Thoughts on Grand Final

Norwood v Port Magpies.

A great game between 'traditional rivals', or one to avoid?

Keep it on topic and respectful, please.

I would like to suggest if you aren't interested, don't comment.

Certainly not traditional rivals anymore.
But I couldn't care less.
The sanfl is now as contrived as the afl.

Dont care.

A team of mercenaries vs a team of sellouts, in a compromised competition.

Chambo Off To Work We Go wrote:Certainly not traditional rivals anymore.
But I couldn't care less.
The sanfl is now as contrived as the afl.

I understand what you're trying to get at, but it is still Port Adelaide Football Club vs Norwood Football Club. Despite changes that may have occurred, these two clubs are still the same ones that have been battling one another for over a century.

Pains me to say, but I think Port might just be that little bit quicker and better skilled and will get home by around 4 goals, which would be the biggest margin between the clubs this season.

Booney wrote:I would like to suggest if you aren't interested, don't comment.

Sounds reasonable.

Perhaps one observation is that with the move to pre the AFL Grand Final the situation has occurred where Port Adelaide find themselves up against Hawthorn this week with that being the focus of full media saturation in SA. It's hard to see it getting any real media coverage, nor being given the consideration it deserves when the real media focus is squarely on the AFL match.

Likely Hinkley will take several players over as emergencies for the Hawthorn match and once lists are in those not required will be put on the plane back for the SANFL GF as was the case in Freo. If Port win and cop an injury I would expect to see the Magpies account for Norwood in the GF as those players each use the game to make their case to the selectors to be picked for the AFL GF. I would suggest that there would be no greater carrot for a professional AFL player to play at the top of their game than there being the possibility of a place in the AFL Grand Final the following week.

Should Port lose against the Hawks, then it will probably be a more interesting and closer SANFL Grand Final. My tip would be Port Adelaide as I feel their strength and conditioning programme for their whole squad ramping up for the finals and peaking this week will see them have too much run for Norwood to deal with. Conversely though, Norwood do have the goods on finals experience which should see a closer result, but one that will still fall to the pies I suggest.

I personally don't believe the fortunes of the AFL side will impact upon the approach of the SANFL side. It may have if the AFL side were never in the race for finals, or it seemed unlikely.

Come Sunday when the ball bounces the players know they are in a Grand Final, the competitive beasts they must be to reach that level will ensure they approach the game in a manner befitting of a season decider, IMO, of course.

Lewis Stevenson going for his 4rd flag in a row

Booney wrote:I personally don't believe the fortunes of the AFL side will impact upon the approach of the SANFL side. It may have if the AFL side were never in the race for finals, or it seemed unlikely.

Come Sunday when the ball bounces the players know they are in a Grand Final, the competitive beasts they must be to reach that level will ensure they approach the game in a manner befitting of a season decider, IMO, of course.

If Hocking is going across to Melbourne (like the emergencies) then that has to be a distraction for Sunday.
Especially with the afl prelim being a twilight game on the Saturday.

Lee wrote:

Booney wrote:I would like to suggest if you aren't interested, don't comment.

Sounds reasonable.

It does but was never going to happen.

Looking forward to it.

Hope Port win. Purely because I dislike them less than I dislike Norwood.

Booney wrote:I would like to suggest if you aren't interested, don't comment.

No comment

it can't be a traditional contest because this year is the first year under these circumstances, no matter what anyone says Port are under a different structure so it has to be new, if i hadn't had money on Port at the start of the year at 8/1 i'd be hoping the traditional sanfl team would win, i think it'll be close for a half & after half time we'll see a merciless Port steamroll Norwood & win by over 8 goals

It cant be a traditional contest because this year is the first year under theses circumstances.
No matter what anyone says Port are a different structure so it has to be new.

If it was Port vrs whoever in a neutral game I would have little interest
But its my team Norwood  playing against Port , I will take an interest

Ive seen my club play a Grand Final in the following years
1975
1978
1980
1982
1984
1993
1997
1999
2010
2012
2013

In all of those Eleven Grand Finals Ive been pumped
This year, I hope Norwood win , but it wont hurt me if they lose

Its not an even playing field
That 1 team selects an A grade team , and the other a B grade team from another competition means this GF is illogical to me

That we wont know the composition of the Port side, on the eve of a GF because of whats happening in the AFL is an abarration to the SANFL

Yep Scrappy I'm with that explanation.
Therein lies the difficulty.

It has been argued that the afl sides are necessary to revive a flagging competition and yet at the same time, most cannot have them as proper and fitting finals opponents because of the inequities of the competition.

We can sit back and just accept all of that for what it is, but what it is just doesn't hold the same anticipation and enthusiasm (at least for me). Unless of course you are aligned to Port or Adelaide and make finals. But even then, I am not sure who is who anymore.

Do all old Magpies followers still regard this team the same as the one that has the 30-odd flags? I have read articles that suggest not.

And this is why, ok, same club but vastly different team and culture for it to be a traditional rival contest. No matter what spin anyone puts on it, this is not the Magpies that won 30-odd flags. It is a different outfit that technically should be wearing a strip that has teal in it.

Some will still say, get over it and move on. Sorry, I can't.
Not until we can have a competition that is even and the rules are the same (or as close to) for all.

Even the Screaming Jets wont get me there....

.....don't care to watch the mercenaries and sell outs play.

I will be gardening and having family time instead.

Professional v amateur sounds fair

If only.......

If only..............

If only....................

If only............................. we beat them last week then there may have been an est 30,000 attend as the SANFL likes to predict.

But we didnt........... so 30,000 fans have no interest.

With Port in Melbourne and the number of people I know going over, they can't be in 2 places at once.

Yeah I would think the crowd would be well short.

i believe this is the first SANFL grand final in history to have extra time rather than a grand final replay in the advent of a draw

It will be interesting to see how the crowd stacks up. There were about 8000 last week to the prelim. I don't know how that compares with previous years. Perhaps one of our statistics gurus can tell us?

Bayman you re correct, I remember making the note last year we could be back next week if a draw.

Personally I like the fact the season ends on GF day with extra time, coming back for a 2nd week would be a massive disruption for everyone.

PhilH wrote:Bayman you re correct, I remember making the note last year we could be back next week if a draw.  

Personally I like the fact the season ends on GF day with extra time, coming back for a 2nd week would be a massive disruption for everyone.

Except me

I wouldn't say no to another week of SANFL footy, especially considering the season is shortened, compared to previous seasons...