29 minutes ago, buck_nekkid said:

We gotta win the midfield and be hard at the contest.  We don’t want to be playing this from our back half.  That is a recipe for disaster.

Yep. I rate that advice, I just hope we have the run in our legs to choke up their forwards in the transitions. I’m so nervous about this game, don’t know if I could suffer another gut wrenching loss in a row after what I consider a great first half of the season. 

In my mind, I have us getting off to a good start given the lack of experience in their backline before they can adjust. But being in Adelaide, I know that the umps will play their role in equalisation on the big stage.

if the selection committee has thrown in Dom and Smith, it’s probably for a reason. I personally think Dom is a good choice, but I hope Smith shows something with this opportunity, as I would’ve loved to see Frost crush Westhoff..

7 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

Team would look a lot more balanced with Garlett in it.

We dont have a small forward.

Spargo without getting many touches was very good at crumbing inside 50 and setting up a few goals. If you leave him out I thought Garlett was a must to replace him.

Do we maybe see Fritsch spend more time inside 50 tomorrow to play that role?

Win and we're a game off the top.

Lose and we're percentage only from being out of the 8.

Either way, tomorrow night on here is going to be interesting.

12 point game. 

5 hours ago, McQueen said:

About time Spargo got rested.

Vindication for the weeks of misguided focus from many I guess.

Except he is named for Casey; unless he is traveling over with no intention of him returning to play for Casey. 

My concern is that the defence looks one tall short, and Vince plus Lewis far too slow.

lets hope that Max can interact with  the mids together more clearances. 

Dangerous thing to say as we are Melbourne, but if we beat Port tonight we are 100% making finals and will have to be a massive chance to finish top 4.  

10 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

True, but Cox is a different player to Dixon.  Oscar was beaten by his height, not necessarily through his strength in the contest, something Oscar has improved upon this year.  I think he is a good match up for Dixon.

Their forward line looks pretty darn good though so we'll have to be at our best to contain them, and that starts with the improvement through the midfield and our clearance work.

 

OMc was beaten by the ball coming in at speed and with ease. Team defence, slow ball, mids being able to push back into space, none of that was able to happen last week which hurt us. 

7 hours ago, hemingway said:

Too slow and too short down back. It will be a miracle if we win this match. If we do, I will eat my cap.  However, when I feel this way, we sometimes win. 

Now to the World Game. The World Cup always puts Aussie Rules into perspective. 

Looking fwd to the video of the hat eating H, in a local stew possibly? 

A stew in for Port fans is just a pie floater.  

2 hours ago, Cards13 said:

OMc was beaten by the ball coming in at speed and with ease. Team defence, slow ball, mids being able to push back into space, none of that was able to happen last week which hurt us. 

Probably worse this week Cards.  Who's going to bring decent forward 50 pressure to pevent end to end damage?

Melk rarely tackles.  Hogan usually roaming.  Same with T-Mac & Fritsch.  Hannan 1 tackle last match.  Smith might provide a little.  Nibbler about the only serious contender.

For me this whole set up spells....

 

Edited June 21, 20187 yr by Rusty Nails

I can live with Smith over Pedersen, and Tyson should have been in weeks ago, but otherwise that's not a great result at selection.

We clearly need another tall defender in the side. We were horribly exposed against Collingwood, and Port have more tall forwards than Collingwood. Clearly McDonald takes Dixon, but that presumably leaves Smith on Westhoff / Ryder and Hibberd on Marshall, neither of which is a great result for us. Ideally Frost, but even Petty, had to come in for Vince.

This was also the perfect game for Garlett to come back in. Hannan has plenty of upside, but still goes missing for 3 in every 4 quarters. For all his flaws at least Garlett will make a couple of big chases and tackles each game, particularly when motivated after a lengthy VFL stretch.

Oh well, it is probably all irrelevant unless the midfield plays a million times better than they did last start.

 

18 minutes ago, poita said:

I can live with Smith over Pedersen, and Tyson should have been in weeks ago, but otherwise that's not a great result at selection.

We clearly need another tall defender in the side. We were horribly exposed against Collingwood, and Port have more tall forwards than Collingwood. Clearly McDonald takes Dixon, but that presumably leaves Smith on Westhoff / Ryder and Hibberd on Marshall, neither of which is a great result for us. Ideally Frost, but even Petty, had to come in for Vince.

This was also the perfect game for Garlett to come back in. Hannan has plenty of upside, but still goes missing for 3 in every 4 quarters. For all his flaws at least Garlett will make a couple of big chases and tackles each game, particularly when motivated after a lengthy VFL stretch.

