Preview Changes & Preview Thread for Gather Round 2025 vs Hawthorn

[MrMeaner]

Since Lords shoulder is still hassling him, I reckon Finlayson comes in as a 3rd tall fwd and helps ruck a bit.

You had me until I read "helps ruck a bit". He might end up in the ruck. If he does, he sure as hell won't be helping.

 

[RossFC]

You had me until I read "helps ruck a bit". He might end up in the ruck. If he does, he sure as hell won't be helping.

Don't care about the taps, He can win clearances sometimes, Wines as a ruck is completely pointless.

 

[Jonts]

Since Lords shoulder is still hassling him, I reckon Finlayson comes in as a 3rd tall fwd and helps ruck a bit.

Unpopular opinion but I prefer Wines to Finlayson in ruck

 

[Willsy10]

I know they are 4 and 0 but i don't think it has been as convincing as all the hype would suggest. Unless all the huff and puff about revenge for last year counts for a lot more than i think it will those hoping for this 100 point knockout blow probably shouldn't hold their breaths.

Round 0 - 20 point win over Sydney, good win but i think Sydney are historically slow out of the blocks most seasons.
Round 1- 26 point win over Essendon, no one rates Essendon but statistically they outplayed Hawthorn for 3/4. (almost an identical game to our game against St Kilda where they got a big early lead and were able to hold on because of that despite having far less of the ball and inside 50, and Essendon like us against the Saints were wasteful). A far from impressive win for Hawks.
Round 2 - 20 point win over the winless Blues. neck and neck for 3/4 and then Carlton run out of puff like they have all season.
Round 3 - 12 point win against the Giants, impressive win in harsh conditions. Probably their best for the season considering the opponent but it was at a venue Hawthorn nearly always win at.

I'd be far more concerned playing the Crows than the Hawks right now. I'm not saying that we will win but it's not insurmountable and would be typical of us to pull a rabbit out of the hat just when the heat is really rising on Ken.

 

[Steve Dore]

Unpopular opinion but I prefer Wines to Finlayson in ruck

At least Wines attempts to compete.

 

[MrMeaner]

Don't care about the taps, He can win clearances sometimes, Wines as a ruck is completely pointless.

I wouldn't care as much about the taps if he chose to contest them. His failure to do so, largely takes the rest of the midfield out of the game.

 

[MrMeaner]

I know they are 4 and 0 but i don't think it has been as convincing as all the hype would suggest. Unless all the huff and puff about revenge for last year counts for a lot more than i think it will those hoping for this 100 point knockout blow probably shouldn't hold their breaths.

Round 0 - 20 point win over Sydney, good win but i think Sydney are historically slow out of the blocks most seasons.
Round 1- 26 point win over Essendon, no one rates Essendon but statistically they outplayed Hawthorn for 3/4. (almost an identical game to our game against St Kilda where they got a big early lead and were able to hold on because of that despite having far less of the ball and inside 50, and Essendon like us against the Saints were wasteful). A far from impressive win for Hawks.
Round 2 - 20 point win over the winless Blues. neck and neck for 3/4 and then Carlton run out of puff like they have all season.
Round 3 - 12 point win against the Giants, impressive win in harsh conditions. Probably their best for the season considering the opponent but it was at a venue Hawthorn nearly always win at.

I'd be far more concerned playing the Crows than the Hawks right now. I'm not saying that we will win but it's not insurmountable and would be typical of us to pull a rabbit out of the hat just when the heat is really rising on Ken.

Have you seen us play?

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

Have you seen us play?

Yes …. Not good this year!

However Ken and the boys will be keen to WIN this game, after last year just as much as the Hawks.

 

[johnnysix]

If all the bullshit about their love for Ken means anything they won't be embarassed this weekend. The Hawks can make us, in particularly Ken, look stupid.I dont hold out much hope for us.

 

[Del80659]

Unpopular opinion but I prefer Wines to Finlayson in ruck

I'd trade both for a first round pick tho

 

[SureBuddy]

This is the biggest "do it for Kenny" game that I have ever seen. His ugly mug is going to be shown on the screen constantly in the lead up and during the match.

