Showdown 17

[jakey]

Chad Cornes is one of the softest players in your team.

Then you haven't watched Port Adelaide play very often - throws his body hard into the contest for 2nd 3rd and 4th efforts.

Roo's comments have probably hit a raw nerve given the Power have no intimidators in the side this weekend (no Carr, Hardwick and Pickett) and hard aggressive football will win the day..

Red rag to a bull. I thank Roo for writing a large chunk of chocos pre-match address. Less chance of complacency now.

 

[Truck Rutten]

Only a madman would query Port's hardness at the ball, especially amongst its senior players.

But like some others, I interpreted Roo's comments as meaning that the hard hurting nuts such as Hardwick, Pickett, and Carr are missing - the ones that make you nervous when you're not quite sure where they are.

Anyhow, I expect the game to be physical as they always are, and neither side to take a backward step.

And yes, the blokes you named for Port will probably be the ones that win it for them, not the juniors, which I think was really Roo's point.

Well said Macca23, that's the way I read it too. Roo isn't an idiot, he knows Port are tough at the footy....you don't beat sides like Brisbane if you're not. I think he was referring more to the absence of Port's snipers.

 

[Truck Rutten]

This is the quote im bringing up:

"Physical is all about at the ball so we've surely got players who can go hard at the ball and win our fair share - there's no doubt about that. I don't think they've got anyone too tough that we have to worry about."

How could you expect him to say anything else? I'd be pretty concerned if our captain admitted they were worried about the toughness of certain opposition players. What a terrible mindset that would be to go into a game with. Players should relish the thought of playing a tough, finals like game of footy. He didn't say Port haven't got anyone tough, simply that no one is that tough that the Crows should be worried them.

This is no more than Port people reading something into it that isn't there. I guess they have to, after all they can't win unless they're the underdogs, their backs are to the wall, its them against the universe, or there's some sort of retribution involved. Just bounce the f u c king ball and get on with it.

 

[just maybe]

Then you haven't watched Port Adelaide play very often - throws his body hard into the contest for 2nd 3rd and 4th efforts.

Falling to the ground when the ball has left defense doesn't count.

 

[Rach]

I was at Crows training this morning, and was interested by the way the boys were setting up the forwardline in one of the drills. They had Biglands, Perrie and Hentschel starting in the goalsquare and leading out, with Welsh lurking around the 50m line.

Ladhams trained with the rest of the group, while the other two emergency's Bock and S. Stevens were standing around the boundary line watching training. Hart did a couple of laps of the ground, and I'm sure I saw Birdman out there for a little while as well

 

[Ford Fairlane]

This is no more than Port people reading something into it that isn't there. I guess they have to, after all they can't win unless they're the underdogs, their backs are to the wall, its them against the universe, or there's some sort of retribution involved. Just bounce the f u c king ball and get on with it.

They can sanitise plenty of things in footy, but they can't sanitise the passion of supporters! As far as we're concerned you guys are crediting Ricciuto with nuances of thought we frankly don't think he possesses. He called us soft and we have to respond. Which is probably why he did it in the first place, to try and buy cheap frees from us asserting ourselves early!

You gotta love it!

 

[macca23]

Very very disappointed this morning to hear Russell Ebert, who I've always rated as one of the all-time great footballers and fair-minded commentators, lower his standards to that of his fellow Port worshipper and B grade journalist, Michaelangelo Rucci.

Russell opened up the sports show on 5AA by referring to Roo's comments and proceeded to issue a series of snide denigratory remarks, rubbishing the Crows individually by name, and saying in mock fear that he was trembling in his boots.

Well I have news for you Russell - you're not playing to day. And I hope the individual Crow players such as Perrie, Hentschel etc heard your comments about them to day.

Russell, you know full well that such types of comments have been made by EVERY team before important games. The club that you come from has been the master of such statements - win, lose or draw.

Another illusion in life shattered. I thought he was above it, but deep down, Russell is nothing but another loud-mouthed smart-arsed Port feral.

I had the pleasure of spending some considerable time with the great man at a fund-raising function tonight.

