Autopsy Round 14, 2020: Port Adelaide 11.7.73 def Sydney 7.5.47

Jun 29, 2010
4,409
9,777
Bombay
AFL Club
Sydney
Loved McCartin at CHF. Took some great one on ones, including v Dickson. Perhaps the net benefit for the team is for him to play there. He prevented several goals and was one of the reasons why we were able to reduce their scoring in the 3rd before Port’s setups improved a bit.
Easily the best contested mark in the team. Don’t know why coaching staff aren’t capitalising on this more.
 

dosser

Club Legend
Sep 15, 2012
2,897
8,188
Melbourne
AFL Club
Sydney
I didn't get a chance to watch the game yesterday. What are people's thoughts on McCartin as a back? Was he playing the intercepter role or was he playing as a key defender? If he was playing as a key defender how did he match up directly on his opponents? I always figured he would get bullied by bigger stronger forwards like Dixon, Buddy, or Hawkins if he was playing directly on them.

Personally I'd like to see Reid played in defense instead of McCartin. If he can transition to a key defender role he might be able to allow McCartin to play more freely up front. It's not like he hasn't played that swingman role before in defense.
You really need to stream the second half to take a look for yourself. I honestly think we have something to work with there. Give him at least 12 months in that position and then just concentrate on fixing the mids and forward line because our backs would take care of themselves.
 

swanssince2002

Norm Smith Medallist
Jul 21, 2018
7,347
7,440
21kms from Sydney
AFL Club
Sydney
Other Teams
Golden State Warriors
Basically one bad quarter was all it took really. Basically broke even in the second quarter. Not sure if Port were just pacing themselves or that throwing the magnets around such as moving McCartin back to HB, Allir in the ruck worked. Probably 10% of the former and 90% of the latter.

I think give McCartin a period next season down back, so we can focus on fixing the midfield and forward lines. Encouraging signs still, but still need to see the rebuild complete in the next 3-4 years. Jury is out.
 
Something that gives me great hope for the future is that nearly every week when they show their pressure gauge we are always up the higher end of the scale. Maybe it's a poor measure how they figure that out with numbers but I'm always bemoaning the fact they don't reward our tackles. If we make improvements with age we could be one of the best pressure sides in the comp which will turn into wins.
 
Oct 29, 2007
48,982
40,405
Lake Oval
AFL Club
Sydney
Other Teams
SMFC. PMFC,OAFC
Another imbecile Murdoch journo in the Herald Sun gave a vote to Trent McKenzie 14 pos gained 205 metres , Jake Lloyd 31 gained 416m , Mills 20 with 365 m, wheredo they find these idiots that have no idea ! Reece Homfray is his name , gave Robbie Gray best 27 and gained 97m ! , Dixon 4 goals , 1 a gift
 
Oct 29, 2007
48,982
40,405
Lake Oval
AFL Club
Sydney
Other Teams
SMFC. PMFC,OAFC
Something that gives me great hope for the future is that nearly every week when they show their pressure gauge we are always up the higher end of the scale. Maybe it's a poor measure how they figure that out with numbers but I'm always bemoaning the fact they don't reward our tackles. If we make improvements with age we could be one of the best pressure sides in the comp which will turn into wins.
Pressure gauge is more Champion Data crap
 
A lot of these players would look a lot better in a better team.
It's hard to tell who's going to make it when they're all just kids. They're persisting with Bell so he must be showing something. Nice goal though.

I agree with these sentiments and have been preaching the same, but I have to say it's frustrating that hardly any of them have risen to that challenge and got the best out of themselves despite playing under difficult circumstances.
 
Oct 29, 2007
48,982
40,405
Lake Oval
AFL Club
Sydney
Other Teams
SMFC. PMFC,OAFC
I agree with these sentiments and have been preaching the same, but I have to say it's frustrating that hardly any of them have risen to that challenge and got the best out of themselves despite playing under difficult circumstances.
New younger modern coach would have helped
 

Tesla Tenet

Premiership Player
Apr 13, 2016
3,118
3,603
AFL Club
Sydney
Like Bolton at the Blues? Or Shaw at the Kangas?
Don't know if Longmire is the answer, but would prefer an older more experienced coach than a new up and comer.
Roos at Melbourne is the perfect example.
Caracella?

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
 
Like Bolton at the Blues? Or Shaw at the Kangas?
Don't know if Longmire is the answer, but would prefer an older more experienced coach than a new up and comer.
Roos at Melbourne is the perfect example.

I'm not convinced it's the coaching that's the issue. There is probably a better coach out there for this group of players, but the same could be said of nearly every team, and finding said coach is another matter entirely.

Also when I look at our young players I see confidence in them that can only come from a coach encouraging them to play to their strengths. They're just not very good and/or consistent at playing to those strengths right now.

But if the team is going to improve, it's going to take someone, or a few players, taking that step-up and leading by example. I would imagine Horse is waiting to see who will take the initiative to take the team forward and who will end up being a follower. A few of his favourites may end up falling into the latter category.
 

