thundercloud?May I post in your forum?
Looking forward to this, most challenging game all year. Can't believe we mugged you in round 2, hope we can show up with some of that drive this week because I think we'll need to. We had closer games against far less serious sides eg Crows twice this year by less than a goal but thats footy. Those wins didn't mean as much as a win against Port.
When you got pumped in Melbourne they called for Hinkley's head unfairly. Really it was a snowball, us in red hot form, some dodgy umps (not so much #VICBIAS as HomeGroundAdvantage-you should get the umps this time) and these things pile up fast, it happened to us in Brissie.
Now its the serious run home and the big clubs fire up, I have no doubt you are a top 4 side and prolly a top 2. I feel like Ports coaching has been solid and tactically you've shown good focus on hard finals footy. Long runs of wins are a testament to good coaching panels, but you haven't gone for percentage boosting front running.
My favourites at Port are the tough old lugs Dixon and Boak (and Culpepper but not sure he's old), never seem to drop the heads. The knock on Port has been a lack of class (I don't think the heart gets questioned). These young blokes Rozee and JHF and Butters have really addressed that (another sign there's been good coaching in their steady development).
I like JHF reminds me a bit of a smaller Nathan Buckley, plenty of class and even more drive that can look like arrogance if you don't know what you're seeing. So much more to come from him.
I can't shut up about Hinkley coz I think he's a very good coach and he gets stick. I don't think you have a super-resourced coaching panel or much under the table extras so if you're well coached its in great part him. Long runs of honest footy that wins games means he's coached well. The gambit of resting so many fellas was a punt gone wrong, and Carlton are front runners who can make you look bad with non-finals blowout footy.
I don't expect a demoralised Port this week, I expect a hell of a fight. Just hoping for no injuries, and good luck for the rest of the year.