2018- What Went Wrong

[afl2004]

We resigned hinkley in 2017, that's were 2018 went wrong

 

[Macca19]

Then what is Wingard?

Sent from mTalk

Wingard hasn't been a match winner up forward for 2 years. He's getting there as a Gray style midfielder but he's not there yet.

 

[jaxx]

We need Gray up forward because he's the only genuine match winner we have up there.

We need Gray in the midfield because he's the only genuine explosive clearance winner we have.

#NeedMoreGray

This is where Rockliff's season has cost us big time. He was an absolute clearance beast at Brisbane but we got f-all from him in comparison. He should've freed Gray up to play forward but he didn't but we played Gray forward anyway. Disaster.

 

[tribey]

This is where Rockliff's season has cost us big time. He was an absolute clearance beast at Brisbane but we got f-all from him in comparison. He should've freed Gray up to play forward but he didn't but we played Gray forward anyway. Disaster.

His lack of conditioning and impact early on - and our comically bad decision to go with him anyway - was diabolical.

If the coaches had their time again I'm sure they put him on his own extended preseason, bring him through the Magpies and then let him build from there, to the point where he debuts for Port in Round 6 or 7 or whatever.

His immediate shoehorning when not ready was like Primus2005 all over again.

 

[afl2004]

His lack of conditioning and impact early on - and our comically bad decision to go with him anyway - was diabolical.

If the coaches had their time again I'm sure they put him on his own extended preseason, bring him through the Magpies and then let him build from there, to the point where he debuts for Port in Round 6 or 7 or whatever.

His immediate shoehorning when not ready was like Primus2005 all over again.

Yep Primus2005 was a shit poster

 

[Doctor Feel]

Can you imagine being a player facing another summer of running 400kms a week and then being exposed to tactical drills and film study that requires you to be defensive, on and off the ball, at all times?

That shit would make me feel sorry for Bryce Gibbs.

Lol you wait. All the media from us in the pre-season will be "We're gonna be attacking and exciting. Port Adelay Futbul"

Then select 12 defenders and play Dixon 1v6.

 

[PAFC66]

This is where Rockliff's season has cost us big time. He was an absolute clearance beast at Brisbane but we got f-all from him in comparison. He should've freed Gray up to play forward but he didn't but we played Gray forward anyway. Disaster.

Rockcliff kicked 4 goals for the season

Lol

 

[Doctor Feel]

Couldn't disagree more.

Port's biggest problem is one that pre-dates Hinkley, Thomas, Davies, Burgess, and Koch. Our list isn't very good at kicking and handballing, and it hasn't been for a long time. We have some supremely skillful players, like Gray and Wingard, but the list overall is poor.

Generally, you fix a team that lacks skill through the draft, trade, and free agency. You get better ball users into the club, and move the poor ones on.

Sometimes, you can fix it by drilling skills at training, but, often, unskilled (or underskilled) players are a turd you can't polish.

We inadvertently, and temporarily, fixed the problem when we signed Burgess. We got the jump on the rest of the league when he got us super fit.

Super fitness meant we could outwork opponents - an unskilled player who couldn't hit a target in 2m of space now had targets in 5, 10, sometimes 15m of space instead. We also fatigued less than opponents, meaning our skills deteriorated less over the course of a game.

This paired remarkably well with the run-and-gun brand of football we were playing, but, when the rest of the league started to catch up to us, the space dried up, and our relative ability to run out games was diminished.

We are fixing this - we've brought in and blooded some better ball users - and we have other problems (ruck depth, KPF depth, forwardine structure, set up at stoppage, ...), but the 2014 gameplan would not have won us a flag after 2014, because it relied on a fitness advantage that evaporated over the 2014/2015 offseason.

Hi Kochie

 

[agmsy]

Hi Kochie

Brutal. My voice isn't squeaky, and I have a full head of hair.

