R4 - Port v Hawks & Bulldogs v Adelaide

Saturday night sees an absolute blockbuster match with Port taking on the Hawks. Gees Port have had a challenging first month and it won't get any easier this week.

Adelaide take on the Bulldogs in what I reckon might be a game very similar to last weeks, a tight arm wrestle with Adelaide eventually getting on top in the second half.

Post away ladies and gents.

The two teams I probably enjoy watching the most, can't wait for this one. Last week Port showed qualities usually reserved for the very best teams - Determination, belief and the ability to reverse momentum. Unfortunately health-wise they may have paid a bit of a price for it.
The Hawks, well, how much more can be said about them? Havent just produced a premiership team, but an era. Look to have come through relatively unscathed from last weekend. Port match up so well on the Hawks, but I think the boys from Glenferrie might just be a bit healthier, and that probably makes me lean toward them in a close one by under 2 goals.

Adelaide and Bulldogs have both shown greatly improved form, so again another tough one to pick. Im leaning toward the Bullies because their form in Melbourne thus far has been excellent, but again another that could go either way.

Port will beat Hawthorn in a ball tearer. Port by 11

Water doesn't feel good this week for Adelaide. Bulldogs are an exciting team to watch, think there might be lots of goals actually. Bulldogs by 30. Either Walker or Jenkins to get 5 or 6 in a loss.

Paul wrote:Port will beat Hawthorn in a ball tearer. Port by 11

Water doesn't feel good this week for Adelaide. Bulldogs are an exciting team to watch, think there might be lots of goals actually. Bulldogs by 30. Either Walker or Jenkins to get 5 or 6 in a loss.

I agree with your first prediction there Paul, I reckon the Port game will be a ripper. The weather is set to come in as well which means it will be a real test of strength and character. It will be tight all night with the crowd getting Port over the line in the end.

I've got a bit of a negative vibe about this week's Adelaide game as well, but I think it's just because I've been scarred by the last couple of years efforts!

I think Adelaide will prevail personally, but it won't be easy.

Two very good contests for the local sides, two testing opponents.

Port lose Ollie Wines, big loss considering the expected conditions ( they won't be terrible, but it will be wet under foot ) and the amount of contested ball the sides will compete over. Kane Cornes comes back in to probably run with Mitchell and Lobbe may or may not make his way back into the side. I think conditions might dictate his selection, lots of rain and him being 80-90% right might mean he stays out. If it clears up tomorrow as expected and turns out to reasonable weather he might come in and try and stretch their defence with Ryder going forward.
Port found some run across half back last week, the forwards upped the pressure they applied to keep the ball in and both Port and the Kangas played very attacking footy. This week we have to deal with the pressure Hawthorn bring all over the ground, but, having played Freo and Sydney already this year it might just be we've got some answers to the questions raised by those losses. How we handle the pressure, the type of heat we need to bring, which players need to step up under that pressure. I think this will be a ripper regardless of conditions. I've got a gut feel Port might take this one in a real close finish. 3 points.

Meanwhile Adelaide get another chance to show that they are genuine. If Adelaide are a top 4-6 side then they must simply beat the Bulldogs as they did with Melbourne and Collingwood. I think they will.
Jacobs is in AA form again giving Sloane, Danger, Thompson, Ellis-Yoelman (sp) first look at it while Talia is getting some good support from Hartigan who looks to be settling in nicely. That's very important for Adelaide going forward.
Obviously Adelaides front half is potent, very potent and under the roof will suit them nicely. Adelaide by 38.

Let's hope for two winners here, then the Showdown next week will be a ripper!

Tipping Port to win this one and surprise a few, despite having lost by small margins they have not played badly and I think their form will roll on for a win this week.

As for the Crows, I think they will win also, I think they are a better side than the bulldogs and will win it by a good margin.

Robbie Gray out with a corked calf. One man doesn't make a side, but the loss of him and Wines might be too much our of our midfield.

My tip is sliding towards the Hawks on that news....

I think Gray is a Huge loss for the power. B

Ye of little faith....

Port Adelaide 15.9 (99)
def
Hawthorn 13.13 (91)

Well well well - just what the **** was that last night?

I woke up thinking it must've been a nightmare, but alas, it wasn't.

As most of you would know I'm not normally one to tee off on my own team in my posts, but that was complete and utter tripe from start to finish by Adelaide. They absolutely wilted under the pressure of the Doggies, like they did so many times when the heat was put on them in 2014. Terrible disposal, turnovers galore, no gut running for their teammates, tackles that didn't stick or didn't hold the ball in, shanking simple shots in front of goal.

Why does this happen? Do we just have too many frontrunners that only perform when the going is good?

Our midfield in particular was absolutely filthy. Despite Sauce dominating the ruck, big names like Sloane, Dangerfield, Douglas all did very little.

On the flip side the Bulldogs were sensational. The moved the ball quickly, disposal was superb by hand and foot, and when they didn't have the footy they gave Adelaide no space and closed down their options.

I thought I wouldn't have to sit through a performance like that from Adelaide this year, I thought we were past it. Unfortunately not.

