PAFC 2025

[MW]

Rioli been sent on leave after his post or just VIC media BS?

Sounds like it's true

is on the AFL website as happening

Taking personal leave from the toll of racial abuse after his post in Instagram

[locky801]

In other news see Mrs Rozee is expecting again.

[Brodlach]

We need to be better as a society but the way people are, after the post, he was always going to be attacked and vilified


I am certainly not meaning to victim shame

[tigerpie]

We need to be better as a society but the way people are, after the post, he was always going to be attacked and vilified


I am certainly not meaning to victim shame

The posts that I read were mainly about his Gatorade episode along with the other drug issues.

I can't believe some people have posted racist bullshit and are bold as badgers about it. Why can't the cops pay these people a visit?
Willy seriously ****** up here and unfortunately he's fired up the crowd and he's going to cop it.

[whufc]

The saddest part about the whole situation for mine is that Willie is probably right in the fact i have no doubt we only know an enth of what has happened behind the scenes in the scenarios he is hinting at.

The only reason i say that is from my experience and what in hindsight and on reflection was some horrible treatment / racial abuse of indigenous players in local community sport including within our own changerooms and definitely from the sidelines as well.

As we see with the drug issue in the AFL, whilst clubs are high profile they generally still reflect what is happening in the outside world and i have no doubt if it was happening at community level it was also happening within AFL clubs during that era.

Does that make Willie Riolis post the right thing to do............. probably not but I'm not going to be too critical as i didn't have endure the stories from family members that I'm sure Willie has. I'm also not sure what you can do about the past and how you can move forward with a resolution that is reasonable for all parties.

I guess all we can do is be better moving forward which i honestly think we have made some massive steps doing albeit there are much larger steps to be taken.

[Booney]

Willy seriously ****** up here and unfortunately he's fired up the crowd and he's going to cop it.

I guess all we can do is be better moving forward which i honestly think we have made some massive steps doing albeit there are much larger steps to be taken.

Facts.

[locky801]

Just seen a presso and according to Ken, Willie will be playing this week, trained today evidently, great news

[Brodlach]

RATKINS!!

[Booney]

For the second week in a row Port Adelaide have burst out of the blocks to hold match winning lead only to stall in the last quarter and let the opposition back into the game this time holding out the fast finishing Swans by 8 points.

As it was against Hawthorn the week before it was the back half that had Port Adelaide in a commanding position at the SCG in the first half on Sunday. Defensively Ratugolea was strong, he only had the two touches in the first quarter but both were intercept marks deep in defence, Jones showed a steady head with 4 touches at 100% efficiency. Attacking from the back half Farrell, Rozee and Burgoyne made the most of their chances and thrust the ball forward to Georgiades who was looking dangerous as he has every week. The midfield though looks a different unit with Butters in there and his start was electric, 5 touches, 5 tackles, 3 score involvements. He set the tone early and kept at it all day. 4 goals to 1 at quarter time and it felt like Port had all the momentum.

It was the case, at least until Blakey got on his bike and started to move the ball with more intent from Sydney's back half not allowing Ports zone to set up. He butchered a few he'd otherwise finish off and the same could be said for Georgiades who looked like an Englishman in the hot Aussie sun putting down some tough chances in the slips on the SCG. 3 nearly, what ifs for the term for him while Cochrane and Rioli made the most of their chances it was Port just being a little cleaner with the ball that gave us the 27 half time lead. 11 marks to 3 inside 50 giving Port the better look at the goal face.

When Drewy goaled inside the first 10 seconds of the third term a warm feeling inside could have been the chocolate eggs or the hot cross buns but it felt like we were getting close to breaking them. Not so. Rowbottom, Hayward and McLean all goaled in the next 5 minutes and the Sydney observers were looking to the field and not their i-Phone 13+ for a moment. DBJ steadied when we needed it, SPP goaled and Rioli closed his awful week out with another major and the hard work Sydney had done had amounted to not much, the 27 point half time lead was now 28 at three quarter time.

As with the third term Port blitzed from the middle with Powell-Pepper finding himself on the end of a chain to open the final term with a major, his second, the margin is out to the best part of 6 goals. There was always a chance Sydney would find someone to lift them after Blakey had tried in the second term and it came in the form of Isaac Heeney. What a last term he had, 11 touches, 2 centre clearances, 2 inside 50's and a goal. Some players would take that for a game let alone a quarter. Sub Aaron Francis was having more of a say though. 3 goals in a purple patch of 8 minutes and the Swans are coming. Rioli did what he needed to do with his third and again it felt like the steadier had come. McLean answered within moments, Georgiades got his third and then Sydney basically butchered it. The last 8 scoring shots to Sydney and two of them goals.

Good sides don't stop and the leads being evaporated against Hawthorn and Sydney would be a worry but it's a good worry to have, leading and not quite getting caught is better than the alternative but we need to sure up our last quarters, we haven't won one all year ( yes, even against Richmond ).

*Wipes brow*

Got away with that one.

Boon's best - Butters, Rozee, Farrell, Horne-Francis, Burgoyne, Rioli, Georgiades

[another grub]

A Chris Mew

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2025/04/29/ ... activation

[The Bedge]

FFS @carey that's bad even by your standards

[Booney]

Being one of the lucky ( if you could call it that ) 500 or so Port Adelaide fans holding a ticket for the game in Ballarat meant the 600km drive on Friday was one filled with gratitude and hope, the 600kms home after a 90 point thumping from the Bulldogs was full of disgust and disappointment.

