2nd Semi Final - Adelaide vs Fremantle - Friday 14th Sept

Adelaide meet Fremantle this Friday night it what promises to be another belter of a game. The spectre of an in form Pavlich looms as Adelaide's greatest challenge.

Will post a bit more detailed writeup later, but in the meantime feel free to post away.

I think Tippett should be dropped.






And play for West

Biggest issue this week Ginge is no Tahlia to run with Pavlich, who did a sterling job on him some weeks ago.

Rutten simply does not have the legs to run with Pavlich and Shaw was one of the more overwhelmed Crow kids last week, so not him.

The only option is bring in Otten or Johnston who would have a mighty task in their first AFL game for some weeks.

Fremantle will win and win by a fair stretch IMO unless Adelaide get their strategy right, clean up their entries into 50 and use the ball well like the Swans did last week.

Real tough game this week. Fremantle looked sensational against the Cats on Saturday night, and any Adelaide fan who thinks we’ll brush them off easily this week is kidding themselves.

Last week Adelaide were done in by experienced big game players in Goodes & O’Keefe, and this week they must contend with another in Pavlich. What’s more is they have to do it without Talia who worked him over last time around. Since our last matchup Fremantle also has Sandilands back, and Fyfe in much better form. It will be far from a romp this one.

The key to winning this week’s game is simple – the youngsters need to take a deep breath and refrain from pooing their pants. Sydney applied the blow torch last week and the younger players who have been so good all year lost their composure. They regressed back to their 2011 form with Walker missing shots, Dangerfield duffing kicks, and others disappearing from the game all together.

Hopefully they will be better for the experience this week. I’m sure they coaches would’ve used the week to encourage them to relax and go back to the basics that they’ve done so well all year.

There would be some interesting discussions amongst the Fremantle coaching panel this week. Adelaide is very susceptible to negative flooding/crowding tactics, however it was their incredible attacking mindset that saw them slaughter the Cats last week. Do they stick with this attacking game plan and go head to head, or wind things back to grind Adelaide into submission?

Despite the talk of Lyon’s usual tactics, I reckon Freo will roll the dice and go in with the attacking mindset that won them the game against Geelong. A big call I know and I could prove to be very wrong, but from what I saw last week I think Lyon is trying a different approach to finals at his new club.

I also don’t think it will work against Adelaide. I think the Crows will get up by about 4 or 5 goals in the end.

Regarding the Pav match up, I don’t really know why but I think they should bring in Otten. Much has been made of his loss of pace, but I think this year he’s played a couple of good games and deserves another shot. He’s tall and mobile, and is a natural defender.

It’s a gamble I know, but one I think it would pay off. Finals aren’t won by playing safe after all.

Didn't even consider that Sandilands was missing the last time these two played each other.

Jacobs, IMO, is beginning to look tired and should have been rested a couple of times in the back half of the year to give Tippett and Jenkins some more time in the ruck. Mumford and Pyke quelled his influence last week by using their big bodies and there is no bigger body in the game than Sandilands. Jacob, IMO, is THE reason Adelaide have been so good this year. Hit-outs to advantage when he wins the tap or nullifying the contest if he doesn't have been his hall marks all year. It eventually had to take its toll. I think it is now.

Jacobs was rested about 6 weeks ago against the Cats down at Cat park. Should've probably rested out the Gold Coast game as well though I reckon.

Do you think Lyon will go back to his usual ultra defensive style this week Booney? Freo were so attacking against the Cats that they looked nothing like a team coached by Ross Lyon. One of the reasons the Cats lost I reckon, they would've been expecting a tight arm wrestle, not the shoot out they ended up with.

I think Lyon likes to play shut down football in the main, yes....BUT if his team is prepared to work hard forward ( as St.Kilda did on numerous occasions, they were not always a dour outfit ) they can be rewarded by being able to spread quickly and therefore score quickly.

I think Adelaide are out in straight sets after Fremantles midfield shut down the Adelaide ball winners and Sandilands keeps Jacobs out of the game.

Pavlich has no logical match up this week ( as we have both noted above ) and if Otten is your best bet, you're in trouble there. Pavlich is not 100% fit though, that might help a little if his opponent is prepared to work off of him.

