Port v Sydney & Adelaide v Brisbane

Yea, so anyway, I don't think any of us are feeling particularly spritely after last week!

This week promises to be no better either.

Port have a massive massive (yep x2) game against Sydney. On form you would have to say that Sydney will give Port an absolute touch up, but at the same time this game is a real opportunity for Port to draw a line in the sand and arrest the slide. Can they do it?

As for Adelaide, well last week I genuinely believed that they had turned the corner and were setting up to steam home. Yea, nah. Still young, still mentally fragile, still on the rollercoaster. It's amazing what a week can do, last week I was confidently calling a 10 goal win over the Eagles, and in the space of a few days I have no confidence in calling and Adelaide win against Brisbane this week.

What a crazy season of football it has been for both Adelaide teams. Discuss away....

Having put in a crap game when they were expected to win easily, they should turn in a better performance this week, thus keeping their spots in the team to fail the next time they're strongly favoured?

Port v Swans should be a good game, but the other teams look to have worked Port out. Sydney are class and play well in Adelaide (at least at AAMI), so Swans comfortably.

It only seems like yesterday that Port played Sydney the first time this year.
 
Boy time is flying.
 
I think Sydney by 20pts - that port/Collingwood game last week was so frustrating to watch, I think Sydney might have the measure here.
Adelaide by 40pts - I know it's in Brisbane, but I think after last week Adelaide might come out firing (one can only hope)

Port by 25 points
Brisbane by 9 points

Port by 14 points
Adelaide by 8 points

To be honest I wouldnt be surprised in the slightest if both tips were miles off. Im hoping my faith in Port will be rewarded sometime soon.

Sydney easily & Brisbane by 3 goals

D-Day in many ways for both sides.

Port Adelaide face a task I think is too large, turning the poor form of the last month around to win at home against the league leading Swannies. I’d like to say I have the confidence in this group to match it with Sydney, hell, it was only 7 weeks ago we pushed them to the limit in Sydney ultimately falling 4 points short in a cracking contest.

Since then Port has been on the slide, with 2 wins in the last 6 games pummelling the hapless Bulldogs and falling over the line against Melbourne. Our form has been terrible. Our run has dried up, our defence is bleeding on the back of ordinary midfield pressure, our forwards are starved because of it. Uuuurghh.

Our last month has just simply been below the level to compete with the top sides though. Our top 4 chances are gone and without another win ( or two ) we could potentially miss finals altogether......*ouch*

We do have the timely return of Trengove and another week under the belt of Carlile ( who was monstered in the air and across the ground by Cloke last week, perhaps Carlile was under done ) to sure up our key defensive posts, offer some assistance to Lobbe in the ruck and add the option of playing 3 talls forward with Trengove playing there if we can release him from D50. Although this appears unlikely with Tippet, Franklin, Goodes and Reid all lining up at different stages in Sydneys F50.

In wins over GWS, Geelong, Fremantle, Hawthorn, Melbourne and St.Kilda we averaged 13 marks inside 50. In losses to Adelaide, Essendon, Richmond, Collingwood we averaged 9 marks inside 50. Now it may seem insignificant, just 4 marks, but 4 marks taken probably equates to 12-14 contests which means 8-12 opportunities for Gray, Wingard and Monfries to crumb and goal or apply defensive pressure to lock the ball in. All this has gone missing.

I’ve stated several times that Boak and Wines have been tremendous, without Wines last week in the first half and Boak across the 4 quarters our midfield would have been smashed, it was soundly beaten anyway. Hartlett was very good too, showing his class with 4 goals and 3 of them long bombs from outside 50. Broadbent, Polec, Wingard, Ebert, Monfries and Pittard all need to lift this week, lift quickly.

Contested ball numbers need to be picked up, tackle numbers need to increase, even intent to tackle more would be helpful. We are not even putting perceived pressure on our opponents at the moment and they are scoring against our undermanned defence because of it.

Saturday night worries me. If we get a serious touch up the next two weeks against Gold Coast away and Carlton at home become 100% critical to us playing finals. Neither of those games are a “W” if we don’t get some form back this Saturday night.

I expect the margin will be greater than the number of lagers I’ll consume. Just.

Wouldn't surprise me if both SA teams lost.

Port are on the slide and I think Sydney will win comfortably.

Adelaide should win against Brisbane. A loss and they don't deserve to play finals. I can make a case for a Lions win, the game is at home, they have found some run and form and the young group is playing with some confidence. I think the Lions would feel they can win this against a hot and cold Adelaide team but I am hoping the Crows will have an "on" week.

Cracking win today, did not see a 100 point win coming at all. Great to see them get ruthless and put a side below them away comprehensively for a change.

Came at a fair cost though with the Lynch & Otten injuries. Good to hear that Lynch has been released from hospital and cleared of serious injury. Really feel for Otten, he can't afford another knee injury at this stage of his career. He was already borderline after never regaining full pace after the last knee.

Not sure what they'll do to replace him, Podsiadly may have to go back (I hear Shaw copped an injury in the SANFL yesterday).

From 'InDaily'

http://indaily.com.au/sport/2014/08/11/touch-fumbles-14/.U-gKOjXJKgc.twitter

Warning:

Good read, unless you're a Port fan.

Tom Richardson is now my least favorite journalist. I hope he slips on a banana peel and I'm there to see it.

I'll give 'im toofless!!   

Haha. Good read that. Sums up my thoughts almost to a word, although I am a little bit more optimistic than Tom.   

I find it quite interesting to reflect on the form line of both the Adelaide sides this year, and how their fate seems to be converging.

In the first half of the season Adelaide were a basket case, fans and commentators were going ballistic about their troubles on and off the field. At the same time Port were the toast of the town who could do no wrong both on and off the field.

After all that, it is interesting to see now that both teams are most likely to finish exactly where most footy pundits and their fans expected them to - in the bottom half of the top eight.