Review Round 6, 2025 vs Sydney

[PA88]

Hinks was at pains to say we played well for 3 quarters as with the St Kilda game despite being blown out of water first term. Got overrun by Essendon too and haven't won a final term all year. Unfortunately Kenny, game is played over 4 quarters.

Address the glaring issues such as fitness, skill errors and execution. Stop playing injured players and running players eg Sweet into the ground. If Ollie Lord can't chop out, play Dante or dare I say Finlayson but Dante deserves to be selected. Stop playing spuds like Atkins. Boak is done and should've been tapped on the shoulder last year. Such a poor coach. Bring on 2026.

I would have been keen to see what Carr had decided about Boak had he taken the reins this year.

 

[raptalia]

I would have been keen to see what Carr had decided about Boak had he taken the reins this year.

I just realised that Boak and Josh Carr actually played with and against each other. Mates from way back.

 

[Coobk001]

Made me quickly realise not only do we have no defenders coming through, we also have no proper contested ball winners coming through either.

Hmm, Watkins.

This has been a concern for a while. We have a good 1st team group, but outside that theres nothing. Jackson should be delisted this year and theres no one else that can play that way in the squad.

Mead developing to a new level would be a huge result for us, but he doesn't appear capable of it.

 

[JimmyBC]

I'm not so sure about all this Mead is a spud rhetoric tbh I thought he was ok in the first half, some players are a slower burn just keep plugging games into him.

 

[Skindy]

Lachie Jones game is being underrated I think. Was Bergman-esque in his 1 on 1 contested defensive work and I thought he used the ball very well. Still has the potential to become an A- level footballer.

 

[Chewy316]

I'm not so sure about all this Mead is a spud rhetoric tbh I thought he was ok in the first half, some players are a slower burn just keep plugging games into him.

He's played 50 games now and I'm still struggling to figure out what he actually does at a truly high level.

He's physically overmatched in and under. He's not a gut runner who can play high half forward all day. He's not a natural small forward.

When the pressure ramped up in the second half on Sunday, he was the first to wilt.

If he didn't have an iconic Port surname I'm not convinced he would have been afforded this many opportunities he's been given to date.

 

[Schulzenfest]

I'm not so sure about all this Mead is a spud rhetoric tbh I thought he was ok in the first half, some players are a slower burn just keep plugging games into him.

He's not a 'spud', he's just bog average. There isn't a single aspect of AFL football that you can point to and say 'Jackson Mead is very good at that'.

He's the sort of player that rebuilding clubs get pointless games into until they develop someone better. We're not a rebuilding club, we should be aiming higher.

 

[TeeKray]

Always puzzles me the heat Mead gets. Don't get me wrong he's average but to me he's no more average than Sinn, Sweet, Powell-Pepper to name a few who are average performers who get little to no criticism.

 

[chiwigi]

Always puzzles me the heat Mead gets. Don't get me wrong he's average but to me he's no more average than Sinn, Sweet, Powell-Pepper to name a few who are average performers who get little to no criticism.

He’s way better than Sinn imo.

He’s very serviceable, maybe because of the quality of the players in his position is so much higher.

 

[JHF1870]

It was a strange game. Butters was amazing, JHF and Rioli a level below that. Then a bunch of role players and liabilities.

The other big positive is Lachie Jones has found some consistency after a poor round 1. We might have a player finally.

I dont understand why all our kicks went up the boundary to Georgi, JHF, Sweet and SPP all game. Definitely not a winning gameplan and we were lucky they missed so many shots going the other way. If Blakey kicked one on the run the momentum could have shifted a lot earlier.

I have this wild idea that we let Blakey run free.

Now hear me out. This is Macrae mindset. He mentioned last year that they would make sure Houston didnt get the ball by leaving our poorer ball users open.

Blakey is high risk low reward overall.instead of letting Heeney get ball, you give it to a guy who is consistently likely to turn it over

 

[JHF1870]

Always puzzles me the heat Mead gets. Don't get me wrong he's average but to me he's no more average than Sinn, Sweet, Powell-Pepper to name a few who are average performers who get little to no criticism.

I think he often provides the initial link up from half back that transitions to fwd entry. That part of his game is good

 

[AlbertPower]

This has been a concern for a while. We have a good 1st team group, but outside that theres nothing. Jackson should be delisted this year and theres no one else that can play that way in the squad.

Mead developing to a new level would be a huge result for us, but he doesn't appear capable of it.

There's no way the club delists Jackson this year. He's just getting runs on the board after having three procedures in three years. The club has invested in him. He's played five consistently strong games for the Maggies, appearing in the best players each game.

There are a few of our players which have been gifted AFL games this season - Jackson has had to work hard for his and I'm looking forward to it.

 

[Cosmicwinduptoy24]

Mead is easily the most maligned player on the list right now (with DBJ a close second).

He’s playing a tough role and doesn’t deserve the criticism he cops. If the club delisted him, he’d be picked up by another club instantly.

The idea that he has no standout attributes just shows who’s not watching closely. His 20–30m passes regularly open up play, and he’s genuinely sharp in close, especially through handball chains.

Those expecting him to rack up 30 disposals a week like Butters or Rozee are delusional. That’s not his role, and it never has been.

 

[Cosmicwinduptoy24]

There's no way the club delists Jackson this year. He's just getting runs on the board after having three procedures in three years. The club has invested in him. He's played five consistently strong games for the Maggies, appearing in the best players each game.

