Port v Sydney review

[Macca19]

May as well just copy and paste my thoughts from the Richmond game here.

Was a terrible game of football by both sides. The margin was less than 2 goals for half the game but we never looked like winning it and Sydney never looekd like losing it.

A few points:

1) Our gameplan was absolutely ridiculous for the SCG. To allow a side that floods more than any other team in the history of the sport to flood even more because we spent half the game chipping the ball sideways and backwards across half back is just stupidity at its best.

2) Our midfield was non existant for the 6th time this year. Its like all bar Kane and Dew fell into a pothole and couldnt climb out until the game was finished. Francou, Cochrane, Pickett, Mahoney. Where were they today??

3) Our forward line was far too dependant on Tredrea. White may not have set the world on fire when in the side, but he gives us structure and gives us another marking target to kick to. Tredrea was forced to play out of the forward 50 as we simply couldnt get the ball forward at all and when he had the ball noone else looked at all dangerous inside the forward line. Lade bobbed up now and then and was ok, Thurstans was terrible and Primus didnt get down there much.

3) Our skill errors coming out of defence were simply not good enough. Far too often Cassisi holds onto the ball far too long and when trying to kick he gets pushed off it. Wilson made some terrible errors. Bishop was nowhere near O Loughlin all day. Cornes had 13 marks but did nothing.

4) Simply, we just arent good enough at the moment. Choco refuses to give responsibility to anyone that hasnt been in the system for 8 years and we look slow and boring because of it.

Our season essentially is over. At the very best we can probably sneak into the last couple of spots in the eight if we can somehow turn over this form in the second half of the year and look like a football side. However at the moment, and with still a crapload of away games to come up, we will be lucky to win 7 games this year.

Time for Choco to pull his head out of his arse, stop with the false threats and really get rid of some players that dont deserve to get a game. Mahoney, Francou, Cochrane, Montgomery, Thurstans, Primus. No more 'its the last chance' bullcrap. Time to give Thomson, Gilham, Chaplin, White the run in the senior side that they deserve. Put RFK onto the senior list and throw him down back and see if he can become a reasonable option down there....at least hes well under the average age of 40 that our defence is.

Any confidence i have in us winning games this year is now completely gone. That was as pointless an effort as weve ever shown, the lowest score of any team this year. That says a lot really.

Player Reviews:

Bishop - Very very average. O Loughlin killed us in the first half and Bishop was nowhere to be seen, always caught 5-10 metres behind him.

Cassisi - Terrible. Did nothing, turned the ball over all the time. Very average.

Cochrane - Not even going to bother

C COrnes - Good at times but ultimately had minimal influence on the result.

K Cornes - One of our very few good players. Missed a sitter of a goal.

Dew - My pick for BOG. Tried his hear tout, won the footy, used it well, put his body on the line a few times too.

Ebert - Tried hard, setup 2 or 3 scoring shots and kicked a goal himself.

Eckermann - Not much gametime but got a few kicks.

Francou - 4 disposals. Pathetic

Lade - One of our best.

Mahoney - 4 disposals. Pathetic

Montgomery - Had a bit of it, used it averagely. Reasonable game

Pettigrew - ineffective. Error riddled game

Pickett - 4 disposals. Pathetic

Primus - again, 22 hitouts, minimal effect, nothing around the ground

Salopek - 5 disposals. Gets an out clause on being pathetic because he only had a short time on the ground

Thurstans - Back to the Toby of old. No impact

Tredrea - Had 3 people hanging off him all day, cant win a free kick to save himself, was forced to play too far up the ground. Thoguht he did ok. Still missed a crunch goal yet again

Wakelin - Held Hall well for 3 quarters. Pretty good game

Walsh - His quietest game but he still didnt do too badly. Nice goal

Wanganeen - probably 2nd or 3rd best for me. Having a great year

Wilson - Made some poor errors, looks to have done his knee. Shattering if true

POTY Votes
10
9
8
7 - Dew, Wanganeen
6 - Lade, K Cornes
5 - Ebert, Wakelin
4 - Tredrea
3 - Monty, Walsh
2 - Bishop, C Cornes, Primus
1 - Eckermann, Salopek, Wilson

 

[gbear]

I think you sum the game up well Macca.

