Preview Changes & Preview Thread for Round 15, 2025 vs Sydney

[Ford Fairlane]

If Lachie Jones is passed fit he can cover Aliir, Sydney only play a couple of tall forwards.

 

[Chrizzt]

If Lachie Jones is passed fit he can cover Aliir, Sydney only play a couple of tall forwards.

Don't want to jinx anything, but it's Sydney's mids and high half forwards I'm worried about, not their key forwards

 

[Ford Fairlane]

RUCK THEME: After choosing to return to a two-ruck model to deal with Melbourne captain Max Gawn

11

Max Gawn

Age

34

Ht

209cm

Wt

110kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.1

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

6.7

4star

CL

2.8

4star

HO

35.3

5star

D

18.5

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

7.0

4star

CL

3.5

4star

HO

29.2

5star

D

8.4

3star

K

3.6

2star

HB

4.8

4star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

15.6

5star

, the Jordon Sweet-Dante Visentini partnership is likely to remain.

"Sydney has Brodie Grundy

4

Brodie Grundy

Age

32

Ht

202cm

Wt

105kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.5

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

9.6

5star

CL

4.1

5star

HO

32.0

5star

D

16.4

4star

K

6.8

3star

HB

9.6

5star

CL

4.0

5star

HO

34.6

5star

D

13.8

4star

K

5.2

2star

HB

8.6

5star

CL

2.6

5star

HO

20.6

5star

," Hinkley noted. "We think (two rucks) worked reasonably well for us and we would be optimistic going there again this week."

Hinkley: We're growing in confidence

Port Adelaide has the chance to level the win-loss ledger this weekend with the home clash against Sydney. The change in attitude since the mid-season break has come with a change in fortunes.

www.portadelaidefc.com.au

 

[Chrizzt]

RUCK THEME: After choosing to return to a two-ruck model to deal with Melbourne captain Max Gawn, the Jordon Sweet-Dante Visentini partnership is likely to remain.

"Sydney has Brodie Grundy," Hinkley noted. "We think (two rucks) worked reasonably well for us and we would be optimistic going there again this week."

Hinkley: We're growing in confidence

Port Adelaide has the chance to level the win-loss ledger this weekend with the home clash against Sydney. The change in attitude since the mid-season break has come with a change in fortunes.

www.portadelaidefc.com.au

Feels like that quote should break to the following picture with the Curb your enthusiasm theme playing in the background:

 

[Schulzenfest]

Feels like that quote should break to the following picture with the Curb your enthusiasm theme playing in the background:

View attachment 2345453

So Gawn had more disposals, hitouts, marks and clearances than our two combined?

That is quite literally like going into the game a player down.

 

[glitch01]

So Gawn had more disposals, hitouts, marks and clearances than our two combined?

That is quite literally like going into the game a player down.

You obviously weren't watching the vision from behind the goals.....

 

[Scodges]

AFL App shows he had 30 minutes on the ground for 2 disposals.

Not having a dig at him, and don't think it's an ideal situation for him to show his ability - but that performance is likely to see him dropped next week, barring any fresh injuries.

I expect we'll see Boak or Lorenz come in for him.

I really like Hugh, and would love to see him get more gametime, i'm just predicting what the match committee will do.

Doubt he had 30 minutes of game time , probably the sub was made at 3 quarter time.

 

[The Hobo]

Doubt he had 30 minutes of game time , probably the sub was made at 3 quarter time.

The AFL app shows him as having spent 30:13 on the ground which matches the duration of the final quarter. (Sub made at 3/4 time as you said).

 

[Willsy10]

The alternative to two rucks is replacing one of them with a Bollard in Lord who could only manage 3 touches in the B Grade, which would be literally going into a game a player down or a player like Finlayson who we have absolutely no idea what we are going to get, he could be really good or really bad, and this year it has been mainly bad footy mixed with a poor attitude.

Whilst Gawn monstered our two rucks in stats, which he does to a lot of ruckmen, and of course he is going to if he spends 100% of the time in ruck as opposed to 50/50. But the overall hitouts and clearance numbers were reasonably close, but the biggest factor for me was that without Lord or Finlayson and a second ruck providing support in the forward line instead, Georgiades had a career best game and kicked the most goals for a forward for us since 2014. Could've been 10 if he kicked straight too. So maybe it did actually work okay for us.