Walker and Tippett ( Dangerfield said last week good players become great in finals ) need to step up to the plate, as does Sloane and Dangerfield.

Good match coming up, but I think the Dockers might just be off to face Hawthorn in a prelim.

Good call on Sloane. He was terrible on Saturday, possibly the worst of the young Adelaide midfielders.

I hope you're wrong on the straight sets exit, but I am more than a little worried.

I hope you're wrong too Booney...lol.

It's going to be tough - Fremantle haven't been in this position before and I'm sure they're probably 'hungry' for it.
Is that right - or did I make that up...lol

I really really obviously don't want them to beat us, but have to say if they do I will be hoping they go all the way - as they'll obviously be the underdog.

redandblack wrote:I think Tippett should be dropped.






And play for West

but at whose expense ?

just for arguements sake, if he did get dropped & Adelaide lose surely he wouldn't play for West anyway

Whispers getting around that Sanderson has swung the axe for this weeks game with "two or three" changes.

My guess would be a replacement for Talia (Ottens or Henderson?) as well as Jenkins at the expense of Aidan Riley probably.

bayman wrote:

redandblack wrote:I think Tippett should be dropped.






And play for West

but at whose expense ?

just for arguements sake, if he did get dropped & Adelaide lose surely he wouldn't play for West anyway

I think that was said as a joke Bayman.

testy wrote:

bayman wrote:

redandblack wrote:I think Tippett should be dropped.






And play for West

but at whose expense ?

just for arguements sake, if he did get dropped & Adelaide lose surely he wouldn't play for West anyway

I think that was said as a joke Bayman.

correct, that's why i 'lol' first & then tried to add humour with my question, sorry it didn't come across that way to you

Okay so 1 day out and I'm starting to feel nervous !!

I really hope we get our act together and win.

We will win this. Then Hawthorn can get revenge for that final we beat them in in 1993.

No sapaul...lol.

We should say...

We will win this. Then have the confidence to beat Hawthorn the week after !!

The team is:

IN: Ricky Henderson, Luke Thompson
OUT: Aidan Riley (omitted), Daniel Talia (broken arm)

B: Ricky Henderson, Ben Rutten, Michael Doughty

HB: Nathan van Berlo, Sam Shaw, Brent Reilly

C: David Mackay, Scott Thompson, Bernie Vince

HF: Matt Wright, Taylor Walker, Jared Petrenko

F: Ian Callinan, Kurt Tippett, Jason Porplyzia

FOLL: Sam Jacobs, Patrick Dangerfield, Rory Sloane

INT: Richard Douglas, Graham Johncock, Brodie Smith, Luke Thompson

EMERG: Josh Jenkins, Andy Otten, Aidan Riley

I like the Henderson in, he gives some versatility given that he can play forward, back, or on the wing even. The type of player that is very handy in finals.

Funnily enough I am nowhere near as nervous about this weeks game. It's not that I'm more confident, far from it. I think perhaps it's just that things have been a lot more low key this week.

I'm also in a bit more of a 'whatever happens happens' frame of mind this week think. They boys have had a great year whatever happens tonight to be honest. That said, it would be great for them to get past this week and experience a prelim at the MCG though. Fingers crossed!

As for revenge for 1993 sapaul, I think they got that a few years back with Buddy's last gasp goal! It's our turn again now.

Oh yeah, forgot about that final. Must be getting old aha

sapaul wrote:We will win this. Then Hawthorn can get revenge for that final we beat them in in 1993.

Didn't they get that revenge in 2007

Interesting to see most people are tipping Fremantle to win tonight. Not without reason either TBH.

Adelaide to go in as underdogs against Freo on their home deck in a final. Wouldn't have expected that a month ago.

I'm going to a Westies Past Players dinner tonight, booked before I knew Adelaide were playing.

This obviously could go either way. Adelaide worry me a fair bit. As much as I'd like to see them win, I think Freo by a few goals.

(Guest speaker at the dinner tonight is Michael Taylor.

Half time - crows began ordinary - some of those umpiring decision - gee whiz...lol.

But that's the past !!

Time for these crows boys to pull their fingers out.
Some good signs the last few minutes of that second quarter.

Come on guys - let's do this !!!!

Crows even money ($2.00) at half time i took that, as i thought they started to control the latter part of the second term