Port were crap today

 

[Ford Fairlane]

That is all so depressingly accurate ...

 

[Arsene Wenger]

Macca just curious with ur voting how do u give sala eckermann and wilson a vote

All of em did nothing

 

[Macca19]

Eckermanns disposals at least hit the target.

Salopek gets a point for the stong mark on the alst line of defence and a couple of good hard tackles.

Wilson gets a vote because altho he had a couple of bad errors overall he tried hard and looked like he gave a ********.

 

[Ferox]

Spot on Macca & good votes.

I just wish the players had the resilience you show by putting the review together when all seems lost.

If the players played with the passion & commitment shown by supporters like you I could wear losses, but when they embarrass this Club as they are at present.........CULL THEM

 

[Arsene Wenger]

fair call
I just looked at it again and you are right mate

 

[Jakko]

Grrr I get worked up thinking about that game.

WTF is with Choccos treatment of Salopek? The poor kid is getting no more of a chance than he was given in 2003. Someone give Sal a Stuart Cochrane mask ffs.

 

[Jumbo]

I find it sad that with players the ilk of CHAPLIN, EZARD, SYMES, THOMSON and WHITE all pushing hard to get a gig in the seniors that so few actualy fought hard to retain their spot in the team. It seems they believe the expiry on the gold passess has not yet been reached.

 

[Portia]

My review

Lovely football weather today...got to the ground nice and early. I had to sit in the general reserve, unfortunately, and that would normally face right into the sun on a sunny day, but it was nicely covered with thick cloud all afternoon.

The beer was nice and cool, and I got to get stuck into a couple of properly cooked Vili's pies, with no queue. I also didn't get any beer spilled on me, which was good.

The seats, wow, much better than the new Footy Park ones. Also, where I sat I could see both scoreboards. I had a little laugh when the announcer said `Francoo' instead of Francou and `Ma-Hoe-Nee' instead of Mahoney.

The music that they played over the PA during dead time was all quite acceptable, and while they played a Ben Lee song, it was the one I like, so that was all quite good really.

Lovely day at the footy, really.

 

[wishbone]

Most frustrating game of football i've ever seen. The only people less interested than the Port players were in the result had to be the commentators, but i can't blame them.

5 minutes to go. 4 goals down. We have it on half back, Sydney have flooded forward and we know, we don't think, WE KNOW we have to kick to a contest. We go sideways. Then backwards. Then sideways backwards. 1 minute gone. We kick to a contest. It's illogical to everyone bar the players and the coaching staff it seems. Are we missing something? The only times we managed to beat the flood were when some rebel player had the gall to break from team rules and attempt to stealthily move it quickly up field. A nice long soccer, or a big punch forward. It worked! For glimpses when this happened we looked dangerous. We NEVER looked dangerous when we held onto the ball and looked for a safe option. We have the best mark in the league in our forward line, and for much of the game, one of the best (and in-form) long kicks in the league running off half back. I think that's a pretty bloody safe option. It's not that complex.

When Cochrane gets the ball he looks as bewildered as we do when we hear he's been selected once again. Francou. He grabbed the ball on so many occasions and just waited to be tackled. At least it spared us from his disposals. Some guy rang up 5AA and named Francou as BOG. Poor guy must have been drowning his sorrows deep. Oh, and one last thing, is Tredrea so good that other teams need umpiring handicaps now?

I hope Wilson's ok.

 

[ClintEastwood]

My review

Lovely football weather today...got to the ground nice and early. I had to sit in the general reserve, unfortunately, and that would normally face right into the sun on a sunny day, but it was nicely covered with thick cloud all afternoon.

