Adelaide 2015 Finals campaign

Just thought I'd start up a thread on this one given the discussion about Nth Melbourne resting players this weekend and basically snuffing out any chance of Adelaide getting a home final.

A lot of Adelaide fans complaining - but I bloody love it.

Who wouldn't want to play MCG in finals? Add to that teams flirting with their form, and openly trying to avoid playing us.

Bring it on I say.

I agree Ginge, its hard to give any creedance to whinging in the media about results being reliant on what other clubs may or may not do or the results of another game. If the AFC are good enough they will step up on the MCG and win when it counts!

I'm actually genuinely confident in the abilities of this Adelaide team for the first time in..... well.... I don't even know how long.

They seem to have the eyes totally on the prize at the moment and completely oblivious to this sort of external stuff, which is great to see.

I'm glad that the Adelaide match committee have chosen to take an unchanged line up into the last game of the year before finals despite the fact that they probably could have sought permission to rest players also.

They are in peak form and fitness, and seem to be totally switched on mentally. To drop players and risk a 'circuit breaking' loss is a much greater risk than the possibility of a player getting injured IMO.

Momentum is such an important thing in footy.

Shoveling coal hard and fast into that finals train mate?

Too bloody right I am! Toot toot, all aboard!

Unfortunately my comment about a 'circuit breaking' loss still came to pass last week, but clearly I underestimated a) Geelong and their determination to send off their greats, and b) the mental 'let down' by Adelaide after working through some pretty massive challenges to qualify for finals.

All in all though, whatever happens this Saturday I am incredibly proud of what the Club has been able to achieve in what has been a very tough year - beyond comparison.

It's easy to forget what they've had to work through to get to this point. When the ball is bounced on Saturday night I just hope they have a fair dinkum crack, and most of all I really hope they enjoy themselves and soak the experience up. They deserve this opportunity more so than any finals campaign in the Club's history.

Yes, even us Port faithful ( well, me anyway ) couldn't begrudge Adelaide one losing final this year with what they've been though.

Booney wrote:Yes, even us Port faithful ( well, me anyway ) couldn't begrudge Adelaide one losing final this year with what they've been though.

So very considerate of you Booney. Love how that charity doesn't extend to a winning final though.

I thought about it, but couldn't go through with it.

No worries mate. Appreciate the effort anyway.

Looking at the matchup itself, it really promises to be a fantastic game.

On form both sides are basically the equivalent of each other, at their best they play fast and exciting football, but both have also been prone to lapses.

High risk, high reward footy really, and it's a brand that will be very attractive to watch.

On paper I think Adelaide takes the points, but it all comes down to the mindset of the players come game day (as both sides learnt the hard way last weekend).

As Campo suggests, I think it all comes down to the midfield battle in this one. The Adelaide midfield is irresistible when in full flight, but question marks remain over their defensive abilities when things aren't going their way.

Ultimately though I think Adelaide are well set for this game, and I think they will win and progress to week 2.

Love your enthusiasm Ginge and I hope you're right. I'll be there Saturday night cheering as hard as I can. They thrashed us earlier this year but I think we're playing a lot better than we were back then. Ticket sales have been strong so should be a great crowd/atmosphere. Go crows.

We were unbeaten with a % of 171 when we played them earlier in the year.

IAmTheWarrior wrote:Love your enthusiasm Ginge and I hope you're right. I'll be there Saturday night cheering as hard as I can. They thrashed us earlier this year but I think we're playing a lot better than we were back then. Ticket sales have been strong so should be a great crowd/atmosphere. Go crows.

Apparently only 17k tickets left. Must be a huge Adelaide contingent heading over.

If I didn't have little kids I'd be there in a heartbeat!

Cheer loud and proud what ever happens IATW!

Does the 17k come from general public only? How many MCC members are there?

I think it only comes from general public, but still, could be a crowd of around 70k at the game.

I think a lot of Adelaide fans are probably making special efforts to attend, given the circumstances of the season so far.

Western Bulldogs v Adelaide


Big clash at the G in the first elimination final. I’ve loved how the Doggies have embraced playing at the MCG, that’s where the GF is played, they say, that’s where you need to win big games to be a top side, they say, and they’re right. The whole club has quickly moved on from not getting a home final at Etihad and it’s a great move by the coach and senior staffers to get on with the job.

Speaking of getting on with the job, Adelaide. While it’s not quite a “taboo” topic, we often hear “the Walsh tragedy”, it was, it is, but it’s almost impossible to believe a side who had their coach (allegedly) murdered midyear can be strong enough to keep executing a game plan and win enough games to make the final 8. Even a mad Port fan like me couldn’t begrudge them one losing final this year.

The Doggies have surpassed any expectations they could possibly have had preseason, while all clubs enter round 1 thinking “It might be our year”, 50+ years of it NOT being their year has the Footscray faithful more pessimistic than optimistic when it comes to lining up for finals tickets. This year though has been different. With a side not really boasting any genuine ruckman, nor a genuine big key forward nor a monster down back they’ve taken pretty much all before them. A multi faceted forward line with 3 blokes kicking 30+ for the year, 7 others in double figures, they’ve spread the load.

