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

[Ford Fairlane]

In a nutshell to save you the indignity of going the bony claw of avarice and greed website ...

Tredders thinks only now are we seeing the real Port Adelaide. We have found form at the right time of the year after being smashed all year with injuries. We are only now able to field our best side.

Instead if dropping our bundle we found ways to win tight ugly close games and uncovered a couple of first 22 players. He reserves a special mention for Drew and Bonner.

Warren said the Geelong game was the best he has seen us play since the 2014 finals.

To quote Warren

Topping it off is the hunger for the contest. One word describes Friday's win - brutal. The Power attacked the contest like men possessed and when they didn't have the ball, they used their bodies as battering rams to win it back, smashing the Cats in tackles 66-49 while still dominating possession.

 

[finbarr]

Not convinced of this at all.

I don't buy in to the Vic/non-Vic stuff either. Melbourne haven't had an advantage and they are sitting where we are. In fact, we've had the rub of the green against them head to head for quite some time (probably the only club that's true for).

The simple reality is that just about every major sporting code on the planet has at some point been shown to be corrupt, because there is massive money in gambling. Add to that the fact that umpires at AFL level aren't exactly being paid 7 figures, and have a set of rules of interpretation that seem to change weekly, as well as the gang links to so many players - its a perfect storm. In fact it would almost be surprising if there WASNT some level of corruption with umpires being paid to umpire a certain way.

I watched the first half against Geelong last week. I just can't believe that there wasn't corruption there. No noise of affirmation, no occasional 50/50 going in one way, it was a consistent and deliberate attempt to get the cats across the line by the umpires.

The main point i'm trying to make is that umpires are not directed to "cheat" by the AFL.

 

[finbarr]

They (the AFL) can telegraph the outcomes they want though. Whilst I agree that umps don't deliberately "cheat", the unconscious bias is a massive factor. The "fairytale" Narrative can seep in. You are right about The Bulldogs and to a lesser extent training to get free kicks. The evidence is there.

This, i absolutely believe is a thing. You've said it much better than me.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

The main point i'm trying to make is that umpires are not directed to "cheat" by the AFL.

Yeah I was going to edit my post to address this part, on this I agree with you.

 

[robbo1981]

In a nutshell to save you the indignity of going the bony claw of avarice and greed website ...

Tredders thinks only now are we seeing the real Port Adelaide. We have found form at the right time of the year after being smashed all year with injuries. We are only now able to field our best side.

Instead if dropping our bundle we found ways to win tight ugly close games and uncovered a couple of first 22 players. He reserves a special mention for Drew and Bonner.

Warren said the Geelong game was the best he has seen us play since the 2014 finals.

To quote Warren

Topping it off is the hunger for the contest. One word describes Friday's win - brutal. The Power attacked the contest like men possessed and when they didn't have the ball, they used their bodies as battering rams to win it back, smashing the Cats in tackles 66-49 while still dominating possession.

Jesus Zakk has aged quickly

 

[Interstater]

In my 30 years on this planet I have never donned the teal, until now. Flog these cheats and I pray we see you, not the AFLs pets, in the big dance

You only want us to win so you don't have to share the #VicMedia fairytale spotlight.
Save your prayers for someone who needs them.

 

[FishingRick04]

We need to inundate the vic media radio, Lyon and Watson, Whateley, Dwayne, Bob and Andy and their drive time and evening shows with the same constant question.

What is your opinion on the biased umpiring and the corrupt AFL? Just pose the question and let them create the narrative.

Not sure that is the way to win them over. They are part of the establishment.

mid be asking questions that trap them. But regardless it’s short love as they will just ignore the conversation.

eg why do you think there appears to be an umpiring bias towards Victorian sides in the AFL. Here’s the current statistics to ….. discuss.

do you think a team getting a greater percentage of frees forward of centrecompare to back pockets is an advantage which it is.

a back pocket free allows the opposition to set up a zone if it’s executed slow enough.

 

[jac147]

This is my first posting on this thread and I haven't read any of the 8 pages, so this may have been already brought up.
Glad it's the Doggies we are playing because the way I see it they have serious, serous injury problems. You got to stick to the old maxim that you never play injured players in important games and the players that could be missing will certainly make them weaker.
I only watched parts of last nights game and that #46 for the lions would have troubled us - he's an excellent all round ruck man and the doggies only win the ruck if they get soft nonexistent frees (which is nearly all the time).

 

[Marmozet]

After seeing what happened to Sydney in 2016, my worst nightmare was the same thing happening to us in a big final.

 

[Astronema]

I think we are the better side but preliminary finals are always so bloody close! I’m honestly not worried about the umpires after the Geelong game. This squad doesn’t give a **** anymore.

 

[finbarr]

After seeing what happened to Sydney in 2016, my worst nightmare was the same thing happening to us in a big final.

Every Dogs supporter on the planet would have bought the DVD of that game and watched it over and over. How they can still feel comfortable with how they won that is beyond me.

 

[Garibaldi Red]

One thing I will not tolerate in next Saturday's game is if we have that biased flog Luke Darcy commentating.

An atrocious commentator of the game at the best of times it is simply unacceptable that Channel 7 allows him to commentate on Bulldogs games in the finals series. And his political attacks of the WA government made things even worse last night.

Unfortunately, I think he does all of the Saturday night games.

