by valleys07 » Tue Mar 31, 2015 10:21 pm
Round 1 Preview: Port Adelaide vs. Fremantle- Sunday 5th April @ Domain Stadium
Games Played- 29 (Port Adelaide 16, Fremantle 13)
Meetings at Domain Stadium- 16 (Fremantle 8, Port Adelaide 8 )
Last time they met:
2014 First Semi Final: Port Adelaide 15.15.105 def. Fremantle 11.17.83 @ Domain Stadium.
Last 5- Fremantle 3, Port Adelaide 2.
It Begins Here.
"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."- Michael Jordan
As Port Adelaide embark on their 2015 campaign against the Dockers this Sunday in search of their 2nd premiership, as a fan I can’t help but relate to the above quote. Our 2004 premiership was built upon repetitive failures but an undisputed desire to one day climb the mountains peak. Our group is on a similar journey this year. Recent times have seen us fail countless times, and we have been beaten to the brink of extinction- but we have rallied and are more desperate than I have ever seen us to taste the ultimate success. Of late we have seen Hawthorn, Geelong and Collingwood take similar journeys to the premiership. Can Port do the same?
Anyway, thinking in the present requires Port to focus on the task at hand and of late, there has been no tougher task than Fremantle at the House of Pain. The Dockers controlled proceedings in the first half of the Semi Final only to kick 6.11 and leave that door slightly ajar, to which Port belted down with a dominant 2nd half and booked themselves a spot in a Preliminary Final.
Summary
The 2 games at Domain Stadium last year produced cracking spectacles, and this will be no different- leaving us salivating at the thought of what this season opener can potentially produce. Both coaches play a contrasting brand of football. Ross Lyon preferring to attack early on and shut the game down, Hinkley with his defence the best form of attack. Fremantle will aim to have numbers around the footy, pressuring Port Adelaide into making skill errors and forcing the turnover where a high energy forward line on their day is capable of piling on the goals quickly. For Port- quality ball movement is the key. Nobody questions their fitness or endeavour, but will an over emphasis on the handball play into Fremantle’s hands, or leave Fremantle high and dry where a new look forward line and dangerous mosquito fleet leaves them lamenting?
Key Matchup’s
Travis Boak vs. Matt De Boer.
With the pending charges facing Ryan Crowley leaving Fremantle short of a gun tagger, De Boer looms likely to take on the goliath task of manning Port Adelaide’s chief ball winner and spiritual leader. Boak has averaged just 18 touches in his last 3 encounters against the Dockers, and was held to just 4 touches at half time of the semi-final. A massive pre-season for De Boer gives him the aerobic ability to run with Boak, but Travis will find it easier to outmuscle De Boer around the contest and release to outside runners. A fascinating battle looms here.
Sandilands/Clarke vs. Lobbe/Ryder
Today’s tribunal result is a MASSIVE boost to the Power, an understatement if there ever was one. Sandliands absolutely monstered Lobbe in the semi-final, winning the hit-out count 50-27, however Lobbe’s asset isn’t necessarily stoppage hit-outs, but pressure acts around the ground. Port Adelaide will win this battle based on 2 factors. 1) Fremantle were the number 1 ranked side for hit-outs, however fell to 9th for clearances. Port Adelaide ranked 2nd for clearances in 2014 averaging 40.6 per game, with Robbie Gray a master at reading opposition ruckwork, whilst Power fans can expect Wines to go head to head with the supremely talented Fyfe in an attempt to nullify his influence at stoppage set-ups. 2) Scoreboard impact. Ryder is head and shoulders above Clarke when it comes to hitting the scoreboard and marks inside 50, with a tally of 20/36 in comparison to Clarke’s 12/14 in 2014. When swung forward in combination with Schulz and Westhoff- Ryder provides Port Adelaide with as dangerous a forward set up in the competition- something Clarke is yet to impose himself on where a neutral would consider Sandilands and Lobbe fairly even in this area.
The Six Points (AFL website)
1. Port Adelaide beat Fremantle twice in three encounters in 2014. Prior to last season the Dockers had won the previous six games between the two sides, including three wins by more than 50 points.
2. Port Adelaide ranked second for marks inside 50 in 2014, averaging 13.5 during the home and away season. Fremantle ranked ninth, averaging 11.4 during the regular season.
3. Fremantle was ranked No.1 for hit-outs in 2014 but the Dockers slipped to ninth in clearances. Port Adelaide was the second best clearance team averaging 40.6 per in 2014.
4. Port Adelaide is one of only three teams to defeat Fremantle at Domain Stadium in Perth in the last two seasons. The other two sides were North Melbourne and Essendon.
5. Port Adelaide was the second best scoring team in 2014. Port was one of only two sides to average 100 points or more per game. Fremantle was ranked eighth averaging 91 points per game.
6. The 2014 AFL Players' Association MVP Nat Fyfe (ninth) is ranked 27 places higher than the 2014 AFL Coaches' Association MVP Robbie Gray (36th) on the Official AFL Player Ratings.
Valleys’ Projected Match-ups:
Port Adelaide:
FB: Jonas Carlisle Broadbent
HB: Pittard Trengove Hombsch
C: Polec Wines Hartlett
HF: Wingard Ryder White
FF: Monfries Schulz Westhoff
R: Lobbe Boak Gray
I/C: Cornes Ebert Stewart Young
Fremantle:
FB: Duffield McPharlin Spurr
HB: Sutcliffe Johnson Ibbotson
C: Pearce Barlow Hill
HF: Walters Pavlich Mayne
FF: Ballantyne Clarke Tabener
R: Sandilands Fyfe Mundy
I/C: Neale De Boer Crozier Suban
Valleys’ Final Thoughts:
Either way ladies and gentlemen, strap yourself in for a cracking season opener if you are a fan of either team. Fremantle have a window closing fast with many ageing stars on their last legs. Port on the contrary has a window that is beginning to open, and have a 5 game start that will define their season. The inclusion of Ryder has been touted as the missing link for the Power this season- and call me biased, but a slightly depleted Dockers backline might just be the ticket to see the Power start 1-0.
Port by 7 Points.
Last edited by
valleys07 on Wed Apr 01, 2015 12:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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HOGG Shield 2015 Division I Premiers.
HOGG Shield 2017 Premier League Premiers.
