Prediction Changes vs West Coast Eagles

[Schulzenfest]

I'm not fussed if people would rather see Eddy or Howard in the side, but what shits me are the calls to sack the coach, the calls that our season is over, that our players are shit, the constant attacks on guys like Jake Neade and Sam Gray. Etc.

If there was actual discussion over why changes were made then it would be fine but there is so much group think melting, and it's just frustrating for me.

I'm not trying to be positive, I'm just sick of how defeated our supporters act. We are not that far off, yet people just want to throw everything out. How do you not find that annoying?

The fat that we're not far off is exactly why everyone is so frustrated.

I'd go to the footy in 2011 and 2012 and watch us get smashed and trudge away from the ground disappointed but I'd know that we were nowhere near it and no amount of tinkering from the coaching staff would change that.

Now? We're in the most wide open year for a team to sneak a flag in my lifetime. We have an elite ruckman, an elite defensive group, a midfield which aside from the Essendon game and a couple of brief periods against GWS and Adelaide has been dominant. The only thing that stands between us and a flag this year is our forward line.

We have guys in the forward line who are spudding it up due to not being forwards (Trengove, S. Rgay, Impey) or due to not being good enough (Neade). We have the Ken Farmer medallist in Eddy, a hugely talented young tall in Dougal Howard and a 200+ game natural forward in Angus Monfries who have all hit excellent form at one time or another in the SANFL. We have a coach who refuses to so much as try to make changes to that mix. And you don't understand why people are frustrated?

Matthew Primus was an absolute dud coach, Ken is lightyears ahead of him. But Matthew Primus never cost us a flag. Ken might.

 

[Power Girl]

Imo most people agree that we are not that far off. Most people are not wanting to 'throw everything out'. People are reading what they want to read.

The sheer frustration lies in the fact that a couple of sensible selections would definitely change it. Most people are not advocating wholesale changes but just a KPF who is reliable in front of goals because we are getting it down there but we are not converting.

The frustration is the coaching staff acknowledge the need for a KPF (they mentioned Eddy) and then proceed to pick a midfielder and yet another backman. Why are they trolling us?

edit: Schulzy beat me to it. Too slow again PG

 

[finbarr]

They looked at me as if I was an idiot & we had no chance.

We were completely run over in the 4th by an average Richmond side.....at home.

 

[PA1870FC]

We were completely run over in the 4th by an average Richmond side.....at home.

Yes we were & tbh you could see that coming from the 3rd.

However, when Richmond has the ball in the 4th the 40k crowd should have been booing, whistling and doing whatever to break their momentum. I know a lot of people won't agree with what I just said but our home games need to be intimidating to the opposition. We have a job too!

 

[bringbackbucky]

Reckon B Lade should be copping a bit more heat over the forward line structure than he is...

 

[NoddyHolder]

OGC being turned on again. Things are grim

 

[finbarr]

Yes we were & tbh you could see that coming from the 3rd.

However, when Richmond has the ball in the 4th the 40k crowd should have been booing, whistling and doing whatever to break their momentum. I know a lot of people won't agree with what I just said but our home games need to be intimidating to the opposition. We have a job too!

The players and coaches are the ones getting paid to do a job. We're mere supporting volunteers. As someone who fronts up each year with membership fees and actually pays to sit through that, I reserve the right to be critical when need be.
When I'm paid $500,000 per year to turn up and support then I might treat it as a job. But until then....

 

[Schulzenfest]

Reckon B Lade should be copping a bit more heat over the forward line structure than he is...

We've had three different forward coaches over the last three years and we've had the same forward structure every time. I don't blame Lade. Either we've been incredibly unlucky to sign up three consecutive forward coaches who are not only all tactical numpties but who all have the exact same tactical numpty game plan, or Ken is going over their heads.

The only thing to question Lade about would be the kicking to the pockets thing, which is obviously reminiscent of what he and Shaun Burgoyne ran under Choco, but I would suggest that part of the reason for the kicking to the pockets is because outside of Dixon we don't have a forward who can a) straighten us up with smart leading or b) take a pack mark. Eddy could do a). Doogs could do b), and with a bit of smart coaching could probably learn to do a) as well.

 

[Us against the rest]

Imo most people agree that we are not that far off. Most people are not wanting to 'throw everything out'. People are reading what they want to read.

The sheer frustration lies in the fact that a couple of sensible selections would definitely change it. Most people are not advocating wholesale changes but just a KPF who is reliable in front of goals because we are getting it down there but we are not converting.

The frustration is the coaching staff acknowledge the need for a KPF (they mentioned Eddy) and then proceed to pick a midfielder and yet another backman. Why are they trolling us?

edit: Schulzy beat me to it. Too slow again PG

This x 10

 

[Us against the rest]

Tall players don't get shorter when they are tired but asking a short player to jump when they are stuffed is plain stupid.

Play tall forwards who can mark and kick goals.

