AFL Finals Week 3 - Preliminary Finals

[woodublieve12]

I hope Port win tonight for my partner and few supporters on here... But Besides them i hope they get smashed due to the absolute vitrial i got from some of my port supporter mates gave me in 2014 and 2016 when we lost those GF's... Is it petty, yes. Do i care, No... I had to turn of notifications and turn my phone of at night because my phone was going berserk!! #neverforget #salty

[Dutchy]

I actually don't mind who wins tonight, or even tomorrow night, but would probably favor Brisbane as the team Id like to see win the flag. Either way there is a good story in all 4 teams left.

Good luck Boon and the other wharfies tonight.

[Lightning McQueen]

Port get Ebert, Rozee, Burton and Marshall from that game, we weren't full strength either.

And we played Sutcliffe, he's as good as two men short.

Only change I'd make to the starting 18 is Marshall out at the expense of Westhoff or Lienert.

[Booney]

The nerves set in around Wednesday, I’ve self medicated accordingly over the last 48 hours and come around 3pm today I’ll have one sitting on my desk taking the edge off.

Who, where and how will Port or Richmond take the spoils tonight? In brief, I think Port have shown better form this year, have been pretty consistent while there’s no denying Richmond have more star power but are they playing as a team?

Midfield, midfield, midfield, we all know who wins the midfield battle typically wins the game, or at least gives themselves the best chance of winning but we all know there’s aspects of every side that contribute to them getting the upper hand and winning the contest. Given we’re down to the top 4 sides left in the competition you can expect both midfields at different stages will get on top. It’s unlikely one has the upper hand all night.

For Port it’s the defensive zone led by captain Tom Jonas, Houston, Hartlett and Byrne-Jones. When Port’s midfield get the ball forward the ability to defend the dangerous space across the midfield is imperative in Port gaining repeat F50 entries. This is two fold, Port are the second best attack on the back of that zone and repeat entries but more importantly Port’s defence has conceded the least points this year on the back of that zone. The ball doesn’t get through.

On the flip side Richmond, the 5th best attack and second best defence use their half back line as the point from which they build their attack, they don’t build a wall like Port do, they load up the trebuchets and launch in any manner possible their attack from half back. It can be scrambled or clinical, but it’s get it forward at any costs and this is where I think the game will be won and lost.

Can Richmond get through the zone with their rugby like scrums moving it forward or will Ports zone hold firm?

As such the two half back lines, for mine, will dictate who holds sway in this contest. We can expect both midfields to win enough ball and gain enough territory for their side to give them some scoring opportunities, I think this one comes down to how well Port can stop the Richmond attacks across half back and then how Richmond can launch those attacks from their half back line.

If Port have two or more of Hartlett, Byrne-Jones or Houston in their best half a dozen and for Richmond if they have Houli, Vlastuin or McIntosh in their best half a dozen on the night that might just sway the contest in their teams favour.

I mentioned earlier are Richmond playing as a team, some of their actions in recent weeks, “playing on the edge” as Hardwick says could be seen as selfish actions, the undisciplined performance against Brisbane wasn’t the actions of a team worried about letting their team mates down. You have to play on the edge, you have to push yourself to the limit but I’ve got a feeling Port are doing that with every one of their 21 teammates in the back of their mind, right now they don’t want to let anyone of their teammates down by doing something that costs the team or not “going” when it’s their turn.

I’m more confident in this Port side than any in recent memory and it’s because of the unity, the selflessness they’ve shown this year.

Port by 14 points.

[MW]

The way I predict prelims is who's been the most consistent better side in 2020.
Think Port have played more consistently better than Richmond so Port by 17
Think Brisbane have played more consistently better than Geelong so Brisbane by 27

[Spargo]

Both games decided by less than 2 goals
Richmond tonight by Dale “the flea” Weightman
Geelong tomorrow by Micky “car window” Turner

[Booney]

Yesterday it was Port $1.80 Richmond $2 - This morning Port $1.74 Richmond $2.10

[whufc]

Weather suit Richmond's rugby style?

For mine their playing style is naturally better suited to the weather conditions and the pressure of prelim final.

Port definitely a big chance though and if they can get a lead early it could be all she wrote with the momentum Port will carry.

Richmond by 6-12 points winning with less than 12 goals.

[Jim05]

Love the barbs being thrown. Hope it doesn’t backfire on Hartlett

[Booney]

Love the barbs being thrown. Hope it doesn’t backfire on Hartlett

Are you Tom Browne? Talk about making something out of nothing!

[Jim05]

Love the barbs being thrown. Hope it doesn’t backfire on Hartlett

Are you Tom Browne? Talk about making something out of nothing!

I like it though. I think Hartlett is spot on and should be more of it

[Lightning McQueen]

Love the barbs being thrown. Hope it doesn’t backfire on Hartlett

Are you Tom Browne? Talk about making something out of nothing!

Have a shot of bourbon or something big fella.

[Lightning McQueen]

Too many variables to even consider making predictions for these two games.

At the end of the day, the most consistent 4 teams made it through to the preliminary final's and all four of them have the edge over any of the other three in different disciplines.

It all comes down to who can execute their own game plan better and earlier than the opposition, I think we're going to see two cracking games this weekend, Richmond and Geelong to a lesser extent have have the finals experience on regular basis, the other two have the speed, flair and home ground advantages.

Anyone's guess.

[Booney]

Love the barbs being thrown. Hope it doesn’t backfire on Hartlett

Are you Tom Browne? Talk about making something out of nothing!

Have a shot of bourbon or something big fella.

You're right, calling someone Tom Browne is low, sorry Jim, I take that back.

[Lightning McQueen]

Just got offered 2 box tickets for tonight's game, unfortunately my son has his footy presentation on tonight, decisions, decisions.

[Booney]

Just got offered 2 box tickets for tonight's game, unfortunately my son has his footy presentation on tonight, decisions, decisions.

[Lightning McQueen]

Him and my daughter are in class at the moment so I'm doing the good parent thing and seeing if they can organize him getting picked up from his presentation.

[Booney]

Him and my daughter are in class at the moment so I'm doing the good parent thing and seeing if they can organize him getting picked up from his presentation.

[The Bedge]

Him and my daughter are in class at the moment so I'm doing the good parent thing and seeing if they can organize him getting picked up from his presentation.

**** mate! Just order the lad an Uber from Preso

[Lightning McQueen]

Him and my daughter are in class at the moment so I'm doing the good parent thing and seeing if they can organize him getting picked up from his presentation.

**** mate! Just order the lad an Uber from Preso

Pew pew, daughter dropping him off at preso then picking me up from the pub and heading in.

Got him sorted too.