 

[Duckimus Prime]

Don't care about the taps, He can win clearances sometimes, Wines as a ruck is completely pointless.

Ollie Wines in the ruck looks like they sprung it on him at the game. Like they took Sweet off for a rest and just sent 4 midfielders into the centre square and let them choose amoungst themselves.

Ollie gives away ruck infringements that make it look like they've done no work in preparing him for the role. He doesn't know what he's not allowed to do.

Like he's had the bounce go over his head, so he's decided to try and hold his ground and protect the drop of the ball. But you can't do that in a ruck contest.

Thats ignoring the shocker this weekend, where he was called for blocking while Owens put him in a headlock.

 

[Willsy10]

Have you seen us play?

Yeah, it's been terrible. It's a bit of a mess really, players seem confused and extremely low on confidence, we are getting plenty of the ball but we are so fumbly and poor with our execution.

Both the Dons and Saints games were very winnable and we were in positions to win both late in the last quarters of both. 2023-2024 port would've just found a way to win both those games despite not playing well. If we weren't so fumbly and wasteful we really should've beaten the Saints by about 5 goals. We are actually fine margins away from being 3 and 1 and some massive wallpaper over the cracks.

It's actually a good thing we aren't and we may be able to face up to the reality of where we are really at right now. It's probably hard to see but there was some marginal improvement from the Bombers game to the Saints game, particularly in the last 3 quarters.

I'm actually expecting some more improvement this weekend. Once again i'm not saying we will win but i don't think we will get flogged.

 

[Alberton Proud]

IN: Cochrane, Boak, Finlayson, Atkins, Burton
OUT: Byrne-Jones (Suspended), Mead, Richards, Jones, Evans

Berry sub

Release the Rat !

 

[Alberton Proud]

Is this game a sellout? How? Purely coz it's gather round I guess? There should be more hawks fans than Port for this one.

I just managed to snag a single Cat 2 Ticket

There may be a few more released in the coming days

Masochist move I know, but the atmosphere should be great

 

[Scodges]

Evans gets dropped for Burton. I would much prefer an 80% fit Burton than Atkins.

Berry goes out for Cochrane and plays a full game.

Mead for Boak. I can't believe I'm saying it but a soon to be 37 year Boak offers more than Mead.

This is gonna be development year for Port. At least we have a top 10 pick this year...oh wait, we don't because we gave it to Gold Coast.

The top 10 pick thing is getting old, we know already !

 

[Brian McGee]

Yes …. Not good this year!

However Ken and the boys will be keen to WIN this game, after last year just as much as the Hawks.

Last year has nothing to do with it for us. Hawks are just another team. If they have any personal pride though they would be desperate to win it so that their season still holds some semblance of life and hope… doesn’t mean they will though.

 

[Jonts]

At least Wines attempts to compete.

And is somewhat capable of a loose ball get

 

[PortAdelFC1997]

And is somewhat capable of a loose ball get

What about the ground ball gets?

 

[Jonts]

What about the ground ball gets?

You know there different things right?

 

[RossFC]

Yes …. Not good this year!

However Ken and the boys will be keen to WIN this game, after last year just as much as the Hawks.

It's only round 5, doesn't matter.

 

[PAFC66]

I just managed to snag a single Cat 2 Ticket

There may be a few more released in the coming days

Masochist move I know, but the atmosphere should be great

The atmosphere will be good for the first 5 minutes .. will be like a church afterwards

 

[Waspy79]

Ollie Wines in the ruck looks like they sprung it on him at the game. Like they took Sweet off for a rest and just sent 4 midfielders into the centre square and let them choose amoungst themselves.

Ollie gives away ruck infringements that make it look like they've done no work in preparing him for the role. He doesn't know what he's not allowed to do.

Like he's had the bounce go over his head, so he's decided to try and hold his ground and protect the drop of the ball. But you can't do that in a ruck contest.

Thats ignoring the shocker this weekend, where he was called for blocking while Owens put him in a headlock.

Matthew Lobbe

 

[Handyandy]

No, heaps of hawks supporters will keep the atmosphere alive.
Could be scenes similar to the fall of Berlin

 

[Handyandy]

Matthew Lobbe

Genius
Nobody would have thunk it