Game Day Round 3: West Coast Vs Port Adelaide

CM9000

BigFooty Optimist
Aug 19, 2016
3,053
6,792
Perth, WA
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
East Fremantle
Round 3:
West Coast Vs Port Adelaide

How dare you all.

Nathan Vardy. VardGod. The man who dragged us across the line against Footscray in 2017 and was one of the reasons that we won a flag in 2018, is being targetted on this board as the new whipping boy. If there’s one thing I‘ve learned on BigFooty, from crawling through the various boards on here like a man stuck in the sewers, sometimes coming back to the surface that is our board, I’ve learned that one can’t engage multiple posters in an argument, otherwise they will be trapped writing paragraph after paragraph on BF for hours on end. So many posters on here have been insulting the great man, that to attend to each one will leave me stuck for 15 years.

Great users like Doashuey, Godfather32, THE A5, Chris_6678, even Dylan82 have suggested dropping Vardy, and done so in the most insulting way possible. The man who destroyed Gawn and Grundy in 3 consecutive weeks (with Scott Lycett, who’s name we shall never mention again) has been tossed aside like a used rag, treated as carelessly as a drug test Willie has due in 12 hours.

But like Dom Sheed before in 2018, the Vard man will surge back like non other. Mark my words, each and every one of you will regret shitting on Vardy this year.

Anyway, onto the match itself.

Port have beaten the two current bottom sides this year in their past 2 games, and they choked against Richmond in the prelim last year in unbelievable fashion. They’ve added some fantastic youngsters in the past 2 years. When both South Australian sides were scrambling for pick 1 like England did with the world 100 years ago, Port ended up with 3 picks in the top 20 in 2018. Initially, I thought they were going to select their usual mix of Vic reaches, skipping over the talent they have in their own state - for every Travis Boak they find, they still get 2 John Butchers. Yet, in a surprising town of events, they selected Connor Rozee at pick 3 (or 4, I don’t remember), then picked up Zak Butters and that other Vic guy I don’t remember the name of. Additionally, in the 2019 draft, they added Mitch Georgias as well, who has turned out to be a great find.

So Port have added a number of quality youngsters, who have complemented their veterans fantastically. On the back of new draftees and a career resurgence for their older players, like Boak, they’ve propelled themselves back into contention over the past two seasons.

In our last match, they jumped us in similar circumstances to Essendon in 2018, and smashed us with speed in wet conditions. Then, in even worse conditions, at a stadium we play as well as that shithole in Geelong, they pummelled us yet again by 40 points. And look at how the arrogant pricks are viewing this game:
No Yeo or our nemesis Schuey, and we have pretty much a full compliment to pick from.

If this was at AO I’d say 5+ goal win, given the umpiring advantage they have at home we win this by 17pts.
Our side is in red hot form and could blow any side out of the water in the space of a quarter, West Coast will have to show a lot to keep the game close IMO.

What happen power is always a possibility, but I’m really looking forward to watching us play against a potential top 8 side for the first time this year.
Well it's fitting that this game is being played over Easter, as West Coast in Perth have been one of our favourite bunnies over the years.

I don't think Port will lose many games this year but this game and the next one will be two of the tougher ones we'll face on the schedule.

Having said that, I'm confident we'll have too many options for them and will get the win this week.

The way things are shaping up, I don't think I'd be tipping against Port in any game this year, regardless of opponent or venue.
Georgie to play in his hometown infront of friends and family. Could kick 8.

And, as expected, posters on our board have reverted to talking the team down to compensate for their own disappointment at the loss. I’ve seen far too many posts suggesting that we cannot win this game, sounding like ep2018 before every single derby. I’m honestly quite disappointed with the lack of confidence in this team - however, let me describe the way I see it.

Why did we beat St Kilda in 2020? How did we get over a team while missing our entire midfield? Likewise, how did we only lose to Footscray by a goal, despite the fact we’re missing both Yeo and Shuey? How was the game that close at all, despite the fact the Bulldogs looked like they dominated play (in actuality, they’re just a handball happy side who overuse the ball)?

According to some posters on here at the moment, that St Kilda game should’ve been impossible to win, and the Bulldogs game shouldn’t have been close. They cite the fact we got demolished in the middle as evidence that Port’s inside midfield brigade are going to smash us on Saturday. And with Port’s forwards actually being able to convert, they’ll destroy us, unlike the Bulldogs.

