Port v Melbourne

Well, only one game involving the local sides this weekend with the split round, and that's Port Adelaide taking on Melbourne at home.

Melbourne did knock off Adelaide at the Oval earlier this season, however have been disappointing in the last couple of weeks. They also gave Port a run for their money up in Alice Springs only a few weeks ago.

Port are coming off easily their worst loss for the season and have some real concerns. Is this a case of a young squad not being about to keep the intensity up for the whole season?

Discuss away.

Margin depends on the weather.

This isn't gonna be a pretty game either way though.

Port by 100ish

Dom Cassisi will play his final game for Port Adelaide this sunday:

After 14 seasons at the elite level, 2004 Premiership player and former Port Adelaide captain Dom Cassisi will pull on his boots for the last time this weekend.

Cassisi will play one final game - against Melbourne at 12.40pm on Sunday at Adelaide Oval - giving him the opportunity to farewell the supporters who have been a fundamental part of his day-to-day life since he was drafted to Port Adelaide with pick 50 in the 2000 National Draft.

Cassisi leaves the game happy - with his career and where the club is at.

"To win a premiership and wear the captain’s number one guernsey is just such an honour," Cassisi said.

"[But] I think it’s time for me to hand the baton to the next group of young players coming through.

"I leave the game really happy and content, particularly with where the club is at right now."

All the best to Dom.

One player who gave everything when he played with the Bloods, whether before he was a regular AFL player or after.

Well done Dom Cassisi on an Wonderful carer at the Power and West Adelaide. You were the only favourite player I had at the power. Had the pleasure of knowing of you through Westies. You even came to the Awards Day at work one year. You are a legend. Enjoy retirement

A little busy, I would like to do a more comprehensive preview.

Port need to hold Dawes, Howe, Pedersen, Frawley and Watts who, similar to Richmond last week, share the goals around.

Dawes and Frawley the main dangers being the bigger bodies, Dawes will play close to goal and they'll run Pedersen, Watts and Howe across hafl forward as the link men. We need to hold them.

On Port's side we need a life from Polec, Harlett, Broadbent, White and Wingard. All of them need to be more consistent across the 4 quarters for us to have a win.

Schulz and Westhoff like playing Melbourne, I want 6-8 between them.

Busy day at work ( half day heading off with the kids this afternoon ) so in all, Port simply need to win this one going into the break.

Port by 44 points.

Well, didn’t we steal that one! Not that I’m unhappy with a win, but it again raised a few questions about this playing group.

Melbourne are much improved under Paul Roos and were, in many ways, the first team to dismantle Port back some weeks ago in Alice Springs. Although they didn’t get the chocolates in the Red Centre they did give other sides the blue print for how to beat Port. Keep Broadbent, Hartlett and Polec from running across the half back line unmanned, make the midfield a congested mess with up to 30 players around the ball and when Port do gain possession you make sure your defenders staying off the ball spread across to the “open” side of the ground denying Port the space to run and attack. Other teams have since successfully used a similar formula, Essendon especially.

Another thing Melbourne did well yesterday was push the ball from stoppages to Port’s attacking side. Port like to dish the ball to the defensive side at contests, spread from there with run from behind. That’s when we are playing well. Melbourne used this to their advantage yesterday knowing on their defensive side of the contest they could have room to move then use the ball, they did and they did.

With Trengove and Carlile out Port are relying on Jonas, Hombsch and O’Shea to play as the key talls. While they have a disadvantage in the air, the coaching staff have tried to use the speed on the ground as an advantage.

What we’ve seen for 3 weeks now is Port get the ball in the back half, Harlett, Broadbent and Polec get manned up immediately by anyone in their general area. So Port try to take advantage of this by having Pittard, Hombsch and O’Shea run the ball out of defence. Now this can create a couple of issues.

It can throw the opposition structure out as key forwards chase our key defenders up the ground, but they’ve learnt to stay at home and maintain their structure. Essendon, Richmond and Melbourne all did the same thing. It also means O’Shea and Pittard ( despite their very best efforts ) are running and delivering the ball from defence. I have alot of time for both of these guys and expect them both to have long careers down back, but with all their best intentions they do not possess the foot skills of the other three noted above. So Port’s key backs are now out of position, the oppositions key forwards are “structured up” and a turn over from Port turns into opposition goals.

With Trengove and Carlile offering marking targets on the way out of defence the key forwards have no option but to chase them, their structure breaks down and the likes of Westhoff and Schulz aren’t up on the wing looking for an avenue to goal. Crikey we need those two back.

Again yesterday the man-child Ollie Wines led the way in midfield contests in the first half. He has carried our midfield ( with Boak ) for several weeks. No surprises with the size of his legs, he could carry anything!
Wines is a beast on the ground, strong enough through the core getting tackled to get his arms free and sticks tackles as tackles should be stuck. He would be, IMO, in out top 3 of our B&F at the moment and could conceivably win it if he maintains this form all year.

