Magellan wrote:The Age's Rohan Connolly has written an interesting article on Fox's flashbacks, and how the game has become less appealing in the last decade or so.
The 2007 Game plan we had was never going to last too long. Clarko had it sussed the next year when he shut us down. We got it going again at times but 2009 we struggled to maintain the run and gun style that got us the 2007 flag. I know you weren't specifically referring to Geelong but that footy was exciting to watch. To me the Cats have always been a fantastic team to watch even if at times it has cost us success as teams like West Coast and Hawthorn in particular has shut us down.
I remember when the huddle was king. For years it worked. Watching the 2007 Grand Final they showed Port huddling but all the 'outriders' were Geelong players. It showed why the huddle became passé. I think that football will continue to evolve. It might not be as free running as it once was but there is an almost Rugby Union like toughness in the scrimmages now and the crowd roars when the 'line' is broken and your team gets out the back.
Plenty of "what ifs?" in grand finals, but I don't think 2007 is one of them, we just got pummeled and I don't think Geelongs domination that day was a result of Ports missed opportunities early in the game.
RustyCage wrote:Plenty of "what ifs?" in grand finals, but I don't think 2007 is one of them, we just got pummeled and I don't think Geelongs domination that day was a result of Ports missed opportunities early in the game.
Agreed mate- my thought has never been around whether a couple of early ones would have won us the game, more so might have given Geelong the jitters before settling. This might have spared us our unwanted record.
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RustyCage wrote:Plenty of "what ifs?" in grand finals, but I don't think 2007 is one of them, we just got pummeled and I don't think Geelongs domination that day was a result of Ports missed opportunities early in the game.
Agreed mate- my thought has never been around whether a couple of early ones would have won us the game, more so might have given Geelong the jitters before settling. This might have spared us our unwanted record.
Forget the unwanted bit, mate. I've embraced it for what it is. I remember the game much more for the domination Geelong showed than our ineptitude on the day. I believe nobody would have got anywhere near the Cats that day, no team would have. We showed that we were as equipped as anyone to challenge them that day, not just by getting there but by beating them at home only weeks earlier when for years nobody else could, or did for sometime after us. We also mauled our Preliminary final challenger to get there with as much confidence as they did.
Interesting Chad Cornes' comments about the mind set of the Port boys leading into that game, the overt over confidence that the group had.
Booney wrote:Interesting Chad Cornes' comments about the mind set of the Port boys leading into that game, the overt over confidence that the group had.
What did he say in particular?
"Religion is like a blind man looking in a black room for a black cat that isn't there...and finding it." - Oscar Wilde
Booney wrote:Interesting Chad Cornes' comments about the mind set of the Port boys leading into that game, the overt over confidence that the group had.
What did he say in particular?
Just a few things about the days and weeks before the GF.
Tredrea's "phone call" celebration during the Preliminary Final win over the Kangaroos, the talk among the group in the days leading into the game, the pretty relaxed build up on game day, all of it was out of the ordinary for the playing group that year and how they had approached games up until that point.
Kane also mentions in his book that during 3/4 time of the GF all he remembers was Chad walking around the group saying over and over "We are not losing a ******* Grand final by 100 points"...I guess he was right.
Cheers Boon. Yes, interesting comments. I thought the 'phone call' thing was a bit out of character for someone like Tredrea, but then again Port were absolutely thumping the 'Roos IIRC and were marching into a GF on home turf. Rather than suggesting over confidence in the team I thought it was more of a personal reflection of Tredrea.
Maybe the easy victory in the prelim plus the win at Kardinia Park sowed the seeds of complacency. Geelong on the other hand beat Collingwood by 5 points in the other prelim and had a point to prove given previous GF stuff-ups (not unlike Port in 2004).
At any rate surely blame for the relaxed pre-game build up must lie at the feet of the coaching staff. Certainly seems unusual.
"Religion is like a blind man looking in a black room for a black cat that isn't there...and finding it." - Oscar Wilde
My memory of the game, sitting behind the goals way up in the nosebleeds, was that early on Port had no trouble getting their hands on the footy and transitioning well enough, but the longer the game went they'd retain possession to the middle or half-forward, but then they'd camp on it and allow the Cats ample time to get their numbers back and slingshot out of there. Remember questioning my mates about whether it was a directed style of play. Now that was 8 years ago and a shedload of froffies under the belt (and that was just matchday), so might be off the mark.
Magellan wrote:Cheers Boon. Yes, interesting comments. I thought the 'phone call' thing was a bit out of character for someone like Tredrea, but then again Port were absolutely thumping the 'Roos IIRC and were marching into a GF on home turf. Rather than suggesting over confidence in the team I thought it was more of a personal reflection of Tredrea.
Maybe the easy victory in the prelim plus the win at Kardinia Park sowed the seeds of complacency. Geelong on the other hand beat Collingwood by 5 points in the other prelim and had a point to prove given previous GF stuff-ups (not unlike Port in 2004).
At any rate surely blame for the relaxed pre-game build up must lie at the feet of the coaching staff. Certainly seems unusual.
Chad Cornes has been quoted on camera saying Port went in to the GF way too over-confident.
Can you bring a man to his feet when defeat is on repeat?
Booney wrote:Interesting Chad Cornes' comments about the mind set of the Port boys leading into that game, the overt over confidence that the group had.
What did he say in particular?
Just a few things about the days and weeks before the GF.
Tredrea's "phone call" celebration during the Preliminary Final win over the Kangaroos, the talk among the group in the days leading into the game, the pretty relaxed build up on game day, all of it was out of the ordinary for the playing group that year and how they had approached games up until that point.
Kane also mentions in his book that during 3/4 time of the GF all he remembers was Chad walking around the group saying over and over "We are not losing a ******* Grand final by 100 points"...I guess he was right.
I thought it continued after that game too. From memory wasn't Ports membership campaign called "The revolution" or something along those lines? Redemption or something along those lines seemed far more appropriate. Dunno how you could think that was a good idea after you have just been completely embarresed as a proud club that up to that point had never accepted losing.
Can you bring a man to his feet when defeat is on repeat?
RustyCage wrote:Plenty of "what ifs?" in grand finals, but I don't think 2007 is one of them, we just got pummeled and I don't think Geelongs domination that day was a result of Ports missed opportunities early in the game.
Agreed mate- my thought has never been around whether a couple of early ones would have won us the game, more so might have given Geelong the jitters before settling. This might have spared us our unwanted record.
Forget the unwanted bit, mate. I've embraced it for what it is. I remember the game much more for the domination Geelong showed than our ineptitude on the day. I believe nobody would have got anywhere near the Cats that day, no team would have. We showed that we were as equipped as anyone to challenge them that day, not just by getting there but by beating them at home only weeks earlier when for years nobody else could, or did for sometime after us. We also mauled our Preliminary final challenger to get there with as much confidence as they did.
Interesting Chad Cornes' comments about the mind set of the Port boys leading into that game, the overt over confidence that the group had.
Yes, you did defeat us at Kardinia Pk, however Geelong did go into that game with a few key players rested and one was in hospital for minor surgery....my memories of that match was hoping to collect on the +20.5 pts and the bonus was getting $4.50 port win.
Matty Wade is a star and deserves more respect from the forum family!
