Showdown match up and tactics

[DJ75]

Good morning everyone,
Well I for one am very excited about Saturdays showdown. I can't wait to see our youngsters in the heat of battle and I can't wait to see the down hill skiers pack up and go home at half time

For mine I can see the match ups looking like this:

B: Jacob Surjan, Alipate Carlile, Michael Pettigrew
F: Jason Porplyzia, Kurt Tippett, Taylor Walker

HB: Nathan Krakouer, Troy Chaplin, Dom Cassisi
HF: Richard Douglas, Scott Stevens, Scott Thompson

C: Travis Boak, Kane Cornes, Steven Salopek
C:Brent Reilly, Bernie Vince, David Mackay

HF: Josh Carr, Warren Tredrea, Robert Gray
HB: Andrew McLeod, Ben Rutten, Graham Johncock

F: Brett Ebert, Chad Cornes, Daniel Motlop
FB: Simon Goodwin, Nathan Bock, Andrew Otten

Foll: Dean Brogan, David Rodan, Danyle Pearce
FOLL: Jon Griffin, Tyson Edwards, Nathan Van Berlo

I/C: Brendon Lade, Peter Burgoyne, Tom Logan, Hamish Hartlett
I/C: Patrick Dangerfield, Myke Cook, Jared Petrenko, Michael Doughty


In terms of the match-up tactics, I can see:

• Josh Carr coming in for Matt Thomas (no surprise there)
• Dom Cassisi taking either Thompson or Vince. Kane Cornes taking the other.
• Josh Carr taking McLeod.
• Chad Cornes playing full forward. This makes the us either move Rutten to CHB and Bock to the goal square (not our preferred options) or Rutten to play on a fast leading Cornes.
• Otten on Motlop is a match up that concerns me, but I don't see another option (unless Stevens is forced back). Motlop is a bit too clever for an inexperienced player like Otten.

Looking through the two teams line by line they look very well matched up. No wonder they are always close games!

Tactic wise we will play the zone and try to strangle them. I expect Port to play one on one and attempt to play fast breaks from ball up situations (which they will try and force as much as possible). This uses Port's strength's (rucks and pace). We must break even in clearances to have a chance.

Thoughts?

 

[spexau]

I reckon the Motlop vs. Otten duel will be really interesting. I actually think Otten has the agility and pace to go with him all night and he's probably a lot fitter than Motlop. If Otten gets on top early then expect some Motlop explosions for the rest of the match.

 

[WALL-e]

Otten is going to rack up so much leather.

There forwards aren't defensive minded.

 

[jackster83]

Ebert, Motlop and Pearce are the three that we have to watch as they usually kill us in showdowns. Thankfully Shaun Burgoyne is out as he usually plays a blinder in showdowns also.

Porps vs Surjan and Edwards vs Rodan would be matchups that suit us as Surjan is unaccountable and Rodan usually does SFA after quarter time.

Port usually put a fair amount of players behind the ball in showdownds (eg Peter Burgoyne and Brogan), so we need to be smarter going into our forward 50 to give our marking forwards a decent chance. Or we could just let Walker take all his shots from outside 50...

 

[Cap]

If Carr is on Mcleod i'll won't eat the desert at the wedding I'm going to.

it just ain't going to happen.

 

[MattyB_76]

Didn't Port drop Carr last night?

 

[DJ75]

I reckon the Motlop vs. Otten duel will be really interesting. I actually think Otten has the agility and pace to go with him all night and he's probably a lot fitter than Motlop. If Otten gets on top early then expect some Motlop explosions for the rest of the match.

It certainly will be interesting if it goes that way. I guess it will come down to who is winning the midfield battles. If we are on top there entry in their forward line will be under pressure and this will help. Otten then could get a lot of the ball.
If Port are winning the mid field and can get the ball in quickly then I would be very worried. In that case a one on one battle will not suit us. I just don't see Otten as a good body to body defender yet.

Still, I can't wait to watch!

 

[spexau]

It certainly will be interesting if it goes that way. I guess it will come down to who is winning the midfield battles. If we are on top there entry in their forward line will be under pressure and this will help. Otten then could get a lot of the ball.
If Port are winning the mid field and can get the ball in quickly then I would be very worried. In that case a one on one battle will not suit us. I just don't see Otten as a good body to body defender yet.

Still, I can't wait to watch!

You wouldn't think they would get a lot easy forward 50 entries though. Our whole game plan revolves around putting pressure on the ball coming into the 50. Not sure about Otten in 1-on-1, haven't seen him in many, if any, of them.

 

[Wood_Duck]

Apparently Port have a new game plan for this week, not a flood, not a zone, not even a rolling zone. NC has been overheard saying that he is most concerned about Ports plan for Saturday and has been up every night this week trying to figure out how to counteract the powers cunning new game plan.
I have it on good authority they are going to BOO Nathan Bock.

