NAB Cup: Adelaide vs Port Adelaide

[NFC]

Saturday - NAB Cup opener at AAMI Stadium - 4.10pm

The 29-man squad is: Brent Reilly, Kurt Tippett, Jonathon Griffin, Myke Cook, Tyson Edwards, Jarrhan Jacky, Michael Doughty, Taylor Walker, David Mackay, Phil Davis, Bernie Vince, Graham Johncock, Ivan Maric, Chris Knights, Andrew McLeod, Brett Burton, Ben Rutten, Richard Douglas, Scott Stevens, James Sellar, Rory Sloane, Patrick Dangerfield, Jared Petrenko, Shaun McKernan, Simon Goodwin, Trent Hentschel, Tony Armstrong, Will Young, Chris Schmidt

3 will be left out of that squad, I'll say Young, Armstrong and Schmidt. Really hoping to see Young though, like what he has to offer.

Only NAB Cup but footy is back!

[Footy Smart]

This looks like a pretty strong team to be fielding first up..... that could be a sign that the majority are fresh and ready to go which is a good sign!

personally id love to see just the youngsters run around

[NFC]

This looks like a pretty strong team to be fielding first up..... that could be a sign that the majority are fresh and ready to go which is a good sign!

personally id love to see just the youngsters run around

Agreed.

It's a good sign, as you said, that the experienced guys are ready and willing to play so early but I'd prefer to load up on youngsters.

[Gingernuts]

This looks like a pretty strong team to be fielding first up..... that could be a sign that the majority are fresh and ready to go which is a good sign!

personally id love to see just the youngsters run around

Agreed.

It's a good sign, as you said, that the experienced guys are ready and willing to play so early but I'd prefer to load up on youngsters.

Is that for the Crows benefit or your fantasy footy side?

[Brucetiki]

For anyone going, the northern grandstand will be closed for this game

[Footy Smart]

This looks like a pretty strong team to be fielding first up..... that could be a sign that the majority are fresh and ready to go which is a good sign!

personally id love to see just the youngsters run around

Agreed.

It's a good sign, as you said, that the experienced guys are ready and willing to play so early but I'd prefer to load up on youngsters.

Is that for the Crows benefit or your fantasy footy side?

I want all teams youngsters to play so can sort out my DT bench hahaha plus id like to see the next DMac, Bernie, Bocky or Rehnny come through

[Thiele]

Looking forward to going tomorrow. Cant wait haven't been to an Afl match in years

[locky801]

Looking forward to going tomorrow. Cant wait haven't been to an Afl match in years

worth waiting for Theile, that was embarrasing and there is till a 1/4 to go

[NFC]

If we weren't going to try, I just wish a few more youngsters played.

[Westsider]

If we weren't going to try, I just wish a few more youngsters played.

Typical... "oh we lost... shit... umm we weren't trying!"

[NFC]

If we weren't going to try, I just wish a few more youngsters played.

Typical... "oh we lost... ****... umm we weren't trying!"

Ummmmm watch the game? So the Crows tried did they? Lol, okay, Power for premiership then!!!1111

[Rik E Boy]

Sorry NFC but 'we didn't try' is LOLworthy. The Crows had a crack but came up short as they look to be well short of the Power's level of preperation at this time of year which is fine. You don't want to be peaking in February, or even May for that matter. The positive for the Crows is that they can and will get better.

The Power do not have the luxury of planning to get better six or seven weeks into the year given their performance of the last two years...they need to show progress now and they have done that. Plenty of positives for the Power today. Yeah the young Power players looked the goods but for me the number one positive for the Power was the much improved form of Justin Westhoff who has been treading water at best during the last two seasons.

regards,

REB

[locky801]

I will say from the outset, I don't support either side and have little interest in the NAB cup, but for people to come on here and say their side wasn't trying is a load of cow poo. Some Crows players are playing for a regular position in the side for the year, a few from what i saw took it for granted yes they will be there for the year, over all I saw what I see time and time again, a football coach (Laidley tonight the way he worked things) has outcoached a sports scientist. On saying that I would hope both sides take nothing from that game and perhaps after a performance like that from the Crows they can donate their match payments to the Port Magpies cause they played crap tonight

[Thiele]

Looking forward to going tomorrow. Cant wait haven't been to an Afl match in years

worth waiting for Theile, that was embarrasing and there is till a 1/4 to go

It was . I left at 3/4 time

[Thiele]

The crows were handball happy

[GWW]

I don't think the Crows would be overly concerned although obviously Neil Craig would have hoped they would have played better. 3 or 4 weeks less preparation wouldn't have helped them.

I have no doubt they will be back to playing reasonable football by the start of the season proper.

Port showed some glimpses of improvement but way too early for supporters such as myself to think "we're back". Some good signs though.

[gadj1976]

Craig will be fine. The greater plan would be to be peaking about late July/August. Do you really think he'd be concerned that his team isn't competitive in February?

Of course, when the media talk to Craig he'll say he's beside himself that they weren't competitive, but seriously, he wouldn't be losing sleep over it.

[Psyber]

From what I saw Port have got their act together - for the moment anyway - and played a hard tackling game giving the Crows no time to get the ball clear.
In attack they played more directly to their taller marking forwards.

The Crows seem to have intensified their total possession style, compared to last year, and got bottled up.
They didn't use their bigger men well, and didn't change their approach when it was obvious the possession game wasn't going to work.
They really don't seem to want to trust any of the big guys to win a contested mark, or to bring it to ground for for crumbing.
It may improve as the season gets going, but it would have to change a lot for me to have much confidence in finishing higher than 5th or 6th.
Reluctantly, I have to agree with those who say Neil Craig doesn't get the most out of bigger players, but treats them like tall mid fielders.

Overall, very disappointing - sadly, it looks like being another year of beating lower teams well and losing against those who can tighten the game up.

[redden whites]

Wait for it...........................Pysber and his "Rutten to full forward" call can't be too far away.

[Gingernuts]

One poor NAB cup game and we've got:

a) a Port fan on hand for the obligatory swipe.

b) the 'sports scientist is outcoached again' call

and

c) the 'looks like the same old same old this year' call

Check, check and check.

Come on fellas, didn't you work on some new set plays over the pre-season??