Preview Round 4 – GWS Giants vs Port Adelaide, Saturday 15th April, 4.35pm, Manuka Oval

[Land of the Giants]

Despite the inaccuracy, I thought today was an impressive win over North Melbourne, probably more than we would have thought possible. Twice the scoring shots and a seven goal margin. The first half was a real arm wrestle until we finally took control and ran away with it.

But the game against Port in Canberra is going to be much tougher. Both South Australian teams are playing a compelling brand of football at the moment, and we’ll really need to bring our A-game.

Unfortunately, Ryan Griffen copped a bad ankle injury, which looks like sidelining him for a while. His hard-body game is difficult to replace, especially with Stephen still a few weeks away. It’s a big concern.

Another big concern was the knock to Phil Davis. Leon said in the presser we’ll know in the next couple of days if there’s any lasting damage. But he sounded more confident about Phil than he did about Ryan.

On the positive side, Jon Patton got through his NEAFL match today, and will probably return against Port. Matthew Kennedy played a good game, and is also likely to return.

Looking at the draw, the next seven weeks are going to be quite hard, and if we’re serious about being genuine contenders, we have to get off to a good start by defeating Port. They’ll be flat after the Showdown, but are sure to turn up.

I think we can win. So take a deep breath Giants, and we’ll see you next Saturday.

 

[_GT_]

This is one of those games you'd think we need to be close to full strength. With a depleted midfield, this is going to be tough. They have a mature, hard midfield unit. We've lost a bit of that in Griff and Cogs. Add our depth in De Boer and the Goo on the injury list too. A lot falls to Ward, Shiel, Hopper and Kelly. I guess Taranto and Kennedy too.

Elsewhere, we need Phil to come up for Dickson and Patton to allow Lobb to help Mummy take on Ryder.

 

[Simmofreo]

This is one of those games you'd think we need to be close to full strength. With a depleted midfield, this is going to be tough. They have a mature, hard midfield unit. We've lost a bit of that in Griff and Cogs. Add our depth in De Boer and the Goo on the injury list too. A lot falls to Ward, Shiel, Hopper and Kelly. I guess Taranto and Kennedy too.

Elsewhere, we need Phil to come up for Dickson and Patton to allow Lobb to help Mummy take on Ryder.

Davis is super important in this one.

He must get up.

Great test of where we are at. Looking forward to watching this one from the stadium sports bar in bali

On HUAWEI NXT-L09 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[_GT_]

Davis is super important in this one.

He must get up.

Great test of where we are at. Looking forward to watching this one from the stadium sports bar in bali

On HUAWEI NXT-L09 using BigFooty.com mobile app

Ok, rub it in why don't ya...

 

[Gigantic]

Good news is Ryder might face some time on the sidelines with a suspension


Could be a huge out for them as they don't really have many capable rucks

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

Good news is Ryder might face some time on the sidelines with a suspension


Could be a huge out for them as they don't really have many capable rucks

Might?

 

[Determinant]

Never a good thing when a giant is injured, but for my money Griff's injury means Leon doesn't have to make a tough call on a guy who is miles away from being in form, hopefully he comes back firing.

Phil would be a bad out, though apples played well today and Bunts would come in to cover.

Don't think Ryder will be an issue.

 

[Bokonon_]

They wont be at their best after the Showdown and we will smash them.

 

[dlanod]

Might?

Off the ball, ran to the player, high contact, high impact given the player was decked - Ryder is up the proverbial creek.

 

[Simmofreo]

Ok, rub it in why don't ya...

Oh did i not do that enough. Sorry

Ill be watching it while drinking $2/bintangs !!!!!! Yuuuuuuuummmm

On HUAWEI NXT-L09 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Bokonon_]

Oh did i not do that enough. Sorry

Ill be watching it while drinking $2/bintangs !!!!!! Yuuuuuuuummmm

On HUAWEI NXT-L09 using BigFooty.com mobile app

Enjoy, those of is left to deal with the funk of tje coming winter are envious.

Oh wait you'll be back.

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

Off the ball, ran to the player, high contact, high impact given the player was decked - Ryder is up the proverbial creek.

And there's not a paddle in sight.

 

[Giant Strides]

I'm going to be repetitive in saying that this is going to be a massive challenge for GWS but we need to win if we want to finish high on the ladder. Port appear to be getting back towards their 2014 form, and challenging for a top 8 spot, so we cannot afford to drop a game to a fellow top 8 aspirant - especially at home. While GWS has bounced back from their horror game first up against Adelaide, the Suns game was little more than a training run and the good win against Norths nevertheless had some issues. If deficiencies seen in the Adelaide & Norths games are repeated against Port, it will end in tears for us. Plus, our inside midfielder injuries leaves us weakened in an area where Port are proving this year to be strong. The improvement in Port appears to be slight adjustments in attitude, skills and the addition of a very enthusiastic SPP in the midfield. With Cogs and likely Griffen out, it means that Ward, Shiel, Kelly & Hopper are all going to lift to match them, plus probably extra rotations of Greene, Taranto & Smith through the midfield. I'd love for Taranto to have a breakout game and get a lot of ball and use it well. If Port lose Ryder, it will be a big out for them, but it remains to be seen how much it affects them this year as opposed to his absence all of last year. He certainly has improved the team this year, but difficult to tell exactly how much.