I'm a very disappointed fan this morning, and very deflated heading into the Showdown this weekend.

I think the football public (and not necessarily Crows fans themselves) got a bit ahead of themselves. There's no doubt there's some quality cattle in the Crows squad, but there's not enough of it, and it's going to take time for Walsh to work out who can and can't play the way he wants, develop those he believes capable, and remove and add personnel he considers suitable to his preferred method of footy. I grew more and more confident the Dogs were a good thing before the game and couldn't understand why their odds kept blowing out. Even with a response, which you would expect from them, it's hard to see them getting over the Power this weekend (whilst acknowledging form often means little in derbies).

Whilst AFC people will likely feel pretty aggrieved at yesterdays performance, its not something I would be jumping up and down about just yet. The Dogs played a great game and showed much improvement in where they are at. The Crows IMO simply had an off game and played poorly. As Malcolm Blight pointed out recently on 5AA, even the most successfull sides historically run around a 56% winning ratio over consecutive seasons. The Crows played poorly and from an armchair view probably need to drop some players and give chances to others to take their place. Perseverance and hard work are the next step for the club here.

Ben W wrote:Whilst AFC people will likely feel pretty aggrieved at yesterdays performance, its not something I would be jumping up and down about just yet. The Dogs played a great game and showed much improvement in where they are at. The Crows IMO simply had an off game and played poorly. As Malcolm Blight pointed out recently on 5AA, even the most successfull sides historically run around a 56% winning ratio over consecutive seasons. The Crows played poorly and from an armchair view probably need to drop some players and give chances to others to take their place. Perseverance and hard work are the next step for the club here.

So, don't jump up and down but drop some players?

I wouldn't be dropping too many players on one performance. You need to give them at least 1 opportunity to respond. If they don't, then they are definitely on the chopping block.

It's the type of loss that is very difficult to single out 'fall guys' for as well, it was a bad overall team performance.

If I was Walshy there might be one or two changes on the fringe, but the majority of the team I would just be throwing down the challenge to.

I do wonder whether we might see Lever make his debut this week though. We've missed Cheney as the 3rd tall over the last couple of weeks and he could be worth a go.

Matt Crouch just keeps smashing the door down in the SANFL as well.

Matt Crouch lacks leg speed, I've seen him twice at SANFL level look like a real plodder. No denying he can find it and use it, but with Thompson already under the leg speed microscope I don't think there's room for another lacking leg speed.

Booney wrote:Matt Crouch lacks leg speed, I've seen him twice at SANFL level look like a real plodder. No denying he can find it and use it, but with Thompson already under the leg speed microscope I don't think there's room for another lacking leg speed.

Correct, and given Thompson got 38 possessions and was one of only a handful that looked decent last night, young Matty will have to wait a little longer unfortunately.

Really when you think about it, the improvement/response pretty much has to come from the same 22.

Gingernuts wrote:

Booney wrote:Matt Crouch lacks leg speed, I've seen him twice at SANFL level look like a real plodder. No denying he can find it and use it, but with Thompson already under the leg speed microscope I don't think there's room for another lacking leg speed.

Correct, and given Thompson got 38 possessions and was one of only a handful that looked decent last night, young Matty will have to wait a little longer unfortunately.

Really when you think about it, the improvement/response pretty much has to come from the same 22.

I think there's 5-6 blokes in the side that, all things being equal, are not in an Adelaide side that is a genuine threat to the point end of the year.

Wright, Brown, Lyons, Mackay, Laird. While they all offer something, I think they are about as "developed" as they are going to be. Crouch, Crouch, Reilly, Kerridge, Otten all out....they'd pretty much replace the 5 noted above. Reilly may not play again and Otten must be slowed by his second ACL.

Last night, and while you don't throw the baby out with the bath water, put some heat on Lynch, Jenkins and Henderson. They just simply need to be better than that as some of the more senior members of the side. They've all got 40/50/60 games to their names, they need to be more consistent with their output IMO.

The only one you have mentioned there that could confidently fit the "genuine premiership side" is B. Crouch. Laird, Brown and Kerridge are "maybes" at best I'd say. You've just nailed the Crows problem, too many inconsistent players. Jury still out on Hartigan, but early signs havent been great. Podsiadly almost done. Still holes in KP defenders and coverage for 2nd ruck. They MUST be seriously aggressive in the off-season if they want to fast-track legitimate premiership contention. .

Booney wrote:So, don't jump up and down but drop some players?

Players get dropped on a weekly basis and not always because their form is poor or because the team lost a match. The reverse side is that the Crows SANFL team exists for coaching and promotion. Its appropriate to reward those lads that have earned a place. Making a couple of changes could be seen as repointing the direction of the side because it is the right time to do so, both for the side and the lads coming up. Four weeks in should be a good gauge of where the side needs to go from round 1.

Jenkins has been missing in action this season. He needs to step up big time. Not time for wholesale changes but that's 2 weeks in a row where a few guys have looked disinterested and waited for someone else to get the ball for them.