They do however have an absolute jet in the forward line. Jake Stringer ( I won’t call him “The Package”, I refuse to, I am not buying into any Brian Taylorisms at all ) is one very difficult player to match up on. He’s crucial for the Dogs this week, he needs to kick multiple goals. Why?

Well, because last week excused, the Crows have been piling on the scoreboard pressure like few others in the last month or so, so much so that they’ve finished the minor round behind the Hawks, West Coast and the Doggies to be the 4th highest scoring side of the year. These 4 teams the only sides to average over 14 goals per game. Keep in mind, Adelaide were not in great nick early on and after the Walsh tragedy had a couple of understandable down weeks. Since the loss to the Swans though they kicked 11,27,20,19 and 11 in last week’s loss at the Cattery. Big blokes Jenkins (42 goals) and Walker (55) are clutching anything in sight, Betts (58) is roaming around dangerously and Lynch (29) is doing plenty up the ground and hitting the scoreboard. Cameron (27) and Dangerfield (20) also know where the big sticks are.

But, that’s it, after these the scoring dries up, so there’s the challenge for the Dogs. Keep 3 or 4 of these guys down and they’re a big chance. Easier said than done. Not hard for the Dogs to establish who it is they need to keep quiet in front of goal. Betts and Walker the keys.

All finals are tough to pick, this one as tough as any. My heart says Doggies, a good mate who passed away early this year was a huge Dogs fan, I hope they do it for Doug and his family who miss him so, but my head says the Crows, just. Adelaide by 8 points.

The match up to watch – Jacobs and Minson. Big Will has been brought in to try and quell the influence of perhaps the single most important player to any team in the comp. Adelaide’s ruck stock’s are pretty thin, but they never get tested as the seemingly ever durable Jacobs busts out huge game time every week with little support. Will the big MCG make that harder for Sauce to dominate on?

Adelaide have gone with a 'horses for courses' selection policy, opting for the more versatile Cheney in defence over Lever, and the pace of MacKay over Lyon.

Initially I was surprised by the Lever omission, but match up wise I think it's a very good call. Lever is running out of petrol a bit I think, and Cheney has been in the system a while and has a bigger tank and finals experience with the Hawks. Matchup wise Cheney works well against the versatile attack of the Doggies as well.

I think for Adelaide to win this one, they need to have a start similar to the one they rolled out against West Coast a couple of weeks ago.

I just think if the Bulldogs are allowed to use their enthusiasm and pace early, then Adelaide could well find themselves chasing tail all day.

If Adelaide impose themselves on the contest early and set the pace on the other hand (particularly in the midfield and around the stoppages), then it will be the Dogs who will struggle.

Not as confident as I was earlier in the week. A fortnight ago, the Bulldogs were 4th and faves to beat West Coast in Perth. They've had too good a season to go out in week 1.

Bulldogs by 27

Adelaide can't afford a slow start like we had against them in round 4 and against Geelong last week and in fact most matches lately bar the West Coast game.

Yep I agree. If we're 4-5 goals down at quarter time, you might as we'll stick a fork in us. The Dogs won't let us back in.

Gingernuts wrote:Yep I agree. If we're 4-5 goals down at quarter time, you might as we'll stick a fork in us. The Dogs won't let us back in.

Good plan. Let's stick to it.

It heartens me to see all of these opposition fans so concerned about Adelaide's prospects.

I personally think you'll have to wait at least another week for relief my friend!

Gingernuts wrote:It heartens me to see all of these opposition fans so concerned about Adelaide's prospects.

I personally think you'll have to wait at least another week for relief my friend!

I'm sure you weren't engulfed with euphoria as Port entered last years finals series. Don't try and tell me you were.

I also think Adelaide will just prevail on Saturday night, and regardless the weekend after they're out. It's either West Coast or Hawthorn away.

Having said that, I think Smith is very important and he will clearly be less than fit, he's a crucial link when moving the ball quickly from defence to attack on the expanses of the MCG.

I also think Will Minson, while limited in his football ability ( and clearly very limited in his sledging skills, how poor was that? ) will be primed to at least try and nullify Jacobs.

A heavy tag on Dangerfield often works, you expect Picken to do that job?

I agree with pretty much everything you've said.

I think we're a good chance to get over the Dogs, but against the Coasters or the Hawks we're unlikely. Out of the two I'd prefer a trip to Melbourne again to play the Hawks mainly just because it's more accessible for our fans to get over there and support, not really because I think they'd be easier to beat.

I am actually a little concerned about Minson. As you say, not the greatest footballer going around but has played a couple of good games against us in the past, and loves to throw his huge frame around. I'd say his main aim will be predominantly to make Jacobs hurt rather than actually win too many taps.

Dangerfield will be tagged I'd say. Likewise Van Berlo will go to Bob Murphy I reckon.

Dahlhaus will do a job on an Adelaide defender. Smith or Laird? I think Laird will be made accountable by Dahlhaus.

I think van Berlo or Henderson, probably Henderson, will go to Easton Wood and make him accountable at the other end.

If I was the Dogs I'd go with Laird over Smith first up, at least until the extent of Smith's ankle injury is evident (i.e. make the switch if he's impacting more than expected).

All of that bollocks is for naught really though IMO, it's all about Sauce and the midfield. If they aren't switched on, we lose, and quickly. The difference between them being 'on' and 'off' is big - just look at the last 2 weeks.