Opinion Non-Crows AFL 4: The Centre Cannot Hold

[Bay62]

We had the same thing at a cafe for lunch a couple of weeks back. Slow service, the manager apologised and said they've only just gone back to capacity, lost most of their staff during COVID and now struggling to get (suitably experienced) staff. I'm sure it's a real issue in some hospo.

I went to a Glenelg dinner at the Grand

Bar staff didn’t know how to pour a beer. Clearly had never done it before. Not entirely sure why they couldn’t have got them in 30 mins earlier to show them

Waiting staff didn’t clear the dinner plates from the table before dessert came out. Not enough to do it all. We ended up doing it ourselves

 

[texanmike]

lol if anyone wants a laugh go listen to today’s 5aa podcast and go to 28:00 minutes in, you can even hear Rowe pissing himself.

 

[Punchy Bassett]

Oh boy wheels falling off everywhere

 

[ams4crows]

Oh boy wheels falling off everywhere

Hows all that off field jealousy looking now? What a gutless prick.

 

[Mutineer]

Do they play footy?

Jett Buckley - Player Statistics

Player Statistics for Jett Buckley while playing in the South Metro Junior Football League Powered by GameDay

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Family first: Nathan Buckley suggests he’ll stay in Victoria

Nathan Buckley said he'll stay in Melbourne while his sons Jett (15) and Ayce (13) are in school. nathanbuckley AFL aussierules football

headtopics.com

 

[FR0GGY]

Jett Buckley - Player Statistics

Player Statistics for Jett Buckley while playing in the South Metro Junior Football League Powered by GameDay

websites.mygameday.app

Family first: Nathan Buckley suggests he’ll stay in Victoria

Nathan Buckley said he'll stay in Melbourne while his sons Jett (15) and Ayce (13) are in school. nathanbuckley AFL aussierules football

headtopics.com

Is he tracking towards being any good?

 

[CrowsB4hoes]

Oh boy wheels falling off everywhere

That’s what happens when you’re constantly trying to polish a turd. After a while, the odour won’t go away.

 

[ContrarianCrow]

Hows all that off field jealousy looking now? What a gutless prick.

Wasn’t that the fat potato-head failed cricketer Davies that said that? Would have loved to see his face as Dawson’s shot curled through.

 

[Maddogmetro]

We never recovered from the 2017 GF. The disappointment caused a seismic fissure in our playing ranks and in the club itself. We didn’t lack for talent but we fell apart

Port are still suffering from the 2021 PF loss. They could taste the premiership

Momentum is cumulative. And that boulder has been rolling down hill since September last year.

They’re 0-4, not just 0-3 in 2022

They’ll be 0-5 in 2022 and probably 1-7.

That’s the end of 2022, the end of this entire cycle. The end of some senior players, the end of Koch & Ken, the end of this entire cycle of contention with nothing

It’s slipping, slipped away. They can feel it, it’s gone and they know it

They’re being crushed by disappointment, expectation, and by knowing it’s already over

We know what that’s like, and the die is already cast. Turns out the Doggies ripped their heart out and it’s over

I almost feel sorry for them - but where’s the fun in that

We'll know for sure the shift in mindset and internal expectations when a loss to Melbourne by 5 goals will end with them talking about the 'positives' from the match, and 'not letting them blow it out'.

Moving from a desire to win, to accepting an 'honourable loss'.

 

[Crow_68]

Is it Thursday they are re-honouring Ebert or are they putting it off to a more winnable game?

 

[Sanders]

We'll know for sure the shift in mindset and internal expectations when a loss to Melbourne by 5 goals will end with them talking about the 'positives' from the match, and 'not letting them blow it out'.

Moving from a desire to win, to accepting an 'honourable loss'.

The shift in mindset is how they’re already panicking

 

[CrowsB4hoes]

We'll know for sure the shift in mindset and internal expectations when a loss to Melbourne by 5 goals will end with them talking about the 'positives' from the match, and 'not letting them blow it out'.

Moving from a desire to win, to accepting an 'honourable loss'.

Its already there. They interviewed Chad Cornes on 5aa this afternoon and he said in the lead up to a home game against Melbourne, who should be considered a peer and fellow premiership contender. Instead the approach they are taking is reviewing them and seeing where Melbourne have any weaknesses and therefore opportunities for Port to be competitive.

 

[Mutineer]

Is he tracking towards being any good?

Can't help you there, if he's any good he should make it onto a NAB League squad in a year or two because he'll have interest on his name alone.

 

[Slippery Pete]

We never recovered from the 2017 GF. The disappointment caused a seismic fissure in our playing ranks and in the club itself. We didn’t lack for talent but we fell apart

Port are still suffering from the 2021 PF loss. They could taste the premiership

Momentum is cumulative. And that boulder has been rolling down hill since September last year.