Oh well, it is probably all irrelevant unless the midfield plays a million times better than they did last start.

 

Non of that is irrelevant Poita.  All pointing towards a substantial hammering.  Doubt we win regardless but % is going to be critical again as we witnessed at the end last year.

10 hours ago, Roost It said:

Why isn’t Garlett in the side?

tim Smith??? Just why??? This is the most important game we’ve played in 10 years and we play Smith?

Almost. I think it's the most important game since round 23 last year.

9 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

12 point game. 

That''ll be the margin, too. Just not sure which way.

I suspect Tyson coming in might mean Harmes and Petracca play less midfield and more forward in place of Spargo. I think that's an improvement. Pedersen was so ineffective last week I can understand why T Smith has come in. Not introducing an additional tall backman seems risky, but might also give Joel Smith more confidence as the Match Committee is, in effect, telling him that they trust him. 

9 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

Win and we're a game off the top.

Lose and we're percentage only from being out of the 8.

Either way, tomorrow night on here is going to be interesting.

massive game, this is a must win game.  The 3 games after this are games we should win before we head into to a really 6 pretty hard weeks

To all those concerned that we’re too weak and short in defence, we have a viable option that can play down there.

He wears number 25 and he’s our best defender on the list.

Last week we played him up forward and we lost badly in a shoot out.

9 hours ago, monoccular said:

My concern is that the defence looks one tall short,

Hey, Mono!  Have you invented a new term for the size of one of our defenders?  So, which one is it who you would describe as being a "tall short"?  Hibberd, maybe?  LOL

Our side looks horribly slow with those ins. 

The only way we can compensate for lack of pace is precise and quick movement by foot. So we HAVE to be on and push hard into space throughout the game and of course Tyson must avoid kicking it at all times. 

47 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

To all those concerned that we’re too weak and short in defence, we have a viable option that can play down there.

He wears number 25 and he’s our best defender on the list.

Last week we played him up forward and we lost badly in a shoot out.

And he kicked 6 of those goals.

No chance he plays down back.  We will be relying on better play from our midfield to support the backline.

51 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

To all those concerned that we’re too weak and short in defence, we have a viable option that can play down there.

He wears number 25 and he’s our best defender on the list.

Last week we played him up forward and we lost badly in a shoot out.

When he first came back I was one of those who thought we needed him back, but he's exceeded mine and probably everybody's expectations down forward. He doesn't need many kicks and is probably our best forward to my surprise. I think we'll probably see Hogan drift back and help out like he has been moreso than seeing Tom down there. And thank god he did play forward and snag a few v Pies.

Round 18 2014 match between Melb & Port is currently on Fox Footy.  Half way through 3rd Qtr, and three scintillating goals to Melb.  First, a great end to end run initiated by Howe, ending with a blistering run by Blease from behind the centre to kick a big goal from 50.  Followed quickly with another to Kennedy-Harris from 50 to level the scores.  Then, Watts dobs a beauty to put the dees in front.  Great stuff!  LOL

12 minutes ago, Vagg said:

Round 18 2014 match between Melb & Port is currently on Fox Footy.  Half way through 3rd Qtr, and three scintillating goals to Melb.  First, a great end to end run initiated by Howe, ending with a blistering run by Blease from behind the centre to kick a big goal from 50.  Followed quickly with another to Kennedy-Harris from 50 to level the scores.  Then, Watts dobs a beauty to put the dees in front.  Great stuff!  LOL

Umps in red hot form back then also. Did you just see the free kick against Watts at the end of the 3rd quarter?

Edited June 22, 20187 yr by Dee Zephyr

Right on the 3/4 time siren Watts gives away a free kick a few metres out, for Port to take back the lead!  Was he working for his new team way back then? (LOL)

In fairness to him, it shouldn't have been a free.  Watts punched the ball clear of the Port player with a lovely spoil, and just clipped the Port players head in the follow through.  Ah well...!

Watts actually had a great 3rd Qtr.  After being the invisible man in 1st half, moved to loose man in defence and had 13 touches, including 3 score involvements

Lost it by 3 points in a thriller!  Here's hoping the result is reversed tonight!!

19 minutes ago, Vagg said:

Lost it by 3 points in a thriller!  Here's hoping the result is reversed tonight!!

As much as a loss would hurt tonight, you’d almost take a 3 point loss.

22 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

As much as a loss would hurt tonight, you’d almost take a 3 point loss.

You've gotta be kidding BBP!!  Gotta win this one!!