Preview 2024 Semi Final : Port v Hawks, AO 7:10pm Friday 13th Sept

[TylerDurden]

 

[cryptor]

Big loss. He was one of their few good performers last week and his importance to them has never been higher with Houston out.

 

[2008wasoverDEW!]

No Houston, Farrell, or Burton.
Butters will be restricted, whilst JHF and Aliir are also sore.
Port playing 4 tall forwards.

We really shouldn't get ahead of ourselves, but Port are ripe for the picking here.

 

[MrBeefSeven]

I guess that's their plan to keep Sicily occupied. Scrim, Weddle and Serong will have a man they can't leave, meaning Sis has to play the fourth tall. We'll see if that works. The Port midfield will want to be delivering some great balls in because if they aren't marked, they aren't getting played by Port. I think our mids will be working Hammer Time and the Port mids will not have any time at all to deliver sweet high balls for no-legs Dixon to pluck off two steps.

We will probably try to keep some flexibility. Doubt they will have all 4 on at once so we may mix/match if we want to keep Sic loose. On occasion Dimma might be able to play taller but that is asking a lot of him.

Once the ball hits the ground we are off to the races

 

[Flukey!]

Its all up to the boys now.
Tomorrow night seems so far away.

 

[EightyNineChamps]

I'd absolutely tackle harder than normal! Be stupid not to. And wouldn't even flinch one iota. He wants to play? Then it's fair game. İn fact , I'd do it first bounce.

The coaches will no doubt alert the boys to the umps looking for any over the top tactics re Butters, therefore they need to just do the basics right and not give away any unnecessary kicks that could lead to scores.

 

[Atch]

4 talls, one of them being Charlie Dixon

22

Charlie Dixon

Age

34

Ht

200cm

Wt

110kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.7

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

4.7

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

G

1.6

5star

D

10.5

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.5

2star

M

5.0

5star

T

1.5

2star

G

2.5

5star

D

8.2

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

3.8

3star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.8

4star

G

0.8

4star

. Seems like a great bloke, but looks like ken forced him to play on this year. Should of retired two years ago.

 

[H00t]

Big loss. He was one of their few good performers last week and his importance to them has never been higher with Houston out.

That’s the last of their drive out of the back line gone now. Should be able to prevent fast ball movement from them now.

Just need to win the midfield battle.

 

[TylerDurden]

That’s the last of their drive out of the back line gone now. Should be able to prevent fast ball movement from them now.

Just need to win the midfield battle.

Assuming Sinn comes in for coverage there.

 

[Blackhawk42]

With no elite Port distributor off half back, as long as we can defend the ground across the middle on the rebound then we should be able to lock the footy in our forward half for long stretches of the game.

It almost might be as simple as 'play Hokball, win the game'.
Just need our midfield to break even at worst.

 

[Fluro Boots]

4 talls reduces flexibility for a change if its not working as well, Sub one off and you're still running a 3 tall forward line. Maybe Esava is going back?

 

[Brishawk]

He smashed it, just ask him

Nobody:
Burton: what makes a man, super great? His first name is ryan…ok, ok, yes a man is super great if they are me!

 

[Yardie]

Ballsy move. Can't see it working.

They are aware that our players can jump......

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Huge game for our mids and our transition footy.

If we limit their entities like we did the Dogs it will all come down to how well we can convert our chances.

Still very nervous about such a big game with a home side having their backs against the wall.

We have to be up for Punk and Moorey.

 

[SSSSSS]

Not at all worried by Sinn.

Wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't play a full game. Constantly injured the poor bloke.

His SANFL form doesn't exactly scream elite either.

 

[Newmo89]

Huge game for our mids and our transition footy.

If we limit their entities like we did the Dogs it will all come down to how well we can convert our chances.

Still very nervous about such a big game with a home side having their backs against the wall.

We have to be up for Punk and Moorey.

Absolutely!! Another big game needed from Meek to give us great service in the middle. Another big chance for Wardy to hit hard and be the inside mid that we want him to be. Just have to get the ball to the ground in the backline and then get it moving.

First quarter will be big - absorb the pressure and then run them off their feet. Huge opportunity ready for the taking if we bring our A game.

 

[H00t]

Assuming Sinn comes in for coverage there.

To be fair to Sinn he hasn’t shown much at AFL level and if he does come in and play defence that’s something we should be exploiting.

 

[OnTheRocks]

Roll of the dice for them, over all they must win the centre clearances & get it into the tall forward line & keep it there.
If we can generate enough entries into our forward line we can beat them

 

[Hoogmeister]

39 inside 50s for the dogs last Friday for 17 scores. Port throwing on an extra tall won't help them if they can't get it into the forward line.

 

[kazzooka]

I hope nash and nuke target butters from the first bounce.
4 players hurt us last time. 2 are out in houston and farrell. The other 2 were butters late and horne-francis.
Get butters sore to have no influence

Butters will not be able to feel anything for about 12 hours on Friday so not sure it will make much difference. He'll get a jab 30-60 minutes before the game and be bulletproof till 5-6 AM the next day.

 

[user33]

Port’s 3 best half backs out against us with the best half forwards in the league.

Trying to convince myself but can’t help be super nervous about this game

 

[toomanysquibs]

We obsess over a cm or two. Having five kilos on a guy makes a difference to play and adds depth to the discussion.

The point isn't that the weight has gone. It's that it was never accurate, or up to date past what clubs wanted to advertise.

If it was all Johnny on the spot and up to date maybe it's useful for fans.

But it never was.

Listed heights are about the same. Not really worth the paper they're printed on, past it being a guide.

 

[TylerDurden]

 

[Blackhawk42]

Butters will not be able to feel anything for about 12 hours on Friday so not sure it will make much difference. He'll get a jab 30-60 minutes before the game and be bulletproof till 5-6 AM the next day.

This might be the case somewhat, however if he has any swelling whatsoever through that rib area then he's going to have trouble combining gut running with bashing and crashing.
Getting the required deep breaths might be challenging.

He might not 'feel' it, but if he's 5-10% down on output it's a win for us.

Remember Lachie Whitfield in the 2019 Grand Final.
Had an appendix out 2 weeks prior. Passed all the fitness tests. Still had zip and run. However, due to discomfort he couldn't kick on his right foot.
These injuries can be pain managed, but they aren't entirely cures.

 

[kazzooka]

They are one of the worst performed ground ball teams and we are the best.
So they go taller against us?

Yeah, that is logical.

Yeah, but they probably know they have no chance of beating us in a ground ball contest. Even if they select their best possible side for it, they will lose that battle. However they can beat us with contested marking. It's the only area they can beat us so they are picking the side to best do that.

thing is the Dogs were the best equipped side to beat us that way at both ends and failed. Of their 3 tall forwards and 3 tall backs, they only won Lobb vs Chol. Gunston kept Jones out of it, Dear dominated O'Donnell. JUH, Darcy and Naughton were all well beaten (Norton 3 goals but I don't think any came from marks.)

Port do not have the same quality of talls as dogs, nor the midfield quality. Although I don't think Nash will be able to shut down JHF or Butters as well as he did Bont. Bont is dominant because he is a rare size so most mids can't match him for size and strength and players that can can't keep up with him. Nash is one of the few that can match him for height and strength and run faster and longer than he can.