Lucifers Hero

Don't have the answers to your questions @Spargonicus but it will be a very different game to that early this year. Earlier they had no Dixon. Wines was subbed out at half time. Lycett hurt his shoulder but played on. Somehow they kept Oliver to a low of 19 possessions and he had little impact. So it is anyone's guess how this game will play out. But we have Home ground advantage but not sure we will have Home crowd advantage. Hopefully, the fans get on board the Dee premiership train and barrack for us. I hope the club takes The Cup to Alice and let people there enjoy it, like we did. Ever the optimist: Dees by 3-5 goals. Just enough to keep our % above 130!!

Bigfooty. Not a lot to say. They seem a bit fixated on ruckmen. On one hand, Gawn and Jackson could dominate us without a proper ruckman. On the other hand, Gawn and Jackson dominated us earlier in the year with a proper ruckman. Not sure how I feel on that… …...and we didn't kick a goal for almost three quarters. The point about the game earlier this year is Finlayson and Dixon did not play so when Lycett was injured we were forced to use Todd Marshall on Max Gawn for the second half and it was a match up made in hell as far as we were concerned. I think Charlie Dixon might offer more serious opposition. I also think our midfield is a lot sharper these days and our forward structure more productive so go with what we have. …We exist to play teams back into form, we've done it for years. On that basis I wouldn't read anything into any of the above. if we double team Fritsch do we get a Fritsch sandwich? 🙄 Oliver had surgery on a fractured thumb, but is still a chance to play. Same injury would have Fantasia on the sidelines for 12 weeks. More than zero goals in the first half, pls. This game has typical Ken Hinkley Port Adelaide written all over it. A close loss and a chance squandered against a legitimate contender. The players either man up & win or they do the usual and nothing changes coming into next week. Undefeated at Traeger Park. Reckon we make it 4-0. My favourite: This is a bit cruel but made me laugh: Holy s**t Jarrad redden is still playing SANFL? Fat ruckmen & forwards do well at SANFL level. I love seeing the fat blokes out there in the sanfl, it highlights what an elite sporting comp it is

The AFL messed up the fixture badly. We played Freo in Melb during the Sir Douglas Nicholls fortnight. That game should have been in Alice. It should have been a prime time fixture not a Sunday afternoon. It was the best and most respectful time to wear the jumper and also at a more sensible time re the season

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Wearing our indigenous jumper shows respect for our hosts and would be most appreciated by the NT government that is footing the bill. And locals may identify more with the mighty demons. Hopefully, we have a good stock of them and Narmm merchandise to take to Alice. Imagine if Port turn up in their indigenous jumper and we don't: headlines for all the wrong reasons.

North cut its own heart out when it sacked long term much loved players: Harvey, Petrie, Firrito and relative but loyal newcomer, Del Santo. Brad Scott's intentions were probably right (get some youth in) but the execution of the idea, was just that in the eyes of many: an execution. Scott left mid season, two and half years later in 2019 and the club via well meaning but now gone past players, continued shedding senior players for the next two years. The club is now a shell, devoid of its 'shinboner' spirit or anyone from President down who has any real connection with that proud moniker. They have seriously lost their way. It will take more than a Jackson/Roos type combo to revive them.

Do tell...

This is after the game. Reckon father and son doing fine. The writing was on the wall so not much to do with the pies loss, really Noble and McCrae would respectively make sure John knows it has nothing to do with him. A greek tragedy is a good metaphor for the whole North fiasco.

Very sad. A good man and an excellent football person brought to this due to incompetence by the non-coaching people before him. He will be snapped up by another club in another coaching or football role. If we had a spot I would happily have him at the dees.

Good to see Turner available. Wouldn't be surprised to see him back in the team. I wonder if Howes can force his way in, in the time left of the H&A games.

Like Stewart, Geelong had him squirreled away in their VFL team. Stewart was taken at pick 40 in the main draft and Atkins in the rookie draft. To be fair all other clubs had bids before those but overlooked them.

I reckon Goodwin. Atkins and Blicavs were lauded in the media for how well they did their assigned roles. So I reckon they got Scott's votes. Probably similar reasons why Petracca and Oliver got votes (I think) from Goodwin.

