Positives and Negatives vs Port Adelaide

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Dec 8, 2006
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That first half finally showed the extra gear that we know this team is capable of - and it was positively scary just how good it was.

Which is what frustrates me when we're not more consistent.

I mean, I don't expect us to play like that first half every single week, nor am I upset we finally put one together, but a four quarter effort isn't too much to ask for. Too often we put in a three quarter effort and hope it's enough.

And Gov and friends need to sort out their lazy brain fade one step kicks.

Eliminate kicking into the man on the mark, and those lazy kicks (one and the same really), and we'll be 3-0.

Desperately need to win vs Saints to make up for the Bulldogs loss. And inevitable capitulation in Geelong. Win in Geelong and I'm booking tickets to Melbourne in September, covid be damned.
 
Feb 26, 2012
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Just on this Dylan82 - I think we were just showing Port Adelaide’s true colours, showcasing the fact that, really, they still are massive pretenders. I never rated them last year that much, since IMO they got lucky with the circumstances (they adapted quicker then other clubs). They didn‘t deserve top spot last year, and their loss to Richmond last year was testament to that fact.

Not to take anything away from our performance, but I do our real test will come against Richmond, or someone like Sydney at the SCG.
Cats at MDMA will be our greatest test imo, especially without Shuey.
 

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MeltMan

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Cats at MDMA will be our greatest test imo, especially without Shuey.
What kind of vic support do we get for games? Just need to qualify for enough crowd to force the G. I suppose it makes the 42 point come from behind wins all the sweeter.
 

ukurrie

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What kind of vic support do we get for games? Just need to qualify for enough crowd to force the G. I suppose it makes the 42 point come from behind wins all the sweeter.

There’s always a good representation in Melbourne, but not enough to force a move to the G. There’s no way Geelong would let that happen either (unlike during the finals when, despite the footy department wanting games at Kardinia Park, the money men at the Cats are all on board for the MCG).

Also, given it is a trek out of Melbourne, for an inevitable thumping, we’ll get less turnout so it is a bit of chicken/egg situation when it comes to crowd size.

I will be there if anyone fancies a beer.
 
I know he was already up there but for all gaff's pure heart bursting hard running and all round game if you were to put the top 100 experienced midfielders in the league in a full body strength contest I reckon gaff would come last and he monstered Motlop in that tackle.
Gaff is actually quite strong and would be very far from last. Someone from the club has said before he'd be in our top handful for strength relative to size. Sure he doesn't have much stature, but I feel like you are being presumptuous and inferring his strength based on that rather than his abilities.
 
Dec 19, 2007
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Maybe his turnovers just stuck in my mind more than they should have, I was right down on the boundary. He did have a lot of cheap mark/kicks in those stats though.
Cole was definitely rubbish though. It's a shame Witherden hasn't really come on enough to put some pressure on our smaller defenders.
And for the record I'm not a Nelson hater, I've always backed him in. I thought we should have turned him into a midfielder a couple of years ago.
I was probably with you in spruiking the JN to the midfield thing.Ive posted a few time this year; before Saturday; that he has all the weapons but doesnt use them.He has a very good bit of candy but rarely uses it.Cole is harder at it but JN has better skills.But they both;wth Duggan and Rotham;get the ball and hand it off immediately without a second thought.Often you need the awareness to hold the ball and take some responsibility and not do the bleedin' obvious.
~ Dont ya just hate the guy that marks the ball and doesnt turn around to look.Shapes to handball which i can read in my lounge room,and gives to somebody who runs straight into trouble.Idiot!!
 
Just got around to a replay. The stars starred, no revelations there.

Brander great in close, much more so than I’d realised at the ground. Has a tendency to just plant and snap it around his body ASAP, but for now just getting first use is a start.

Petch did some nice things. Enough to retain his spot although it still doesn’t inspire me that much.

Nelson clinic. Really good by foot and the few turnovers he had he usually got immediately back with an intercept of his own or a nice bit of pressure to force a long nothing kick. Teammates must hate him though because I’ve never seen a bloke handballed to after a mark more often who clearly did not want it (and also shouldn’t be calling for it).

JJ tackles well, worth persevering with. Will kick a goal here or there but the chasing (and willingness to bob up in the back 50) is desperately needed if we keep going with JK/JD/Oz/Brander.

Good win. What a great side.
 

ukurrie

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Gaff is actually quite strong and would be very far from last. Someone from the club has said before he'd be in our top handful for strength relative to size. Sure he doesn't have much stature, but I feel like you are being presumptuous and inferring his strength based on that rather than his abilities.

Yeah the thing that struck me from the Port game was not just how many hospital passes he sat under - it was that he did not flinch when he got crunched - as he inevitably did.

Sure, it shows guts to know what was about to happen - and to do it anyway - but also that he’s a bit of a nugget himself and his body withstood it.
 

Reminiscence

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Yeah the thing that struck me from the Port game was not just how many hospital passes he sat under - it was that he did not flinch when he got crunched - as he inevitably did.

Sure, it shows guts to know what was about to happen - and to do it anyway - but also that he’s a bit of a nugget himself and his body withstood it.