The beer was nice and cool, and I got to get stuck into a couple of properly cooked Vili's pies, with no queue. I also didn't get any beer spilled on me, which was good.

The seats, wow, much better than the new Footy Park ones. Also, where I sat I could see both scoreboards. I had a little laugh when the announcer said `Francoo' instead of Francou and `Ma-Hoe-Nee' instead of Mahoney.

The music that they played over the PA during dead time was all quite acceptable, and while they played a Ben Lee song, it was the one I like, so that was all quite good really.

Lovely day at the footy, really.

At least they didn't tease you for a quarter, ala myself at the Richmond game.

 

[wishbone]

The music that they played over the PA during dead time was all quite acceptable, and while they played a Ben Lee song, it was the one I like, so that was all quite good really.

Eww, Ben Lee. Wasn't from his new album was it? Icky.

 

[Portia]

Yeah, it was. I'm pretty amazed that Ben Lee somehow has `Triple J cred' for writing some of the most banal light pop music availble worldwide today.

Yeah, that Ben Lee. Hahaha, what are you going to do, eh?

 

[wishbone]

Yeah, it was. I'm pretty amazed that Ben Lee somehow has `Triple J cred' for writing some of the most banal light pop music availble worldwide today.

Yeah, that Ben Lee. Hahaha, what are you going to do, eh?

Hehe, it might not be so bad if he didn't think so damn much of himself. His interviews make me gag

I suppose it's better than playing J-Lo's Let's Get Loud before each home game and during every break as they did during the 2001/02 seasons. We would often get passes out to avoid it!

 

[wallumi]

We have the best mark in the league in our forward line, and for much of the game, one of the best (and in-form) long kicks in the league running off half back. I think that's a pretty bloody safe option. It's not that complex.

The very same thing occured to me (and tormented me for most of the last three quarters). So you're right - it can't be too much of a brainstrain, especially not for a professional AFL coach to cotton onto as something worth trying. Especially when NOTHING else it working

Once, and only once (2nd quarter I think), Dewy ran the ball through half back and drilled it into Tredrea's lap inside 50. Sadly Warren fluffed the kick, but who knows, with a few more repeats of this very simple procedure he might have got the knack.

And why not mix up the targets a bit using an in long delivery. We have some other guys up front who can mark. Why not separate their movement and spread the quick incoming ball around a bit?

And FFS tell Brett to stay at ground level for crumbs. One great speccie does not make up for the zillion times there was no-one down under marking contests and the ball skated directly back down the ground. When he did stay down he scouted well and set up a couple. That tells me something. WTF does it tell Choco and boys? FIIK unfortunately.

Chad's quarterback role is a false asset when he can't get penetration or avoid Sydney players with his kicking? On a ground like the SCG, with the Swans playing it ugly like they do, why not create set plays that hand off to Stewie moving across half back and have him fire heatseeker missiles toward set patterns of moving targets in the forward 50? It would scare the swans defender crapless. Why, with this weapon available, would the coach condone repetitive and protracted criss-crossing back and forward until the front 50 is clogged tighter than Eddie's shirtcollar?

As the game wore on, and wore me down, I kept wanting to ask Choco this very simple question, but luckily for both of us I didn't have his number. I did ask the couch in between thumping, biting and yelling at it, but it had no answers either. I'm sure though that even the lounge furniture could see my point, it was that bloody obvious.

It is great to see Stewie winning the hardball inside packs, but that does come with the penalty that he is then not available for the run through. Can some of the guys who can't kick perhaps be taught to drag the ball out of packs? Has Choco thought of that one? If so, when do you think he'll instruct the playing group accordingly?

I don't know if I can watch too many more games like that one. It was worse than the Richmond game. Richmond played well and beat us. A humiliating performance, but I could (just) mentally grasp what was happening. Sydney played like crap and we played worse. It was unfathomable. My mind and body can't cope with that level of torture.

