Port v North, Sat May 12, Alberton 2.10

A must win game for Port, but will that help them? Whispers suggest they're not a happy bunch of campers at Alberton, although to an extent you'd expect that after their disappointing start. A North win would give them a sense of momentum. Currie v Meiklejohn looms as a key battle between two ex-Swans talls. A Port win would be a surprise but would see the competition tighten up even further.

I'm going to tip North here by 17 points.

Port just don't know how to win, North back in reasonable form, I'll take the Roosters by 22 points.

This is a should win game for North. They have shown rare glimpses of exciting form - most recently in Q 2 against Sturt when they kicked 6-7. Port on the other hand have apparently been terrible after their excellent trial form. But the tide can turn as the Eagles have proven. The Roosters have lost key midfielders in G Thring and Delvins to add to the recently missed Alleway and Miles. This game will test them. Handby, Amato and Armstrong are among contenders to fill the gaps, none of whom take a step backwards. Coach Francou must be losing some patience with Power recruit, Blee, who has conceded at least 14 goals in 3 games, and does not appear to have grasped the team plan, but his options are limited. The injury toll is mounting with about 10 potential first pick players missing. I doubt whether Francou will want to make many more changes to a successful side that hopefully will not have the limited midfield rotations that were thrust upon him in the second half last week. Players like Davey and Clinch will have to step up a notch. It would not surprise me to see the Magpies get up, but North's record at Alberton is excellent, so I am going to pick the Roosters to get over the line in a close one.

Mongrel Punter wrote:North's record at Alberton is excellent

Yes, I recall several wins by North at Alberton of late. What would be North's record there over the past 5 or so years?

Adelaide Hawk wrote:

Mongrel Punter wrote:North's record at Alberton is excellent

Yes, I recall several wins by North at Alberton of late. What would be North's record there over the past 5 or so years?

North have won the last 3 contests between these 2 sides at Alberton, Port the previous 2 to that.

I read elsewhere that the Roosters have actually won 8 out of their last 10 at Alberton.

North

i think North will win, Port need more players working harder than the 8-10 players that bust their guts that i've seen the last two weeks

Port a long way off having the confidence to secure a win at the moment. No doubt the cattle and talent is there, but confidence is shot. After such a promising pre-season and opening round we have been terrible the last two weeks.

Need more from our "imposing" ruck set-up in the middle of the ground. The skipper and Cockshell must start to give our small men first look at the ball if we are to turn things around.

North by two goals, though wouldn't be surprised to see Port in front around 3/4 time.

Yep, North's Record @ Alberton in recent years is proberly better than Prospect !

North to win this one in a close game.

I think Port might get uup here .Interesting reading forums and the comments made.I read on one forum a poster whinging about North playing the same day as a Crows game ? I always thought the local forums were about SANFL. ?

North 6 9 45

Port 9 5 59

8 mins 3/4

After coping with the totally disorganised BBQ at Alberton, I readied for the game. It turned out to be an appalling display by all 39 people on the ground, where sub-standard skills and decisions were on show by everyone concerned. North lost the game - it could not be suggested that Port won it. North played exceptionally badly and still only lost by 10 points, when they could have sown up the game numerous times, but failed with ill thought out decisons and execution of skills. When Jimmy Allan gets reported in a game, one must question the effectiveness of the men in white, who ignored questionable opposition tactics. Don't we have 7 umpires on the ground to observe all misdemeanours? And then we have the umpire who consistenly failed to bounce the ball correctly, frustrating everyone, not to mention the frequent decisions that puzzled players and spectators alike. I suspected that this could be a danger game for North and so it was. But to see a team throw away an opportunity is most annoying, especially against a team that has been playing so badly and did not play all that well today. Even though Jimmy Allan was tagged so heavily, he still managed 37 possessions.

39 people ? Calling ummpires ineffective because they reported Allen is ridiculous.Unless of course you are saying he couldn't possibly get reported as he never enters a pack ?

I'm saying that if they had done their job properly in the first place the report would never have occurred. Reading other forums, the view about the umpiring seems very consistent. As for Jimmy not entering packs, you obviously haven't seen him play.

Yes I have seen him play , I think he is a great player . What was he reported for ?

I have never see Allan strike out in anger at anyone, and to be reported for allegedly striking a hard tagger hack, off the ball, is incongruous. For that to occur, there was something that instigated it, and with so many umpires around, you would think that one of them would have picked it up, and therefore the player who initiated the act would be looking down the barrel. Allan was tagged all day, not always legimately, and umpires turned a blind eye.

The ability of the other player is irrelevent and the agitator is often the cause but you cannot strike players and never have been able to regardless.