Port Adelaide 2018

[LMA]

He took three of the better contested grabs on the best defender in the league in one quarter. But ok.

Clearly has the yips in front of goal.

His poor form is also a symptom of the way we play. Since we have 3,956 players behind the ball, so do the opposition. Which means he is frequently competing with multiple opponents. He is also asked to push up to provide an outlet. He is also asked to provide the sort of pressure many players of his size aren't. Then he has to ruck!

Pile on to all of that our at times horrendous forward entries and game plan to kick to pockets... And in all honesty Gary Ablett Snr would struggle to kick goals.

Plus he is dating a former Miss World entrant, has a lot on his plate does big Charles

[morell]

Charlie Dixon like John Butcher

Wow. Worst post of the year

I swear they actually don't watch football.

He isn't having an outstanding year, but if anyone thinks he isn't playing an important role, they have rocks in their head.

[morell]

He took three of the better contested grabs on the best defender in the league in one quarter. But ok.

Clearly has the yips in front of goal.

His poor form is also a symptom of the way we play. Since we have 3,956 players behind the ball, so do the opposition. Which means he is frequently competing with multiple opponents. He is also asked to push up to provide an outlet. He is also asked to provide the sort of pressure many players of his size aren't. Then he has to ruck!

Pile on to all of that our at times horrendous forward entries and game plan to kick to pockets... And in all honesty Gary Ablett Snr would struggle to kick goals.

Plus he is dating a former Miss World entrant, has a lot on his plate does big Charles

If I was banging Maddie, I'd literally retire. No time for football.

[MW]

Charlie Dixon like John Butcher

Wow. Worst post of the year

I swear they actually don't watch football.

He isn't having an outstanding year, but if anyone thinks he isn't playing an important role, they have rocks in their head.

Probably same people think JJ has been ordinary the last 5 years

[The Bedge]

I don’t want to sound like a “happy clapper” supporter or whatever, but I read a lot of this shit and I wonder if most of you have any ideas about what the **** is going on! Granted our views will always differ but it just astounds me how pessimistic and negative so many posts - in here and else where - there are.

This talk about Dixon blows my mind.. makes me think people view stats only post game and then formulate their opinions. I watched him closely on Friday and I thought he was really good - he has a strong presence, had Rance owned 1v1, world incredible hard off the ball and applies great pressure.. his presence alone brings others into the game.

Is he getting massive returns in front of goal? No, but he is clearly a vital cog for PA.

Morrell - this shit about bad game plans and allow numbers behind the ball, and your suggestion to equal numbers is D7 reserves shit.. if the likes of Dixon & Co can’t get clean opportunity in a congested F50, then adding an extra 3/4/5 is only going to exasperate the issue - and leave PA very vulnerable defensively on the spread and split when a turn over occurs.

Defensively PA set up really well Friday, they were able to generate multiple F50 entries.. the issue as i said earlier was disposal and giving the ball at the wrong times to the wrong people.

Shit people, don’t watch the tv, don’t read the stats - go to a game and watch what occurs off the ball, and not just follow the ball.

Dixon is good enough don’t worry about that.

[Dogwatcher]

Honestly, I reckon all Port lacks from being a genuine premiership contender is finesse. Giving the right player the ball at the right time, finding a target. All of that can change as they grow more confident and they should over the next couple of weeks.

****, I feel dirty.

[goddy11]

I'll take Jenkins. No heart but at least he kicks goals and does not give away stupid frees.

[carey]

I'll take Jenkins. No heart but at least he kicks goals and does not give away stupid frees.

Genuine lol

[Corona Man]

I'll take Jenkins. No heart but at least he kicks goals and does not give away stupid frees.

He is all yours!

[Wedgie]

Bit harsh on the Butch, at least he can count to 30.

[amber_fluid]

Bit harsh on the Butch, at least he can count to 30.

You sure about that?

[LMA]

I'll take Jenkins. No heart but at least he kicks goals and does not give away stupid frees.

Post of the year

[amber_fluid]

He took three of the better contested grabs on the best defender in the league in one quarter. But ok.

Clearly has the yips in front of goal.