In a nutshell, if the players won't play, and the coach won't coach, why should the spectators watch? Sorry, but it doesn't work. I feel numb.

 

[Snowball 2]

Our season essentially is over. At the very best we can probably sneak into the last couple of spots in the eight if we can somehow turn over this form in the second half of the year and look like a football side. However at the moment, and with still a crapload of away games to come up, we will be lucky to win 7 games this year.

Time for Choco to pull his head out of his arse, stop with the false threats and really get rid of some players that dont deserve to get a game. Mahoney, Francou, Cochrane, Montgomery, Thurstans, Primus. No more 'its the last chance' bullcrap. Time to give Thomson, Gilham, Chaplin, White the run in the senior side that they deserve.



Spot on. Spot on. Spot on. There is nothing much I can add, and I agree with your assessment of the players. Today was one of the worst displays of footy I have ever seen. It was painful. And no-one there supporting the great Tredders. WTF is going on when the great man is coming up the ground and marking on the wing or even centre bloody half back...........................................................

Bugger this. I'm going in my corner to sulk and cough up a furball or two. Hopefully it will get rid of the bitter taste

 

[Snowball 2]

And I was quoting Macca there by the way. So p*ssed off that I didn't use the quote thingy properly

 

[Snowball 2]

The very same thing occured to me (and tormented me for most of the last three quarters). So you're right - it can't be too much of a brainstrain, especially not for a professional AFL coach to cotton onto as something worth trying. Especially when NOTHING else it working

Once, and only once (2nd quarter I think), Dewy ran the ball through half back and drilled it into Tredrea's lap inside 50. Sadly Warren fluffed the kick, but who knows, with a few more repeats of this very simple procedure he might have got the knack.

And why not mix up the targets a bit using an in long delivery. We have some other guys up front who can mark. Why not separate their movement and spread the quick incoming ball around a bit?

And FFS tell Brett to stay at ground level for crumbs. One great speccie does not make up for the zillion times there was no-one down under marking contests and the ball skated directly back down the ground. When he did stay down he scouted well and set up a couple. That tells me something. WTF does it tell Choco and boys? FIIK unfortunately.

Chad's quarterback role is a false asset when he can't get penetration or avoid Sydney players with his kicking? On a ground like the SCG, with the Swans playing it ugly like they do, why not create set plays that hand off to Stewie moving across half back and have him fire heatseeker missiles toward set patterns of moving targets in the forward 50? It would scare the swans defender crapless. Why, with this weapon available, would the coach condone repetitive and protracted criss-crossing back and forward until the front 50 is clogged tighter than Eddie's shirtcollar?

As the game wore on, and wore me down, I kept wanting to ask Choco this very simple question, but luckily for both of us I didn't have his number. I did ask the couch in between thumping, biting and yelling at it, but it had no answers either. I'm sure though that even the lounge furniture could see my point, it was that bloody obvious.

It is great to see Stewie winning the hardball inside packs, but that does come with the penalty that he is then not available for the run through. Can some of the guys who can't kick perhaps be taught to drag the ball out of packs? Has Choco thought of that one? If so, when do you think he'll instruct the playing group accordingly?

I don't know if I can watch too many more games like that one. It was worse than the Richmond game. Richmond played well and beat us. A humiliating performance, but I could (just) mentally grasp what was happening. Sydney played like crap and we played worse. It was unfathomable. My mind and body can't cope with that level of torture.

In a nutshell, if the players won't play, and the coach won't coach, why should the spectators watch? Sorry, but it doesn't work. I feel numb.

Agree. Agree. Agree.

 

[Russian]

And why not mix up the targets a bit using an in long delivery.

That is the key to that game plan. Simply bomb it long to Tredders doesn't work because they just triple team him. The most frustrating thing when White was playing was he'd make a good lead and the midfielders would ignore him and kick it over to his head to Tredders with a defender hanging on to each limb. They're a little bit better kicking to Thrust and Matty but still too Tredrea centric

Of course if all the players remember how to kick and catch there's nothing wrong with the normal game plan

 

[Magpiespower]

I'd rather listen to 'Catch My Disease' or 'Gamble Everything for Love' a thousand times than watch the crap that I paid $ for yesterday.

