R15 - Port vs Collingwood & West Coast vs Adelaide

Well, as Eddie would say - what a big week it's been in football.

The events of the last few days have been about as dramatic as they come, and unprecedented really for the AFL.

This week the 2 Adelaide clubs try and return to some normality in the wake of the tragic death of their mentor Phil Walsh.

It really is impossible to guess how the players will cope and how it will affect them as far as their games are concerned, and really performance wise it could go either way.

Post away with your thoughts ladies and gents.

Well - In many ways I really feel like the results no longer really matter for the rest of the year.

Of course I want to see the boys get up and about this weekend, I would love (along with most of Australia probably) to see a fairy tale victory.

Ultimately it's now impossible for me to be disappointed or disgruntled if the rest of the year fizzles. This circumstance is really unprecedented, and really it's just a matter of getting around the club and the players for the rest of the year now - win, loss or draw.

It's going to be a very, very emotional moment when they run out of that race on Saturday night.

I'm the same as you Nuttsy, props to them for even turning up this weekend. Can't possibly see how they can do that let alone win.

Hope we win the showdown but as for the rest of the games, it's just eh...I'm still so numb.

Collingwood by 28
West Coast by 54

Aaaaaaaand off we go again with Thursday night footy, Adelaide Oval gets it’s second taste of Thursday night action and it’s Port Adelaide hosting the hot ‘Pies. In what will be a very emotional return to the field for Port Adelaide this week in front of their home crowd it will also be a stern test against a Collingwood outfit that has been so close yet so far in recent weeks against the competitions best.

A 7 point loss to Fremantle away and a 10 point loss to the Hawks at the G after burning some opportunities really sets the ‘Pies up as one of the form teams of the comp, albeit with back to back losses. Astute judges though will say that both losses were against sides set to be there or thereabouts in the last weeks of the year.

Port on the other hand had a depleted Sydney side on the ropes and with pretty much only themselves to blame they burnt the ball far to often in the middle and back half of the ground and came home with a 10 point loss to add to the “L” column on the ladder. A familiar sight for frustrated Port fans in 2015.

Witts gets the ball moving for Collingwood in the ruck, Pendlebury is just red hot after 37 touches, 10 clearances and 10 tackles last week, with Bottom Steeleside, Crisp, Williams and Varcoe playing some of his best footy for years helping get the ball down to a potent forward half. Port on the other hand can only boast patchy form from a handful of players in recent weeks. Individuals have been inconsistent and as such the side has had no confidence or run for some time. Again, last week, there were patches of form but when Port drop off of late they drop right off. Sides score quickly and heavily in a sign Port are not applying themselves mentally as they should.

Thursday night looks like it will be cold and wet, showers forecast ( in Tony Greig voice ) for the night. Won’t be a high scoring one because of it. Collingwood should get the job done, Port might have other things on their mind, it might rally them together. ‘Pies too hot at the moment, by 17 points.

In what will be a must watch for all footy fans West Coast take on Adelaide in the West. Phil Walsh has left an impression on both of these clubs, on the playing groups, the coaching staff and supporters and this will be as emotion charged as a game of footy has ever, ever been. It does feel strange thinking football will give the players a chance to focus on something other than the terrible tragedy and it will, for moments in time. Each player will deal with it in his own way, some will be able to slip the game face on and play as they would have any other given week, some will struggle from time to time and some may not have the mindset to even put the boots on. It’s unthinkable the pain the Adelaide playing group must be experiencing. The confusion, the sense of loss, the sense of what might have been.

The very clear message from West Lakes this week is the message will remain the same, the message Walsh first delivered to the coaches and players will remain the same. Team first. Team. First. This is where these blokes will find the strength, as a team. Care for each other, on the field, care by running to create space for a team mate to take advantage of, care by “going” when it’s your turn.

Who knows what will happen Saturday night, who knows how the players will be able to cope. It almost seems inconceivable to think who scores the most goals will be a winner on the night, for none of them will feel like they’ve won a thing. West Coast by 21 points.

There I was thinking this Thursday night football stuff will make my Friday a hell of a time. Funnily enough, this morning, not so much!

Brilliant tribute to Phil Walsh last night at the end of the game as well.

I don't think I have ever been prouder of the boys after a loss than last night. West Coast are a quality team this season and at our very best we would have struggled to beat them at home. Last night we were clearly not at our best yet they kept trying and every now and then gave me hope that they'd get back into the game. Sadly they couldn't maintain it and the West Coast had them covered easily. The scenes after the match just broke my heart and I wonder how the crows players will ever get over the loss of a man who meant so much to them. Roll on the rest of the season- win, lose or draw, really I just want it to be over because hopefully next year will be better.

Never been more prouder of the Crows as I was last night. To put in an effort like they did last night under that emotional strain was just amazing. Sure, they lost by nearly 10 goals, but to be honest, in normal circumstances we probably would've lost to them by 10 goals anyway the way West Coast have been playing, and 91 points would win a lot of games.

Also, how classy were the West Coast fans. That was wonderful seeing them applaud the Crows.