 

[DJ75]

Didn't Port drop Carr last night?

apparently. Of course if you believe that.....

 

[DJ75]

If Carr is on Mcleod i'll won't eat the desert at the wedding I'm going to.

it just ain't going to happen.

Why? I can't see Port assigning Kane C to McLeod, but there is no way they will let him run loose. I would have thought a niggling little prick with nothing else to offer would have been a good player to sacrifice on McLeod.

 

[Cap]

Apparently Port have a new game plan for this week, not a flood, not a zone, not even a rolling zone. NC has been overheard saying that he is most concerned about Ports plan for Saturday and has been up every night this week trying to figure out how to counteract the powers cunning new game plan.
I have it on good authority they are going to BOO Nathan Bock.

oh dear, those moral strongholds that are Port Power supporters are again teaching us a lesson in how to live life.

 

[WALL-e]

Apparently Port have a new game plan for this week, not a flood, not a zone, not even a rolling zone. NC has been overheard saying that he is most concerned about Ports plan for Saturday and has been up every night this week trying to figure out how to counteract the powers cunning new game plan.
I have it on good authority they are going to BOO Nathan Bock.

Like the Melbourne fans, they better have their soothers handy, because they'll loose their voice by the 2nd quarter.

 

[Cap]

Why? I can't see Port assigning Kane C to McLeod, but there is no way they will let him run loose. I would have thought a niggling little prick with nothing else to offer would have been a good player to sacrifice on McLeod.

I think most teams have worked out you don't need your best tagger to be on Mcleod all you need is a defensive minded HFF to stick to him.

 

[DJ75]

I think most teams have worked out you don't need your best tagger to be on Mcleod all you need is a defensive minded HFF to stick to him.

Exactly and Kane Cornes is their best tagger, followed by Cassisi. Carr seems like someone who could get under McLeod's skin and take his mind off the game.

 

[Cap]

Exactly and Kane Cornes is their best tagger, followed by Cassisi. Carr seems like someone who could get under McLeod's skin and take his mind off the game.

but Carr isn't playing

Even then, they will want him in the guts to give the ball to all the outside mids they have.

 

[slippery crow]

I could not believe some of the comments made by Brogran in the attached article

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25411648-5018851,00.html

Port Adelaide vow to learn from St Kilda and get physical with Adelaide Crows

By Andrew Faulkner
May 01, 2009 This time last week Port Adelaide dismissed St Kilda as a genuine threat. All of a sudden the Power aspire to emulate the Saints' hard-tackling game.
Port were thrashed by 11 goals after underrating the Saints in a shock result that has the bookies framing Saturday night's Showdown XXVI as a near even-money game.
Power ruckman Dean Brogan has admitted his team were overconfident going into last Friday's match of the round.
They won't make the same mistake against their arch rivals.
"Obviously we weren't hard enough," Brogan said.

"St Kilda out-tackled us by I think 20 tackles. We just sort of rolled into the game and to St Kilda's credit they smashed us.
"We probably didn't expect them to be that good. We've had a really good record against them.
"We probably thought we'd go well against St Kilda and probably didn't do enough homework on their intensity and their tackling.
"They've been a side that's gonna do it for a long time but this year they're a team that we aspire to be like."
Port coach Mark Williams has responded to last Friday's embarrassment by dropping Josh Carr, despite the fact the tough ruck-rover has a reputation as excelling in showdowns.
Utility Nick Lower was also dropped as Port welcomed back Peter Burgoyne and Matt Thomas from suspension.
Williams thrashed his charges during a tough competitive session in the rain on Monday aimed at recapturing the hardness Port showed the week before in toppling Hawthorn at the MCG.
"We did tackling drills and a lot of hard stuff for about an hour," Brogan said.
"We just have to set the tone during the week.
"The way we played against Hawthorn is the way we want to play. It's up to us leaders to bring it every week."

Adelaide coach Neil Craig has made no changes to the line-up that defeated Melbourne in a low-scoring game at the MCG on Sunday.


In all honesty "We didn't expect them to be that good" and "we didn't do our homework on their intensity"

Have they been walking around with their eyes shut, this is arrogance, poor leadership and poor discipline at every level at the club

 

[slippery crow]

Tactics

PA
I expect Carr to play and Port to come out and try and target our young players

Crows
I would like to discard the zone for this week and play 1+1 football, Port showed against the Hawks that they have the foot skills and run to work through a similar zone, however against the Saints and Eagles they have shown that they struggle against 1+1 football

 

[WALL-e]

But st Kilda enforced the Zone perfectly against them, they had no answer.

Tackling pressure combined with a zone is hell if you have the footy. You have about 1 second to use it and cant kick to 1on1s.

 

[Vader]

Port were thrashed by 11 goals after underrating the Saints in a shock result that has the bookies framing Saturday night's Showdown XXVI as a near even-money game.