Just terrible.

 

[PJ Power]

I thought Eckerman and Salopek for the time they were on the ground did ok. Salopek showed real desperation at a few balls around members' HB in the second quarter.
Eckerman ran hard at some contests and swept out some loose balls.
They certainly were not in the league of Mahoney, Pickett, Francou, Bishop, Cochrane and Thurstans today who all deserve to languish in the amateur league for the rest of the year on the basis of the crap they served up.

I know it is bad form to criticise a guy who injured himself and who is the heart and soul of our club (I honestly pray Wilbur's knee is not as bad as feared), but when Michael Wilson has the ball stripped from him in a one-on-one by a second gamer and later kicks five metres around his body to the opposition, resulting in a goal for them, you realise that the other 21 players stand no hope.

Cassisi seemed to at least throw himself at a few hard balls and try to get it clear. Few others did.

That was the worst coaching display pre and during the game that I have witnessed for a while. To not be able to ever challenge despite only trailing by 2-4 goals for an entire game says alot about a lack of imagination and courage on the coaches' part. They were as impotent and incompetent as our 22 players today. You lose respect even for Premiership heroes when you see that sort of display.

 

[Arsene Wenger]

I agree with all that is said

I ask you guys this - My brother and I watched the game and we trailed by 2 and half goals most of the day but did you just feel as though there was absolutely no way we could get in front. very odd feeling because in the past we could have easily slammed on 5 or 6 goals but we didnt look it today, and this season to be fair..

The Stewy Dew issue is a good point. The guy has a great weapon in his kicking and we just dont use it enough. I realise we cant go to him everytime... Its as if we are playing tennis and we are a ******** at the net, yet our coach wants us to play serve volley. Probably a stupid analogy but Chocco has frustrated the ******** out of me and it hurts ever so much to wake up and look forward to a game I expected us to challenge and win, but yet be so far off the mark and lose to a REALLY average side - SO WHAT DOES THAT SAY FOR US ??

Its all been said before - We have a lot of work to do..

1) Ruck division and ball winning in the middle - This is where the game is won and lost. We are easily the worst in the competition in this area. Primus has lost his leap and in this day and age of AFL footy you cant carry a ruckman that simply cannot jump. We have no natural ball winning midfielders. Its all well and good for chocco to throw wilbur in there - BUT he just doesnt cut it in there. Time to throw Salopek in there, throw ebo in there and get ADAM THOMPSON into the side.. What else does the guy have to do...

2) Forward line is simply not functioning. WHY ? COz Chocco refuses to adapt... Yeh Tredders is a fukn GUN BUT he has ppl hanging all over him.. Seriously, you are down by 3 goals would you not think lets get rid of the loose man down back and make Their defenders accountable. Sitting in the lounge today my bro and I came up with some possible moves.. 1 - Why not throw Chad forward ? He was taking plenty of ineffective marks - He can fukn grab the ball - lets get him to grab it where he can hurt opposition sides..

3) Desire - where is it ?

 

[PJ Power]

I can't understand why Dew or Bishop kicked the ball to the other one in the BP out of kick-ins all afternoon. Short ground, direct route to goal is straight, why not at least once put one up in the air into the centre-square and try to knock it on to a running player. It was crazy that short BP kick.

 

[Jakko]

Throwing Cornes up forward could possibly work if Chaplin comes into the team. As well, I remember seeing U18 Carnival footage of Chaplin who was playing as a key forward and kicked goals Vs Vic. Metro.

Share Chads duties between Chappy and Pettigrew and move Chad up to help Tredders and make every coach in the leagues nervous (provided we go long often enough).

I would rather play long and predictable to our gun big guys that play negative and lose.