Preview Port vs Hawthorn, Thursday July 7th

[Blaggut]

Last time we met:
Round 21, 2015
HAWTHORN 2.3 5.6 11.7 13.8 (86)
PORT ADELAIDE 4.5 7.5 11.8 16.12 (108)

After a good win against Richmond, we have a tougher game against a far superior side. Although we've had some home and away dominance versus them recently, this is going to be an incredibly difficult task. People bring up this being a litmus test of sorts, but we've already had our chances and are sitting just where we deserve. We've beaten up on weaker teams and fallen down to real cohesive sides. This won't give us new info or define our season, this will just be a tough match and a real challenge for our hot and cold Power.

I'm not thinking finals or calculating mathematical possibilities, I just want to see us win, beat Hawthorn, get better. We have the opportunity, I want us to take it.

I'll add to this later on but thought I'd get it up nice and early so I don't forget.

 

[Jakksynn]

Our win means absolutely nothing if we don't go out and give it a real shake against these guys. Boak returning to form tonight but needs to back it up against the Hawks. I think we lack the personnel and quality to beat Hawthorn this year but if we bring that tackling pressure anything is possible

 

[PAFC66]

Not like we havent had issues with personnel before against this lot. We'll win. Should rest Gray and Wines again.

 

[KenOath]

Every game from now on is just ****ing win territory. We've pissed away too many opportunities this year to do anything but win. No more thinking about the bigger picture...its win and advance time...doesn't matter how, just get it done and get on with the job. We've beaten them before we can beat them again!

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Not like we havent had issues with personnel before against this lot. We'll win. Should rest Gray and Wines again.

Mid fielders are a dime a dozen. They are easier to cover compared to key backmen. Bobby got his first ever Brownlow votes last year against the Hawks at AO.

Edit its also 6 day break vs 14 day break situation.

Win against the near full strength Hawks with our key defenders being Austin and Clurey and the inexperience of DBJ, O'Shea having to give away height and weight, no Ryder or Lobbe who have done the job against them and we go with Jacko and victory could only be summed up by the 2 x 5 word phrases that the CBS chief golf commentator used when Tiger won his first Masters at 21 and then we he won his 4th consecutive grand slam event but over 2 years, ie like Djokovic at the moment holds all 4 titles;

"A win for the ages" or

"As grand as it gets."

 

[Kingfish73]

Hawks are due to eventually fall on their sword. They have found ways to win but nothing like they were last 2 years. But not sure this year we have enough consistency and skills to be that team. We can at least start f###### up teams above us securing top 4. I like that.

 

[Jonts]

Not confident at all for this one

 

[Port01]

I was more confident about this one than Richmond or Freo. Still am.

 

[TheBeardAmigos]

looking forward to this game.

real test for us and we have had the wood over Hawthorn in the past few outings. reckon we can snatch this one.

although they were up against Maric and co, reckon Jacko dominates McEvoy and Ceglar, Ebert gets sent to Lewis/Hodge and Mitchell to Mitchell. Kane played an outstanding game last night and will take a lot of confidence into this game.

 

[LukeSA]

Win or loss, i don't care as long as the team puts up a damn good effort.

 

[Premiers04]

The fact that we're still a chance to make the 8 makes this an instant loss for me. We've pissed away chances against much weaker opposition.

To think we could've been sitting 2nd today had we not lost those close games

 

[Scholz Supremacy]

Looking forward to this one, I reckon we can beat the campaigners again! Hope Wingard has an absolute blinder and sticks it up Hodge while the whole crowd relentlessly boos the prick!

 

[BornPort]

I think the Hawks will win pretty comfortably. 6 day break vs coming off the bye and they're just a much better team.

 

[JimmyBeerCans]

I think the Hawks will win pretty comfortably. 6 day break vs coming off the bye and they're just a much better team.

The well drilled n' silky skilled Hawks are a far cry from that rabble we played against last night yea.. everything would have to click but we do seem to lift against them.

 

[PatientMental]

I think the Hawks will win pretty comfortably. 6 day break vs coming off the bye and they're just a much better team.

That's highly debatable.

Games under 10 points.