Been shown since that very first game when he got bowled over and bounced right up.
Or the time that sniper Jonas elbowed him in the head. Didn't even look, eyes fully for the ball.
Tough.
 

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Truckosaurus

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Oct 19, 2009
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Nelson clinic. Really good by foot and the few turnovers he had he usually got immediately back with an intercept of his own or a nice bit of pressure to force a long nothing kick. Teammates must hate him though because I’ve never seen a bloke handballed to after a mark more often who clearly did not want it (and also shouldn’t be calling for it).

There was one Rotham gave him (hoping for a one-two that never happened) where, after play stopped, Nelson clearly said "What the hell?" to him. Did not appreciate getting the ball with his opponent right next to him.
 

The Passenger

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Gaff's got plenty of ticker. The guy has been polaxed from pillar to post and never ducks his head in a marking contest despite being KO'd by that mongrel Jonas.

Nobody should ever question his courage and anyone who does should go stand at the end of a long jetty and uppercut themselves.
Yeah you definitely couldn't accuse Gaff of being mentally soft. Physically yeah he gets pushed around a lot but just gotta look at his body size to realise that is going to happen at this level. He's coming up against someone stronger than him in just about every contest he goes into. Not much he can do about it.

Given the above and how good he is on the link up and how long he's been carving up sides for us, if there was one bloke you would give a bit of a free pass to squib a contest or two each weekend, it is Gaff. But he rarely does and has copped a bit of a pounding for it knowing that - the insane Brayshaw strike aside - he isn't going to be able to give it back. That takes a lot of balls.

Beau Waters was hard as a cats head and never shirked a contest, but it certainly helps having the knowledge that you have the firepower to return any hit you cop with significant interest.
 
Mar 21, 2017
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I must admit that I did not see this result coming.

That first half finally showed the extra gear that we know this team is capable of - and it was positively scary just how good it was.


Port Adelaide are a very good team. Nobody won more matches in 2020 than they did and they had lasted 20 consecutive rounds of football sitting on top of the ladder. They have consistently been the benchmark for contested football, ranking first in 2020 for contested possessions, clearances and tackles.

Over the first two rounds of this season, Port had averaged 27 more contested possessions per game than West Coast.

Something extraordinary would be required to claim victory - and that was duly delivered.

The first half saw a total of 89 contested possessions from the club - the equal second-highest number in any half during the Simpson era.

In dry weather, with rules that have reduced stoppage figures and without Yeo.


Port Adelaide were beaten to the ball and then simply could not get it back as the possession game was allowed to dictate the tempo of play.

At half time the score was 67-15.

That was on the back of +23 contested possessions, +10 clearances and +13 inside 50s. An incredible half of football.


Replacing the second specialist ruck with an additional midfielder (a 196cm tall body at that) and using Allen to pinch-hit for Naitanui's breaks was revelatory.

Notwithstanding the fact that Brander arrived in a very promising way during this game (21 disposals, 6 marks, 481 metres gained and a goal), the additional player about the middle combined with the return of Shuey, completely changed the midfield's approach. Positionally, not much changed there apart from the addition of the extra body, however mentally it was like watching a different team. With the extra providing cover, the top tier played hyper-aggressive, hunting the ball and spreading forward without concern for the opposition.

To say it was a success would be an understatement. Clearances won on the back of Naitanui's ruck dominance were converted into forward entries and those spreading up the ground were then positioned to apply pressure to the opponent within the forward half when possession was lost - causing the quality of opposition disposal out of their back half to be affected and play into the hands of our intercepting defence.

It left Port Adelaide beaten in every area on the ground. Credit to the coaching group on this one for getting it right.


As for those being underwhelmed by the second half and not putting Port to the sword - I think that it is mostly down to Port actually being a good team and showing some fight in combination with a far amount of fatigue kicking in from playing at such a high intensity in sapping humid conditions.

McGovern looked absolutely spent when he made those back-to-back errors upon simple kicks that resulted in an opposition goal - it was like he was trying to kick with concrete in his boots. Perhaps the management of defensive rotations will be something that gets a closer look going into the next match.


The only downside in this match was the injury to Shuey. He will likely get at least a month off and thus result in the team being weakened during an important run of matches. That said, there is no reason the structure deployed against Port can't be retained and put to use in the forthcoming matches.


This was one of the outstanding team performances of the season thus far. The competition was starting to forget about the legitimacy of the club's chances this year - this result was a punch to the face reminder that West Coast are as good a chance as any in season 2021.
I must say mate since I’ve returned from my BF hiatus over the Christmas holidays, I’ve really enjoyed the deeper analysis and insight you’ve been bringing to the board.

Not sure why I never noticed it before, but it’s been great to read man, loving it!
 
Jun 30, 2009
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Bad call on the hot and muggy, was only our previous home game which was hotter and muggier and we ran that out ok.

2nd bad call is on Nelson. 85% disposal efficiency this year, rated elite. Sure he is no Hurn and probably will never be. But he is really improved and I think some fans are blinded by their preconceived notions of him from a few years ago.
That and the fact that hes played on some good players who have done sfa for the game.

Underrated stat
 

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