Overall, I'd assess that the matchups of our defence against their forwards, and our forwards against their defence, sit slightly in our favour. However, Wingard & Gray are both very dangerous and if we don't shut them down they can certainly generate enough goals to defeat us. I'm probably in favour of returning Patton to the forward line, providing he's over the hip injury and moving well. I just think that the mix of the 3 different styles of KPFs plus our crumbing forwards tests opposition defences. So, the battle will be won or lost with the midfielders, and Leon is going to have to have a good gameplan and have all of the boys at peak level to get away with this one.

 

[Giant Pete]

Off the ball, ran to the player, high contact, high impact given the player was decked - Ryder is up the proverbial creek.

No injury from it though.

 

[Giant Pete]

Rotation is the key I reckon. We need a strong inside presence to be at our best. I think Hopper is a great inside player so I would put him in there as much as possible. I'd rotate Smith, Greene and Kennedy through as well.

 

[ClockworkOrange]

I'm going to be repetitive in saying that this is going to be a massive challenge for GWS but we need to win if we want to finish high on the ladder. Port appear to be getting back towards their 2014 form, and challenging for a top 8 spot, so we cannot afford to drop a game to a fellow top 8 aspirant - especially at home. While GWS has bounced back from their horror game first up against Adelaide, the Suns game was little more than a training run and the good win against Norths nevertheless had some issues. If deficiencies seen in the Adelaide & Norths games are repeated against Port, it will end in tears for us. Plus, our inside midfielder injuries leaves us weakened in an area where Port are proving this year to be strong. The improvement in Port appears to be slight adjustments in attitude, skills and the addition of a very enthusiastic SPP in the midfield.

Agreed that we must beat Port at Manuka to be Top 4, but this is one of our (relatively) easier fixtures for 2017.

Port will be fatigued from Showdown, and still be suffering PTSD from being obliterated by us their last year.

I'm very bullish our Manuka home crowd support too, complemented by travelling support from Syd on the Easter weekend - Giants comfortably by 5+ goals.

 

[Determinant]

Agreed that we must beat Port at Manuka to be Top 4, but this is one of our (relatively) easier fixtures for 2017.

Port will be fatigued from Showdown, and still be suffering PTSD from being obliterated by us their last year.

I'm very bullish our Manuka home crowd support too, complemented by travelling support from Syd on the Easter weekend - Giants comfortably by 5+ goals.

We are going for the weekend, and hoping for post victory celebrations

 

[Giant Strides]

Port will be fatigued from Showdown, and still be suffering PTSD from being obliterated by us their last year.

I'm certainly hoping so. But if the last two weeks have shown anything, it is that games don't necessarily follow the expected script. The boys better come ready for a tough game, and if it proves to be easier than that, great.

 

[ClockworkOrange]

We are going for the weekend, and hoping for post victory celebrations

Enjoy - you're in for a much better Syd-CBR weekend away than Kochie.

 

[Bokonon_]

Our Port games are generally spiteful, and both games last year were pretty ugly in that regard. Part of that was their choice to bully a young side on previous years I think. Both our co-captains getting whacked at Manuka last year in what was obviously no coincidence and the teams going off at half time nose to nose in a line with our guys very nearly following them into their rooms in 2015 are burned in my memory.
We weren't the only club to have problems and their Suns and Geelong game were nasty as well.
I wonder if we'll see the same this year.
I havent seen the sniping from Port this year so far, Hinkley may have finally got that it's ultimately a waste of energy in the modern game.I wouldn't be surprised though, particularly if they cant be competitive with skill.
If it is to be I hope Mummy can do a number on Ebert and not get reported.
I like the idea of going after the family.

 

[Swooping Crow]

Our Port games are generally spiteful, and both games last year were pretty ugly in that regard. Part of that was their choice to bully a young side on previous years I think. Both our co-captains getting whacked at Manuka last year in what was obviously no coincidence and the teams going off at half time nose to nose in a line with our guys very nearly following them into their rooms in 2015 are burned in my memory.
We weren't the only club to have problems and their Suns and Geelong game were nasty as well.
I wonder if we'll see the same this year.
I havent seen the sniping from Port this year so far, Hinkley may have finally got that it's ultimately a waste of energy in the modern game.I wouldn't be surprised though, particularly if they cant be competitive with skill.
If it is to be I hope Mummy can do a number on Ebert and not get reported.
I like the idea of going after the family.

Good luck. They are a spiteful mob but without their feral supporters and playing away against a side that tore them apart last year.

If you get on top early, they are no chance.

 

[kulak]

Anothe game against a team with enough weapons to give the Giants a headache, but not enough to stop the Giants winning, assuming the Giants put in an AFL standard level of effort.

Ollie Wines is a star. Their midfield is decent. Ryder will be missed.

Their forward line depends on their smalls like Wingard, with Robbie Gray up there too now.

Don't think their midfield can match our run and spread. Especially coming of an exhausting and deflating Showdown loss.

 

[Giant Pete]

They are a different proposition to last year. Expect a tough game. If we focus on tackle pressure and contested work we will win.

 

[Bokonon_]

I'm sorted to go, thinking this game might be down jacket and beanie, gloves in reserve, rather than cap and t-shirt.
Travelling on the Easter weekend generally breaks a personal rule, but thise rules are for personal convenience I guess. I understand they run buses to the ground from the city centre? No biggie unless they dont have cabs.

 

[dlanod]

Sculls getting some recognition in passing.