Unofficial Preview Round 1: Port Adelaide vs. Fremantle

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heavho

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The midfield is where we have to win it. The match-ups are fairly even in the mids, as Ryder plays well against Sandi.
Their forward line is the problem, if they get it down there quickly we are in for a world of pain.
ports midfield is underdone. Our midfield has a good pre season under their belt. Port could go too tall up forward and our defense in Ryan,Wilson (smalls) could rebound well. We have Hamling,a Pearce and mj to cover their talls and Robbie gray is out likely so should have their forwards covered
 

wild side

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ports midfield is underdone. Our midfield has a good pre season under their belt. Port could go too tall up forward and our defense in Ryan,Wilson (smalls) could rebound well. We have Hamling,a Pearce and mj to cover their talls and Robbie gray is out likely so should have their forwards covered

Confident aren't you, they are the 2nd best forward line in the comp.
I hope you are right on the midfields, but Sandi won't have his own way against Ryder
 
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They only beat two top 8 sides all last year. Sydney when they had a heap of injuries and the Weagles.

They are the comp's new flat trackers. Probably a better side than us but they are no chance of getting near a flag. Motlop and Watts just add to the flat tracking. Robbie Gray their best player is out and they have a heap of players coming off interrupted preseasons.

I will be very disappointed if we can't make it a close game.
 

freoextra

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Having a read of that it really does highlight how much Ross loves his older role players. As long as they are on the list they'll keep getting chances.

Yes he does. He also wants to give the players who have had a full preseason preference overs those who have not (with the exception of the real stars of team like most coaches).

I understand why Cerra is not getting a game first up, he was way behind the rest of the group this preseason, but I also have no doubt that they want to play him as soon as possible. Hughes has had a real difficult preseason that according to reports has left him well short of the confidence and skills needed, he needs more games. Logue is the one that had a good preseason but got injured at the worst possible time, shouldn't take him too long to be back and available.

Perhaps it was this "perfect storm" and D Pearce's relatively solid preseason (certainly last game was fine) that has got D Pearce to the line for game one.

So I understand it, but I also genuinely don't believe D Pearce will be in the team in 3 - 4 weeks so is it worth playing him now over say Nyhuis or Duman or Crowden (depending on where they intend to play him). The answer appears to be no, so once again RTB will open himself up to criticism from us and the general media.

I just don't get our selection policy sometimes.
 

theGav56

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The Eagles inflated us following JLT2. They applied the worst pressure of all the JLT games. We were allowed to do as we pleased and we looked great. I’m reserving judgment til we see a club that will bother pressuring us.
Yes it would be crazy to take too much from a game like that, apart from the fact that we are trending in the right direction. Power will be a totally different challenge.

Lyon is choosing to try and win the game is D Pearce plays, rather than go too heavy on development. It would be a temporary move. At least I hope so.
 

theGav56

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Yes he does. He also wants to give the players who have had a full preseason preference overs those who have not (with the exception of the real stars of team like most coaches).

I understand why Cerra is not getting a game first up, he was way behind the rest of the group this preseason, but I also have no doubt that they want to play him as soon as possible. Hughes has had a real difficult preseason that according to reports has left him well short of the confidence and skills needed, he needs more games. Logue is the one that had a good preseason but got injured at the worst possible time, shouldn't take him too long to be back and available.

Perhaps it was this "perfect storm" and D Pearce's relatively solid preseason (certainly last game was fine) that has got D Pearce to the line for game one.

So I understand it, but I also genuinely don't believe D Pearce will be in the team in 3 - 4 weeks so is it worth playing him now over say Nyhuis or Duman or Crowden (depending on where they intend to play him). The answer appears to be no, so once again RTB will open himself up to criticism from us and the general media.

I just don't get our selection policy sometimes.
A coach opens themselves up for criticism whatever they do pretty much.
 

Kenny_01

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We still need to drop 3 players from JLT2 if BHill is good to go. Meek is the obvious one, but then who else?

Re watching the game, I think Kersten played an important role and sacrificed his game to try impede McGovern as much as possible.

I honestly think D Pearce is the first to go from that side. The second one will probably be Sutcliffe I would say.


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We still need to drop 3 players from JLT2 if BHill is good to go. Meek is the obvious one, but then who else?

Re watching the game, I think Kersten played an important role and sacrificed his game to try impede McGovern as much as possible.

I honestly think D Pearce is the first to go from that side. The second one will probably be Sutcliffe I would say.


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Totally agree.