With their expectations so high after 2018, these posters, 3 years later, have now come to the point where last weeks result, by itself, means we are not up to it. In trying to grapple with the fact that we didn’t win that close game against, arguably, the best midfield in the competition, that means we no longer have the “killer instinct“.

And yet, going by this line of thought, the match last week shouldn’t have been close at all. With our weakness in the middle exacerbated heading in, it’s a miracle the game was close at all; as if it was a coincidence we held the lead in the fourth quarter. Well, here’s the truth.

Our structures actually work. Nic provides the X-factor, while our movement and the quality of our forwardline actually converts when we get the ball down there. Our defects in the game last week were a matter of effort and application, not talent and gameplan. This is a thing that can be fixed in 7 days, yet I’m seeing people on here suggest that we are incapable of tackling, or something along those lines. It’s as simple as that. I don’t need to single out Nic, or anything like that - we are a quality team.

Here’s what I expect to happen - Gaffy will have a massive return to form. Something along the lines of 40 disposals and 2 goals, while Barrass will keep Dixon below 3 goals. People on here will be surprised by the fact that our intent seems to be a lot better as Port have a bit more trouble getting smooth ball movement through the middle. McGovern will be targeted again, but he’ll shake off the soft tag in a game that will see him effectively play his natural game while being more accountable.

Nic will have a day out against Lycett, to the surprise of Port supporters (and no one else), while the game won’t be as close as people are expecting. It’ll be a good contest, sure, but don’t forget fact we‘ll have 45,000 thousand screaming Eagles fans for only the second time this year and umpires that get fed brown paper bags.

Get your goddamn vocal cords ready. I want to hear some noise on Saturday.

Oh, before I forget, here’s the two GIFs which must feature in every preview against Port post 2016:
giphy.gif

70kfBPb.gif


Changes:
I think Port will go in like this, based on what their board has said:
IN: Rozee, Marshall
OUT: Farrell, Bergmann

Rozee is a no brainer. Hinkley has indicated that he might bring Marshall in, perhaps to try and stretch our defence.

I think we’ll go on like this:
IN: Shuey, Edwards
OUT: Langdon, Cole

Our captain comes back in to strengthen our midfield. He might be played off a HFF to replace Langdon, who’s been underperforming. It’s 50/50 on Edwards at the moment - it’ll depend on whether Port bring Marshall in.

Prediction:
Nathan Vardy after the siren by one point, campaigners.

Sorry for the late preview, been busy this week, and got wiped out yesterday.
 
Jan 13, 2013
22,963
44,787
AFL Club
West Coast
Round 3:
West Coast Vs Port Adelaide

How dare you all.

Nathan Vardy. VardGod. The man who dragged us across the line against Footscray in 2017 and was one of the reasons that we won a flag in 2018, is being targetted on this board as the new whipping boy. If there’s one thing I‘ve learned on BigFooty, from crawling through the various boards on here like a man stuck in the sewers, sometimes coming back to the surface that is our board, I’ve learned that one can’t engage multiple posters in an argument, otherwise they will be trapped writing paragraph after paragraph on BF for hours on end. So many posters on here have been insulting the great man, that to attend to each one will leave me stuck for 15 years.

Great users like Doashuey, Godfather32, THE A5, Chris_6678, even Dylan82 have suggested dropping Vardy, and done so in the most insulting way possible. The man who destroyed Gawn and Grundy in 3 consecutive weeks (with Scott Lycett, who’s name we shall never mention again) has been tossed aside like a used rag, treated as carelessly as a drug test Willie has due in 12 hours.

But like Dom Sheed before in 2018, the Vard man will surge back like non other. Mark my words, each and every one of you will regret shitting on Vardy this year.

Anyway, onto the match itself.

Port have beaten the two current bottom sides this year in their past 2 games, and they choked against Richmond in the prelim last year in unbelievable fashion. They’ve added some fantastic youngsters in the past 2 years. When both South Australian sides were scrambling for pick 1 like England did with the world 100 years ago, Port ended up with 3 picks in the top 20 in 2018. Initially, I thought they were going to select their usual mix of Vic reaches, skipping over the talent they have in their own state - for every Travis Boak they find, they still get 2 John Butchers. Yet, in a surprising town of events, they selected Connor Rozee at pick 3 (or 4, I don’t remember), then picked up Zak Butters and that other Vic guy I don’t remember the name of. Additionally, in the 2019 draft, they added Mitch Georgias as well, who has turned out to be a great find.

