Port Adelaide 2015

[Chuck Wepner]

Time for all Port people and the Media to realise that Port Adelaide is just not that good, they have been found out and wanting. Your season is over now go away!!!

When you have people like Rucci writing biased BS stories about Port in the Adelaide media ....We don't have a choice

Yes you do. Don't buy the paper.

[daysofourlives]

Time for all Port people and the Media to realise that Port Adelaide is just not that good, they have been found out and wanting. Your season is over now go away!!!

When you have people like Rucci writing biased BS stories about Port in the Adelaide media ....We don't have a choice

Yes you do. Don't buy the paper.

Or better yet don't believe everything you read, like the players obviously have

[RustyCage]

We are a lot better than what we are showing. Something isn't clicking and it's at the stage where it's almost too late to find it and have it count

[Brodlach]

Take out the great start last year they are 11 wins 16 losses from their last 27 games.

[MW]

I've listened to about 3 interviews on radio (5AA, Triple M and 5AA again) regarding the Port game, and all I hear is its the umpires fault and Gibbs fault that Port lost. Seems to be a pattern (umps) every loss.

[stan]

I've listened to about 3 interviews on radio (5AA, Triple M and 5AA again) regarding the Port game, and all I hear is its the umpires fault and Gibbs fault that Port lost. Seems to be a pattern (umps) every loss.

Yeah it sounds like the black birds.

[MW]

Of course it does.

[kneedeepinthehoopla]

I see Dom found a way to be an even bigger tosser yesterday. Typical.

[Booney]

I see Dom found a way to be an even bigger tosser yesterday. Typical.

When was Cassisi ever a tosser? Gutsy player with limited ability made the most of his chances. Have a laugh mate, there's a reason Gibbs has a girls haircut, you know.

[Lightning McQueen]

Watching Kane Mitchell go about his craft hurts my eyes.

[Booney]

Well, where does one start after a performance like that?

I've had some pretty disappointing days in years gone by watching my side play, but I thought and believed those dark days of pre-2013 were gone. I certainly have more faith in this group of players than I did 4 years ago but my faith in the processes the coaching staff are adhering to is surely being questioned.

Whilst we didn't cop a hiding on Saturday there were so many, many facets of our game that have gone from being a mild concern 6 weeks ago to downright worrying now.

1 - Our skill level in the basics of the game. Marking the ball when clear of opponents, kicking the ball to an open team mate and hitting the player in front with hand balls to release and create run. Much of this is confidence based, the players who are making fundamental mistakes have shown they have the skills they are just not executing them at this point and it is killing us. Broadbent, Ebert, Hartlett, Jonas, Trengove to name a few on the weekend looked like players well below AFL standard and 2 of them, Broadbent and Hartlett are known competition wide for their skills, especially by foot.

First quarter, just outside Port's forward 50 and Ebert in space drops a ball about waist height that should be gobbled up. Turn over, Carlton goal.

2 - Our ability to use the ball under pressure, in fact, not even use the ball but simply get a handle on it ( see skills above ). Our skills under pressure have been terrible for several weeks, probably began in the Sydney game and were hidden by wins over Adelaide and Hawthorn before being found out against Richmond, Brisbane, West Coast, Geelong and now Carlton. When under any duress we just cough the ball up and concede goal after goal from turnovers.

3 - The most frustrating aspect of our current form. When we don't have the ball we are not working hard enough to win the ball back. This, as shown by Carlton on the weekend, is based on application and attitude and not talent. Intent to tackle, intent to chase and intent to compete has nothing to do with skill level and everything to do with mindset. Our mindset is the most disappointing part of the last few weeks for me. too many missed tackles, opposition players bursting from stoppages, defenders not creating body pressure in the one on one contests. All mind set.

4 - Now, all clubs pretty much know what all the others clubs do as far as game style goes. With scouts watching opponents, video analysis, heat maps etc etc it's very easy to identify how clubs like to play. No secrets that we play the corridor, our intent is to square up and run through the middle.

Well, folks, the opposition clubs are cluttering that space and outnumbering us in there yet we persist on tracking along that path. In the last 5-6 weeks the amount of times we have been without a target through half forward is downright worrying.

Defence and mids look to the corridor after 3 summers of training that way but the forwards are playing wide as they can see the space is filled with defenders! So, which one gives? The defenders and mids need to be aware that the forwards are leading to space they previously weren't, why can I see that and our back/mids cant?

A couple of positives before I get angry.

Chad v2.0 is delivering numbers up there with his AA season. Averaging more disposals, more marks and more goals. His last month has been electrifying after a slow but not poor start to the year. Perhaps the fact he's alone inside F50 at times is the reason for his increased goal scoring output.

