Port Adelaide 2015

[Jim05]

@valleys07 there might be a surprise big man selection at Alberton tonight.

Paddy not wanting to cop the abuse this weekend

[valleys07]

@valleys07 there might be a surprise big man selection at Alberton tonight.

Please be Mitch Harvey.

If our season is stuffed, at least have a look at what some kids have to offer.

[valleys07]

Nope.

As predicted, the usual rinse repeat type of selection. Ah Chee, Stewart, Krakouer out.

Moore, Colquhoun and White in.

Surprised we didn't find room for Mitchell or S.Gray

[RustyCage]

HH said at the start of the week that there would be some changes this week and people performing in the SANFL would get a go, but no, same ins and outs each week

[wristwatcher]

Ok Port last chance and this time I really mean it. I'm rostered on the following week so it would be nice to have the faintest of finals hopes alive. Every week is an elimination final from here

[Jim05]

Ok Port last chance and this time I really mean it. I'm rostered on the following week so it would be nice to have the faintest of finals hopes alive. Every week is an elimination final from here

Port will belt the living suitcases out of us, 60-70 point win coming up

[daysofourlives]

Ok Port last chance and this time I really mean it. I'm rostered on the following week so it would be nice to have the faintest of finals hopes alive. Every week is an elimination final from here

Port will belt the living suitcases out of us, 60-70 point win coming up

Na Jimbo, your mob win, the players will make a statement to Ryder plus Ports 1 from 9 record after showdowns will likely play a part

[Jim05]

Ok Port last chance and this time I really mean it. I'm rostered on the following week so it would be nice to have the faintest of finals hopes alive. Every week is an elimination final from here

Port will belt the living suitcases out of us, 60-70 point win coming up

Na Jimbo, your mob win, the players will make a statement to Ryder plus Ports 1 from 9 record after showdowns will likely play a part

The crowd will make a statement or two to Ryder, doubt the players will. Cue well and truly in the rack, havnt picked a ruckman again, Lobbe will have a field day

[wristwatcher]

Ok Port last chance and this time I really mean it. I'm rostered on the following week so it would be nice to have the faintest of finals hopes alive. Every week is an elimination final from here

Port will belt the living suitcases out of us, 60-70 point win coming up

Na Jimbo, your mob win, the players will make a statement to Ryder plus Ports 1 from 9 record after showdowns will likely play a part

The crowd will make a statement or two to Ryder, doubt the players will. Cue well and truly in the rack, havnt picked a ruckman again, Lobbe will have a field day

I only hope we get Essenspud and they are still working towards getting themselves a new coach. We should win but there is no way we could be confident.

Port by 12 points

[Spargo]

The crowd will make a statement or two to Ryder

Those that actually turn up.

[Jim05]

The crowd will make a statement or two to Ryder

Those that actually turn up.

Coming from a North supporter lol.
Its a home game so id expect atleast 30-35k

[Spargo]

The crowd will make a statement or two to Ryder

Those that actually turn up.

Coming from a North supporter lol.
Its a home game so id expect atleast 30-35k

Nothing to do with North.
Worst Essendon supporter turnout last week against us that I can remember. Regardless of whose home game it was.
Your estimate this week is way overs IMO.

[Jim05]

The crowd will make a statement or two to Ryder

Those that actually turn up.

Coming from a North supporter lol.
Its a home game so id expect atleast 30-35k

Nothing to do with North.
Worst Essendon supporter turnout last week against us that I can remember. Regardless of whose home game it was.
Your estimate this week is way overs IMO.

Was Norths home game and at Etihad we only get 14,000 reserved seats for our members at away games. My understanding is about 12,000 season ticket holders attended. The disappointing thing was probably only about a further 2-3k brought tickets for the game. Obviously our form is crap but members who have paid $300-600 for home season tickets wont fork out extra for away tickets.

[Rik E Boy]

Ok Port last chance and this time I really mean it. I'm rostered on the following week so it would be nice to have the faintest of finals hopes alive. Every week is an elimination final from here

Port will belt the living suitcases out of us, 60-70 point win coming up

Port hasn't beaten Essendon since 2010. Interesting stat that one. Richmond is another bogey side for the Power as well, until Cotchin kicked into a Benny Gake.

regards,

REB

[Dogwatcher]

Former Port players retires after successful coaching career:

http://www.bunyippress.com.au/?p=50290

[Spargo]

The crowd will make a statement or two to Ryder

Those that actually turn up.

Coming from a North supporter lol.
Its a home game so id expect atleast 30-35k

23k - Lowest Essendon home crowd EVER at Docklands. The writing was on the wall.
The rot has set in at Windy Hill. Members/supporters have had a gutful of Hird & all his shit.
Essendon will remain stagnant and its relevance as a so called "big club" will deteriorate more & more until the board show some balls and leadership & sack Hird. Playing the kids now when it should've been done weeks ago shows Hird's desperation & change in stance.

[Jim05]

The crowd will make a statement or two to Ryder

Those that actually turn up.

Coming from a North supporter lol.
Its a home game so id expect atleast 30-35k

23k - Lowest Essendon home crowd EVER at Docklands. The writing was on the wall.
The rot has set in at Windy Hill. Members/supporters have had a gutful of Hird & all his shit.
Essendon will remain stagnant and its relevance as a so called "big club" will deteriorate more & more until the board show some balls and leadership & sack Hird. Playing the kids now when it should've been done weeks ago shows Hird's desperation & change in stance.

Terrible crowd, the only saving grace is that the club already has their money. Those that didnt turn up (myself included) missed a pretty good game. Off field the club has never been in a stronger financial posotion. More members and sponsors than ever, whether they stay onboard next year is the big question. 26k Friday night and 23k last night is not great for the league

[Footy Smart]

Valleys or Boon you gonna do a match review?