 

[TeeKray]

Where to really begin with what went wrong. I guess you need to look at what went right last year. We were able to score quickly, move the ball quickly, defend strongly against poor teams but it all fell apart against good teams. I think we were all expecting some light tinkering of how we played last year but what we saw was a pretty heavy handed change to our game style and it didn't work.

Defensively we were very impressive last year. The stats will show that we (bar Essendon kicking a huge score on Friday) will end this season with our best defensive season at AFL level. I guess thats a positive, I think.

Where it all went wrong was with our ball movement. Those who went to the members convention will know that how we played throughout the year was exactly how it was described at the convention. If we can't get through the corridor quickly then slow ball movement concentrating on maintaining possession. Minimal risk.

Unfortunately this failed for a number of reasons. We still don't have the skill to maintain possession of the ball coming out of D50. This is a huge problem. Houston can't do it all himself. Missing Hartlett and Broadbent for the year hurt in this regard as well. This also failed because we just weren't able to move the ball quickly enough. This allowed the opposition to set up defensively against us too many times leading to this boring brand of football that we forced ourselves to play.

Those at the convention would also know that soccer was brought up numerous times, especially in terms of defensive set ups. I feel we've tried to push this too far when it doesn't work. We've ried to play Mourinho style football - get an early lead, defend and shut down the game. Fine in a low scoring game like soccer, but it doesn't really work in a game like Aussie Rules. You need to be able to turn it on when you need to and it's something we have had trouble with all year. We've averaged 3 goals less per game this year which is a significant amount.

The best teams play with flair, take risks and are skillful. We are none of those. We actively coach flair and risk taking out of the team.

As I mentioned earlier, I feel we werent able to play our ultimate KPP lineup for almost the entire season. This was disappointing.

The most disappointing aspect though was the way that we were so easily shut down throughout the year. When teams like Carlton and Freo are keeping you goalless/scoreless then you really need to question what the hell is going on.

I still think we are close. I still think with some correct coaching, with a shift in focus, we can become a bonafide premiership threat next year. Whether we can do this under the current regime, i'm not sure.

Every word of this is absolutely spot on

 

[x_les_x]

dont forget taking a brute like powell peppers natural game away by making him into a tagger then getting frustrated that your mids are too slow and reacting by dropping him because he cant do a kane cornes rack up 30 short/backwards handballs and kicks whilst shutting down opponent numbers.

 

[RossFC]

Lol you wait. All the media from us in the pre-season will be "We're gonna be attacking and exciting. Port Adelay Futbul"

Then select 12 defenders and play Dixon 1v6.

I 100% am not getting fooled this time round. Fool me once shame on you, fool me for 5 years straight then I'm just Bart Simpson continually getting shocked by an electric cup cake.

 

[nomisg]

ROSS LYON!!!!

 

[rogerjames]

Well done everyone who has posted in this thread I didn't read too much that I disagreed with. Hopefully the people who matter down at Alberton will share your collective view and most importantly do something about it or should I post, know what to do to fix the situation.

One thing that wasn't mentioned was the decision to allow the Captain to give up the No1 guernsey. It was in a good cause and had no bearing on the result but 50 years of tradition was lost in an instant and you have to wonder just how much those running the Club care about our tradition when they can allow things like that to happen albeit for a good cause. Tradition is what separates us from the other side of town and it is what got us into the AFL so it is really sad that we lose any of it. Maybe it is symptomatic of the fact that we have lost focus on football and have become a community organisation. I would rather be known as a mean arsed group of winners than a nice bunch of losers. I do not feel any joy in posting what appears to be mean spirited view and I realise that others may disagree but you have to wonder, if people are prepared to give up a 50 year tradition what else are they prepared to do do look good.

The real problem for me is if we keep repeating the mistakes as listed in this thread we will develop an ingrained losing culture and that will not be fixed overnight.

Sorry but we already have

 

[rogerjames]

For the first time I am planning to remain seated with my arms folded during NTUA. They can go get staffed.

I will be doing the same. It just doesnt feel right atm

 

[tribey]

For the first time I am planning to remain seated with my arms folded during NTUA. They can go get staffed.