With a 5 goal breeze heading to the empty end of Mars Stadium currently under construction Port Adelaide had the opportunity for first use and the opening 10 minutes looked to be positive. Port registered the first 4 centre clearances and the first 4 inside 50's of the match. Willie Rioli opened the scoring with a major after a lengthy score review before Drew, Powell-Pepper and Richards had opportunities to add to the tally and failed to do so.

The next goal, to the Bulldogs Khamis, was a sign of what was to come. The Dogs ran it from Port's forward 50 by hand then with precision moved the ball along the members wing under the protection of the stand before centering the ball at half forward and penetrating deep into their forward 50. It was clean and crisp and impossible to stop. Rioli added another and West brought the Dogs back to level pegging. Port had the first 11 clearances of the game and, as we all know, momentum isn't something you can waste but we did and as the day wore on it became more noticeable how important that 20 minutes would be. The Dogs had 5 of the last 6 clearances of the term and from then on their midfield under English, took control.

A 5 goals blitz by the Dogs in 20 minutes of the second term blew the game to pieces. Port didn't score in that time and frankly didn't look like it, the pressure was good from both sides but only one was coping with it. Sweet goaled late for Port, Naughton rounded out the term with the Dogs 6th for the term and the 26 point half time lead looked like it was going to be enough. Forward of the ball Lord and Georgiades were being well held by Lobb, in particular on Georgiades, and O'Donnell was helping him out by keeping Lord from the contest. Port have the 4th worst goal accuracy %age in the game ( 56% ) and of the 3.7 at half time the 0.7 were all from intercept turnover and that is where sides can do the most damage. Opportunity lost.

The second half went sour for Port Adelaide quickly. English was dominating the contest in the middle and the Dogs midfield took over. 7-2 centre clearances for the quarter and Ports pressure had dropped, 21-9 inside 50's with the Dogs running riot into the breeze and 7 goals to 2 ending the contest.

Most notable inside the contest was the clean hands of the Bulldogs. You're always under pressure inside the contest and the Dogs 1-2 quick hands often resulted in open space and forward thrusts while Port Adelaide regularly handballed to a team mate under pressure in a "make it someone else's problem" manner. All too often we handballed to flat footed mids who were in a hotter spot than the ball carrier was in the first place.

The Dogs faithful who made the trip out ( and I might add how rude that Bulldogs season ticket holders coughed up upwards of $50 to see the game ON TOP of their membership ) were in full voice. After each goal the "Doggie Doggie Doggie WOOF WOOF WOOF" wore thin pretty quick, but as they say winners are grinners and losers can please themselves.

Mentally we've shown again that we're not strong enough for long enough. Two 90 point losses in the first 8 weeks, losses to St Kilda and Essendon look worse as the year goes on, taking the foot off the throat against Hawthorn in Gather Round was percentage lost and allowing North Melbourne back into the contest a week earlier further evidence we're not switched on mentally for long enough. Some tough weeks ahead.

I'll end this glass half full, I am by default. I went over with my Mum who is 82, my Step-Dad and my son. 3 generations of Port Adelaide faithful, Port Adelaide proud creating lasting memories for us all. Football is just a game, family is everything and perspective should be applied to all things in life.

Boons best - Butters, Rozee, Bergman, Horne-Francis

[MW]

Willie in trouble for sending threatening messages to Bailey Dale through another Bulldogs player? Also how he only got $1k fine for that strike to Bailey Dale is beyond me...

[wenchbarwer]

I'll end this glass half full, I am by default. I went over with my Mum who is 82, my Step-Dad and my son. 3 generations of Port Adelaide faithful, Port Adelaide proud creating lasting memories for us all. Football is just a game, family is everything and perspective should be applied to all things in life.

Great sentiment, Boon. I've dragged my kids along to the Essendon side of things and we have lots of lovely memories based around the footy. It's a shame my dear old Mum, who started me on the Bombers back when we were bloody good isn't here to enjoy or be a bad influence, but her spirit is definitely there in my smart arse children!

[Dutchy]

Willie in trouble for sending threatening messages to Bailey Dale through another Bulldogs player? Also how he only got $1k fine for that strike to Bailey Dale is beyond me...

Willie seems to be on a slippery slope at the moment, hope he can pull it together

[whufc]

This is a real real real outside look at things but a small observation around the untidiness of hands and make it someone elses problem is something i have seen regularly when the pressure is on.

Is this a bit of the nature of the side with what feels like a lot of Port players have games built around endevour, attack on the ball rather than clean crisp skills.

Names that come to mind are:
Butters
JHF (to an extent)
SPP
DBJ
Drew
L.Jones

Some A quality stars there no doubt but for mine there is game isnt built around being clean and great disposal. Come finals they bring the pressure and the attack but under the finals pressure their skills and decision making seems to let them down.

On the other hand i think of Dunkley, McCluggage, Neale, Ashcrofts who all appear to be really neat, tidy and clean in possesion.

Happy to be corrected just a bit of an observation and i dont know if the data supports it.

[Jim05]

What has got into JHF’s set shots?
The bloke is classy as hell around the ground yet when taking a set shot he looks like a bloke who has never touched a football in his life.

[locky801]

Watch them come out and explode Saturday night.

I'm calling one of those massive Port 1st 1/4s where they slam through 6 or 7 quick goals and put the opposition literally out of the game

They have made a habit over the years after a poor performance of doing it at Adelaide Oval the following week

[Booney]

If the alleged DM from Rioli is correct he should be in some real strife, the club should act on that one. Completely unacceptable.

[MW]

If the alleged DM from Rioli is correct he should be in some real strife, the club should act on that one. Completely unacceptable.

He does not seem like he is in a good space right now.