Dalfino
#BringBackTheBars
- May 10, 2014
- 2,011
- 6,763
- AFL Club
- Port Adelaide
- Other Teams
- Liverpool FC
The heartbreak and disappointment of Showdown 39 has settled into our hearts; the Crows have their oh-so-precious SA bragging rights for the next 9 months and the chances of Port Adelaide playing finals in 2015 are all but up to a miracle now. It is no understatement to say that we have horrendously underperformed in a year that many predicted ours to be for the taking and we certainly didn't meet up to our great club's internal expectations. Looking back on the season so far we have been tortured with inconsistent, demoralizing and just plain embarrassing performances with losses to the top teams, bottom teams, and many teams in-between - but we haven’t been cursed with a difficult run home as our season started. With a few very winnable games and a couple of blockbusters, the build into 2016 could show give us some hope yet. Our preseason starts this Saturday night at Etihad Stadium 7:20pm Adelaide time against one of Victoria's largest clubs - the Essendon Bombers.
Last Time We Met: Saturday Night Round 16 July 5th 2014
On a rainy Saturday night in July when we attempted to break the sporting crowd sound record and claim redemption for our unacceptable showdown loss the week before, the Port Adelaide faithful with the 46,000 strong crowd were left with a sour taste in their mouths as a dismal performance saw us lose our first home game at Adelaide Oval in 2014 and continue our poor post-showdown record with a 2-point loss to Essendon. Robbie Gray starred as his usual self that day as he picked up 30 possessions with a goal and came away with 2 Brownlow votes, but Essendon's Zaharakis and Myers proved efficient enough on the day to record an upset win.
Recent Form: Finals Contenders to Finals No-Shows
Both teams are coming into this game off the back of a loss to bitter rivals; Essendon to North and Port to Crows. Coincidentally both teams are disappointed in a LLLWL record over the past 5 games in a season where things just haven't gone right for either team. Port Adelaide have been cursed with poor decision making, lack of skills and an inefficient game style that has no comparison to the exciting, fast and free flowing footy of 2014. With a finals reappearance out of view for both sides, pride, respect and form building into 2016 is on the line as we can expect a desperate encounter fired up with a few heated battles within the war.
Trading Triumph: You get Giles, we get Ryder
Essendon and Port have had an active trade relationship in the past 3 seasons as we snapped up Monfries at the end of 2012 for Pick 48 in the national draft that same year - a deal which many supporters would criticize but has ultimately paid off for Port as Angus became a key drive in the rebuild of the club during seasons 2013 and 2014. On the last day of the 2014 trade period, Port fans were welcomed home by the news that Port had signed the supposed last piece in the premiership puzzle, Paddy Ryder, from Essendon for picks 17 and 37 - a deal which has yet to pay off. Essendon have been on the giving end of these two deals over the past 3 years, but managed to pick up an ex-Port player as a ruck replacement for Ryder; Jonathan Giles and pick 62 from GWS for pick 53 from Essendon. Whilst many Port fans laughed at the trade that saw a reject from their club fall into the ranks of another, Giles could in fact be set for a fiery Essendon debut after a good performance in the VFL last weekend and Crows reject Shaun McKernan's pathetic effort when he went head-to-head with Todd Goldstein against North Melbourne. With both Monfries and Ryder expected to play, it will be a game of heated rivalries as they face a daunting trip back to the home of their former club where the Essendon faithful will most certainly find a voice for.
Conclusion: Build into the run home by downing the dons
In conclusion, the inconsistent and unconfident Port face a tough task against one of Victoria's largest clubs on Saturday night, but Essendon haven't been producing quality football either as the clash looms to result in a desperate slog for pride. Port can build into their run home which follows as St Kilda home, Bulldogs away, Giants home, Hawthorn away, Gold Coast away and Freo Home with a solid win over the gettable Bombers.
Port by 31.
EDIT: LAST MINUTE TEAM SELECTIONS
Was just about to upload this but the selections were released for the game just then. Can’t be bothered going back and changing the stuff above, so I'll just list them here:
Port Adelaide: In - M. White, A. Moore, S. Colquhoun. Out - N. Krakouer (Hamstring), P. Stewart, B. Ah Cee (Omitted)
Essendon: In - A. Browne. Out - J, Ashby
Still working on a banner which should be finished later tonight, but feel free to upload your own
Last Time We Met: Saturday Night Round 16 July 5th 2014
On a rainy Saturday night in July when we attempted to break the sporting crowd sound record and claim redemption for our unacceptable showdown loss the week before, the Port Adelaide faithful with the 46,000 strong crowd were left with a sour taste in their mouths as a dismal performance saw us lose our first home game at Adelaide Oval in 2014 and continue our poor post-showdown record with a 2-point loss to Essendon. Robbie Gray starred as his usual self that day as he picked up 30 possessions with a goal and came away with 2 Brownlow votes, but Essendon's Zaharakis and Myers proved efficient enough on the day to record an upset win.
Recent Form: Finals Contenders to Finals No-Shows
Both teams are coming into this game off the back of a loss to bitter rivals; Essendon to North and Port to Crows. Coincidentally both teams are disappointed in a LLLWL record over the past 5 games in a season where things just haven't gone right for either team. Port Adelaide have been cursed with poor decision making, lack of skills and an inefficient game style that has no comparison to the exciting, fast and free flowing footy of 2014. With a finals reappearance out of view for both sides, pride, respect and form building into 2016 is on the line as we can expect a desperate encounter fired up with a few heated battles within the war.
Trading Triumph: You get Giles, we get Ryder
Essendon and Port have had an active trade relationship in the past 3 seasons as we snapped up Monfries at the end of 2012 for Pick 48 in the national draft that same year - a deal which many supporters would criticize but has ultimately paid off for Port as Angus became a key drive in the rebuild of the club during seasons 2013 and 2014. On the last day of the 2014 trade period, Port fans were welcomed home by the news that Port had signed the supposed last piece in the premiership puzzle, Paddy Ryder, from Essendon for picks 17 and 37 - a deal which has yet to pay off. Essendon have been on the giving end of these two deals over the past 3 years, but managed to pick up an ex-Port player as a ruck replacement for Ryder; Jonathan Giles and pick 62 from GWS for pick 53 from Essendon. Whilst many Port fans laughed at the trade that saw a reject from their club fall into the ranks of another, Giles could in fact be set for a fiery Essendon debut after a good performance in the VFL last weekend and Crows reject Shaun McKernan's pathetic effort when he went head-to-head with Todd Goldstein against North Melbourne. With both Monfries and Ryder expected to play, it will be a game of heated rivalries as they face a daunting trip back to the home of their former club where the Essendon faithful will most certainly find a voice for.
Conclusion: Build into the run home by downing the dons
In conclusion, the inconsistent and unconfident Port face a tough task against one of Victoria's largest clubs on Saturday night, but Essendon haven't been producing quality football either as the clash looms to result in a desperate slog for pride. Port can build into their run home which follows as St Kilda home, Bulldogs away, Giants home, Hawthorn away, Gold Coast away and Freo Home with a solid win over the gettable Bombers.
Port by 31.
EDIT: LAST MINUTE TEAM SELECTIONS
Was just about to upload this but the selections were released for the game just then. Can’t be bothered going back and changing the stuff above, so I'll just list them here:
Port Adelaide: In - M. White, A. Moore, S. Colquhoun. Out - N. Krakouer (Hamstring), P. Stewart, B. Ah Cee (Omitted)
Essendon: In - A. Browne. Out - J, Ashby
Still working on a banner which should be finished later tonight, but feel free to upload your own
