titan_uranus

Jones misses. 2.9.21 6.2.38 Crap kicking all round.

A sign of their pressure: 67 kicks to 77 handpasses. Over-using the handpass.

We've gone the loose man in defence but Port's manned him up. Bennell misses from 50 2.8.20 6.2.38

And another goal... 6.2.38 2.7.19 5 in a row to them now. Warnock getting owned according to Wakelin. Will the AAMI hoodoo never end?

Another bloody turnover! And another mark inside 50 to Port, this time Schulz on Garland! This is really deteriorating now.

Another goal to Gray 5.2.32 2.7.19 They're killing us in the tackles this quarter as well.

Struggling atm. They're pressuring us enough which is forcing turnovers, and they're scoring too easily when they go inside.

Disposals MFC: 104 to PA: 75 (54 kicks, 50 handpasses compared to 44 kicks, 31 handpasses) Bruce 7 kicks, 7 handballs, 4 marks.

Dermott says if we find an extra gear we'll 'wipe the floor with Port'. We seem to have the class and the structure but we're turning it over a bit which is costing us. But we were into the wind that quarter so that's an upside.

Bruce starring. Bennell marks 45m out thanks to Bruce's classy disposal. Nice. Siren sounds, Bennell kicks...misses PA 3.2.20 Melb 2.6.18

They're using the wind to kick over the top, rather than to a lead up forward. But we're turning it over a lot which is giving them pretty easy inside 50s.

Goal to Pearce PA 3.1.19 Melb 2.5.17

Bruce getting a heap of it across half back. 9 disposals already.

Goal to Gray PA 2.1.13 Melb 2.5.17 Not capitalising on our dominance atm.

Morton needs a big game today. Hasn't had the greatest 2010, to put it quite nicely. 52 disposals to 34 in our favour, 8 inside 50s to 5 in our favour as well.

Cale Morton marks 15 metres out on a slight ankle. Brett Ebert has done a calf/achilles or something. Morton hits the post, terrible miss. 2.5.17 1.1.7

PA definitely have the wind though. Dermott also says that going to Port's end is a little easier as there is some sort of slope downwards. Jurrah gets a HTB free kick. Wakelin says we're livelier and Port's crap. Jurrah nails it! Melb 2.4.16 PA 1.0.6

Goal to Schulz. PA 1.0.6. Melb 1.4.10

Just tuned in, missed all the scoring, but is there a breeze going towards Port's end? If so that's a good start from us, and from Watts to kick from 50. We apparently look a lot more organised at stoppages and in defence.

This is true. I reckon he might play further up the ground today, give us some drive going inside 50 that we'll miss with Sylvia out.

True, the proof will be in the pudding of Friday night. My money's on a Docker win, but we'll see. Exactly how I view it. Who thinks Fremantle could have beaten Hawthorn with their best available side? I don't, and I doubt many do. I know North Melbourne supporters are less than amused. But again, they were never going to win that game anyway.

As has been noted in the team selection thread, Sylvia is out, with Bail replacing him. That lowers our chances considerably. But it means Moloney is a definite starter, so hopefully his extra grunt around the clearances, despite Sylvia's loss, will help us. Looking for a big game from Green today, hopefully he can rebound from his poor game last week. Port's defence is nothing to write home about so hopefully if he plays forward he will be able to kick a few.

They're nothing without Sandilands, Ballantyne, Tarrant and Barlow. The first three are possibly available for finals which will help them immensely, but they were always going to lose to Hawthorn in Tasmania. The argument that it's stupid to flirt with form doesn't apply because Fremantle's form was indifferent at best. They're stuttering along at the moment. If I was a Fremantle member I'd be mighty pleased at this course of action, if it indeed does let players like Pavlich, Mundy and Hill freshen up and have an increased impact next week vs Carlton and then week 1 of the finals.

Agree totally. A similar thing happened with Hawthorn earlier this year. After they lost 6 in a row, they then won 3, but they weren't all convincing. In Round 11 they played Port and only 21,287 showed up. This for a club with 50,000+ members and a premiership from two seasons ago. With Collingwood seemingly the exception, when a club struggles, the supporters drop off.

I thought there may have been a mitigating factor. And good call WJ, this will certainly be my only vote for a Green this weekend too.