Preview 2021 Preliminary Final vs Western Bulldogs @ Adelaide Oval 11/09/21

[philreich]

So much nervousness and trepidation surrounding this week.
Cannot begin to guess what I'll be like the portnight after, if we fluke a win?
Put us out of our misery Ports - just ****ing win.

On the other hand, I sense the steely determination of our players this time around - they seem hell bent on righting the wrongs of the past. It just seems like this is 2004 again, after the heart breaks suffered in recent years. Geez I hope I'm right, because I doubt I'll bring myself to watch the grand final if I'm wrong!!!!!

 

[Macca19]

We got this

 

[PJ Power]

We got this

Macca, please don’t.

 

[bomberclifford]

We will smash them.

 

[70sDinosaur]

PF week is the most nerve-wracking week of them all because you know it's going to end either in utter elation or utter despair - there simply is no middle ground.

I know I'm gonna be on edge all week but ultimately this is what you live for as a supporter - regardless of the inevitable ups and downs, it's far better to have your team involved at this time of year than to not be involved and just looking on.

 

[Iwish]

So, it turns out their FK-differential streak actually stretches back eight finals:

2021

PF vs PA @ AO: ??-??
SF vs BL @ Gabba: 28-19 (+61) W
EF vs Ess @ UTAS: 22-14 (+52) W

2020

EF vs StK @ Gabba: 15-8 (+44) L

2019

EF vs GWS @ Show: 34-28 (+37) L

2016

GF vs Syd @ MCG: 20-8 (+31) W
PF vs GWS @ Show: 23-13 (+19) W
SF vs Haw @ MCG: 19-14 (+9) W
EF vs WCE @ Subi: 17-13 (+4) W

2015

EF vs Adel @ MCG: 15-20 L

Those frees in the 2016 pf and gf are a disgrace.
Ive heard for a while now that John longmire still harbors deep anger over 2016 and when he eventually leaves footy he is gonna let rip of what he really thinks about the umps, afl and bulldogs and the rigging that went on and is prepared to name some people within the afl past and present and throw them under the bus

 

[Astronema]

I’m super confident we will win this game, but i can’t for the life of me see us blowing the game open. Preliminary finals are always so hard to win, so I’m trying to be fully prepared for a close one while full well knowing close games can be an absolute coin flip.

Aaaaaaaa I’m even more nervous than last year!! Please just win!

 

[Troopsy]

Those frees in the 2016 pf and gf are a disgrace.
Ive heard for a while now that John longmire still harbors deep anger over 2016 and when he eventually leaves footy he is gonna let rip of what he really thinks about the umps, afl and bulldogs and the rigging that went on and is prepared to name some people within the afl past and present and throw them under the bus

Please do this Longmire…

 

[70sDinosaur]

Please do this Longmire…

I reckon after he quits coaching the AFL will set him up with a cushy job somewhere and buy his silence.

 

[Footy Time]

Those frees in the 2016 pf and gf are a disgrace.
Ive heard for a while now that John longmire still harbors deep anger over 2016 and when he eventually leaves footy he is gonna let rip of what he really thinks about the umps, afl and bulldogs and the rigging that went on and is prepared to name some people within the afl past and present and throw them under the bus

I'd feel ashamed to follow the Bulldogs with the blatant cheating that goes on in their games. No one respects their 2016 win.

 

[Ant Bear]

Lately, it seems like, every time we go into a game with utter certainty that we will bent over by the officials, they end up not having an influence. Case in point, round 23; frees were 23-15 in our favour. Regardless, we have learned to cope much better with lopsided umpiring, as recently as the Qualifying final, and we have improved our discipline to the point where the players hardly ever query the umpiring decisions anymore. It has been a feature of the past 2 seasons. Umpires also want to put their best foot forward in Prelims, only 3 of the 6 umpires across the two games get a prestigious GF berth. Umpiring won't be a factor this week.

What will be crucial to the result is application - if not getting off to a fast start, at least preventing the Bulldogs from scoring the first 4 goals again would be good! Also making the most of our opportunities inside the forward 50. We really should have beaten the Bulldogs by 4 or 5 goals last time, we had complete dominance in the stats - 60 more disposals, 51-18 hitouts, clearances 35-28, 114 marks to 91, more contested possessions, 64-54 tackles, 21 scoring shots to 14.