Structure would like:
* time in the midfield ** time in the forward line*** Pinch hit ruck
Defensive Talls - Hamling, A Pearce and Johnson
Defensive Small/mediums - Wilson, Ryan, Spurr and Blakely*
Ruck: Sandilands
Forward Tall - Taberner***, McCarthy, and Kersten
Forward Medium/Smalls - Ballantyne, Matera, and Banfield
Midfielder Inside: Fyfe**, Mundy**, Neale, Brayshaw
Midfield Combo/outside - B Hill, Langdon, Tucker, and Walters**.
 

wild side

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Totally agree.

Structure would like:
* time in the midfield ** time in the forward line*** Pinch hit ruck
Defensive Talls - Hamling, A Pearce and Johnson
Defensive Small/mediums - Wilson, Ryan, Spurr and Blakely*
Ruck: Sandilands
Forward Tall - Taberner***, McCarthy, and Kersten
Forward Medium/Smalls - Ballantyne, Matera, and Banfield
Midfielder Inside: Fyfe**, Mundy**, Neale, Brayshaw
Midfield Combo/outside - B Hill, Langdon, Tucker, and Walters**.

Good team, but Johnson & Spurr scare me in the backline
 
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Good team, but Johnson & Spurr scare me in the backline
I personally agree with you. I rather younger players but we know what Lyons prefers.

If you want experience in each area, just one of Johnson and Spurr is enough.

Hughes and Logue are under done at the moment. Cox form isn’t great either.

Maybe, Nyhuis should be given a chance instead of Spurr.
 

heavho

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Confident aren't you, they are the 2nd best forward line in the comp.
I hope you are right on the midfields, but Sandi won't have his own way against Ryder
Sandi will beat Ryder . I’m confident about that mark my words. He has had a good pre season hasn’t had any injuries so far and is clearly one of the best ruckman in the competition. Ryder is good around the ground but Sandi will beat him where it matters in the center bounces and stoppage work. Port has added watts to the equation but watts,Dixon,Westhoff is a forward line that is too tall. We can march them and rebound with Ryan and Wilson and Ross has hinted d Pearce so that’s where he comes into the fold of things down back
 

Scham

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They only beat two top 8 sides all last year. Sydney when they had a heap of injuries and the Weagles.

They are the comp's new flat trackers. Probably a better side than us but they are no chance of getting near a flag. Motlop and Watts just add to the flat tracking. Robbie Gray their best player is out and they have a heap of players coming off interrupted preseasons.

I will be very disappointed if we can't make it a close game.

That was last year though. We're expecting a heap of improvement. No reason why they won't be also.
 

rgauci

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Sandi will beat Ryder . I’m confident about that mark my words. He has had a good pre season hasn’t had any injuries so far and is clearly one of the best ruckman in the competition. Ryder is good around the ground but Sandi will beat him where it matters in the center bounces and stoppage work. Port has added watts to the equation but watts,Dixon,Westhoff is a forward line that is too tall. We can march them and rebound with Ryan and Wilson and Ross has hinted d Pearce so that’s where he comes into the fold of things down back

Sandilands was fit last year and IMO was beaten. First time in ages I thought he was beaten. Few frees against, got outpositioned and jumped all over. Ryder is one of his most difficult opponents because he doesn’t engage contact. Ryder usually jumps over the back of the ruckman and directs the tap from
The back position. An unusual technique.
 

sherrif

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The predicted Round 1 team by most on the Port Board is something like:
B: DBJ, Jonas, Clurey
HB: Houston, Howard, Hartlett
C: Westhoff, Ebert, Polec
HF: Boak, Watts, Motlop
F: Wingard, Dixon, S. Gray
R: Ryder, Rockliff, Wines
Int: SPP, Bonner, Barry, Marshall

I read Boak isn't a certainty so another mid (Possibly Amon) is likely to come in. Pittard is apparently a bit underdone which could be good news for Ballaz and Matera as Jasper is Ports quickest small defender. Westhoff has been playing on a wing (in training and preseason games) and as a plus + defender apparently and Marshall is super quick at 198cm so many have him named to play with Watts and Dixon in the forward line.

If they line up as above then that is a very tall team.
I could see us going with a line-uo at this stage of:
B: Hamling A.Pearce Wilson
HB: Langdon Johno Ryan
C: Blakely Neale B.Hill
R: Sandy Fyfe Brayshaw
HF: Matera McCarthy Walters
FF: Ballantyne Tabs Mundy

I/C Tucker, Sutty, Kersten, Banfield
Notes: The last position in the team could likely come down between Spurr, Suttcliffe and D.Pearce. Spurr seems a bit underdone and got exposed for pace by Liam Ryan in the first quarter against West Coast last week, so Ive gone for Suttcliffe just, with D.Pearce the travelling emergency.

