/4 with some kind of shin injury. We're not sure how bad it is, but reports are so far positive... and the second he went down the races, Scott Watters went down for a chat!

I reckon you might see a favorite son next week, fellas. :)
 

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Fair assumptions TSW and all good decisions IMO. We have to reward pre season form this year so who has played the most and done their job wins IMO
 
All three have had injury interupted pre seasons to start.

Let them show form in the lower league until the starting 22 prove they aren't worthy IMO.
 

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