Who knew 'they' would turn out to be Hinkley, Koch and Thomas.

And 'could never' would mean 'are doing their best to'?

 

[agmsy]

Then select 12 defenders and play Dixon 1v6.

I almost want the AFL to bring in starting positions next season, just to see us line up 6-6-6 at a centre bounce, and then have both wings and four forwards scamper back to defence as soon as play starts.

 

[Janus]

Here goes:

1. The tragedy of Todd Marshall: At the start of the year I said that Marshall needed to have a season like Westhoff 07 for us to win the flag. The reason for that was because it would have meant that he was taking advantage of the delivery from Watts and the double teaming of Dixon. It would have meant the forward system that we had spent the entire preseason working on was being used effectively.

2. Brendon Lade: I’m of the opinion that Keith Thomas is so apologetic when it comes to Ken because getting Lade was his idea. Then Richmond wins the flag, and will probably win another this year, based on forward pressure...which is what we were focused on in 2016. When you’ve got someone who doesn’t believe in the system, it creates a disconnect that becomes evident on the field. Our inability to score from repeat inside 50 entries rests solely with his inability to create any sort of system that creates separation for our forwards. Richmond had the same issue until he left and Hardwick could focus on full ground pressure like he wanted to. For everyone who wants to raise money to pay out Hinkley, maybe save some money and pay out Lade instead, because it will be ****ing cheaper. As worse an appointment to the coaching panel as Matthew Primus was to head coach.

3. No preseason for Rockliff: Here’s a guy who has never once played finals, and so never had to condition his body for the event that he would. So it’s little wonder that he would fade in the back half of the season when the conditioning you do in the preseason should allow you to push through the grind. Hence the reason his TOG was so low in the last few games. Expected him to rotate with Gray up forward - never happened. Will get back to his best next year. Should go on a trip with Boak and do the training he did on his running in the offseason.

4. Inexperienced backline: For most of the year, due to injuries to Hartlett and Broadbent, we have been forced to play a defence that has 5 players who have played less than 100 games: Howard, Clurey, Byrne-Jones, Bonner and Houston. It’s little wonder that these guys weren’t providing the drive and impetus we needed on the break, and why the midfield didn’t really trust them and was always sitting on their heels. The lack of pressure on spots (look at Bonner coming straight back in) meant that poor performances couldn’t be punished.

5. Slow ball movement in offence: I vehemently disagree with the concept that ball retention predicates slow movement of the ball. Maybe in shit soccer leagues it does, but we want to be playing Guardiola style football, not Mourinho style football. Bassett was on record saying that it was time to start playing properly out of defence, and over the past few weeks we’ve seen some much faster and more explosive play, which is how we should be moving the ball. The problem is that without Dixon it’s far too easy for the opposition to push up the ground because they don’t have to worry about a contested marking threat.

I never once heard anyone at the convention use the word “slow”. They said our focus was on retaining possession because if we have the ball, it’s the best form of defence.

6. Ryder injury: Ryder coming off the ground against Fremantle and West Coast cost us both games. Both his tendinitis and his hip flexor are related to one another. It’s all right here: https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a20838733/if-you-have-achilles-pain-look-to-your-hips/

“Seventy-five percent of the time, if not more, runners with Achilles problems have coinciding hip and core limitations,” Frey says. “Poor hip flexibility, specifically extension, leads to poor gluteal recruitment and an overload of the calf complex, leading to Achilles problems. So, underlying biomechanical deficiencies in the hip often precede Achilles problems.”

Ryder isn’t cooked. He does, however, need to strengthen his hips with exercises during the off season.

7. Not using Watts correctly: This stems back to the disconnect between Lade and the rest of the coaches. If during line meetings one coach is saying you need to work on one aspect of your game, and the head coach is expecting to to work on another, it can get confusing. His best role has always been to start in the forward line and be the link up between midfield and forward.

