Autopsy AFL 2021 2nd Preliminary Final - Port v Dogs Sat September 11th 7:40pm EST / 7:10pm CST (AO)

Who will win and by how much?

  • Port by a goal or less

    Votes: 5 2.7%
  • Dogs by a goal or less

    Votes: 20 11.0%
  • Port by 7 - 20

    Votes: 60 33.0%
  • Dogs by 7 - 20

    Votes: 44 24.2%
  • Port by a lot

    Votes: 42 23.1%
  • Dogs by a lot

    Votes: 8 4.4%
  • Draw

    Votes: 3 1.6%

  • Total voters
    182
  • Poll closed .

Flags_In_The_Bag

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 17, 2014
6,329
4,279
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Not a fan of overseas teams.....
Hannan was always a burst player at Melbourne. Looked a world beater for ten minutes, then a ghost for the rest of the game. He’s sustaining it tonight so far though.
He was injured a lot at Melbourne i believe, he has got his body right and looks stronger and faster now for it.
 

Lampers

Premiership Player
May 27, 2004
3,566
6,676
Eastside
AFL Club
Melbourne
Other Teams
Melbourne
He was injured a lot at Melbourne i believe, he has got his body right and looks stronger and faster now for it.

His first couple of years at Melbourne he was pretty fit but his last couple it was rolling knee and groin problems, maybe a shoulder too.

Those injuries did seem to rob him of that point of difference zip that he seems to have regained.

I think it was Tom Morris who said Hannan didn’t want to leave Melbourne, which surprised me because I got the impression the Dogs chased him and lured him with more opportunity. Maybe both is true.

I’d struggle to see who he’d replace in Melbourne’s forward setup. Fritsch is better in the air and a more reliable kick. Pickett is better on the ground and provides more pressure. Spargo is a better kick, albeit with far less depth, and a better decision maker. Neal-Bullen has better endurance and is more flexible in the roles he can play. Hannan is a real in between guy, better than all those players except Pickett for physical explosiveness when fit, but not really outstanding at anything skills wise, and then a bit weak in a couple of areas too.
 

Flags_In_The_Bag

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 17, 2014
6,329
4,279
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Not a fan of overseas teams.....
His first couple of years at Melbourne he was pretty fit but his last couple it was rolling knee and groin problems, maybe a shoulder too.

Those injuries did seem to rob him of that point of difference zip that he seems to have regained.

I think it was Tom Morris who said Hannan didn’t want to leave Melbourne, which surprised me because I got the impression the Dogs chased him and lured him with more opportunity. Maybe both is true.

I’d struggle to see who he’d replace in Melbourne’s forward setup. Fritsch is better in the air and a more reliable kick. Pickett is better on the ground and provides more pressure. Spargo is a better kick, albeit with far less depth, and a better decision maker. Neal-Bullen has better endurance and is more flexible in the roles he can play. Hannan is a real in between guy, better than all those players except Pickett for physical explosiveness when fit, but not really outstanding at anything skills wise, and then a bit weak in a couple of areas too.
I heard the opposite, that he wanted to come to the Dogs.
 
Jul 15, 2001
8,225
2,974
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Barnsley FC, Melbourne City, Bulls
We beat them earlier in the season though. When our confidence is up we have the game style to trouble Dogs. Against the big, physical midfields like Swans, Tigers, Dees the Dogs can get physically manhandled and start committing errors.

That was a great win though. Full credit to the Dogs. And they will be a hard team to beat.

The Dogs midfield is big and physical, if the Dogs lose it won't be because of that
 

PCORF

Norm Smith Medallist
Jul 3, 2007
5,962
2,279
AFL Club
Adelaide
The first 5th place team to make the GF since 1998. The Bulldogs did it from one of the hardest positions knocking out the two teams (Brisbane and Port both on their subsequent home grounds) that cost them a top 4 spot along the way. They totally shut down Port's attack. That 1 point win in Brisbane could make all the difference, wins like that often do.
 

