R1 - Port v Carlton & Adelaide v Geelong

A bit late on this one but we can review last night's game.

Port sluggish in the first term, but as per last season seem to have superior fitness and an ability to hit the afterburners late for a fast finish.

All the usual culprits putting their hands up, plus a tidy little debut for Polec. No respite to be had from the chirpy Port fans this week.   

Really looking forward to Thurday night's game. I have tipped Geelong (you have to at the Cattery), but I do think Adelaide have a pretty good shot at it.

Despite several injuries the Crows have had a good pre-season, and there are a plethora of youngsters itching to fill the voids left by said injuries. It's been a tough couple of weeks for the Club and players with the passing of Dean Bailey, and I think there will be a level of relief when they finally run out onto the ground and can channel their emotions and energy into this first game of footy.

As far as the Cats go, we've been waiting for a long time but I really do believe this year will be the year they slide - certainly bottom half of the 8 and possibly out completely. They're already carrying their fair share of injuries also.

If Adelaide do get up it will make the Showdown even more tantalising. It will certainly be the biggest since the first IMO.

last night was the first time i've watched a whole AFL match in years.......obviously they just want the ball to keep moving or you are allowed to throw the ball these days, how many throws out of packs or in tackles were there ? fair enough to want the ball to keep moving but the laws should still be adhered too imho

Interesting watching a few games over the weekend, the umpires are certainly letting things go, thats for sure.

Port showed some good signs Sunday night. Schulz, Monfries, Boak, Ebert, Pittard and Wingard all had relatively quiet nights....and we won by 6 goals against what most expect to be a fellow contender for a spot in the 8.

I've said it numerous times, Ollie Wines is something special. At 19 he must almost be classed as an A grader among his peers. With one full season ( where he didn't miss a game ) under his belt this kid is one to watch. Strong in and under, quick hands when he gets his hands on it, classy user when outside and running and finishes with goals. All to go with 8 tackles and 18 contested touches. I couldn't have been happier when I heard he added two years to his contract in recent days. Potentially the next Port Adelaide captain IMHO.

Lobbe was solid competing all night with Warnock and Kruezer, aside from the 5 minutes he was relieved by Trengove of his ruck duties.

Polec would have made a few Brisbane people sit up and take note when he won 5 contested possesions in about 10 minutes during the last quarter, he was excellent either on the wing or in the square when we needed. Just shows how our depth has increased, no longer does Boak and Hartlett have to do the bulk of the work with Polec, Gray, Wingard, Wines, White, Broadbent, Ebert, Cassisi, Cornes the list goes on and on of quality midfielders.

I also really liked Ken Hinkley's comment about our running ability, if you play Port Adelaide be prepared to run all day. I think that was a calculated shot in the arm for his boys to, letting them know that anything below that effort will not be tolerated.

Now, to Thursdays fixture.

I think Adelaide have big advantage with Jacobs. If he can get first hand on the ball to Adelaide's runners then Geelong will feel the pinch. Therein lies Geelongs strength though, their defence and rebound from it. Adelaide need to take advantage of forward 50 entries and score heavily when they get in there.
They cant afford to do what they did last year and pepper the goal front without scoring. That's why they recruited Eddie Betts. All eyes will be on Eddie this week. You can't judge him on one game, but lets see what infulence he has on the structure of Adelaides forward half.

I think this will be closer than many think - Geelong, only because it is there, and only just.

11 points.

Polec was great. Will definitely be an asset in the inside midfield.

Wines is going to have his work cut out soon. They are going to have someone sit on him much more after performances like that.

Luckily for Port they have quite a few mids / forwards that have spunk and creativity that they can't cover all of them with tagger types.

If Hinkley's warning of run run run manifests out, this is going to be hard for clubs to keep up with.

Early days yes, but the warning has been sounded early. Can they back it up every week.

It will be interesting.

I think clubs will continue to target Harlett, he is perhaps the most damaging by foot when we are forward of centre. ( How as his goal - 55 out off three steps and he puts it into the crowd ! )

The problem with "inside" mids is the tagger gets lost in traffic, so "outside" mids are usually targeted. Wines will be very, very hard to tag out of a game I suspect.

The more I think about tomorrow nights game, the more I think we're a very good chance of jagging it.

The Cats have injuries and they lost a lot of experience at the end of last season.

Adelaide have had a solid, methodical pre-season. Everything has been relatively low key, and I think they may have succeeded in slipping under the radar a little bit.

Yes they have had some injuries again, but I think they have the depth to cover them this year as opposed to last.

I think the Round 1 upsets may continue.

Adelaide by 5 goals.

FB - Shaw Rutten Brown
HB - Grigg Talia Martin
C - Smith Thompson Mackay
HF - Wright McKernan Jaensch
F - Betts Pods Dangerfield
1R - Jacobs Sloane Porplyzia
INT - B.Crouch Johnstone Kerridge Lyons

I can't see us winning but then I'm 0/4 so we're certainties   
Bartel's 250th. Geelong by 58

I doubt it will be that one-sided.

Yep, no way Adelaide will lose by that much.

They give Geelong a run at the best of times, granted that's mostly been at home but still.

Interesting to read an article speculating about Dangerfield's future at the Club. I think it was written to play to the Victorian market, but it is a little concerning.

I tell you what, if Dangerfield did leave it would absolutely tear me to shreds, particularly after the departures of the last few years. He is one of the main reasons I have fronted up for season tickets over the last few years. He is just one of those players that is magic to watch in action, even if the team isn't travelling very well.

A certain Geelong supporter and Sydney supporter on another site jerkin' the gherkin over that article   

Gees we've been pretty crap in the last quarter. Made to look 2nd rate. Not great looking to next week.

Well, some good signs from some of the younger players but a terrible last term. Still lacking experience in the midfield TBH.

Tough away trip to start the year.

Johnston 3 goals. Got reported too.

Nothing in it though, he'll be right.

Looking back on the game this morning it's probably best summarised by saying as individuals they all looked pretty sharp and fit, but as a team they lacked composure under pressure with fumbles and poor decision making costing them dearly at various points throughout the whole game.

Always feel frustrated the next morning when your team loses.
Like to say the sun is out but it's as overcast as buggery.   

sapaul wrote:Always feel frustrated the next morning when your team loses.
Like to say the sun is out but it's as overcast as buggery.   

  

I'm totally with ya mate. Hate the morning after a loss, especially if it means going to work. Always a bit of a downer.

Imagine how the players/coaches feel.