[Booney]

It was end to end stuff and a bit of side to side stuff under the roof on Saturday night, a high scoring affair with both sides over 115 points. ( There has been 5 games this year where both sides have scored 100+ points, Port in 4 of them and 2 weeks in a row following the shootout Showdown 39 )

Essendon looked on early, 6 goals in the first quarter and more of the play with Hooker offering a target, Goddard and Stanton on top in the middle and Hurley looking sound in defence. On the flip side Port were again wasteful with the ball, 4.3 at the first break and while it was game on Port fans would have been heart in mouth. Seen this too often this year.

The second quarter saw the Bombers attack, attack and attack but waste entry after entry as they squandered opportunities on their way to 2.8 for the quarter to Ports 6.2 and Port have an 8 point lead going into the main break on the back of some work from it’s best players.
Boak is now getting his hands on the ball, Wines is starting to make the most of Lobbe winning the ruck duels and Chad Wingard steps up to kick a goal as Port’s better players begin to get into the game.

While Daniher finishes the night with 2 goals (both in the last ¼ ) it’s fair to say his first half was very quiet and Jackson Trengove has clearly had the better of the contest. The Bombers smaller men are offering some resistance but only Hooker looks capable of a mark in the F50. 6 straight behinds at one stage just burnt the Bombers.

Chad Wingard flew, literally sideways and nearly dragged down a memorable mark, but the piece of play just after was just as memorable. The ball spilled out, Jake Neade collected it, two Bombers players got hands on him but he somehow turned out of trouble, found a yard of space and kicked truly. It just put a little gap between the two sides and gave Port the momentum for the second term that lead to a half time lead.

After half time Port hit the board with goals to Gray and Ryder before 3 quick goals to the Bombers as they draw level late in the third and again, they waste opportunities as they kick 4.3 to Ports 3.1 and it’s even Steven going into the last quarter. One more goal each and it will be even. O’Brien is winning plenty of ball, Goddard has 5 I50’s for the quarter and gets a bake from stand in skipper Dyson Heppell for getting into Patty Ryder.

Pretty rich, Brendan Goddard having a crack at a bloke for leaving a club, for leaving Essendon. He should get his snout out the trough and think back to where he came from and why he left. It was rat off sinking ship stuff of the highest order and not a matter of personal welfare and disappointment of what the club had done to the playing group in Ryders case.

Port now had a few blokes chipping in. Broadbent used the ball well for the first time in a few weeks, Hartlett had some important touches, Schulz snaffled a couple and the mids of Wines, Boak, Gray and to a lesser extent the battling Ebert were getting their hands on it.

The last quarter opened right up, 12 goals between the two sides with Paddy Ryder bagging 3 last quarter goals. Two in the first 8 minutes, two in a minute. One off the ground after some hard work in the goal square, one from a snap out near the 50 that Robbie Gray did his best to shepherd through and one from a contested mark where he kicked truly. He also handed another of to the dashing Matt White and when Schulz goaled it was a near 4 goals lead to Port and pretty much game over after a 3 goal run to the Power.

The Bombers didn’t stop though, late goals to Daniher and Hooker kept the game alive but another to Wingard ( his third ) and a second to skipper Boak had it back over 3 goals with under 3 minutes to go and from there it was all over she wrote.

Stand outs :

Wingard – 3 goals again this week, that’s 7 weeks in a row of kicking 3 or more goals and he’s the AFL leading goal kicker since round 10. He’s a lock for an AA spot and looks set to beat his goal kicking feats of his All-Australian year in 2013. 38 goals to date, he had 43 in his AA year and will smash that. 26 games since he’s gone goal less. He’s in excellent touch and his kicking at goal is top shelf, a clinical finisher.

Boak – The skipper rose to the top on a few occasions Saturday night. Once running inside 50 in the second quarter as the Bombers wasted opportunities he ran inside 50 and slotted truly. He had three important centre clearances in the third quater, 1 a direct goal assist. He is one of the games great leaders at the moment.

Wines – This kid just shows up each and every week. He was pretty well held in the Showdown but bounced back to his contested ball best on the weekend. 25 disposals, 17 contested, 7 clearances ( 3 from the centre ) 8 tackles and 2 goal assists. He’s my man crush.

Ryder – Just the 10 disposals ( at 70% ) for the game, 10 hitouts, 3 I50’s and 4 goals when we needed them most. Two goals in a minute on the back of some agile work from the big man, then a strong mark to kick truly. Showing what we’ve wanted from, him. A target forward of centre and hitting the scoreboard. 7 goals in two weeks and he’s looking like he’s mobile again after an Achilles slowed him down early in the year.

Gray – One of those players who we all just now expect to play well. 21 touches (10 contested) , 9 clearances ( 4 centre ), 2 tackles, 6 I50’s, 1 goal and 2 goal assists. Not many players in the league would be seen as a “little down” with those numbers. Wasn’t Robbies best game but far from his worst.

Honourable mentions to Broadbent for some improved ball use, Ebert for having a decent crack despite being well out of touch, Trengove for blanketing Joe “The Mo” for most of the night and Schulz for persisting and getting 3 important goals.

[Dutchy]

Had 5 Port players come out to a training session tonight with my Under 12's, was expecting them to roll out rookie players who I wouldn't know or remember their names. Out walks Gray, Trengove, Lobbe, Harlett and Moore!

Genuinely enjoyed being out there with the boys, gave tips and 1 & 1/2 hours of their time. Well done PAFC.

BTW Gray might struggle to get up this week.