There are two forwards on the bench (Banfield and Kersten), but I can see Mundy and Walters spending a lot of time midfield after starting forward.

A taller mid probably will have to go with Westhoff which is why Blakely is named on a wing, but id love for Ross to throw out the challenge to Port coaches and play Walters on Westhoff and just back Michael to be more dangerous despite the height difference.

Hamling could definitely play on Wingard at times with Alex Pearce looking so good in preseason games he could be put on Port's best tall forward.
 
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DMan 11

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Sandi will beat Ryder . I’m confident about that mark my words. He has had a good pre season hasn’t had any injuries so far and is clearly one of the best ruckman in the competition. Ryder is good around the ground but Sandi will beat him where it matters in the center bounces and stoppage work. Port has added watts to the equation but watts,Dixon,Westhoff is a forward line that is too tall. We can march them and rebound with Ryan and Wilson and Ross has hinted d Pearce so that’s where he comes into the fold of things down back

Not sure if you’ve watched Sandi v Ryder much historically but Ryder and Nic Nat are the only two ruckman to really ‘beat’ sandi at centre bounces.
No matter how fit Sandi is, a perfectly timed leap from those two will See his height nullified.
Always an interesting battle.... wish I shared your opinion on this but I don’t
 

Clems Knee

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Not sure if you’ve watched Sandi v Ryder much historically but Ryder and Nic Nat are the only two ruckman to really ‘beat’ sandi at centre bounces.
No matter how fit Sandi is, a perfectly timed leap from those two will See his height nullified.
Always an interesting battle.... wish I shared your opinion on this but I don’t
I agree with you re Ryder. Not so much Naitanui. Naitanui was getting soundly beaten when he drove his knee into Sandi’s ribs to take the mark.
 

SHill Shall

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Not sure if you’ve watched Sandi v Ryder much historically but Ryder and Nic Nat are the only two ruckman to really ‘beat’ sandi at centre bounces.
No matter how fit Sandi is, a perfectly timed leap from those two will See his height nullified.
Always an interesting battle.... wish I shared your opinion on this but I don’t

I’ll accept Ryder (once last year in Port colours) but won’t cop NN.
 

UYD 4 Life

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Sandilands was fit last year and IMO was beaten. First time in ages I thought he was beaten. Few frees against, got outpositioned and jumped all over. Ryder is one of his most difficult opponents because he doesn’t engage contact. Ryder usually jumps over the back of the ruckman and directs the tap from
The back position. An unusual technique.

Sandilands was definitely beaten although from memory last year they decided throw the ball up for every bounce giving advantage to Ryder because of his big leap (much easier to time your jump)
 

stax on the mull

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We've got a difficult preparation on our training days so as not to be already cooked on the flight over. Tuesday forecasts is 34C hot, Thursday 27C cooler but very high humidity and the heat looks like it moves over to Adelaide. Forecast if for 33C on Saturday in Adelaide.

Weather would be an issue for underdone players, and they have a couple more, but B Hill is so important to us and wasn't able to find his touch in the pre-season minutes he played prior to injury, and with Stephen missing, I reckon it takes out too much quality for us.

Ports forward line looks more capable of scoring quickly when they get their time in control of the midfield.
 

M_rash

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If we can isolate tabener and Fyfe in the forward 50. Arguably the two best one on one players in our team. We have a big chance of winning. We should push ballantyne and walters up the ground and use there ability to push forward from higher up the ground and catch the port defense out.
Ballas’ return to form was from being front and centre. Not rotating thru midfield or pushing up the ground. Let the crumbers do the crumbing!!!

#ourdarlingballantyne
 

Bicco

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Does anyone remember that opener in 2007? We had high hopes, then lost to Port at home. They were 5th last in 2006, then went to 2nd in 2007. I think Motlop kicked that arsy dribbler, Lade kicked a torpedo goal from about 120m out. Was just one of those days and I remember having a bad feeling that "it's only round 1, but our whole season is now doomed". I hope this is the reverse of that. Minus the 100 point GF loss.
I have a sneaky feeling the same may apply to them this time. Going into preseason with your tails up, getting talked up constantly by all and sundry as a top 4 team. While they're a very good team they also have a few new players who need to learn how to work with their new teammates. I think they will come out all guns blazing but I have no idea how they or their supporters will react if the blow torch is turned back on them. I can see Watts falling in a hole real quick if things don't go his way and he misses some sitters or starts getting beaten.
 
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