There are a few of our players which have been gifted AFL games this season - Jackson has had to work hard for his and I'm looking forward to it.

Jackson has looked a player since he entered the club. It's injuries that have derailed him.

 

[IamKeyserSoze]

Failing to win a 4th quarter all year is a big concern. If it’s a fitness issue it’s going to be a long tiring slog to the end of the year as that can’t be fixed during the season. Pre season is when the fitness for the year is when the base is built.
Relying on luck and the opposition kicking inaccurately won’t win you enough games. They need to improve that poor contested possession stat fast.

 

[Peninsula Boy]

Lachie Jones game is being underrated I think. Was Bergman-esque in his 1 on 1 contested defensive work and I thought he used the ball very well. Still has the potential to become an A- level footballer.

Thought he was awesome.

He seemed to have found the timing for intercepting and marking.

If Aliir could also get back to AA form, we would have Aliir, Bergman and Jones being able to help out. If they can regularly farm it out to Rozee and Farrell then we might have something.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Must admit I didn't notice Farrell that much.

 

[RossFC]

Must admit I didn't notice Farrell that much.

I remember 1 big sweeping kick to half forward and that's about it.

 

[Mr Gor]

Re: some players

Jones and Big Rat - are playing well and have been crucial to the defense the last few weeks. I was harsh on Jones especially but he's completely turned it around from rd 1.

Sinn - he's quicker than Dyl Will, a better user than Evans, and a better defender than Burton. He's Port's best option and is holding down a BP.

Mead - has no outstanding attributes but he makes good decisions and links up well through the middle and HF. Is going at 80% disp. efficiency - him and Burgoyne are the only non-defenders in Port's top 10. (Defenders generally have an easier time finding targets). He has faded out of games recently though.

Lord - has enabled Georgiades to play his preferred style. If he can clunk a mark here and there and kick relatively straight he'll have done his job. His inclusion and Rozee's move to HB have been huge for structure

/ $0.02

 

[Peninsula Boy]

The question I have and sorry to bring it this old chestnut is Hinkley coaching the team.

The original gameplan for the year was terrible. Handpassing until someone gets tackled and turns it over in the corridor. That got changed a couple of games ago.

Rozee going back into defence doesn't smack of Hinkley.

In past years, we were run and gun and hold it in the F50. We are happy to take our time and pick apart the zone. We seem to be playing much more two way. We are using the wings a bit more. We don't mind a bit of a dour struggle. We are getting Joe the Goose goals and rarely giving them up.

We are blooding a lot of the younger guys. Perhaps they are putting their hands up but it is a tad unusual for Hinkley. I guess we will see if the likes of a guy like Burton comes straight back in or Atkins holds his place or if Boak continues to hold his spot or is given rest opportunities.

 

[backtozero]

The question I have and sorry to bring it this old chestnut is Hinkley coaching the team.

The original gameplan for the year was terrible. Handpassing until someone gets tackled and turns it over in the corridor. That got changed a couple of games ago.

Rozee going back into defence doesn't smack of Hinkley.

In past years, we were run and gun and hold it in the F50. We are happy to take our time and pick apart the zone. We seem to be playing much more two way. We are using the wings a bit more. We don't mind a bit of a dour struggle. We are getting Joe the Goose goals and rarely giving them up.

We are blooding a lot of the younger guys. Perhaps they are putting their hands up but it is a tad unusual for Hinkley. I guess we will see if the likes of a guy like Burton comes straight back in or Atkins holds his place or if Boak continues to hold his spot or is given rest opportunities.

Failing to dispose of the ball or handballing one too many times, isn't a game plan.
This is the worst kind of confirmation bias.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I remember 1 big sweeping kick to half forward and that's about it.

Saw yesterday 809m gained. Commentators must have been talking about Sydney at the time.

 

[Peninsula Boy]

Failing to dispose of the ball or handballing one too many times, isn't a game plan.
This is the worst kind of confirmation bias.

My point is that there has been a change in gameplan for the year which is not normal because Hinkley has stuck to his very strong gameplan for about a decade. Younger players are being played which is a bit different to Hinkley who likes to play his guys. Hinkley likes to put his guys in and play them out of position. Rozee gets put back into defence. Very unlike Kenny. There seems to be a balancing of the lines. We are more patient moving forward. We are happy to hold the ball up. Lots of different things.

Anyway, lets have a look at his supposed confirmation bias.

Round 1 - Collingwood - we get smashed. Kicks 192, Handpasses 172. Ratio 1.11.
Round 2 - Richmond - an easy win. Kicks 239, Handpasses 239, Ratio 1.
Round 3 - Essendon - bad close loss. Kicks 224, Handpasses 158. Ratio 1.41
Round 4 - St Kilda - another bad close loss. Kicks 194, Handpasses 152. Ratio 1.28
Round 5 - Hawthorn - great win. Kicks 214, Handpasses 160. Ratio 1.34
Round 6 - Sydney - great win. Kicks 203, Handpasses 104. Ratio 1.95.

I think we can see that in the first two games the ratio of kicks to handballs is close to one but in the next four games, there is a significant movement to kicking more to the point where the game against Sydney, we are almost 2:1.

 

[Coobk001]

There's no way the club delists Jackson this year.

We'll see. Most likely saviour is that we only cut a couple due to the weak draft.

 

[Alberton Proud]

Must admit I didn't notice Farrell that much.

Farrell's first quarter was very good