The Stigga

I think this 'being physical with Gawn to defeat Melbourne' is quite the non-issue. Max can dish it out as well as he gets it. First week he was crook as a dog, second week conditions didn't suit. I'm not worried, he played against two ruckman on numerous occasions last year. And at the end of the day you can physically target anyone if you really want too.

What, that forward line that was the highest scoring team last year? Should be monstering them.

Geez their backline, really should be putting some through the sticks... HB 19 Kobe Mutch 18 Michael Hurley 42 Adam Saad FB 10 Aaron Francis 29 Patrick Ambrose 45 Conor McKenna

I think the time has come to try anything...

Good to hear! Hopefully they come with a sunny disposition on Friday night.

A draw wouldn't surprise me.

Nowhere to hide, glad its on a Friday night...

I salute your reference!

Pyrrhic victory for Port, going too hard, too early. We no longer play week to week...we play the long game now.

Yeah...think about it!

Glad we signed him up! Looks in ripper nick. This must have been his first proper pre-season at the club.

Surprised we lost by 4 goals in the end. Agree that mistakes hurt us. But when a 31 year old Travis Boak is burning everyone of our players off down the MCC wing, you know there's a problem. A lot of our blokes were at a canter in the middle of the third.

Yep. We like the smaller grounds. I called last week, I'm calling this week.

Agree, Petracca, Hunt and Melksham will be super important this year.

Would love to see him in the midfield, showed some dash against Brisbane in the JLT. Hunt also up forward please.

Tad cynical STMJ, I understand some supporters concerns going into this game. Jones, Viney and Melksham underdone, cloud over Harmes. Underwhelming pre-season from some key players, I still have massive concerns about the way we deliver the ball inside 50, just seems as though we get it in straight to contests that easily turn into 2 on 1's and the ball quickly goes the other way. I also have reservations about the way our forward line will function generally. What i'd really like to see is if opposition teams get a run on, say 1, 2, 3 quick goals, how we react to this, by slowing the game down, playing possession football, having a feel for the game, as opposed to routinely following the same game plan. Anyway it will be an interesting test first off, Port may be missing a few key players, however they'll be debuting several talented and earnest youngsters like Drew, Butters and Duursma. Still think this a danger game if we go in expecting to do it easy.

I saw something in Joel Smith on Saturday I hadnt seen before, bursting through the middle, hitting targets... could he be our Nat Fyfe?

'Furious', 'fuming' I'd like to think the club has a far more objective, sensible and calm way of dealing with these matters as they arise.

If May knocked him out, caused damage, then yes he should be rubbed out, but he didn't. Clearly over the past few years suspensions have been based not on the action of the player, but on the result of his actions.

Yeah but the result was far worse. Also Burton didn't need to do what he did, hence he should have got rubbed out for the damage he caused.

Again why did Burton not got suspended for his hit on Higgins?

No. Disappointed perhaps, for the situation they are in facing selection should he not play. But 'fuming', i think that's a bit of hyperbole.

Oh he'll get off.

Agreed, the May decision has been tacitly described as an 'optics' issue But then how many suspensions have been based on the 'result'