His poor form is also a symptom of the way we play. Since we have 3,956 players behind the ball, so do the opposition. Which means he is frequently competing with multiple opponents. He is also asked to push up to provide an outlet. He is also asked to provide the sort of pressure many players of his size aren't. Then he has to ruck!

Pile on to all of that our at times horrendous forward entries and game plan to kick to pockets... And in all honesty Gary Ablett Snr would struggle to kick goals.

Plus he is dating a former Miss World entrant, has a lot on his plate does big Charles

For a dumb pr*ck he’s going alright isn’t he.

[Wedgie]

Bit harsh on the Butch, at least he can count to 30.

You sure about that?

No, not really.

[morell]

Morrell - this shit about bad game plans and allow numbers behind the ball, and your suggestion to equal numbers is D7 reserves shit.. if the likes of Dixon & Co can’t get clean opportunity in a congested F50, then adding an extra 3/4/5 is only going to exasperate the issue - and leave PA very vulnerable defensively on the spread and split when a turn over occurs.

You failed in your attempts to not sound like a happy clapper and you fundamentally misunderstood my point.

I don't expect to match up the numbers. Absolutely with the skills of the modern AFL footballer trying to go 1v1 across the ground would be a disaster and make us susceptible to the rebound.

But. Id like the target to not be a midget. We repeatedly have Neade and Gray X2 as the target and bomb it on their head. If Marshall drops out, pick someone that can compete in the air and/or drag a key defender away. Play Hombsch forward. If not put him back and play Howard forward. Play Ryder deeper. Okay Westhoff deeper. Whatever, just give us a chance to kick more than one goal in a half of football against what was in all honesty a massively dilapidated Richmond away from home. We had them on toast and could have skull ****** them, but went ultra defensive.

I'd also like to maybe have 1 or 2 behind the ball. Not 4. Maybe back in the mids and ruck at a centre clearance with a reasonable starting forward structure.

Kicking one goal in a half against that Richmond side in good conditions on our home deck isn't a good enough form line to compete for a flag. Which is what we should be aiming for right now.

Stop being soft and demand excellence.

[morell]

C'mon Bedgey don't back away now!

[Booney]

Honestly, I reckon all Port lacks from being a genuine premiership contender is finesse. Giving the right player the ball at the right time, finding a target. All of that can change as they grow more confident and they should over the next couple of weeks.

****, I feel dirty.

11 list changes in the off season was always going to impact upon the finer points of the game style, knowing where to be and when etc and that would then impact upon the finesse/link up that you speak of.

Like you've never felt that way before...

[Booney]

Kicking one goal in a half against that Richmond side in good conditions on our home deck isn't a good enough form line to compete for a flag.

You'll call me a happy clapper, not that I give a shit, but we kept Richmond to 8 goals for the night and 3 in a half.

That's the type of defence that helps you go deep into finals.

[morell]

Kicking one goal in a half against that Richmond side in good conditions on our home deck isn't a good enough form line to compete for a flag.

You'll call me a happy clapper, not that I give a shit, but we kept Richmond to 8 goals for the night and 3 in a half.

That's the type of defence that helps you go deep into finals.

I do agree. Defensively we're solid. And I'm a proponent that to win a flag you must have great defensive setups.

But.

Richmond had a lot of their offensive weaponry missing.

Our offensive capabilitiy is so poor that it almost cancels that great defense out. Teams are always in it against us. We're never safe. And since we score so little, it only takes a few moments of brilliance and we're cooked. Once the sun comes back out and the smell of cut grass means finals on a nice Spring day, we won't be able to hold sides to such low scores.

We have to get more firepower up front. If that means Richmond kick 3 more but we kick 8 more, so be it.

We're good enough to be swaggering around and forcing sides to try and control us, not the other way around.

[Booney]

Part of that 1.7 after half time was execution in front of goal, skill based, not so much game style based.

"If" we'd kicked 4.4 instead of 1.7 after half time we win by 7 or 8 goals. "If" is a big word, I know, but we had 8 scoring shots after half time to their 7.

68 inside 50's for us means the plan moving it forward worked. 49 for them means the plan holding them up worked.

We're 7-4, reportedly have several stars struggling for form and have the Bulldogs, Melbourne, Carlton, St Kilda and Fremantle in the next 5 weeks.

Glass half empty? Bollocks to that.