Drew to reprise his role on Libba, Rozee on Daniels again - I don't think we need to change the formula. I expect English to play more in the ruck, it has been their biggest weakness without Martin and Lycett bullied the part-timers in R23. I reckon the week off will be manna for Dixon, he more than anyone in our team needed a rest. Perhaps SPP might come into the starting 22, maybe for Motlop, but Georgiades didn't do enough in the SANFL yesterday to win a recall.

The Bulldogs looked like they won their Grand Final last night, they have progressed to the expected level after their season and are coming to the end of their endurance. We play at our best, we win - it's as simple as that. No team in this finals series has displayed the intensity, the ferocity, the desire that we showed against Geelong. We are seeking redemption for last year,, we are seeking reward for some club legends who don't have many more opportunities to experience the success they deserve and we are doing it for a legend of the club and the game, Russell Ebert. Nothing can stop us, except ourselves, and this group has shown that they perform at a consistently high level.

 

[AdamMarrett]

PF week is the most nerve-wracking week of them all because you know it's going to end either in utter elation or utter despair - there simply is no middle ground.

I know I'm gonna be on edge all week but ultimately this is what you live for as a supporter - regardless of the inevitable ups and downs, it's far better to have your team involved at this time of year than to not be involved and just looking on.

Exactly right & well said.

No point worrying about what's been and gone, it's history and it cannot be changed. Reading a few posts in this thread about what's gone, it's done, this is the most exciting part of being a supporter, may as well embrace being in it up to our eyeballs, rather then wallowing that we aren't there, as we all know it's hard to get to this point of the season.

As another poster said, this year looks and feels different to all the other changes we have had the past decade. Even last year Richmond were the best team in it, this year we aren't facing that. We may well be the best team in it, from what I saw against Geelong we are on form.

Bring on the week ahead, and the nervous wait until Saturday. It's a great time to be a supporter.

 

[OneGreatClub]

Massive selection headache for the Dogs this week.

The Dogs key selection question is who takes accountability for shutting down Dixon.

Stevic or Razor Ray?


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Oh man.. that’s funny

 

[Janey]

We got this

Uh oh

 

[Marmozet]

Those frees in the 2016 pf and gf are a disgrace.
Ive heard for a while now that John longmire still harbors deep anger over 2016 and when he eventually leaves footy he is gonna let rip of what he really thinks about the umps, afl and bulldogs and the rigging that went on and is prepared to name some people within the afl past and present and throw them under the bus

Good on him. So he should. He should get plenty of support too.

 

[PJ Power]

I’m going to try to unjinx us by pointing out that there is no certainty in prelim finals and that the Bulldogs remain a very good side who led us for all but 5 minutes when we played three weeks ago. Should we win? Yes. But there’s a lot we need to do very well to make it happen. Public shows of Over-confidence (eg Kane Cornes

Kane Cornes

Age

41

Ht

183cm

Wt

78kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

23.5

5star

K

12.5

5star

HB

11.0

5star

M

5.2

5star

T

3.3

5star

CL

2.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

13.0

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.2

3star

on his AFL.com.au segment) aren’t needed this week and won’t help us in any way. Head down. Get the job done. Be prepared for all scenarios. Collingwood QF 2002, WCE EF 2017 still vivid in my memory.

 

[Macca19]

This game is ours boys and girls









Dogs by 42

 

[Capital Power]

This game is ours boys and girls









Dogs by 42

Ahh, that's better

 

[Footy Matt]

Is it Friday yet?

 

[PAFC66]

Is it Friday yet?

Saturday

 

[philreich]

Saturday

131 hours until game time - not that I'm counting........

 

[OneGreatClub]

On the other hand, I sense the steely determination of our players this time around - they seem hell bent on righting the wrongs of the past. It just seems like this is 2004 again, after the heart breaks suffered in recent years. Geez I hope I'm right, because I doubt I'll bring myself to watch the grand final if I'm wrong!!!!!

Yes to miss out on a GF appearance by so little in 2014 and 2020, it would be heartbreaking to do so again.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Quietly confident when you look at all the factors. Bont won't be at 100%. It may be better to have him hobbling around than not playing at all.

 

[PowerBaz]

We got this

I reckon too.

The narrative of Dees and Bulldogs can carry on across the border, no need to mention Gray, Boak etc… (let’s face it even Ken needs this).

Happy we are the worst top 4 team in history… carry on….

 

[PowerBaz]

Quietly confident when you look at all the factors. Bont won't be at 100%. It may be better to have him hobbling around than not playing at all.

Jonas just needs to welcome him to the game.