 

[Willsy10]

I think Boak and Moraes should be ahead of Liddy and Jackson but 3 out of these 4 should play considering Wines is out, my guess is Jackson misses out.

 

[The Hobo]

If Lachie Jones is passed fit he can cover Aliir, Sydney only play a couple of tall forwards.

They may decide to stretch us though - Amarty back this week.

 

[The Hobo]

I think Boak and Moraes should be ahead of Liddy and Jackson but 3 out of these 4 should play considering Wines is out, my guess is Jackson misses out.

Hope it will be as simple as Wines out, Boak in.

 

[rogerjames]

Still found the two ruck inclusion rather odd. Gawn still had 36 hitouts 8 marks (5 contested) 23 disposals 20 contested possesions and 7 intercepts 7 score involvements. Sweet was rucking against Van Rooyen most of the day and was shit as a forward. Surely we only play one next week seeing as Sydneys ruck stocks arent the greatest

The positive is we reduced Gawns heatmap to resemble Esavas current size:

View attachment 2343703

Why did we keep kicking it to him. Weird.

 

[rainwizard39]

So Gawn had more disposals, hitouts, marks and clearances than our two combined?

That is quite literally like going into the game a player down.

Funniest part is most of what Gawn did was on Visentini but everyone here wants Sweet dropped.

 

[rogerjames]

BZT landed/moved awkwardly in a contest towards the end of the game, after that he tried to chase them but really struggled. Reckon it was just a low hammy strain or something, he may be OK for the weekend.

Thought his leg movement looked a bit weird for fair bit of game. Can't really describe what I mean though. I'm a fan & think we are a much better side with a fit ZT.

 

[x_les_x]

BZT moves like a geriatric even at full fitness. Bitta laconic westhoff vibes

 

[Willsy10]

BZT is also coming back from a major back injury, the reason he is running a bit stiff and sore is because he probably is due to that injury.

 

[Doctor Feel]

BZT has a weird gait to strart with

 

[Interstater]

Out: Wines

In:

 

[Doctor Feel]

I thought Mackinlay looked decidedly piss blastery in the SANFL.

 

[Gryllis]

Feels like that quote should break to the following picture with the Curb your enthusiasm theme playing in the background:

View attachment 2345453

No doubt Gawn is a great player, but the stats only tell part of the story here.

I highly doubt MG kicks 7.4 with Finlayson instead as the only other tall forward. I actually thought Sweet did okay opening space and just generally being big and engaging a key defender, especially given the cupboard is bare.

I agree that two rucks isn't a long term strategy, and it slows the team down too much when the second ruck is the third tall up forward. But when they're only alongside 1 KPF, I don't think it's as big of an issue.

 

[Peninsula Boy]

The alternative to two rucks is replacing one of them with a Bollard in Lord who could only manage 3 touches in the B Grade, which would be literally going into a game a player down or a player like Finlayson who we have absolutely no idea what we are going to get, he could be really good or really bad, and this year it has been mainly bad footy mixed with a poor attitude.

Whilst Gawn monstered our two rucks in stats, which he does to a lot of ruckmen, and of course he is going to if he spends 100% of the time in ruck as opposed to 50/50. But the overall hitouts and clearance numbers were reasonably close, but the biggest factor for me was that without Lord or Finlayson and a second ruck providing support in the forward line instead, Georgiades had a career best game and kicked the most goals for a forward for us since 2014. Could've been 10 if he kicked straight too. So maybe it did actually work okay for us.

That's the thing.

I'm not generally in favour of 2 rucks but I'd much rather have them over Lord and Finlayson.

 

[Coobk001]

I thought Mackinlay looked decidedly piss blastery in the SANFL.

He was very fumbly and nervous. Needs to build some confidence before getting a crack I reckon.

 

[PortAdelFC1997]

That's the thing.

I'm not generally in favour of 2 rucks but I'd much rather have them over Lord and Finlayson.

I would consider debuting Whitlock against West Coast in Round 18 if he plays well enough in the next two SANFL games after the bye this week.

 

[El_Scorcho]

There are no right answers to the 2nd KPF issue but the last time we had a 2nd ruck actually work it was Ladhams 4 years ago who managed to play like a reasonably effective 200cm small forward when not in the ruck.

None of the 3 rucks can play any other positions, it's like going in a man down.