 

[Us against the rest]

If i were a young tall guy being drafted, the last place i would want to end up at is the PAFC, it will take years to break in to the A side, even when opportunities are there.

Does Eddy think he will get an opportunity this year. ??
Howard ??
Frampton ?? Please stay well Ryder.
Palmer ??
Marshall ?? Oh sorry your a wing man now.

If you were a parent of an exciting young tall potential AFL player, would you want him to come to Port. ???????

 

[Byron!!!]

We're one from 16 in our last 16 games against top 8 sides. We're 0 from 7 in our last 7 games decided by 15 points or less. You think that's just 'luck'? Football should be a two horse race, right? Go and toss a coin over and over again and see how long it takes you to get 7 heads in a row, or 15 heads out of 16. You'll be there a long time.

It's not just 'luck'. We're not good enough. Would bringing Eddy/Howard and Monfries in for a couple of our defensive forwards who don't impact the scoreboard suddenly make us good enough? Maybe, maybe not. But we're certainly not good enough now so it's at least worth a ****ing try.

If you toss a coin a lot you will see runs of more than 7 and it is all purely luck. Port adelaide has been playing footy for a very long time. Your statement actually backs up that it could very well be bad luck (like a shot clock rule being implemented without it actually being written into the rules, then the shot clock being started by a geelong fan and not an AFL official, then the umpire being over zealous and just doing what geelong my players tell him to do).

Now despite me hating this "we haven't beaten a top 8 side" argument, I agree we are not good enough at converting our goal attempts and that means we are not good enough to win a flag at the moment. It cost us in 2014 and it is costing us now.

I also agree Howard and Monfries are worth a shot but it is worth noting Monfries was playing as a defensive forward a fair bit when he last played for us. Funny that we and the whole AFL were fine with the general tactic of a small forward playing a defensive role on the opposition's best half back who set up rebounds, and many teams do this, but when it is a tall (Trengove on Rance) doing it to one of the best the business has ever seen, it is suddenly perceived to be madness... anyway I digress.

Ultimately I think almost the whole team are mentally weak when the pressure is on and we need to get some full time mind coaches in.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Us against the rest]

We would love you to stay Austin, sign here but we wont play you unless we have injury or when Hombsch retires.
He is probably the best kick for a defender we have besides Houston.

 

[PowerLil]

Tall players don't get shorter when they are tired but asking a short player to jump when they are stuffed is plain stupid.

Play tall forwards who can mark and kick goals.

This! We are stuffed late in the game.
Can the stats- savvy people provide some info about our 2nd halves of late? Why isn't this being talked about? I could've caught Pittard in the last qtr.

 

[Us against the rest]

The aim of the game is simple, kick more goals than your opponent and you win.
So why do we not play the players that are true goal goal kickers and expect mid fielders and wing men to do the bulk of our scoring.
I understand that today's game is more complex with zones and rotations but at the end of the day you must kick accurately for goal to give yourself the best chance to win the game. That means playing players that are capable to do that and not depend on Gray, Spray and Neade.

 

[MALTSY]

The fat that we're not far off is exactly why everyone is so frustrated.

I'd go to the footy in 2011 and 2012 and watch us get smashed and trudge away from the ground disappointed but I'd know that we were nowhere near it and no amount of tinkering from the coaching staff would change that.

Now? We're in the most wide open year for a team to sneak a flag in my lifetime. We have an elite ruckman, an elite defensive group, a midfield which aside from the Essendon game and a couple of brief periods against GWS and Adelaide has been dominant. The only thing that stands between us and a flag this year is our forward line.

We have guys in the forward line who are spudding it up due to not being forwards (Trengove, S. Rgay, Impey) or due to not being good enough (Neade). We have the Ken Farmer medallist in Eddy, a hugely talented young tall in Dougal Howard and a 200+ game natural forward in Angus Monfries who have all hit excellent form at one time or another in the SANFL. We have a coach who refuses to so much as try to make changes to that mix. And you don't understand why people are frustrated?

Matthew Primus was an absolute dud coach, Ken is lightyears ahead of him. But Matthew Primus never cost us a flag. Ken might.

Amen. This is an example of why you are such a respected poster. Logic, balance and truth.

 

[Us against the rest]

The fat that we're not far off is exactly why everyone is so frustrated.

I'd go to the footy in 2011 and 2012 and watch us get smashed and trudge away from the ground disappointed but I'd know that we were nowhere near it and no amount of tinkering from the coaching staff would change that.

Now? We're in the most wide open year for a team to sneak a flag in my lifetime. We have an elite ruckman, an elite defensive group, a midfield which aside from the Essendon game and a couple of brief periods against GWS and Adelaide has been dominant. The only thing that stands between us and a flag this year is our forward line.

We have guys in the forward line who are spudding it up due to not being forwards (Trengove, S. Rgay, Impey) or due to not being good enough (Neade). We have the Ken Farmer medallist in Eddy, a hugely talented young tall in Dougal Howard and a 200+ game natural forward in Angus Monfries who have all hit excellent form at one time or another in the SANFL. We have a coach who refuses to so much as try to make changes to that mix. And you don't understand why people are frustrated?

