v Essendon

[Booney]

Sunday arvo at the Dome.

I fly home from Melbourne after a weekend work conference at 5pm so I'm in Melbourne, so are Port and I cant go...

Can we match it with the very much up and down Essendon and upset them? *sigh*

What we can do is be very happy with Trengove signing on again and giving us something with Boak, Gray and the much heralded Hartlett and new cult hero Butcher a little glimmer and what might be. A big bloke at each end ( looking them at training one day they are strikingly similar build ) to man the point and some mid-field class. Lobbe moving forward and I'm kind-of smiling for the first time in 6 months when I think of our on field future.

Essendon will be too strong and win by 60. Us fans have had our confidence rise on the back of one signature but our players will still be behind the 8 ball this week.

[mickey]

As long as they play like they did after qtr time against the bulldog, and not the crap they served up in the 1st then it should be a respectable outing

[Magpiespower]

Two chances.

Nathan Buckley's.

And none.

[GWW]

Any chance the Bombers might bring Matthew Knights back for this game..we could be in with a chance then.

But realistically, Essendon by 81 to 90 (points not goals).

[jackpot jim]

Essendon are Rubbish !!
Power by 3 - 4 goals.

Been hearing all year that it's NOT a lack of talent but a case of lost confidence.
Heard from a reliable source that the confidence has been found alive & well and has been delivered back to Alberton this morning.
Now if they dont forget to take it on the plane to Melbourne with them, they should get a win by the above mentioned margin.

[valleys07]

Interesting to hear that the dons havent beaten us since round 18 2004.

IF we bring the same intensity and desire to try things as per the last 3 qtrs of last weeks match, then i think we have a chance.

Butcher will have his hands full, most likely against the ever young Fletcher, i will be interested to see how he responds after last weeks performance.

With 2 rounds to go boys please show me something....

Dons by 4-5 goals.

[jackpot jim]

Essendon are Rubbish !!
Power by 3 - 4 goals.

Been hearing all year that it's NOT a lack of talent but a case of lost confidence.
Heard from a reliable source that the confidence has been found alive & well and has been delivered back to Alberton this morning.
Now if they dont forget to take it on the plane to Melbourne with them, they should get a win by the above mentioned margin.

Power up by 8 pts at 1/2 time.
My prediction is right on track

[Magpiespower]

Hope you're right.

A win to boost morale and avoid the spoon.

jj, that would be...

[valleys07]

Stoked with the first half, endevour is up ten fold and our big guns are up and about. Gray, Rodan, Schultz, Cassisi, Thomas all playing well and butchers 3 goals makes a promising future. Jeez boys keep this up and ill be a happy man!

[valleys07]

Bloody disappointed with this result. We crumbled once again without a whimper.....

Great to see us show some fight and i can only hope we bring that first 3 1/2 quarters to next week in our last chance to avoid the spoon.

Gray, Rodan, Schultz, Cassisi and Butcher in patches were my best today, just not enough experience when the going got tough.

[jackpot jim]

Simply typical of the Powers' wretched season. obviously the hurt and embarrassment of the Gold Coast loss when they coughed up a huge lead had been forgotten. Geez, what goes thru these blokes minds when they get a lead like that?

[best on hill]

i like all port supporters are disappointed with the result today, from a positive point we were great for most of the game. but when the bombers hit top gear our leaders went missing all be it only for a quarter.

carlile, ebert, motlop and pearce have got to be traded out of the club.

carlile isnt dipping his oar in the water and having a dip, ebert should have been traded a few years ago regardless of his last name, motlop is too hot and cold for a player of his age and experience and pearce is just a soft outside football player and when the heat comes on he goes missing.

give me thomas, logan, any day they may burn the ball a bit but atleast they always have a crack the coach can work on desion making and skills.

my little rant is over

ps. my opinion on carlile, ebert, motlop and pearce would not have changed even if we had of won

[Magpiespower]

Didn't see the game but...

Were we really 34 points up in the last quarter?

[best on hill]

Didn't see the game but...

Were we really 34 points up in the last quarter?

yep i was about to start txing my crows mates for a bit of friendly banter i thought to myself no i will just wait and see as i had been burnt before going off halved cocked and then essendon got a run on and that was the ball game!

[james07]

after watching the game i remember why i only watch my team and dont bother watching any other games, the umpiring at AFl level at times is average and the amount of soft/technical free kicks that kills a game is a joke.

As much as i love the way logan goes about his footy the bloke needs to learn how to spoil with the other hands, twice it cost us goals when he couldve prevented the mark by spoiling with his other hand.

Our biggest killer yesterday was in the ruck and unfortunately Lobbe is getting worn down by doing too much, i like the he plays and he still has alot of improvement but if brogan was there to help out it wouldve been a different result. When the Bombers were down they ran forward of the ball and it fell their way especially with the ruck going their way.

[Madportsman]

The tall lanky umpire in the last quarter who was in the middle was a disgrace. I think he got caught up in the excitement of the bombers comeback and pulled some crap decisions against us.

Cassisi went missing in that last quarter when we needed him most as J Watson tore us to bits. It just frustrates the hell out of me that I could see that comeback all the way from my loungeroom and knew we would not be able to withstand it.

Our football club needs change across all areas, none more so then our completely pathetic mental approach.

Carlile just doesnt appear to be interested. His dosile approach to footy makes it appear like he has a few bucket bongs before each game.

[valleys07]

Carlile just doesnt appear to be interested. His dosile approach to footy makes it appear like he has a few bucket bongs before each game.

Words can't express how much frustration this bloke brings when watching port. He is not interested, makes stupid decisions, no composure, unfit and the list continues....

IMO, Tom Jonas (yes he is only a rookie) looks very slow with his reaction and decision making at afl level. Not quite sure he will succeed at this level.

[jackpot jim]

after watching the game i remember why i only watch my team and dont bother watching any other games, the umpiring at AFl level at times is average and the amount of soft/technical free kicks that kills a game is a joke.

I feel exactly the same way and couldn't agree more.

I simply can NOT understand why the umpires are being coached to umpire this way because it just defies common sense and is not what the game is about.

[jackpot jim]

Where did the post by the Crows supporter go ?

He was spot on with his opinion of the Free kick given to Hurley against trengove.
Would have to have been the most ridiculous, softest, brainless, non sensical decision of ALL TIME.

FFS what do the umpires want the defenders to do ? Just stand aside and watch their opponent mark the ball unopposed?
I really feel for the players in these circumstances as it must be so bloody frustrating, yet you can not even stare or glare at the umpire for the risk of a 50m penalty for Demonsterive abuse or some rubbish like that.

Had a gutful of watching the rubbish so F U afl and your stuid F Upped rules committee.

[best on hill]

the umpiring at AFl level at times is average and the amount of soft/technical free kicks that kills a game is a joke.

As much as i love the way logan goes about his footy the bloke needs to learn how to spoil with the other hands, twice it cost us goals when he couldve prevented the mark by spoiling with his other hand.

the amount of soft/technical free kicks depends on what team and what player are infringing or being infringed against. there are some protected species playing and their are some that the umpires have taken aset against. it dosent help that three umpires have no on field consistency, dont the have a team meeting before the game so every one is on the same page.

as for logan i would rather have him in the side and making mistakes and having a crack than carlile he is just not putting in and the spot light should be firmly on him awell as a couple of others that i mention earlier.