R3 - Port v Essendon & Richmond v Adelaide

Right, now that we've all basked in the glory that was Round 2, time to get on with things.

Round 3 for the local sides sees Port taking on the supposed basket case Essendon, and Adelaide taking on another club in a sad state of affairs, Richmond.

The big question mark in each game is - what kind of response will Port and Richmond have to last weeks results?

Discuss away.

For Port, I think they will have a massive response in front of their home fans. They will tear Essendon a new one on Friday night IMO.

I'm a little nervous about the Adelaide game. Hopefully Pikey has been able to keep a lid on things down at West Lakes and they will head over to Melbourne and get the job done, but Richmond will be smarting after last week and will put up some fight I think. Adelaide will win by somewhere between 5 & 10 goals though in the end.

Wingard ruled out for Port.

Adelaide to win & the drug cheats to lose

I will tip and upset here and will tip Essendon to beat Port Adelaide this week. Port have had a poor start to the season with some unexpected injuries and will not have Chad Wingard or Hamish Hartlett, despite what was said in the media, Boak will be picked even though he is not 100% and that is not an option that I suspect that they would like to take save that their choices are limited. Essendon are a young side that perhaps don't have the skills but have a young group that have speed in their game plan and a desire to cement their places on an AFL list, John Worsfold is a good get for the Bombers and to the chagrin of many I think Essendon will go two in a row this week, the Bombers by 17pts

As for the Crows vs Richmond I think Richmond were unlucky last week and will likely get up and win this week. Richmond by 8pts.

Carlile out for Port too. 4-6 weeks after surgery on a broken bone in his wrist.

Harlett, Wingard, Schulz, Carlile, Ryder and Monfries missing from our best 22.

I'm not liking tomorrow night.

Booney wrote:Carlile out for Port too. 4-6 weeks after surgery on a broken bone in his wrist.

Harlett, Wingard, Schulz, Carlile, Ryder and Monfries missing from our best 22.

I'm not liking tomorrow night.

Just read that. Gees you're having a terrible run with injury.

Surely, surely you've still got enough class in the team still to get over Essendon in front of the home crowd.

Port Adelaide v Essendon –

What do I say about Port that could be voiced in the Family Friendly area? Not much, really. 70 I50’s, 30 scoring shots, pummelled by 10 goals. It was horrific for Port fans to watch and while there’s extra spice on the line in Showdowns it is for 4 points like all other games, but my phone doesn’t run as hot when we lose to any other side. Thanks to all for the messages people, I’ll remember, don’t worry. Port have played 15 minutes of footy in the first two weeks, spotlight on AO Friday night. Meanwhile it was a miracle at the G as the Bombers, the Bombers got the points against the Dees when most thought anyone who donned the sash would go winless for the year. Must have been all those people marching in support of the club eating itself alive. What was with that? “Yes, you’ve ruined our club, our reputation, you’ve given players who-knows-what and we’re right behind you.” Really odd.

They’re my mob, I live near them, I live and breathe them and it’s time for them to stand up. It might be painting over the cracks IF they get a win over the Bombers, it might be the start of a good thing but either way Friday night could ensure we fall into the pretenders bracket if there isn’t a response from the boys at Alberton. Defensively Paris Hilton makes it harder to score against her than Port have in the first two weeks. 7 goals to the Saints and an infuriating 10.2 from Adelaide taking the ball from D50 to score. Terrible pressure by the midfield running one way leaving the defenders exposed with half the ground open for the opposition forward to use. Must tighten up in the middle from here on in.

One bloke who was born to be a Bomber hero stood up with one of the best games we’ve seen from a young key forward, Joe the Moe took the game by the scruff of the neck making the most of the smaller Melbourne defence. 21 touches, 15 marks and 2 goals gave the young/old Essendon midfield a genuine target and he took anything that was in the air near him. 7 contested and 9 marks inside 50, the big lad showed he’s a star in the making. Merrett (x2), Zaharakis, Parish and McDonald-Tipungwuti made the midfield competitive on the field and not just in the worst midfield names competition that they are leading comfortably in.

I really don’t want to make a prediction here, my heart and head are confused by the churning in my guts. Port missing Harlett, Wingard, Carlile ( late out Thursday ), Schulz along with Ryder and Monfries are seriously testing their depth, which in all reality is pretty shallow. Port should still have enough class to win, by 30 points.

Richmond v Adelaide –

Like the Tigers of old, it gets tough and we fold oh we’re from Tiger ( lead by 3 goals and cracked ) oh we’re from Tigerrrrr land. I don’t think anyone should change teams, but if you said to me “Yeah, I barrack for the Kangas, I used to barrack for Richmond” I’d completely understand. How did they let that one slip? Meanwhile Hardwick has been given another year to keep them treading water mid table. Back at Adelaide Oval *shudder* I think the Crows put their hand up as a contender, last years battles off field galvanised a club and they are playing with some real team attitude. Hard to beat when you have 22 blokes working together.