Matthew Primus was an absolute dud coach, Ken is lightyears ahead of him. But Matthew Primus never cost us a flag. Ken might.

Great post. This sums up why most of us are so frustrated and negative toward the coaching group atm.

 

[Powerade 08]

Lol where do you think you can pick up a cheap KPF for an emergency that is the quality you want?!?

Trengove is the emergency KPF/ruck in any scenario I am going to put up.

Look, you just don't get it. Good on you for supporting Ken to the end though.

 

[OneGreatClub]

You're entitled to your opinion, but don't come here bagging the so-called "groupthink" of the board and its long time posters. We're all entitled to our opinions. If you don't like them you're more than welcome to go start your own TPFP style page or stick to Facebook.

Bullshit.

 

[melanChronic]

We are trending well for what I expected preseason, when I thought a finish in the lower part of the 8 would be a good effort.

But having seen how much better we could've gone with a half way functional forward line, I am spewing. Ken is so ****ing stubborn, even when it is the most obvious weakness I've ever seen in a team. It's been identified in the media, and he's even made hints of Eddy coming in. Then he pulls this shit.

Exciting if the two draftees play (I still fear they'll be EMG), but how the hell does two kid mids and one kpd in solve our forward line woes?

 

[OneGreatClub]

Why? Because our current coaching group has such a fantastic record with selections? We're currently playing four players in our forward line who average a goal or less per game. Excuse me if 'but the coaches know best' isn't filling me with confidence.

If our mark for 'should player X be playing AFL this week' is 'yes because the coaches picked him' or 'no because the coaches didn't pick him' then we may as well shut the forum down.



Mate, you yourself have made several posts over the last few weeks complaining about our forward line selections. Are you now just liking posts defending the coaching staff (I can't even call them positive posts, 'Eddy and Howard aren't getting picked because they're shit' is hardly a positive post) even if you don't agree with their content? Stop being the Helen Lovejoy of the board and grow some balls.

Piss off. I think it's you that need to grow some. Yes, I've been disappointed at some selections but I admit I am not more all-knowing than our footy department AND I will consider alternative views AND not every single one of my posts is constant constant constant constant barrage of sack ken, the coaches are spuds /morons, its a conspiracy, ken's trying to save his job by making poor uninformed opinions. That is utter crap AND it is wearing. I am permitted to like whatever post I like mate and I will continue to do so, against the group think.

 

[spookism]

The fat that we're not far off is exactly why everyone is so frustrated.

I'd go to the footy in 2011 and 2012 and watch us get smashed and trudge away from the ground disappointed but I'd know that we were nowhere near it and no amount of tinkering from the coaching staff would change that.

Now? We're in the most wide open year for a team to sneak a flag in my lifetime. We have an elite ruckman, an elite defensive group, a midfield which aside from the Essendon game and a couple of brief periods against GWS and Adelaide has been dominant. The only thing that stands between us and a flag this year is our forward line.

We have guys in the forward line who are spudding it up due to not being forwards (Trengove, S. Rgay, Impey) or due to not being good enough (Neade). We have the Ken Farmer medallist in Eddy, a hugely talented young tall in Dougal Howard and a 200+ game natural forward in Angus Monfries who have all hit excellent form at one time or another in the SANFL. We have a coach who refuses to so much as try to make changes to that mix. And you don't understand why people are frustrated?

Matthew Primus was an absolute dud coach, Ken is lightyears ahead of him. But Matthew Primus never cost us a flag. Ken might.

It's okay.

He's keeping these guys in the ressies until the final four rounds. Don't want the opposition to know our finals game plan too early

 

[MotlopRules]

I watch exactly zero SANFL games.

This is "literally" the only relevant thing you've posted in this thread.

So basically, you admit you have nfi but everyone is wrong anyway because herp derp.

Cripes, and you reckon the naysayers talk trash

The statistics suggest we are simply unlucky so far.

How can you say this with a straight face?

 

[JUSTWORK]

We would love you to stay Austin, sign here but we wont play you unless we have injury or when Hombsch retires.
He is probably the best kick for a defender we have besides Houston.

Really mobile for a guy if his height to - one of my favorites, really hope he resigns ! Rate him very highly !

 

[Steve Dore]

If i were a young tall guy being drafted, the last place i would want to end up at is the PAFC, it will take years to break in to the A side, even when opportunities are there. ...

Austin (196 cm) and Howard (199 cm) both debuted in their second season on our list.

Frampton (200 cm) is in his third season on our list and is yet to debut but that is not unusual for a developing ruckman. Lobbe debuted in his third season and there are many talls across the AFL that took a few years to get a debut.

Marshall (198 cm) is in his first season and is still effectively a skinny kid. Ladhams (203 cm) is on the rookie list.

Although Ken seems to have an obsession with short people the evidence is not there to support any tall dreading being drafted to Ports.