LOL!!! A bit OTT by Ryan. How many youngsters does he want. Last time I looked Bowey, JJ, Petty, Jackson, Kozzie, Sparrow, Bedford and Spargo are under 22 and played less than 50 games. That is 1/3 of our starting 22. Easy for him to make blanket statements. I would be surprised if Turner doesn't play again post injury, Howes most probably would have played by now if not injured. Bedford is getting regular games. Nonetheless, I wouldn't be surprised to see a Laurie or JVR debut but not just for the sake of it as Ryan seems to suggest. As we know Goodwin and co don't change a team without good reason. And once out it is hard to get back in unless injuries involved.

Of course we would. But that won't be the difference on whether we make top 4 or top 2. How many goals did Hawkins/Cameron kick against us on Thursday? Hawkins 1.2.3. Cameron 0.1.1 = total of 1.3.4 from a team total of 12.19.91. We have our best result when we have multiple goal kickers and our defensive game is on song. We won't have TMc back for finals so everyone needs to lift their game in those two areas.

My point wasn't so much about playing i/state. It was playing at the G gives fans a chance to see the games which we were denied last year. It is a big motivator for the team and top 2 would give us that. But as I said top 4 is the priority and we play wherever the cards fall.

Nick put up the good fight. He was great until the second set when he was 4/0 down and started shouting. When that started, Novak had a fleeting twitch of the lips/wry smile as if to say: I have you now. If only Nick could keep himself settled.

If Carlton, Coll or Sydney did achieve that result they are more likely to dislodge Brisbane than us. Lions are on a top 4 precipice. They don't have much time to get over injuries/illness, settle their best 22, get their cohesion back and win enough games to stay in top 4. fwiiw, I reckon the club is aiming to make top 4 and get the double chance. Top 2 is a bonus. A bonus they will chase as they want to play finals in front of fans at the G but top 4 is the priority.

This is what the run home looks like: Many 8pt games among the top 8 (red and blue) and a fair smattering of their games vs teams 9 to 12 (green). Even the teams in 13 to 18 can do damage. We are 1 game and significant % above 5th. % is difficult to move at this time of year so that % gap is virtually another game. By my reckoning: The top 8 is set 15 wins needed for top 4. So we need three wins. Our % is an extra buffer. I don't know which three we will win but I am certain we will win three. 17 wins or even 16 +% needed for top 2. Any team on 11 wins or less needs to win at least 5 of the last 6 to make top 2. Given that Freo, Lions, Blues and Pies also have a very difficult run home, our chances of top 2 are excellent! So never fear, dear DL's. The question isn't which games we will win, it is who is in a position to dislodge us from top 4 or top 2? So for mine, top 4 it is and top 2 is ours for the keeping! Anyway, I think we can win it from anywhere in the 8.

Realistically, Saints and Dogs are out of the running for the 8. Beveridge knows that and has given up on 2022 saying the will look to the future. It doesn't mean they will be easier to beat but they aren't chasing finals this year.

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I'm very confident. Lots and lots of 8-pt games among top 9 teams to come. And quite a few of top 8 games with teams that want to make a mark. We have a game and large % on 5th. The % is almost worth another game. Short of the wheels falling off and we win our fair share we are top 4. Still a good chance for top 2, I reckon...

Not sure I'm so happy about the Lions losing as it is easier for Sydney to make top 4 as they have at least 4 very winnable games coming up. Other than Geelong it is, on paper, the easiest run home. I would rather play Lions in the QF than Sydney.

I'm also not a fan of his antics. I'll watch with the volume off. Despite the posturing by commentators etc networks and venues love him because he brings fans in. If Nick was playing Federer or Nadal I might be torn for whom to barrack. But Novak? Easy choice: Nick.

Wimbledon The Aussie Bad Boy, Kyrgios vs Djokovic who tried to back door his way into the Aussie Open? A challenging choice as to who to barrack for. Who do you barrack for? I'm barracking for the Aussie. Who wins? Kyrgios to win; he has beaten Dyokovic the two times they have played.

Would love to see North get up, not only because it messes with Coll finals hopes but also to get themselves a real boost. Edit: it looks like Coll got the rub of the green with the umps in the first qtr...