Amongst many other topics of conversation, I challenged Russell on his out of character behaviour on the sports show this morning.

My faith in human nature and Russell is restored. The panel were wondering how the hell to start the show off this morning, and Russell suggested that he start with a bang by making the comments that he did.

Truth is, he genuinely just saw it as Roo saying that the youngsters would be tested by the pressure of the Showdown.

However, ratings are ratings, and you have to be controversial, says Russell.

A top bloke as you would expect, and I'm pleased to say that he is now back on his pedestal IMO.

 

[Mad Dog]

I had the pleasure of spending some considerable time with the great man at a fund-raising function tonight.

Amongst many other topics of conversation, I challenged Russell on his out of character behaviour on the sports show this morning.

My faith in human nature and Russell is restored. The panel were wondering how the hell to start the show off this morning, and Russell suggested that he start with a bang by making the comments that he did.

Truth is, he genuinely just saw it as Roo saying that the youngsters would be tested by the pressure of the Showdown.

However, ratings are ratings, and you have to be controversial, says Russell.

A top bloke as you would expect, and I'm pleased to say that he is now back on his pedestal IMO.

pandering to a script sounds even more out of charcter IMO.....

 

[WaynesWorld19]

I had the pleasure of spending some considerable time with the great man at a fund-raising function tonight.

Amongst many other topics of conversation, I challenged Russell on his out of character behaviour on the sports show this morning.

My faith in human nature and Russell is restored. The panel were wondering how the hell to start the show off this morning, and Russell suggested that he start with a bang by making the comments that he did.

Truth is, he genuinely just saw it as Roo saying that the youngsters would be tested by the pressure of the Showdown.

However, ratings are ratings, and you have to be controversial, says Russell.

A top bloke as you would expect, and I'm pleased to say that he is now back on his pedestal IMO.

Surprised you thought otherwise

 

[just maybe]

I had the pleasure of spending some considerable time with the great man at a fund-raising function tonight.

Amongst many other topics of conversation, I challenged Russell on his out of character behaviour on the sports show this morning.

My faith in human nature and Russell is restored. The panel were wondering how the hell to start the show off this morning, and Russell suggested that he start with a bang by making the comments that he did.

Truth is, he genuinely just saw it as Roo saying that the youngsters would be tested by the pressure of the Showdown.

However, ratings are ratings, and you have to be controversial, says Russell.

A top bloke as you would expect, and I'm pleased to say that he is now back on his pedestal IMO.

So in other words he is a sellout with no credibility?

 

[relapse]

How could you expect him to say anything else? I'd be pretty concerned if our captain admitted they were worried about the toughness of certain opposition players. What a terrible mindset that would be to go into a game with. Players should relish the thought of playing a tough, finals like game of footy. He didn't say Port haven't got anyone tough, simply that no one is that tough that the Crows should be worried them.

This is no more than Port people reading something into it that isn't there. I guess they have to, after all they can't win unless they're the underdogs, their backs are to the wall, its them against the universe, or there's some sort of retribution involved. Just bounce the f u c king ball and get on with it.

I had to laugh at that, but its true as for some reason Choco tries to make people believe that Port are the most victimised team in the history of football. I dont know whether it is to try and motivate the players or not, but I recon he learnt it from Kevin Sheedy because you wont find a bigger whiner, hypocrite and complainer around than Sheedy.

I remember the time that Essendon lost a final to Port and Sheedy blamed the loss on the AFL because it should have been Port playing Adelaide in his opinion even though both teams werent seeded to play each other, but sheedy felt the whole finals system should have been changed for that year just because it would have suited him as Essendon would have played an easier team.

 

[Crow-mosone]

Another illusion in life shattered. I thought he was above it, but deep down, Russell is nothing but another loud-mouthed smart-arsed Port feral.

Macca,

I have come across Russell on a more than a few occasions, and I am still convinced he is one of the good ones.
But like you, I am hoping this view is not easter bunny-ish.

 

[Crow-mosone]

So in other words he is a sellout with no credibility?

maybe you should stick to telling us more about the doggies great game plan revolution