So Port have added a number of quality youngsters, who have complemented their veterans fantastically. On the back of new draftees and a career resurgence for their older players, like Boak, they’ve propelled themselves back into contention over the past two seasons.

In our last match, they jumped us in similar circumstances to Essendon in 2018, and smashed us with speed in wet conditions. Then, in even worse conditions, at a stadium we play as well as that shithole in Geelong, they pummelled us yet again by 40 points. And look at how the arrogant pricks are viewing this game:





And, as expected, posters on our board have reverted to talking the team down to compensate for their own disappointment at the loss. I’ve seen far too many posts suggesting that we cannot win this game, sounding like ep2018 before every single derby. I’m honestly quite disappointed with the lack of confidence in this team - however, let me describe the way I see it.

Why did we beat St Kilda in 2020? How did we get over a team while missing our entire midfield? Likewise, how did we only lose to Footscray by a goal, despite the fact we’re missing both Yeo and Shuey? How was the game that close at all, despite the fact the Bulldogs looked like they dominated play (in actuality, they’re just a handball happy side who overuse the ball)?

According to some posters on here at the moment, that St Kilda game should’ve been impossible to win, and the Bulldogs game shouldn’t have been close. They cite the fact we got demolished in the middle as evidence that Port’s inside midfield brigade are going to smash us on Saturday. And with Port’s forwards actually being able to convert, they’ll destroy us, unlike the Bulldogs.

With their expectations so high after 2018, these posters, 3 years later, have now come to the point where last weeks result, by itself, means we are not up to it. In trying to grapple with the fact that we didn’t win that close game against, arguably, the best midfield in the competition, that means we no longer have the “killer instinct“.

And yet, going by this line of thought, the match last week shouldn’t have been close at all. With our weakness in the middle exacerbated heading in, it’s a miracle the game was close at all; as if it was a coincidence we held the lead in the fourth quarter. Well, here’s the truth.

Our structures actually work. Nic provides the X-factor, while our movement and the quality of our forwardline actually converts when we get the ball down there. Our defects in the game last week were a matter of effort and application, not talent and gameplan. This is a thing that can be fixed in 7 days, yet I’m seeing people on here suggest that we are incapable of tackling, or something along those lines. It’s as simple as that. I don’t need to single out Nic, or anything like that - we are a quality team.

Here’s what I expect to happen - Gaffy will have a massive return to form. Something along the lines of 40 disposals and 2 goals, while Barrass will keep Dixon below 3 goals. People on here will be surprised by the fact that our intent seems to be a lot better as Port have a bit more trouble getting smooth ball movement through the middle. McGovern will be targeted again, but he’ll shake off the soft tag in a game that will see him effectively play his natural game while being more accountable.

Nic will have a day out against Lycett, to the surprise of Port supporters (and no one else), while the game won’t be as close as people are expecting. It’ll be a good contest, sure, but don’t forget fact we‘ll have 45,000 thousand screaming Eagles fans for only the second time this year and umpires that get fed brown paper bags.

Get your goddamn vocal cords ready. I want to hear some noise on Saturday.

Oh, before I forget, here’s the two GIFs which must feature in every preview against Port post 2016:
giphy.gif

70kfBPb.gif


Changes:
I think Port will go in like this, based on what their board has said:
IN: Rozee, Marshall
OUT: Farrell, Bergmann

Rozee is a no brainer. Hinkley has indicated that he might bring Marshall in, perhaps to try and stretch our defence.

I think we’ll go on like this:
IN: Shuey, Edwards
OUT: Langdon, Cole

Our captain comes back in to strengthen our midfield. He might be played off a HFF to replace Langdon, who’s been underperforming. It’s 50/50 on Edwards at the moment - it’ll depend on whether Port bring Marshall in.

Prediction:
Nathan Vardy after the siren by one point, campaigners.

Sorry for the late preview, been busy this week, and got wiped out yesterday.
I don't think it's going to be Cole out for Edwards....
 
No issue with it. He’s tall but so are Port and I don’t think the reason we win or lose today will be because we added 7cm to the team with this change.

If we’re pretending Brander is a mid, let’s see what he’s got. We’ve done Ah Chee, we know what Ah Chee is, I have no problem with trying something else.

Brander does need to find a bit more mongrel so invoking the spirit of Robert Walls, I’d gladly see him thrown in the ruck a couple of times, if it spares Oscar.
 
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