Its not the coach

Cancelled
Apr 16, 2019
1,289
890
AFL Club
Adelaide
The right result, Port were never a top 2 team, It took them half a year to even beat a team in the 8.
I expected the Bulldogs to win, But not in 20 minutes.
A home prelim effort like that will do permanent damage. Soft as butter.
 
Aug 27, 2014
38,196
41,193
spacetime
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
there are no other teams worthy
With the 2 week break ahead of the GF could this go against Melbourne? Only 1 game in almost a month.
Not an issue. Many teams have won a final to advance to grand final two weekends before the grand final, and not played the weekend before.
Seen my club do it three times.
1987 our captain kick goals after siren to make sure we finish on top of ladder.
Had a week off, won week two, had week three off and won the grand final easily over Hawks.

Probably a good omen for Demons as their captain has also kicked goal after siren to have them finish on top of ladder and they will also have had two weekends off during the finals series before they play in the grand final.
 

rado

Club Legend
Feb 18, 2007
1,654
2,602
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
This is going to be a very interesting GF. Gotta admire the way both Dees and Dogs have taken all before them.

These Dogs will be very hard to beat given they’ve demolished two in form teams (Bombers/Port) and overcome a rebounding Lions. The Dees read is a little harder given both wins have been against mentally scarred and scared apponents.

My money for what it’s worth is on the Dogs!!
 

Hazardinho

Team Captain
Dec 6, 2020
501
1,049
AFL Club
Essendon
Man when Melbourne won their game, i was thinking surely that's the premiership done and dusted, but the way the bulldogs won was more impressive imo, this break is gonna be very bad for Melbourne, especially when they've just come off a break. I can see Bevo just using Schace as a defensive forward on lever and minimising his influence and with May not being at 100 %, Naughton could cause lots of problems. Now that Martin is back for the bulldogs, there midfield is gonna be so hard to get on top off, i feel Melbourne needs a perfect game to win, Oliver and Petracca are gonna have to be efficient from the opportunities they get from the ruck service to get the bulldogs under sized defence off guard, which is so hard to do when their midfield is probably one of best in AFL history, they're so stacked in every position and have so many weapons to carve you open, its stupid. Melbourne and Bulldogs i feel are so far ahead of everyone else, i can see them dominating the game for the next 6-7 years, and that's a testament to how well run their football clubs.
 

Black Saab

Norm Smith Medallist
Apr 14, 2014
5,730
11,013
AFL Club
Richmond
Man when Melbourne won their game, i was thinking surely that's the premiership done and dusted, but the way the bulldogs won was more impressive imo, this break is gonna be very bad for Melbourne, especially when they've just come off a break. I can see Bevo just using Schace as a defensive forward on lever and minimising his influence and with May not being at 100 %, Naughton could cause lots of problems. Now that Martin is back for the bulldogs, there midfield is gonna be so hard to get on top off, i feel Melbourne needs a perfect game to win, Oliver and Petracca are gonna have to be efficient from the opportunities they get from the ruck service to get the bulldogs under sized defence off guard, which is so hard to do when their midfield is probably one of best in AFL history, they're so stacked in every position and have so many weapons to carve you open, its stupid. Melbourne and Bulldogs i feel are so far ahead of everyone else, i can see them dominating the game for the next 6-7 years, and that's a testament to how well run their football clubs.
I think Max Gawn will be a very different opponent to Lycett. Martin will need to back up all over the ground not just make a contest of it in the middle. Gawn gives Melbourne an undeniable advantage (at least on paper) at this stage.
 

Hazardinho

Team Captain
Dec 6, 2020
501
1,049
AFL Club
Essendon
I think Max Gawn will be a very different opponent to Lycett. Martin will need to back up all over the ground not just make a contest of it in the middle. Gawn gives Melbourne an undeniable advantage (at least on paper) at this stage.
Melbourne need to capitilse on his ruck work, and score goals from stoppages to give them the slight advantage on the scoreboard, as i can't see this game being a blow out, it will be under 30 points to the winner i'm 100 % sure.
 
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