Haw def WB - 3 points
Haw def StK - 3 points
Haw def Ad - 3 points
Haw def North - 9 points

Carl def Port - 2 points
WCE def Port - 8 points
WB def Port - 3 points


Switch those games around
Hawthorn 7-7
Port 10-4

Even if it was just the games separated by 1 goal or less.

Hawthorn 8-6
Port 9-5

The only thing separating Port and Hawthorn are their close wins and our close losses.

 

[Janus]

If you think we'll lose this game, you don't understand the psyche of this playing group. The harder the challenge, the better they play. Besides, Hawthorn is shit when dealing with the kind of pressure we brought against the Tigers. They are better because teams fear them and give them time and space to dispose of the ball because they are worried about where the ball could go rather than where it actually is. If you cut off their passing lanes with pressure, they just can't adapt fast enough.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Games under 10 points.

Haw def WB - 3 points
Haw def StK - 3 points
Haw def Ad - 3 points....

Those 3 wins were in Rds 3, 4, and 5. Grand finalists are notorious slow starters to the next year as they have up to an extra month off in preseason, and in the Hawks case had an extra month off compared to the first 2 of those sides above.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

If you think we'll lose this game, you don't understand the psyche of this playing group. The harder the challenge, the better they play. Besides, Hawthorn is shit when dealing with the kind of pressure we brought against the Tigers. They are better because teams fear them and give them time and space to dispose of the ball because they are worried about where the ball could go rather than where it actually is. If you cut off their passing lanes with pressure, they just can't adapt fast enough.

No one understands the psyche of this yo yo playing group.

 

[Lagooner]

No one understands the psyche of this yo yo playing group.

Even Freud would throw up his hands in despair.

 

[Janus]

No one understands the psyche of this yo yo playing group.

Sure you do.

Game we don't have a hope in winning = game we win (Hawthorn 2015, West Coast 2013 comeback)

Game we have a chance to win if we play well = game we lose in a close one (Western Bulldogs, West Coast 2016, Adelaide 2015, Hawthorn 2014 PF, Sydney 2014)

Game we have a good chance to lose if we don't play well = game we win in a close one (North Melbourne 2015, Melbourne 2014)

Game we should win = game we win by 5+ goals

Game we can't lose = game we lose

 

[Macca19]

We are winning this. No doubt.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Sure you do.

Game we don't have a hope in winning = game we win (Hawthorn 2015, West Coast 2013 comeback)

Game we have a chance to win if we play well = game we lose in a close one (Western Bulldogs, West Coast 2016, Adelaide 2015, Hawthorn 2014 PF, Sydney 2014)

Game we have a good chance to lose if we don't play well = game we win in a close one (North Melbourne 2015, Melbourne 2014)

Game we should win = game we win by 5+ goals

Game we can't lose = game we lose

But they don't happen all the time, they are still some what random events. Games we cant win ie Sydney and Geelong = are games we don't win. Throw North in there as well somewhat.

If they are so predictable, why haven't our sport shrinks done something about it??

 

[Lagooner]

But they don't happen all the time, they are still some what random events. Game we cant win ie Sydney and Geelong = are game we don't win.

If they are so predictable, why haven't our sport shrinks done something about it??

We are not predictable at all.

We are Charlie jumping out the back of the van after cutting our own brakes.

We are the wildcard.

 

[ep2018]

Round 21, 2015
HAWTHORN 2.3 5.6 11.7 13.8 (86)
PORT ADELAIDE 4.5 7.5 11.8 16.12 (108)

What a great game that was, gifted us top 2 last year. I wish we'd have sent you a gift basket, or something.

 

[El Zorro]

That's highly debatable.

Games under 10 points.

Haw def WB - 3 points
Haw def StK - 3 points
Haw def Ad - 3 points
Haw def North - 9 points

Carl def Port - 2 points
WCE def Port - 8 points
WB def Port - 3 points


Switch those games around
Hawthorn 7-7
Port 10-4

Even if it was just the games separated by 1 goal or less.

Hawthorn 8-6
Port 9-5

The only thing separating Port and Hawthorn are their close wins and our close losses.

Have you thought that maybe they win the close ones because they are better team?