Given the relative form lines, I would have thought that anything less than a 10 goal win by St Kilda would have been a shock result. Port losing by 11 goals was almost exactly the result I was expecting.

If only more of the games had turned out the way I expected them to....

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I reckon that it won't be the high profile Port players that decide the outcome but a few of the lesser lights. CCornes and KCornes will be always around the place but aren't having the influence on games they once were. Chad looks a bit lost. Doesn't have a set position. Still getting the footy but not the 3rd man up specialist he has been in the past, stifling opposition attacks.

Ebert has been crap. Absolutely ****ing useless. Hopefully the form continues. Motlop has been off the boil with his goal kicking the last couple of weeks... hopefully it lasts for one more too. Tredrea won't kick any more than 2 goals.

Hopefully Peter Burgoyne has been slacking off for the last few weeks and is unable to run out the game. Reckon he'll get 12 touches in the first quarter and 17 for the match.

So I don't reckon it's the usual suspects that are the biggest danger to us. It's guys like Robbie Gray. Looks like a gun. So clean with his hands and balanced. Reminds me of Porplyzia and he pushed into the centre square a few times last week as well. Good at the stoppages, wasted a bit up forward. Likewise Travis Boak. Brilliant in traffic, excellent at the clearances.

Danyle Pearce wet his pants against St Kilda and was an embarrassment to himself, to the Sturt Football Club and everyone who has supported him at Port Power. He will prefer to play Adelaide against a bunch of teenagers applying less physical pressure than the Saints... he will thrive in these conditions. My tip for the medal.

Steve Salopek has been playing more across half back this season, racking up decent numbers. We need to make sure he isn't given time and space to deliver the footy. Richard Douglas has been used a few times in a negative forward role and I can see him going up against Salopek, trying to keep him honest.

We all laughed at Pettigrew's game last week but we shouldn't overlook the fact that their defence is actually pretty decent. Chaplin and Carlile will make things very tough for Tippett and Stevens. If Tippett and Stevens are held I can't see us kicking more than 10 goals.

I'm tipping Port by 5 goals with Gray, Boak, Salopek, Pearce, Chaplin and Carlile leading the way.

 

[Damp Squarie]

Tactics

PA
I expect Carr to play and Port to come out and try and target our young players

Crows
I would like to discard the zone for this week and play 1+1 football, Port showed against the Hawks that they have the foot skills and run to work through a similar zone, however against the Saints and Eagles they have shown that they struggle against 1+1 football

PA
Its a possibility the Car will start showing just how desperate Williams is.

Crows
You forget the Hawks were backline depleted that day. I'd welcome it either way. Im confident we will ball hunt instead of head hunt whether its man on man or not, but I'd love to see us owning the corridor with our new zone that Chocco hasnt coached against yet.

 

[DJ75]

What did you guys think of the match ups I tried putting together?
In particular how we match up defensively:

HF: Josh Carr, Warren Tredrea, Robert Gray
HB: Andrew McLeod, Ben Rutten, Graham Johncock

F: Brett Ebert, Chad Cornes, Daniel Motlop
FB: Simon Goodwin, Nathan Bock, Andrew Otten

Goodwin on Ebert? Otten on Motlop? These ok?

What if Gray went off and Lade went forward?
Would we then go with Johncock on Ebert, Goodwin on Cornes, and Bock on Lade?

For some reason I feel that they have more options for causing match-up problems than we do.

 

[Vantz]

I went down for training today, where the Crows started training just after 10 am on Max Bash Reserve.

One interesting point was the forward structure today. This usually consisted of 5 players.
Tippett or Griffen, Stevens, Walker, Porplyzia and Jacky.

One of the plays had all 5 Adelaide players standing on the 50 meter arc. When the ball was moved closer to goal, Jacky becoming the lead up wide target, Stevens through the centre, The resting ruckman stationed around 40 m out with Walker, and Porplyzia moving towards goal.

I find it continually interesting Adelaide use Jacky all week during training as a small crumbing forward, then come game day when we are in need of this type of player, we have know answer!

 

[DJ75]

I went down for training today, where the Crows started training just after 10 am on Max Bash Reserve.

One interesting point was the forward structure today. This usually consisted of 5 players.
Tippett or Griffen, Stevens, Walker, Porplyzia and Jacky.

One of the plays had all 5 Adelaide players standing on the 50 meter arc. When the ball was moved closer to goal, Jacky becoming the lead up wide target, Stevens through the centre, The resting ruckman stationed around 40 m out with Walker, and Porplyzia moving towards goal.

I find it continually interesting Adelaide use Jacky all week during training as a small crumbing forward, then come game day when we are in need of this type of player, we have know answer!

Perhaps Jacky will come in. Or perhaps we realise that Port would be there watching and decided not to reveal our secret never-seen-before trump of moving Johncock forward!