Port game thoughts

[smoovy]

Goal Kicking - Cost us so badly, more than the actual score. Hendo and Walker were kicking flat footys. When you miss badly like that, it actually then puts more pressure on later in the game.

Selection committee - Arrogance at the selection table, the Davis decision was appalling. There were so many changes to our backline this week, just due to injury. Then to make another non forced change and to take out a guy in form is just mind numbing.

Neil Craig - FFS, do something about the loose man. Tippett had to go against 2 and Chaplain had a field day, what was our loose man doing? If he was up at the stoppages where was he?

Leadership - More questions than answers after tonight.

Midfield - Just not enough desire from Vince, VB, Reilly, Douglas (has regressed in last few weeks). Let an ordinary Port midfield show us up.

Backs - I think where we missed Goodwin the most was his link play out of defence. We really struggled early trying to get ourselves out of the D50.

Forwards - Apart from Tippett, actually were dangerous considering they were outnumbered, just couldn't finish.

Game Style - This reminded me of the games early in the year. That is is a lower combined I50 total - which we actually won 46-39. More stoppages again, and the opposition scoring from stoppages and easy entries I50.

 

[Tarasque36]

I dont think the Davis/Bock selection is too much of a concern , that is the pecking order, and Davis hadnt been outstanding , he had been good.

You are 100% correct on the loose man - it killed us. Tippett needs the chance to play 1 on 1 down there. And Walker too for that matter.

Goalkicking yips...we all saw that, enough said.

Is it a mental thing with our midfield? They expect we should win, so the hard ball gets from the last month go missing? Exceptions to Thommo and Danger. From that, I want Thomo captain next year!

Hendo looked good again, pity he didnt get 2 goals on the board tho.

 

[subaru]

Breathe people...we could not have played worse....and they could not have played better. That's the "shocker" out of the way now.

 

[FR0GGY]

Breathe people...we could not have played worse....and they could not have played better.

Really dont like that statement. Dean Laidley said this a few years in an after match press conference when he coached the kangaroos. We won and he said the crows played as good as they could and we were crap so imagine if we had played well. Words to that effect.
1: No such thing as a perfect game.
2: Just dissrespects the opposition.

I disliked laidley from that moment on.

 

[VSTone]

I think it was a case of not playing the best 22...(Davis)

and quite possibly not preparing well enough for the game

the win over Geelong however exciting, should have been rubbed out of them with a grueling hardcore midweek training session...
so they could get the hat back down over their heads before game time against port.

I wonder if the coaches told Porplyzia to get into the forward line and show them how to kick a goal at any stage? perfect chance to set
Porps alight again.

Finals talk cost them dearly...coach should have known better
young teams/players dream... and clearly got ahead of themselves

hopefully they learn the lesson...
inch by inch....Pacino
and they will flog Richmond this week....

Go Crows...

 

[footy4ever]

Really dont like that statement. Dean Laidley said this a few years in an after match press conference when he coached the kangaroos. We won and he said the crows played as good as they could and we were crap so imagine if we had played well. Words to that effect.
1: No such thing as a perfect game.
2: Just dissrespects the opposition.

Correct. Sits well for me. I have no respect for Port. We appeared to go out of our way to lose the game.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

What a debacle it was from start to finish.

Such an important night for our club. It was the symbolic 'handover' game where our next generation could show to the football world (and to themselves) that they were ready and willing to take over from the old guard. The only conclusion you could draw from Sunday night is that the veterans have been shielding a soft underbelly. We were exposed for hardness, skill under pressure, intensity and leadership.

It's been a dog of a season but the clouds had parted somewhat and we had a genuine opportunity to play finals football. With some absolute lemon teams making up the 5th-8th rankings with us too. There was a semi final there for the taking. At the very least it would have been fantastic experience for all our younger players.

Now the last five minor round games will be meaningless. Anyone who does well it makes no difference because they couldn't do it when it counted. Any good performances from here on should be treated with the utmost suspicion. Can I make a prediction that Douglas will be BOG this week?

Tactically we showed once again that we have trouble with teams who are prepared to chip the ball around the back half rather than rush forward into our waiting zone. We have trouble with Collingwood in the same way. Port played a low risk game, didn't put themselves in a position where we could pressure them into error and were content for a slow methodical build up. They'd either win the centre clearances and get it down there quickly or bide their time. We're better against teams who try to attack through the middle.

Once again, we lose the clearances and we lose the game. Is it just me or is that pattern a regular occurrence? There are too few being asked to do too much in the centre. Scott Thompson and Patrick Dangerfield four clearances each. Barely anyone else worth mentioning.

The worst game David Mackay has ever played. Nathan van Berlo tried his guts out but just didn't have the quality to have any positive effect on the game. Douglas had his worst game of the season.

Brad Symes is an institutionalised AFL player. He is so automated that when he gets the ball the immediate option is sideways. There were two critical blunders where he was in a position forward of centre to hit a key forward either on the lead or at least one out and instead he directed the ball as wide as possible. He doesn't even look forwards. And he's a leader

Scott Stevens set the tone with a couple of trademark hospital balls early on that had the 'under siege' warning light flashing. Doughty was awful. Johncock had some good moments and some ordinary moments. Rutten and Bock were both beaten soundly. Vince worked hard but Kornes got the points.

Maric and Griffin may as well have not been there. Tippett couldn't get in to the game. We reverted to our 'bombs away with no crumbers' game plan that had been so successful early in the season.

Taylor Walker looked like he would rip the game apart, instead he kicked us out of it. Ricky Henderson kicked equally badly but I was pleased he kept working in the last quarter and did have a couple of score assists. Neil mentioned this after the game.

Jason Porplyzia down back? Somehow we have turned a 57 goal forward into an absolute non-entity. Jaensch had his quietest AFL game, Armstrong looked like an SANFL footballer playing AFL.

 

[Mackay train12]

Taylor Walker looked like he would rip the game apart, instead he kicked us out of it. Ricky Henderson kicked equally badly but I was pleased he kept working in the last quarter and did have a couple of score assists. Neil mentioned this after the game.

Was very impressed with walkers work rate along with Thompson and Sloane. After so much criticism about his attitude I thought it was a big step in Walkers career and can't wait till the coming seasons as you feel that Walker was born to play in the big games and will give it to the port supporters as he tears them a new one