Port Adelaide 2020

[Booney]

When the news broke that an AFL player had tested positive to COVID-19 my first thought was for his and his close contacts welfare. Then when it became apparent I was not only going to be up past my bed time on Sunday night but drinking past my bed time on Sunday night I began to reflect on the choices that player had made and how he had not considered what this meant for me. Selfish.

Making our way onto Metricon Stadium it was clear the surface had just bear witness to a massacre, the ground was chopped up and looked sub-AFL standard. What wasn’t sub-AFL standard was the first quarter as some of the best footy of the weekend was played by Fremantle and Port, attack on the body and ball was good, 4 goals to 3, some of the big names on both sides showing glimpses that they were in for a good night. Things changed as quickly as you can say “Here comes a Gold Coast storm”. Didn’t it come down?

During the second quarter there was every indication a flood would take place and it wasn’t from the rain, the Fremantle back half called in the SES to help with the sand bagging across the half back line but it was to no avail, like a rusty gutter full of leaves it just kept coming in. Port absolutely dominated the second term like they had a week earlier against Adelaide. With 5 goals to nothing, at one point the I50 count was 20-0 until the Dockers saved some face with a couple of late sorties forward, the match was effectively over at half time.

After the first stanza it looked like a good contest was unfolding, only if you barrack for the good guys though. At quarter time I asked for a lift from Lycett, at that point Lobb was breaking even in the middle, was getting into the play around the ground and was helping Fremantle move the ball into attack. Lycett responded. I doubt he read my tweet at quarter time but stranger things have happened. In the second quarter Port dominated the midfield clearances, returning Wines got busy which was good to see, Boak kept up his stellar run of form going and Lycett got his big frame into the contest in the air and on the ground.

( Insert Dave banging on about defensive zone here ). As a result of this midfield dominance Port get the ball forward, the midfield lock it into the forward half, the backs get up the ground and press, press, press so any possession the opposition get is either deep in the bowels of their defence and the ball use reflects the work that organ does or it’s scrambling under pressure from the midfield numbers at half back and….back in it comes. Dixon clunks some soapy Sherrins, Westhoff uses all his experience, Marshall uses all his nous and he has plenty of it, Gray uses all his smarts over the back of the pack in the wet and Ebert marks and kicks truly. All of the forward half have a bit of fun in the mud while Jonas and Clurey killed any aerial attack and Hartlett, Bonner and the inform McKenzie thwarted any low level raids.

Not much to report on after half time to be honest, 1 goal for each side in each quarter in what turned out to be a largely uneventful half of footy. Soured for Port by the injury to Xavier Duursma that didn’t look good at the time. Given he is a running machine and is in just his second year of AFL footy I expect a very cautious approach will be taken with him.

Some of the positives from the second half, as with the first, was the form of Wines coming back in after a wretched 2019 that he’d rather forget. He looked hungry with and without the ball, his 25 touches, 6 clearances, 3 tackles and a goal was only better by ever green Boak on the night.

Some more positive signs with two good tests coming up starting with the Eagles who come off back to back losses this Saturday, well before bed time.

Boon’s best – Boak, Lycett, Wines, Westhoff, Ebert, Dixon

[am Bays]

So where is your 2020 premiership merch going? Lounge, Shed, Pool side?

[Spargo]

So where is your 2020 premiership merch going? Lounge, Shed, Pool side?

Yep, played the Suns 3 months ago when they were crap, then got the Crows & Freo. All bottom 4 sides. Now they get West Coast at a great time when they look slow & disinterested. Planets aligning, kissed on the dick, call it what you will.
It’s Port’s flag to lose.

[The Dark Knight]

Scans yesterday showed Xavier Duursma's hamstring injury is a grade two strain and he's likely to miss 3/4 weeks of footy.

[Booney]

@Spargo @Dutchy a bloke in Whyalla :

[Spargo]

Bloody hell!

[Booney]

A bloke in Perth :

[daysofourlives]

Imagine if that was your wardrobe Booney and you had to pick one to wear to the game

[Booney]

Imagine if that was your wardrobe Booney and you had to pick one to wear to the game

Dream cum* true. I've got a few, but not that many.

[Bum Crack]

Imagine if that was your wardrobe Booney and you had to pick one to wear to the game

Dream cum* true. I've got a few, but not that many.

Isn't it nice to see you two getting along nicely. Warms the cockles of my heart.

[Booney]

Imagine if that was your wardrobe Booney and you had to pick one to wear to the game

Dream cum* true. I've got a few, but not that many.

Isn't it nice to see you two getting along nicely. Warms the cockles of my heart.

I've been drinking.

[Booney]

Clothing label ISC is in administration, reports an Italian clothing manufacturer is keen to take over the Port Adelaide clothing range.

[DOC]

Where is Morell when you need him.

He would be tailor made for the job.

[mots02]

Clothing label ISC is in administration, reports an Italian clothing manufacturer is keen to take over the Port Adelaide clothing range.

MG Car's and Gucci Guernseys..... things are changing at Ethelton.

[Corona Man]

A bloke in Perth :

Reckon I know this bloke!

[Jim05]

Clothing label ISC is in administration, reports an Italian clothing manufacturer is keen to take over the Port Adelaide clothing range.

Macron I’d presume

[am Bays]

$240 return Adl to Mel for Oct 16-18, ATM with QANTAS @Booney

Experience tells me booking earlier gives you more drinking money for the GF weekend

[daysofourlives]

Can we keep a lid on it, they have beaten the bottom 3 teams plus Gold Coast when they were worse than a bottom team.
Also havent had to play Freo or WC away.
McGovern late withdrawal today
Continue to get kissed on the dick.
What odds Lachie Neale is out next week?

[stan]

Can we keep a lid on it, they have beaten the bottom 3 teams plus Gold Coast when they were worse than a bottom team.
Also havent had to play Freo or WC away.
McGovern late withdrawal today
Continue to get kissed on the dick.
What odds Lachie Neale is out next week?

Brisbane will give them a touch up ext week.

[The Dark Knight]

Can we keep a lid on it, they have beaten the bottom 3 teams plus Gold Coast when they were worse than a bottom team.
Also havent had to play Freo or WC away.
McGovern late withdrawal today
Continue to get kissed on the dick.
What odds Lachie Neale is out next week?

Brisbane will give them a touch up ext week.

I think that game and result will give us more of a gauge as to how good Port really is. With the way Port are playing maybe Hinkley has finally released that handbrake that Morell used to talk about!