Port v Fremantle

There's some great writing and AFL discussion on The Guardian website.

Here's a taste, for Port fans:


A win for Port is a win for attractive football

It’s getting harder and harder as the weeks go by not to gush about Port Adelaide and how damned exciting it is to watch them emerge as contenders. Plenty of pundits were ready to write off last season’s come-from-nowhere finals appearance as fool’s gold and predicted a sophomore slump but it just hasn’t come. Here’s the thing though, they haven’t beaten Fremantle once in the last four seasons so this home clash presents them an opportunity to rid themselves of any related sense of inferiority.

At home Port have been miserly in defence and pretty damaging on the scoreboard, to the point where Jay Schulz is legitimately in the discussion surrounding the league’s premier forward. If someone had said that a couple of years ago you’d have feared for their emotional state. Likewise the unexpected emergence of Jared Polec as a star. The Port youngster got his wish to leave the mess at Brisbane last year and has to be a contender for recruit of the year. Somehow Polec appears to be simultaneously loping about and also bypassing opponents with ridiculous ease and there is something about that left foot that just melts you. Looking like a junior henchman from a Scandinavian crime thriller probably helps, too.

Ross Lyon and his men will attempt to slow the Power’s seemingly indefatigable run and carry but everything in my heart says that Port will get the job done on Saturday.

I expect to get the job done against Fremantle for the first time since 2009, yes indeed.

Dwayne Russell wrote an interesting article last weekend about Ken Hinkley and his coaching philosophy.

I've heard Ken say on numerous occasions how teams will have momentum during games, both teams will get there chance, very rarely do games go without periods of time where one team has the momentum over the other.

What Ken aims to do is identify when Port have the momentum, or the players on the field do, and a certain style of play is used to take advantage of that momentum, but that style also leaves you vulnerable to counter attack / surrendering momentum. Not a matter of if but when you surrender the momentum how to you wrestle it back? You change your game style, you play in a different manner.

For Port, this may be sending Westhoff back, Ebert loose across half back, Hartlett onto the ball etc etc. Clearly the players understand and have "bought into" this philosophy and are playing accordingly, so in this game, a game where Fremantle like to not so much play with momentum but with drag, slowing you down it will be interesting in what will most likely be slippery conditions how Port go about using the momentum when we have it.

Fremantle lost defensive pillars Dawson and McPharlin, hardly ideal coming up against the ultra attacking Port side. Johnson then must be an accountable tall back who typically likes to be the "spare" at contests and use his rangy reach to spoil the contest or mark. Without the close checking McPharlin and ultra shadow Dawson, Johnson will be busy. They called up the under sized Alex Silvagni to take a key post, I like that.

Both midfields run deep, I think Crowley will go to Ebert as he does the bulk of the damaging link work on the outside with Polec and Cornes while the likes of Boak, Wines and Harlett do the in and under. Outside is easier to halt than inside, Crowley will go an outside mid. Ebert or Polec.

Dom Cassisi to do a defensive half forward role on this old team mate, Dan Pearce.

Port to win in slippery conditions - 28 points.

That's a really interesting coaching theory/approach from Hinkley, I can see how/why it is working too.

I would think a key factor in carrying out that approach is to have flexible cattle at your disposal, something that Port certainly does.

Another cracking win by Port on the weekend. Early days, but doing everything they need to to secure a top 4 berth at the moment.

Yes Ginge, did everything we needed to to beat Fremantle.

Kept Pavlich relatively quiet, which in turn keeps Ballantyne quiet. Read Sandilands taps for the first half and battered into him with the bony Trengove and Westhoff after half time,limiting his impact, while running, running, running and breaking the game open in the last quarter.

We, in many respects, beat Fremantle at their own game. Low scoring defensive game where goals were at a premium until Wingard, Wines, Gray and Boak started to get their hands on the ball.

Wines was excellent in the middle in the last quarter, Gray had 15 last quarter touches ( with 4 clearances ) and Boak shook off Crowley to lead a couple of important forward thrusts.

Having said that, Chad Wingard took the game into his own hands. Seriously this kid in some kind of special, words can't describe how cool he is in traffic, how clinical he is around goal, how clean his hands are around his feet and how good he is in the air for a player his size. ( You might remember a grab he took late in the Showdown at Footy Park last year   )

5 goals in a low scoring affair is outstanding and the best part for Port fans....he's an SA boy playing in a team on the up with a club B&F to his name already, he isn't going anywhere.

Special mention to Nat Fyfe who might just get the 3 Brownlow votes in a losing team, he was simply brilliant. In the air he was strong, on the ground he was silky.....excellent.

I took a mate who is a WWT Eagles and Crows fan....he clapped Wingard twice. I think I might just be able to turn him, to the dark side.   

Well Booney - when I watch Port play I see everything I wish Adelaide were doing. They play entertaining, fearless footy. They play as if they're not afraid to lose and also more importantly they believe in their teammates and their ability to win the footy.

I can understand why your mate would clap Wingard and Port in general.

Very impressive game by the Power. Out "Fremantled" Fremantle for 3 quarters and then ran all over them. The top 4 at seasons end is realistic now.

UncleHuey wrote:Very impressive game by the Power. Out "Fremantled" Fremantle for 3 quarters and then ran all over them. The top 4 at seasons end is realistic now.

7-1 now with : ( wins )

Hawthorn in Adelaide, Melbourne in Darwin,St.Kilda in Adelaide ,Sydney in Sydney, Bulldogs in Adelaide, Showdown, Essendon in Adelaide, Richmond away then Melbourne here, again.

Slightly tougher finish. Collingwood away, Sydney here, Gold Coast away with Carlton in Adelaide and Fremantle away to finish.

I see us finishing with anywhere from 15-18 wins. 15 should be a top 4 spot, anything more than that will certainly be top 4.

If we were playing them this week, I'd put Gold Coast and Fremantle down as wins, but they're a long way off yet. While I would think Adelaide is 50/50 as with the two games against Sydney. I've split them one win / one loss.

Seems more than reasonable to me, Booney.

They're playing great footy.

Doesn't hurt having Melbourne twice, Bulldogs, St.Kilda, Essendon and Richmond in the next 9 weeks.

You'll beat Hawthorn here. You won't lose in Adelaide.

Only possible losses are Collingwood, Sydney and Freo away. All winnable too. Can see Port going 19-3.

I'd be willing to 'guarantee' that Port could overcome Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval. The Hawks seem a bit short on healthy bodies at the moment.

Strangely enough, I see the Carlton game as the 'danger' one but suffice to say, by the time that game comes around, the Power will be firmly entrenched in the Top 4.

i hate to admit it but they play an exciting brand of footy to watch & are definitely the real deal