Again, how did they drop that one? At the 20 minute mark when Reiwoldt goaled the Tigers led by 17 points and looked to be heading to a 2-0 start and it all went downhill from there. Two hard heads in Martin and Lambert are doing some real grunt work for the Tigers, Houli seems to be allowed to run riot across half back unmarked, I bag him a bit but he’s playing his role a treat and Reiwoldt is moving up and down the ground looking fit and in form. Cotchin...why spend all night running towards your own goals to get handballs around the back and cheap stats? His worth to the side is so much more than that and any criticism he cops is fair at the moment, needs to be a ball winner again for the Tigers to prosper.

( This will hurt ) Adelaide could make a case that they should have beat the Roos, they didn’t as they ran out of legs but that wasn’t the case on the weekend as their first 45 minutes of football completely ripped Ports structure to shreds. Thompson, Sloane, Laird, Crouch (x2), Mackay ( you know you going rough when he goes well ) and Brown all created and Lynch, Jenkins and Betts said thank you very much as Adelaide piled on 13 first half goals and led by 60 points early in the second. Thankfully they didn’t really keep the foot on the throat as the final margin could have been much more than 58 points. Talia now has some real support with Lever reading the ball to be the third man up and the once questioned defensive unit is shaping up faster than first thought. Makes them genuine with their midfield and forward mix if the back half hold strong.

Hard to pick the Tigers here, they’re hardly reliable and Adelaide were very good last weekend. Anything is possible from the Tigers but I don’t think they can hold Adelaide’s forwards out enough. Adelaide by 30 points.

Cracking write ups as always Booney!

Both on the money too I reckon.

I can see both games following a similar script, with them being close contests anywhere up to about the half way mark of the third term, before the Adelaide based sides show their class and pull away for comfortable wins.

bayman wrote:Adelaide to win & the drug cheats to lose

after looking at the teams etc, i think Adelaide will still win but now think the drug cheats will get up, in some ways this will test Ports ticker

Crouch ( B ) out with hamstring soreness I hear Ginge.

I'm hearing that rumour as well. Only on discussion boards though, yet to be confirmed from a reliable source.

Got plenty of back up mind you (as long as they don't bring Van Berlo back in!).

Confirmed now.

Just precautionary I would say. Wouldn't hurt to keep him off the hard deck at Etihad as well considering the injury he's coming back from.

Jarryd Lyons to come in.

Kid can play, but has yet to really produce his SANFL form at AFL level.

Hopefully now he doesn't have to wear the subs vest he can get a clear run and make the most of this opportunity. Would love to see him go into the guts tomorrow arvo and have an impact.

Crows need to win by lots or last week's win becomes pointless.
Now is the time for Port to show that the "never give up" slogan actually applies. Another performance like last week and that particular slogan may need to be shelved. I reckon they will win by a couple of goals.

Thought CEY would be ahead of Lyons but speed may be more important then the bigger body against Richmond.

Rumors Dixon has a sore knee and could be a late withdrawal....

Serious??

Mate. I'm almost starting to feel sorry for your mob.

Almost.

Could be another one too....

Really? Bloody hell.

I'm guessing you'll be spending a fair chunk of your evening at the bar tonight!

Either way...

Booney wrote:Rumors Dixon has a sore knee and could be a late withdrawal....

Club said he is playing

Well, another week, another convincing win.

You can’t help to again be impressed by the way Adelaide went about it. After the game Don Pyke was talking about the opening minutes, and said something like “it was hot early, but then we got down to work” and it immediately made me think of match in terms of a boxing bout.

Adelaide were tough, they were hard at the footy, and while Richmond had their moments and got the odd ‘punch’ in, and even won the odd round, really it was Adelaide who controlled the tempo of the contest.

Even when challenged by Richmond they held their structure and didn’t shut up shop, but continued to lift the eyes and look to set up the next attacking foray. They know their forward line is their strength, and they are playing a game plan that exploits this beautifully. With Betts, Walker, Jenkins and co why wouldn’t you?

Also very pleasing was that Adelaide’s depth was tested for the first time this year with the late withdrawal of both Crouch and last weeks best player in Lynch, and yet the team were able to cover both comfortably.

The kids continue to impress as well. Milera – this kid is fantastic already, imagine what he’ll be producing in a couple of years! McGovern contributed well also.

For all that though, it could easily be said that Adelaide have been lucky and caught both Port and Richmond at vulnerable moments due to injury.

This week will be the true tester. Beat Sydney on Saturday night, and Adelaide go from pretender to potential contender.

Adelaide are a genuine top 4 chance Ginge.

Hawthorn and Sydney are most likely there, the Bulldogs will be tested on field with the loss of Murphy and off field with the loss of Murphy ( How will the kids react to that? ) and the Eagles look to be shaping up again, the Kangaroos are 3-0 with Fremantle to come, Gold Coast 3-0 with Brisbane to come.

So I'd say Adelaide are Sydney (L), Hawthorn (L), Fremantle (W), Bulldogs (50/50) and then the big Danger game. Probably 5-3 or 4-4 in a few weeks. If you're 4-4 top 4 will be hard, if you;re 5-3 it's still on.

...and if we manage to jag one the next two games then it's on like Donkey Kong.

I'm with you in thinking both will be losses - but we seem to have 'jumped' the competition a bit so you never know.

Of the two I think Sydney at home this week is the most realistic chance.

What was your take on Port's performance Friday night?

Comfortable win and yet still unconvincing somehow.