Wines, Boak and Gray. Our three key mids are still in form and doing their fare share. 19 clearances between them on the weekend ( and Gray missed the second half ) means that are doing their bit. All still averaging high 20 possies per game.

Hombsch. Clearly our most reliable defender who through sheer desperation was sent forward on Saturday as he seems to be one of very few big men who are currently reading the ball in the air at Port. Sadly he had about 5 minutes forward before Henderson lost Carlile in traffic and Hombsch had to go back to shut down the Blues key forward. We didn't get a chance to see the ball in his area forward of centre to see if he could offer something.

Colquhoun - Sammy was an important part of the later half of 2013 and was one of our best the night Geelong beat us in the semi final in Melbourne. His return has been nothing short of spot on. Some solid games with the Magpies late last year and early this year with a deserved recall into the AFL side and he's been solid at worst since his return. A real positive.

On the flip side, Monfries is playing a defensive forward role that takes his most potent weapon of leading up and marking away from him and makes him chase/harass seemingly first and foremost, Westhoff is all out of sorts and struggling to take a grab in a goal scoring / dangerous position, all his best aerial work is down back, Schulz looks to be right out of touch ( Saturday and his wifes hospitalization aside - I hope she is ok ) and Jonas who has been very reliable has a dose of the fumbles.

Not sure what the coaches see in Mitchell, his "motor" is super so if he is picked then make him do a full shutdown role as his ability to kick to nobody is the likes of which I have never seen. Bagging your own is not something I'm happy to do, at SANFL level he tears it up and can actually use the ball. I'm not sure if it's lack of time at the top level or his skills are limited.

I really could just go on and on......

[bennymacca]

Good points boon. Seems like teams just crowd the corridor now and port don't have a plan B and their structures are shot.

[kneedeepinthehoopla]

I see Dom found a way to be an even bigger tosser yesterday. Typical.

When was Cassisi ever a tosser? Gutsy player with limited ability made the most of his chances. Have a laugh mate, there's a reason Gibbs has a girls haircut, you know.

He was a tosser when i met him. If it was anyone else, I wouldn't have bitten. It might even have been a fair call!
Awful haircut. Reckon he'll get weeks? For the tackle, not the hair.

[Booney]

I see Dom found a way to be an even bigger tosser yesterday. Typical.

When was Cassisi ever a tosser? Gutsy player with limited ability made the most of his chances. Have a laugh mate, there's a reason Gibbs has a girls haircut, you know.

He was a tosser when i met him. If it was anyone else, I wouldn't have bitten. It might even have been a fair call!
Awful haircut. Reckon he'll get weeks? For the tackle, not the hair.

One week for the tackle with a reprimand would be right IMO. No need to miss games as that sort of tackle happens all the time, just a warning shot to players to start to demonstrate a bit of care to the player you are tackling. Was reckless IMO. Once you've got a blokes arms pinned and you have control of his body and where it goes there's no need to bury him like that.

3 weeks for the hair cut.

[Rik E Boy]

I see Dom found a way to be an even bigger tosser yesterday. Typical.

When was Cassisi ever a tosser? Gutsy player with limited ability made the most of his chances. Have a laugh mate, there's a reason Gibbs has a girls haircut, you know.

He was a tosser when i met him. If it was anyone else, I wouldn't have bitten. It might even have been a fair call!
Awful haircut. Reckon he'll get weeks? For the tackle, not the hair.

One week for the tackle with a reprimand would be right IMO. No need to miss games as that sort of tackle happens all the time, just a warning shot to players to start to demonstrate a bit of care to the player you are tackling. Was reckless IMO. Once you've got a blokes arms pinned and you have control of his body and where it goes there's no need to bury him like that.

3 weeks for the hair cut.

Tell that to Darren Milburn.

What you posted above Booney is pretty much the same as Geelong. We do the same thing. Corridor, Corridor, Corridor. Full of opposition players? Kick it there anyway! Bad luck mate you got the Geelong game plan and it' s been worked out.

regards,

REB

[MW]

If you want to play down the wings, I hear Malthouse is out of work

[bennymacca]

Browny and dunstall giving Hinkley a fair grilling on the couch, he looks a bit uncomfortable, it might be the first time he has had this before, but seems to be handling it well

[helicopterking]

Browny and dunstall giving Hinkley a fair grilling on the couch, he looks a bit uncomfortable, it might be the first time he has had this before, but seems to be handling it well

It was good TV, I thought he was getting a little agitated.

[bennymacca]

Yeah they certainly weren't holding back but Hinkley kept his cool well

[mal]

3 weeks for the Gibbs tackle on Gray
No free kick paid to Port Adelaide
Should the logic be the umpire get a suspension ?