My top 5 :

Ollie Wines – 26 disposals, 11 contested, 7 clearances, 9 tackles, 5 I50. Another game where this kid stood out as the best contested ball player on the ground. He ripped the ball out of plenty of early contests, held Melbourne up numerous times as they looked to “get out” and was, IMO, the best player on the ground.

Cam O’Shea – 25 disposals, 12 marks, 3 R50. Although he burst us a couple of times with his foot skills, he also saved us a couple of times late in the game with an important spoil or mark. Been in our best 2 of the last 3 weeks and has cemented his spot in the side. Will be interesting to see who goes out the side with the return of Carlile and Trengove, for mine, O’Shea isn’t one to go.

Robbie Gray – 26 disposals, 16 contested, 8 clearances, 6 tackles, 4 I50. Really has been in outstanding form this year, a certain AA and has his lateral movement back, he sides steps players with ease and is spending more time in the midfield. A genuine star.

Paul Stewart – 8 disposal, 2 goals, 100% disp. Efficiency, 3 tackles. Although he only had the 8 touches, his 2 goals were very important, the flexibility he offers the side as a third marking target and his 3 tackles were all inside Port’s F50, 2 of which resulted in goals. In a close contest that had plenty of errors by foot and hand, 100% efficiency and 2 goals was very, very important.

Aaron Young – 16 disposals, 4 clearances, 4 tackles, 1 goal. He’s been or sub numerous times in recent weeks and this week got his chance to run out a full game. His numbers might not look huge but he did more than enough to not only keep his spot in the line-up but push for regular selection.

Once again though White ( 9 touches and subbed ) , Polec ( 8 touches @ 50% ) and Wingard ( 13 touches, 1 goal ) had quiet days. Wingard got in amongst it early but faded, while White and Polec were coundly beaten. These three have had the spotlight on them for three weeks now and really need to respond.

The week off could not come at a better time.

Great review Booney.

I agree that the loss of Trengrove and Carlile has unsettled the side. I wonder why Clurey has not got a game, he is a big body who has done alright in the reserves. Could be used instead of Westhoff as the emergency ruck.

All teams are now concentrating on shutting down the Power small runners and there doesn't seem to be a plan B at the moment. They need to come up with one quickly,they have a tough run home and on current form are looking at bottom of the eight and straight out of the finals.

I think Clurey is not quite as big as you think. I don't think he is capable of throwing into the ruck battery. He's basically the same size as Hombsch, O'Shea and Schulz, none of which you would ruck with.

Clurey 193cm/89kg
Hombsch 193/89
Jonas 188/89
O'Shea 193/91
Schulz 193/94

Absolutely stole that game did the Power.

Although it was a win I would say the match review would still be lengthy and detailed. They were literally seconds from disaster really.

Thankfully the points were jagged, and Port now has a week off to regroup, refocus and consolidate in the run home to finals.

After the bye, Collingwood (A), Sydney (H), Gold Coast (A), Carlton (H), Fremantle (A)

If we don't lift our game we could lose all 5 and miss the 8.

Big test for the coaching staff and the playing group in the next 14 days. Recover from Melbourne, asses and set up for the last 5 games.

Good form could see us win 3 ( Collingwood, Gold Coast, Carlton ). Poor form could be 5 losses and end up 12-10.

Any thoughts on the reason for the form decline?

Is it a case of younger players not being able to run out the season, or possibly still learning to deal with the pressure of expectation?

I can see a lot of similarities between what Port is experiencing now and what Adelaide have been through since 2012.

Easy to do it when no one expects you too, but the psychology of expectation is tough thing to deal with, particularly for inexperienced players.

Collingwood will go 1-1 from these next 2 games. Won't beat both SA sides, won't lose both.

Port will win all except the Freo game.

You think they will beat Sydney at home?? Don't get me wrong, I'd love for them to beat Sydney but I can't see them doing it on current form. They will certainly have to find something over the break.

Who would have thought St.Kilda would beat Fremantle?

Never underestimate the effect that Trengove, Carlisle and Monfries along with a weeks rest will have on the group.

Not saying that we are a sure thing to beat Sydney, but at close to full strength we are a more attractive proposition that we are at this juncture.

Lets just have a week off and deal with the pies clash first. Hopefully the wide expanses of the MCG will help us get our running game back into motion and restore a bit of confidence.

Sydney might be on a 12 game streak too. Every win gets you closer to a loss.

Hawthorn will end the Sydney streak.

valleys07 wrote:Who would have thought St.Kilda would beat Fremantle?

Never underestimate the effect that Trengove, Carlisle and Monfries along with a weeks rest will have on the group.

Not saying that we are a sure thing to beat Sydney, but at close to full strength we are a more attractive proposition that we are at this juncture.

Lets just have a week off and deal with the pies clash first. Hopefully the wide expanses of the MCG will help us get our running game back into motion and restore a bit of confidence.

You're not without a chance for sure - just saying that Sydney are red hot at the moment and on current form clear favourites for that clash at this present time. Still a couple of weeks to go before that matchup though, so talk is probably a bit premature anyway.