Bear31

Club Legend
Feb 15, 2020
1,145
1,751
AFL Club
Sydney
I'm not convinced it's the coaching that's the issue. There is probably a better coach out there for this group of players, but the same could be said of nearly every team, and finding said coach is another matter entirely.

Also when I look at our young players I see confidence in them that can only come from a coach encouraging them to play to their strengths. They're just not very good and/or consistent at playing to those strengths right now.

But if the team is going to improve, it's going to take someone, or a few players, taking that step-up and leading by example. I would imagine Horse is waiting to see who will take the initiative to take the team forward and who will end up being a follower. A few of his favourites may end up falling into the latter category.
It only takes a few key players to change a side. Some players like a lot of our young guys need experience around them. Talking to them. Telling them where to go or what to do. We dont have a lot of that. So we are taking two steps back and one forward atm. A good tap RUCK and another KPF would straighten us up a bit.
 
It only takes a few key players to change a side. Some players like a lot of our young guys need experience around them. Talking to them. Telling them where to go or what to do. We dont have a lot of that. So we are taking two steps back and one forward atm. A good tap RUCK and another KPF would straighten us up a bit.

I agree with that, but where is that key player? It's been 14 rounds and I can honestly say not one guy in that group of inexperience below Mills, Heeney, Papley etc has had a great game this year. Florent in round 1 probably the closest, but it was still not a four quarter display. I fully agree that it's harder for them because they don't have the better senior players around to give them the platform to really star, but I don't think it's unrealistic to hope and expect them to just... do it? At least once? Give us one performance to cling onto??
 

Bear31

Club Legend
Feb 15, 2020
1,145
1,751
AFL Club
Sydney
I agree with that, but where is that key player? It's been 14 rounds and I can honestly say not one guy in that group of inexperience below Mills, Heeney, Papley etc has had a great game this year. Florent in round 1 probably the closest, but it was still not a four quarter display. I fully agree that it's harder for them because they don't have the better senior players around to give them the platform to really star, but I don't think it's unrealistic to hope and expect them to just... do it? At least once? Give us one performance to cling onto??
Maybe its in the next draft lol. I think another off season training will improve a lot. we are the second youngest team. A few more drafts. Some salary release in the next few years. You cant buy a premiership anymore. Its about balance. Some good trades after our drafting in the next two years and i think we are thereabouts.
 

Wolfgang West

Norm Smith Medallist
Jun 22, 2009
8,715
12,575
melbourne
AFL Club
Sydney
I think we are stroking ourselves. Port we’re asleep in the second qtr. Our extraction work at stoppages is wooden spoon material. How is it that our ruckman can get on top but our midfield setups are such that the oppostion is better at reading the tap than we are? I can only conclude that this is sh#t coaching. We just couldn’t pick up the rick scraps at all. The clearance numbers were terrible really, and it doesn’t play to our stregngths at all as we have recruited for speed and we can’t even get the ball to our carriers...the forwards were in quicksand and should be torn strips for their lack of movement in creating leads and space, but our midfield made them look worse than they were. Heeney would have been just another jumper in a pack of seven for each lollipop coming I50 from the stratosphere. Conversely, it was a pleasure to watch Melksham last night nail it low into the 50, resulting in either chest marks our chaos within 25m of the goal. With Paps roaming, surely that is a better tactic?

Your midfield point amounts to one thing. Flatfooted.
 
I think we are stroking ourselves. Port we’re asleep in the second qtr. Our extraction work at stoppages is wooden spoon material. How is it that our ruckman can get on top but our midfield setups are such that the oppostion is better at reading the tap than we are? I can only conclude that this is sh#t coaching. We just couldn’t pick up the rick scraps at all. The clearance numbers were terrible really, and it doesn’t play to our stregngths at all as we have recruited for speed and we can’t even get the ball to our carriers...the forwards were in quicksand and should be torn strips for their lack of movement in creating leads and space, but our midfield made them look worse than they were. Heeney would have been just another jumper in a pack of seven for each lollipop coming I50 from the stratosphere. Conversely, it was a pleasure to watch Melksham last night nail it low into the 50, resulting in either chest marks our chaos within 25m of the goal. With Paps roaming, surely that is a better tactic?

Despite being there for most Centre bounces, JPK was credited with just one Centre Clearance.
 

Swan4Life

Club Legend
Jan 29, 2008
2,041
3,921
Sydney
AFL Club
Sydney
Other Teams
Buffalo Bills
A respectable effort, all things considered.

Our intensity in the first qtr was well down on theirs, but I thought we just about matched them after that.

Any chance we had went out the window at the start of the 2nd when both of Dixons goals came off the back of two umpiring howlers. I thought the scoreboard flattered Port to be honest.

Clearances and delivery into our forward 50 were the core issues for mine but this wasn't the first time that has happened.

I am not sure if Bell offers much based on his last 4 games. His leg speed is not as damaging as was touted.

And if that is JPK's new normal at stoppages then I am very comcerned, although I acknowledge that this was only his 2nd game after a long layoff.

It's all about getting games into the kids and draft position now.
 
Last edited:
Back