binman

My take is it extremely difficult to back up after a game as intense and physical as last weeks pies port game - particularly if it is another high stakes, high pressure game. I mean, the evidence simply could not be clearer. It's not that the pies and port, first and second on the ladder, both lost. It's how they lost - both teams were gassed from the get go. I wouldn't be writing port off on the back of that game. That said i think it is a joke so many 'experts' had a top three - pies, port and lions - and the rest. And I'm glad I've banged in about it. Peanuts everywhere in the media. And on port - I didn't rate them in the top 3 prior to that game. So nothing has changed. My one regret on the punting front is not backing the crows over 39. Had the line and win bets covered, but should have had a nibble on the over 39 because that game was my best bet of the year. The crows were set for it. And as I expected port were gassed.

Yep. So have I. Thanks giants and crows.

Demonstone was. Succeeding too.

How about an agonising draw?

No chance port will finish top. Tough game tonight, cats at kp next week. Easy last three games, but they are effectively 3 games behind the pies - 8 points plus 20 odd percentage. Even if they don't lose another game, pies would have to drop 3 of their last 4 games.

100% agree. The suns can get hardwick as a coach, but it will make little difference if they don't sort their fitness, development, welfare and other critical systems and programs.

Small forward? Clueless.

Their last three games are almost as tough as our last three games last season - the cats at the g on the Friday night, the lions (also a Friday night) at marvel and the bombers at the g. On paper, the bombers is the easiest of those games, but it will be a massive crowd and the bombers might be playing for a spot in the eight. We saw last year, with our games against the pies, blues and lions, how high pressure, high stakes, finals like games leading into finals can flatten a team.

Pressure and contested ball. That's finals footy.

Totally agree. And they are the hunted every single week.

Didn't they have allegedly have some flu ahead of their loss against us? They seem to have a bad habit of getting crook in the lead up to games where the oppo go super hard at them and apply huge pressure. Unlucky for them that's what finals footy is. Must have also struck them down in the lead up to their two high pressure finals they lost last year.

Personally, I'd like to hear more of it. The pies def looked gassed - understandable given the intensity od last week, travel and six day break. I reckon port will struggle to come up to, though luckily for them the crows are coming of a tough game and a six day break.

Yep. The pies are too gassed.

Pies panicked to gift that goal to curnow. Pressure.

Howe up forward?

But, but they always come back.

Thought about it. But I ###$%:#- hate the pies! (Jokes - liked the blues, mainly because the pies played such a crazy fierce game last week. But lost my nerve and didn't back them)

You're probably right - two massive bogans.

Agree. And he has set his forward deep and had players punt on winning a turnover and 'cheat' and get forward into space. Look at how much space they have engineered in their forward line compared to how crowded the pies forward 50 is.

Exactly. Sure, they might turn this game around, though it doesn't look like it. But their two biggest, interrelated, vulnerabilities have been on full display- vulnerability to the counter because their defence pushes up so high and as you suggest a game plan based on feeding it to their outside players and high risk kicks that can break down under pressure.

Was just about to ask about his kicking skills. We're in a spot now where we should only be looking to bring in elite kicks in both the draft and any trades we might do.

Source?

That will be David King's out. Sick against us when we beat them. Tired after last week. By the by, there's a chance they might have to play consecutive weeks in finals.

Good thing we're playing the roos then.

Nibbler has kicked 13.4 this season @ 54.1% accuracy and goes at 55.1% by foot. Not too shabby. Tracc, by way of comparison has kicked 20.13 @ 33% accuracy and goes at 55.4% by foot.