Re: Port Adelaide 2019
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2019 1:30 pm3 from 3 in Shanghai, do we all have to move there?
Port Adelaide are/were averaging the most I50’s per game this year and up until the weekend just gone were 14th for goals scored. Clearly the front half has been lacking a link to the back half to make most of those forward 50’s, we saw something different on Sunday. Drilling 22 goals to bury the Saints by 70 points in Shanghai has changed the second stat for the good. About bloody time, but will it stand up in the coming weeks?
A couple of noticeable changes to the Port line up, with Bonner coming back in there was no room for Burton, Houston, Bonner, DBJ and Broadbent in the back half so someone had to move and it was Houston who was thrust into the middle to replace Rockliff. His presence was noticeable all day, he uses to ball beautifully, knows how to find it and offered something different in a midfield that can look one dimensional at times. The other noticeable move was Dougal Howard forward, he kicked the first goal of the game and offered Port the link between half back and half forward we’ve been crying out for. Howard can take a grab in a pack, something Ryder, Westhoff, Marshall and Frampton have struggled to do this year. With those two changes (and a couple of tweaks defensively) Port looked like the run and carry team Hinkley promised over the summer. Granted, the Saints have been a plucky unit in the early part of 2019 but they’re not a genuine top 4 aspirant and they had spent too much time with the runs to match Port on the run late on a day in the 30°’s and high humidity.
Early on both sides traded blows but Port looked to have the upper hand. Lycett, back from a week off had 3 marks in the first quarter, Jonas (instead of Clurey-the tweak mentioned above) was playing the “deep full back” role behind the ball and ended up with 13 marks for the day, many of them in space allowing him to use his 16 kicks at 84%, Duursma was playing his role inside and outside the contest, Burton and DBJ were following Bonner’s lead and attacking from half back and importantly the likes of Motlop and Amon were pitching in. The load was being spread and this allowed Robbie Gray to come into the contest when we needed sure hands on the ball, it allowed Bonner to use his left and right foot to great effect just outside 50 to end up with 3 goals from the wing/half back while Butters and Farrell were on the end of some hard work from Rozee ( 6 tackles, 4 I50 ) and Sam Gray ( 4 tackles, 3 I50 ) with two goals each. All the while Travis Boak continued his stellar season with 33 disposal, 7 clearances, 7 I50’s and 2 goals. Another 3 votes for Boak and at $17 he might still offer some value when the last Monday before the GF rolls around. All this saw Port have 7 multiple goal kickers and 13 in all. If this was U12’s footy the coach would have put “All played well” in the school newsletter on Wednesday.
Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed my Sunday on the lounge it just made for more ongoing frustration. There’s no argument, Port Adelaide’s best and worst is further a part than any other team in the competition and we are infuriatingly inconsistent. 30 minutes of the football we played yesterday and the Hawthorn game is there for the taking. 30 minutes of the football we played yesterday and the Richmond game is there for the taking.
We’re our own worst enemy. Individually and collectively. As noted above, when you get individuals across the board contributing it makes the collective’s job easier. More of yesterday, please!
Boon’s best : Boak, R.Gray, Houston, Howard, Bonner, Jonas, Lycett
We head into the bye 6-5 and have the weekend off before heading to Perth. It’s likely Rockliff and Ebert will be available for the trip West, not too far behind is Wines while Hartlett gets another run at SANFL level this weekend against Sturt at Alberton and could be joined by Dixon the following week against Norwood. Some troops are coming back, those in the side will need to perform to hold their place and with some pressure for spots looming it can only be a good thing.
Port Adelaide are/were averaging the most I50’s per game this year and up until the weekend just gone were 14th for goals scored. Clearly the front half has been lacking a link to the back half to make most of those forward 50’s, we saw something different on Sunday. Drilling 22 goals to bury the Saints by 70 points in Shanghai has changed the second stat for the good. About bloody time, but will it stand up in the coming weeks?
A couple of noticeable changes to the Port line up, with Bonner coming back in there was no room for Burton, Houston, Bonner, DBJ and Broadbent in the back half so someone had to move and it was Houston who was thrust into the middle to replace Rockliff. His presence was noticeable all day, he uses to ball beautifully, knows how to find it and offered something different in a midfield that can look one dimensional at times. The other noticeable move was Dougal Howard forward, he kicked the first goal of the game and offered Port the link between half back and half forward we’ve been crying out for. Howard can take a grab in a pack, something Ryder, Westhoff, Marshall and Frampton have struggled to do this year. With those two changes (and a couple of tweaks defensively) Port looked like the run and carry team Hinkley promised over the summer. Granted, the Saints have been a plucky unit in the early part of 2019 but they’re not a genuine top 4 aspirant and they had spent too much time with the runs to match Port on the run late on a day in the 30°’s and high humidity.
Early on both sides traded blows but Port looked to have the upper hand. Lycett, back from a week off had 3 marks in the first quarter, Jonas (instead of Clurey-the tweak mentioned above) was playing the “deep full back” role behind the ball and ended up with 13 marks for the day, many of them in space allowing him to use his 16 kicks at 84%, Duursma was playing his role inside and outside the contest, Burton and DBJ were following Bonner’s lead and attacking from half back and importantly the likes of Motlop and Amon were pitching in. The load was being spread and this allowed Robbie Gray to come into the contest when we needed sure hands on the ball, it allowed Bonner to use his left and right foot to great effect just outside 50 to end up with 3 goals from the wing/half back while Butters and Farrell were on the end of some hard work from Rozee ( 6 tackles, 4 I50 ) and Sam Gray ( 4 tackles, 3 I50 ) with two goals each. All the while Travis Boak continued his stellar season with 33 disposal, 7 clearances, 7 I50’s and 2 goals. Another 3 votes for Boak and at $17 he might still offer some value when the last Monday before the GF rolls around. All this saw Port have 7 multiple goal kickers and 13 in all. If this was U12’s footy the coach would have put “All played well” in the school newsletter on Wednesday.
Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed my Sunday on the lounge it just made for more ongoing frustration. There’s no argument, Port Adelaide’s best and worst is further a part than any other team in the competition and we are infuriatingly inconsistent. 30 minutes of the football we played yesterday and the Hawthorn game is there for the taking. 30 minutes of the football we played yesterday and the Richmond game is there for the taking.
We’re our own worst enemy. Individually and collectively. As noted above, when you get individuals across the board contributing it makes the collective’s job easier. More of yesterday, please!
Boon’s best : Boak, R.Gray, Houston, Howard, Bonner, Jonas, Lycett
We head into the bye 6-5 and have the weekend off before heading to Perth. It’s likely Rockliff and Ebert will be available for the trip West, not too far behind is Wines while Hartlett gets another run at SANFL level this weekend against Sturt at Alberton and could be joined by Dixon the following week against Norwood. Some troops are coming back, those in the side will need to perform to hold their place and with some pressure for spots looming it can only be a good thing.
