Port v Essendon - The Battle Of The Largs Pier Hotel.
Geez, Port looked good in that first quarter. Matty Primus, the ex-Fitzroy player killed them in the ruck, and was like an extra centre-half forward.
Neither side could buy a goal early on, but Port had the better of the play. Centring the ball and playing on quickly at every opportunity.
It was a great relief to see a game where one side wasn't afraid to go up the guts.
'Go up the middle!' Frustrated barrackers cry as players dick around on the wing, handballing to each other until they turn over possession or the ball goes out of bounds.
It's a style of play, like Ayres method of flooding the backline, that's really detracted from the game over the last decade.
Ironically it's a style of football introduced by another South Australian, Mick Noonan, who coached North Adelaide to a premiership or two by dicking around with hand-ball.
Well, the game isn't called handball, it's called football.
Anyway, at quarter time Port looked good, but they'd kept Essendon in the game and the inevitable still appeared probable.
Around that time someone at the bar started telling a story about the Largs Pier Hotel, which is in the Heartland of Port Adelaide, and how Cold Chisel used to play there. Then someone else remembered some story about the Semaphore Workers Club. This was followed by an Anecdote about Adelaide drivers and blah, blah, blah. All very interesting. That went on until well past half-time.
By the time we remembered the footy was still on Port were well on top.
Che Cockatoo-Collins came on for his second stint and goaled straight away, as befitting his stature in the game by having such a great name. Wanganeen shrugged off plenty of attention to kick a few himself.
Despite dominating the play Port were woefully inaccurate, with several shots going out of bounds on the full.
Luckily the momentum they'd built up with their team play allowed them to hang on.
Tredrea is another bonus for a maturing Port Adelaide side, as were the Cornes brothers.
Essendon had this big tall bastard down the back who looks the goods, but persisted with Alessio in the Ruck.
Afterwards Bombers Coach Kevin Sheedy admitted they'd been beaten all over the park, but thanked Port for giving his star studded outfit a wake up call.
This isn’t the end of Essendon by a long shot, but they’ll need more than John Barnes farting on a plane to get them going again. They will bounce back from this.
Port played well and deserved this win.
The big test for Port comes this week against a strengthened Sydney side that’s brim full of confidence.
Phil Doyle.
------------------
Remonstrating with the goal umpire
Geez, Port looked good in that first quarter. Matty Primus, the ex-Fitzroy player killed them in the ruck, and was like an extra centre-half forward.
Neither side could buy a goal early on, but Port had the better of the play. Centring the ball and playing on quickly at every opportunity.
It was a great relief to see a game where one side wasn't afraid to go up the guts.
'Go up the middle!' Frustrated barrackers cry as players dick around on the wing, handballing to each other until they turn over possession or the ball goes out of bounds.
It's a style of play, like Ayres method of flooding the backline, that's really detracted from the game over the last decade.
Ironically it's a style of football introduced by another South Australian, Mick Noonan, who coached North Adelaide to a premiership or two by dicking around with hand-ball.
Well, the game isn't called handball, it's called football.
Anyway, at quarter time Port looked good, but they'd kept Essendon in the game and the inevitable still appeared probable.
Around that time someone at the bar started telling a story about the Largs Pier Hotel, which is in the Heartland of Port Adelaide, and how Cold Chisel used to play there. Then someone else remembered some story about the Semaphore Workers Club. This was followed by an Anecdote about Adelaide drivers and blah, blah, blah. All very interesting. That went on until well past half-time.
By the time we remembered the footy was still on Port were well on top.
Che Cockatoo-Collins came on for his second stint and goaled straight away, as befitting his stature in the game by having such a great name. Wanganeen shrugged off plenty of attention to kick a few himself.
Despite dominating the play Port were woefully inaccurate, with several shots going out of bounds on the full.
Luckily the momentum they'd built up with their team play allowed them to hang on.
Tredrea is another bonus for a maturing Port Adelaide side, as were the Cornes brothers.
Essendon had this big tall bastard down the back who looks the goods, but persisted with Alessio in the Ruck.
Afterwards Bombers Coach Kevin Sheedy admitted they'd been beaten all over the park, but thanked Port for giving his star studded outfit a wake up call.
This isn’t the end of Essendon by a long shot, but they’ll need more than John Barnes farting on a plane to get them going again. They will bounce back from this.
Port played well and deserved this win.
The big test for Port comes this week against a strengthened Sydney side that’s brim full of confidence.
Phil Doyle.
------------------
Remonstrating with the goal umpire
