R22 - GC v Port & Adelaide v West Coast

A bit of chatter around already about this week's games, so thought I'd better get a thread up!

A couple of cellar dwellers are playing a dead rubber on Saturday night, and then it's the big clash between two of the in form sides of the competition in Adelaide and West Coast.

Discuss away....

Cellar dwellers?

Adelaide by 13
Port by 105

Booney wrote:Cellar dwellers?

That one was especially for your Booney, glad it was appreciated!

Port have actually closed out the year very strongly, but it has all been too little too late. Must be frustrating as a fan to see the kind of performances they're putting in now. What happened this year? Did they think it was just going to happen perhaps?

They will give Gold Coast a right old thrashing this weekend I reckon.

As for the Adelaide game, I haven't been so pumped for a game in a long time! On paper West Coast looks to have the wood on them, but they are playing with a confidence and intent that I haven't seen before (even in 2012) and it just makes me feel as though anything is possible for this playing group at the moment. I can't wait to see them test themselves against the current premiership favourite this weekend. What an opportunity.

I also very confident that we will make finals from here now, regardless of the result on Sunday. I just don't think Geelong are as good as people think they are - in fact I would not be surprised if they drop the game to Collingwood on Friday night and settle the top 8 without Adelaide firing a shot.

They struggled to deal with St Kilda on the weekend and yet people honestly believe they have the capacity to sort out both Collingwood & Adelaide.

2012, is that when you last played finals?

And, if you think Geelong @ Geelong in the final round of the year with the winner playing finals is a fait accompli, I'd think again. They'll beat Collingwood and will not be easy beats in the last round.

Adelaide has not missed more than 2 consecutive years of finals since 1997. That record will continue to be maintained this year.

After watching them live on Saturday night, I have complete confidence that Adelaide will make finals.

I'm happy for others to write us off. On the face of it we've just been beating up on lowly sides the last couple of weeks.

Based on what I witnessed Saturday night though, this team won't be letting 2015 slip away.

Be it noted that it was 16 minutes for Mr Booney to respond to Ginge's disgracefully obvious line.(complete with correct emoticon).

Gingernuts wrote:Adelaide has not missed more than 2 consecutive years of finals since 1997. That record will continue to be maintained this year.

Unlike Port who missed 5 years in a row including one of those years where they finished just % ahead of the wooden spooners

Port easily, by at least 10 goals & West Coast by about 5 goals

( Heading away for the weekend, not as much time to put into it this week )


Gold Coast v Port

The kids just held on last week, the Bombers had every right to take the 4 points away, the Suns just holding on while Port made it a complete season of frustration by rolling the Hawks for the second time this year. “Where has this been all year?” asked the biggest membership base of an SA AFL club. 

The Suns seemed to have got some momentum, draw with West Coast, beat the Lions, smashed by Richmond, beat the Bombers while Port played the most complete game of their season to date never really letting the Hawks into the contest. Port getting some return on the Ryder investment, clearly he is now Ports’ #1 ruckman. What does the future hold for Lobbe then? Port should win, and win comfortably on the Coast on Saturday night. Port by 49 points.


Adelaide v West Coast

Match of the round, with the Kangas the two in form teams of the comp, both kicking big scores, both winning plenty of ball in the middle. Big contest with Jacobs having to match Naitanui, not an easy task and one Jacobs usually struggles with. Plenty of third/fourth/fifth man up in this one.

Adelaide have struggled against the Bulldogs, Hawthorn and West Coasts “team defence” system and Adelaide’s back 6/7, while in good form, haven’t been tested by anyone for a while, the last time they were it was Sydney and they were too good for Adelaide by some way. The Crows will like their chances, the Eagles will too. I think both sides have the class up forward to continue to score big, Adelaide have all too often in recent season failed when faced with a big test, quite often skills under pressure in the midfield and the Eagles zone will put plenty of pressure on the Adelaide ball users. Not sure the Adelaide defence has the tools to hold the Eagles. West Coast by 26 points.

Well how about that hey?

Smashed the form side of the comp. Did not see that coming at all. I hoped it would, but never really thought it likely.

Will be a few teams reviewing the tapes of that game this morning....

I'll avoid waxing lyrical about Sunday's game as the media have done enough of that, but just a couple of points:

- Riley Knight & Rory Atkins have given us the outside run that we have desperately needed for so long. We persisted with Mackay for a long time (I'm a fan of his as well), but bringing in these 2 young lads has taken the whole teams capability outside the contest to another level. Both are excellent with their disposal, and Atkins' left foot is a real weapon.
- Brodie Smith is back. He was slicing through the lines with his run and by foot all day on Sunday and when he is in form he is the ultimate 'zone breaker'.
- We gave Hartigan a bit of a pasting last week on the boards here, but he did some very good things in the game on the weekend. I thought he should've been dropped, but he proved me wrong.

All in all this side could not be better placed for a September assault. In form, full of confidence, pretty much zero injury concerns. All aboard!