Port 2014 - Pre-Season/General Discussion

[valleys07]

Never mind Sando solving the Port riddle, that was done in Alice Springs by Paul Roos. Port were on fire when they played the Demons but took a fair while to shake the persistent bastards off. Since then a few teams have tried the same tactic, including Adelaide. It will be interesting to see how Kinkley reacts in the coaches box.

Some reactions to the Bombers loss suggest that this game was lost at selection when they brought in smalls for bigs.

regards,

REB

I would actually go as far as to say that North Melb Rd 3 showed the way. They ground down Port with their defensive pressure and didn't allow their outside runners the space and freedom to run. As a result Ports skill exectution was also poor, they looked tired in the last quarter and ended up losing the game.

Losing Gus in the 2nd quarter and having a half fit Chad Wingard for most of the 2nd half contributed more to our lack of run and fitness than North's pressure that day (taking nothing away from the way north played I might add). I reckon REB is right on the money- Melbourne showed the comp how to knock us off and the sides with higher skill level have been able to execute.

Are port being exploited in the coaches box? Are we being exploited due to injuries to key players? Are we being exploited at the selection table?

Probably a mix of all 3 I think.

Just have to back Kenny and the boys in to arrest the slump- fingers crossed that by 4pm sunday afternoon we have our season momentarily back on track.

[mots02]

Some reactions to the Bombers loss suggest that this game was lost at selection when they brought in smalls for bigs.

Kane Mitchell being preferred over Aaron Young defies common sense really.

Admittedly Hinkley does have some credits to his name, but this type of selection just brings back memories of the ol' Choco days of 7 or 8 years ago.

Kane Mitchell being preferred over nearly anyone (other than perhaps Cam Hitchcock) defies common sense.

[GWW]

North Melbourne did play well that day and deserved to win; however, injuries to Wingard and Monfries did not help Port's cause. Coincidentally, now that neither can get a kick, the team is struggling.

[bennymacca]

To be fair, if you bring good pressure and deny a team space you will win against anyone

[Phantom Gossiper]

To be fair, if you bring good pressure and deny a team space you will win against anyone

I don't think it's so much the pressure on Port that is costing them the game, it's how they deal with that pressure and clearly their disposal and decision making under constant pressure can be poor at times.

The good teams of recent times especially Hawthorn largely execute their skills correctly still even under pressure. Once Port tidy up their efficiency in this area they will find themselves quickly back where they were a couple of weeks ago at the top I think. They have enough outside runners to burn sides when they get their opportunities.

[westcoastpanther]

You reckon Port will get back to top!! They won't finish in the top four now...

[Phantom Gossiper]

You reckon Port will get back to top!! They won't finish in the top four now...

Maybe not this year, but i'm sure over the coming seasons

[woodublieve12]

You reckon Port will get back to top!! They won't finish in the top four now...

that's a big call...

[woodublieve12]

You reckon Port will get back to top!! They won't finish in the top four now...

Maybe not this year, but i'm sure over the coming seasons

surely the port faithful would see it as a failure if they don't make the top 4 this year???

[Phantom Gossiper]

You reckon Port will get back to top!! They won't finish in the top four now...

Maybe not this year, but i'm sure over the coming seasons

surely the port faithful would see it as a failure if they don't make the top 4 this year???

Looking over their draw, I still think Port are in a good position to push for a top 4 finish, no reason they couldn't. I was more talking top of the ladder.

[valleys07]

You reckon Port will get back to top!! They won't finish in the top four now...

Maybe not this year, but i'm sure over the coming seasons

surely the port faithful would see it as a failure if they don't make the top 4 this year???

Not at all.

We weren't even predicted to make the 8 by many of the so called "experts"!

Sure it will be disappointing to see us miss the 4 after such a promising start, but a failure? Not a chance in hell. If we finish 5-7, its reflective of where we are at as a club.

Another thing that shits me about Adelaide fans at present- wheeling out the choker tag....FFS you mugs you have to be favourite to begin with to choke...

[bennymacca]

Expectations change throughout the season. Port should rightly be disappointed if they miss the top 4 from here, and it would waste a golden opportunity given their unexpectedly awesome start

[RustyCage]

After being two games clear on top you'd want to finish top 4 really.

[valleys07]

Get what you deserve Rusty

[woodublieve12]

After being two games clear on top you'd want to finish top 4 really.

agreed... That's were i see it as some what as a failure and IF i was a supporter i'd be dirty we let a double chance slip...

[valleys07]

Again that is where the difference lies between failure and disappointment.

Disappointment that we let an opportunity slip to finish top 4 and challenge- absolutely!

But if we make the finals and get bundled out in the 2nd week- its hardly a failure in comparison with pre-season predictions.

Ken swears by getting what you deserve, and if we miss out on top 4, we deserve it and its back to the drawing board for season 2015.

[valleys07]

If we missed out on the 8 this year- i'd consider that a failure.

[RustyCage]

Get what you deserve Rusty

And after how we handled the wet against the Crows, and how we tried to play dry weather footy on Saturday night, we deserved both losses. With how we kicked for goal in the last three quarters against the Crows (5.13) and against Essendon (7.18), we deserved to lose both games.

I don't think we've dropped off as far as some people think. If we fix up how we play in the wet and stop overusing the handball and hand balling to people's feet, and actually put it through the big sticks, we look a lot better. Improving the former two improves entry to the forward lines, making fixing the latter easier. We still have Wines, Boak and Gray dominating in the midfield.

[bennymacca]

Again that is where the difference lies between failure and disappointment.

Disappointment that we let an opportunity slip to finish top 4 and challenge- absolutely!

But if we make the finals and get bundled out in the 2nd week- its hardly a failure in comparison with pre-season predictions.

Ken swears by getting what you deserve, and if we miss out on top 4, we deserve it and its back to the drawing board for season 2015.

of course you are exceeding preseason expectations, but once again expectations change.

i would think anything less than a prelim final from here on out would be a failure from this point onwards. that wouldnt make a failure of the season in total but it would mean a good first two thirds of a season was wasted.

[valleys07]

Again that is where the difference lies between failure and disappointment.

Disappointment that we let an opportunity slip to finish top 4 and challenge- absolutely!

But if we make the finals and get bundled out in the 2nd week- its hardly a failure in comparison with pre-season predictions.

Ken swears by getting what you deserve, and if we miss out on top 4, we deserve it and its back to the drawing board for season 2015.

of course you are exceeding preseason expectations, but once again expectations change.

i would think anything less than a prelim final from here on out would be a failure from this point onwards. that wouldnt make a failure of the season in total but it would mean a good first two thirds of a season was wasted.

Not necessarily a failure though- how many people were mentioning when we were 11-1 that we hadn't been seriously tested, and our game against sydney would show us where we are at (and which we subsequently lost).

Its not a failure amongst the playing group as "we get what we deserve" has been rung through the club since day 1. As a supporter, as ive said already, it would be hugely disappointing to see us blow* a top 4 spot, but not a failure.