8. Lack of effort: “It’s not winning contests when you should win contests. It’s not working hard enough to outnumber a team, and that’s what we weren’t doing. When you get in that space you can look pretty poor. When you don’t work to outnumber in defence you feel it on the scoreboard. But if you don’t work to outnumber in offence, you don’t get momentum, you don’t get drive, you don’t get an opportunity to attack the scoreboard...when you work to get there with each other and help each other, each other play well. But if you leave it in isolation to one or two, one or two probably hold their heads up, not many.”

 

[DrMike]

Gameplan wise, the coaching group were convinced that a defensive gameplan was the right path to success; this meant where we gain the lead, kill the contest and go defensive for most of the game. The majority of our players had to be recoached and had to carry out with little mastery into playing this defensive, ultra-conservative mindset which sacrificed their own flair, natural strengths and unpredictability. This worked some weeks with unfashionable results, but to what we saw in the Showdown and against West Coast you can't be the dam wall for entire quarters, eventually you have to score yourself before your opponent catches up and outscores you.

I thought last year that our attack/defense split was much more balanced and potent. This year our defensive first mindset got too far negative, the game against Freo being the perfect example where we needed an attacking mindset early on before we slowed the game down to a grinding halt. I think that our defensive, stoppage fetish gameplan lacks sustainability and causes fatigue to the point where we can't swing it back in the other direction during games (the stats back this up, we rank 15th in the AFL as the worst scoring 4th quarter team in the league).

I wish you guys would go back to what was working from a few years ago. Yes it got figured out a bit but that doesn't mean you stop it or completely change the way you play.

I can't imagine it's fun for your players to play this way. The defensive grind seems like such a chore.

 

[raptalia]

I think 9th is generous. Had the crows not been savaged by injury they’d have won more than us. I think north and essendon will go past us next year. So will Brisbane.

I could be wrong but of our double ups only one finished in the 8 (west coast and we lost both).

We had a good draw and as said before at 11-4 make no mistake this is a capitulation of huge proportions. It is an embarrassment.




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I think you are right.

Koch, KT and Ken will probably put a positive spin on things by saying we lost a couple of close ones but were we really any good? We also won a couple of close ones and had they not gone our way we would not have been in the hunt.

 

[raptalia]

Lol you wait. All the media from us in the pre-season will be "We're gonna be attacking and exciting. Port Adelay Futbul"

Then select 12 defenders and play Dixon 1v6.

Ken will probably get up and say something like, We let ourselves down, it was not good enough and we have to do better- we know we have to do better. The really infuriating thing about Ken is that he has made stating the bleeding obvious into an art form which never translates into anything on the field. Have to do better probably means getting better at playing the low skilled ultra defensive shite his game plan has evolved into.

The really worrying thing is that people like KT and Koch think Hinkley is on the right track and that his game plan simply needs a tweek when it really needs filing in the rubbish bin.

 

[raptalia]

We resigned hinkley in 2017, that's were 2018 went wrong

I wish Hinkley had resigned and not been re signed.

 

[Kingfish73]

Piss weak leadership across the board

 

[Kingfish73]

I went to my daughter u12 GF yesterday. They were down 3.3 to 0.0 half time. Then kicked 4.3 3rd quarter. Held possession for first 8 mins of 4th quarter and led 4.4 to 3.3 with 4 mins to go. Said to friends n family "why every game i watch this year not good for my blood pressure and so Port Adelaide ".

They lost by 1 point. Ferk u Ken

 

[MrPlow]

> ultra defensive & conservative game plan

> lack of kicking skills

> too many inside mids in the 22

> inability to transition from mid to fwd (mids can’t lower the eyes, fwds don’t know how to lead)

> over reliance on Ryder, forcing us to play out of structure when he’s been injured

> golden pass given to usual suspects at selection table (at the expense of the handful playing well in sanfl)

> inability to mix up kick ins (same predictable kick to the same boundary where an outnumbered contest awaits)

Let’s be honest Kern is what went wrong