 

[Power Raid]

Fingers crossed Dixon finds form and can run.

I miss his forward pressure and chase.

A fully fit Dixon means we win

 

[GoTheSwannies]

Fingers crossed Dixon finds form and can run.

I miss his forward pressure and chase.

A fully fit Dixon means we win

I hope Dixon puts in a heroic performance and kicks a bag

 

[yepits2020]

They have a few oddballs

A few?

 

[Buget]

I don’t even get why Weightman is even being discussed as a possibility. He was sub out of the game because of concussion. The protocol is clear, 12 days off.

if the AFL walks back it is opening the door for abuse of the sub rule. No club wants to be down a rotation for 20mins Whilst the concussion protocols are followed. It is of benefit to sub the player out to get the bench rotation back regardless of if they are showing concussion symptoms or not. Pulling the sub trigger straight away, especially if it is a like for like player is a tactical decision. If he is cleared, then it was a tactical sub, as “abundance of caution” doesn’t fly with concussion or in a final. The rule is simple.

the concussion assessment should be made independently, like the HIA in NRL. It will prevent abuse.

If he is cleared of concussion then the Dogs cheated and should be fined. It isn’t the reason for why they introduced the sub.

 

[Festerz]

Unfortunately, I think he does all of the Saturday night games.

Yep but you would think that for the AFL finals Channel 7 and the AFL would do all in their power to get the best uncompromised commentators to do it - especially as most of them are doing it from interstate anyway.

As someone said on twitter last night, behind the smooth voice of Luke Darcy lies a black hole of nothingness that not even Stephen Hawking could comprehend.

 

[GoTheMightyCrows]

I don’t even get why Weightman is even being discussed as a possibility. He was sub out of the game because of concussion. The protocol is clear, 12 days off.

if the AFL walks back it is opening the door for abuse of the sub rule. No club wants to be down a rotation for 20mins Whilst the concussion protocols are followed. It is of benefit to sub the player out to get the bench rotation back regardless of if they are showing concussion symptoms or not. Pulling the sub trigger straight away, especially if it is a like for like player is a tactical decision. If he is cleared, then it was a tactical sub, as “abundance of caution” doesn’t fly with concussion or in a final. The rule is simple.

the concussion assessment should be made independently, like the HIA in NRL. It will prevent abuse.

If he is cleared of concussion then the Dogs cheated and should be fined. It isn’t the reason for why they introduced the sub.

Head knock vs concussion is the sticking point.

 

[Buget]

Head knock vs concussion is the sticking point.

come on… what causes concussion? Head knocks…. If that stands they are absolutely splitting hairs and wasnt the intent of the rule.

The sub rule should have involved a automatic week off for any injury. That way it would prevent abuse.

and yes…. Port would have suffered from that this year quite a bit.

 

[Festerz]

Head knock vs concussion is the sticking point.

Not sure why. Bearing in mind definitively determining whether concussion has occurred is nigh impossible do simply from video and cognitive responses post trauma.

If the medical team makes the call to sideline one of their key players is subbed off with a 'head knock' in the final minutes of a do or die final with the teams deadlocked on the scoreboard then it must be clear to all that the 'head knock' had a high potential of being concussion related.

 

[GoTheMightyCrows]

come on… what causes concussion? Head knocks…. If that stands they are absolutely splitting hairs and wasnt the intent of the rule.

The sub rule should have involved a automatic week off for any injury. That way it would prevent abuse.

and yes…. Port would have suffered from that this year quite a bit.

I'm not defending the decission whatsoever but we really don't know where on the head he was injured, what if he had a suspected fractured cheek bone, would that be cause for him to have a forced week off?

 

[GoTheMightyCrows]

Not sure why. Bearing in mind definitively determining whether concussion has occurred is nigh impossible do simply from video and cognitive responses post trauma.

If the medical team makes the call to sideline one of their key players is subbed off with a 'head knock' in the final minutes of a do or die final with the teams deadlocked on the scoreboard then it must be clear to all that the 'head knock' had a high potential of being concussion related.

True but without seeing what they submitted on the medical report we are just guessing.

 

[bacharach]

Regarding cheating umpires. I watched a docco many years ago about people who had cheated or lied. An NBA ref was one of them, he admitted to making incorrect calls/decisions that favoured certain players and the powerhouse teams. He said that the NBA never once asked him to do this, but he said they reinforced his cheating behaviours by giving him (and other refs) bigger games/finals. Or, on the other hand punish them by not giving them games.

While I dont think blatant cheating is occurring in AFL, if it is however, maybe we ought to keep an eye on WHO is getting rewarded with the umpiring gigs in these finals, and looking at their track record. Surely, out of the 100s AFL umpires, only the best, most objective and accurate umpires make it to finals right? Although it makes it hard to assess when their game day performance isn't publicly available.

 

[imagifED]

Will be supporting you guys. Just can't accept the Bulldogs with their favourable media coverage, prime time fixturing and umpiring. Maybe you winning the whole thing will light the fire for us to get better.

 

[PAFCsince1870]

How can you guys possibly win, I can't see it. I'm sorry lads. Home ground advantage doesn't mean much against the bullies.

Weightmann also bending the rules. You'll just know he'll front up. VFL will make it happen

You obviously missed the first half of the Geelong game before the umpires decided to pay a few eveners in the backline