They’re 0-4, not just 0-3 in 2022

They’ll be 0-5 in 2022 and probably 1-7.

That’s the end of 2022, the end of this entire cycle. The end of some senior players, the end of Koch & Ken, the end of this entire cycle of contention with nothing

It’s slipping, slipped away. They can feel it, it’s gone and they know it

They’re being crushed by disappointment, expectation, and by knowing it’s already over

We know what that’s like, and the die is already cast. Turns out the Doggies ripped their heart out and it’s over

I almost feel sorry for them - but where’s the fun in that

Coming up after the news:

Sanders crushes your hopes and dreams

 

[Sanders]

Coming up after the news:

Sanders crushes your hopes and dreams

It only hurts when it’s true

 

[Shuestar13]

We never recovered from the 2017 GF. The disappointment caused a seismic fissure in our playing ranks and in the club itself. We didn’t lack for talent but we fell apart

Port are still suffering from the 2021 PF loss. They could taste the premiership

Momentum is cumulative. And that boulder has been rolling down hill since September last year.

They’re 0-4, not just 0-3 in 2022

They’ll be 0-5 in 2022 and probably 1-7.

That’s the end of 2022, the end of this entire cycle. The end of some senior players, the end of Koch & Ken, the end of this entire cycle of contention with nothing

It’s slipping, slipped away. They can feel it, it’s gone and they know it

They’re being crushed by disappointment, expectation, and by knowing it’s already over

We know what that’s like, and the die is already cast. Turns out the Doggies ripped their heart out and it’s over

I almost feel sorry for them - but where’s the fun in that

I just had to quote this to say it is pure poetry. A work of art. Definitely lifts one’s spirits that’s for sure. Thank you

 

[AFC979810]

I still don’t understand how Matthew Nicks was laughing and smiling just before Dawson was about to take the kick. Wonder what was going thru his mind.

What else can you do but laugh? So much riding on a kick you have no control over.

Just goes to show how fickle AFL and the media narrative is.

Can you imagine the melts on here if we lost that. This board would have been brutal about Nicks laughing in the box as his team was about to go 0-3. Now everyone is saying how great it is because Dawson mentioned it relaxed him.

Much like what people are saying about Kern's wry smile that was caught on camera before Dawsons kick.

As to the whole narrative that its Kenny's fault they lost a close one. C'mon. In games decided by 12 points or less here is how Kern has done the past 2 years.

2020 - 2-1
2021 - 5-0
2022 - 0-2

So 7-3 over the past 2 years. This isn't a Brad Scott situation from 2013 (yet).

 

[1970crow]

Sounds like the Ken PR Machine has clicked into action, Chief Cheerleader S.Rowe pumping up the tyres this morning. 'Loved by the players', 'only a vocal few want him gone', 'Boaky kicks the goal they win' just a few of the lines in Ken's defence.

Long may this praise continue!

beating us by a goal isn't enough even if Boak kick that gpal. We're a bottom few side and their plans were to go a step further than a prelim.

 

[Drewie11]

Is it Thursday they are re-honouring Ebert or are they putting it off to a more winnable game?

That showdown loss has broken their supporters. They’ll be lucky to get 20k this week

 

[Golumless]

beating us by a goal isn't enough even if Boak kick that gpal. We're a bottom few side and their plans were to go a step further than a prelim.

Of course it is. They've ground out a win and the only thing that matters in April is banking wins. After all, no team has won a premiership this early in the season.

Especially as there is nothing Port could do at this point in the season that shreds the pretender tag.

 

[Geoffa32]

Of course it is. They've ground out a win and the only thing that matters in April is banking wins. After all, no team has won a premiership this early in the season.

Would have been touted as a brave win with the injuries they have, plus Showdowns are always close.

The spark to start their season.

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[Geoffa32]

We never recovered from the 2017 GF. The disappointment caused a seismic fissure in our playing ranks and in the club itself. We didn’t lack for talent but we fell apart

Port are still suffering from the 2021 PF loss. They could taste the premiership

Momentum is cumulative. And that boulder has been rolling down hill since September last year.

They’re 0-4, not just 0-3 in 2022

They’ll be 0-5 in 2022 and probably 1-7.

That’s the end of 2022, the end of this entire cycle. The end of some senior players, the end of Koch & Ken, the end of this entire cycle of contention with nothing

It’s slipping, slipped away. They can feel it, it’s gone and they know it

They’re being crushed by disappointment, expectation, and by knowing it’s already over

We know what that’s like, and the die is already cast. Turns out the Doggies ripped their heart out and it’s over

I almost feel sorry for them - but where’s the fun in that

This season is done.

I don't think Ken will be sacked this year. AFL won't allow it. The AFL made them promote from within to get their new CEO. They won't let them pay out a coach who just made two Prelims.


They will get a soft draw next year, with most of the older players still playing.

Could easily flat track their way back into the 8 in 2023.


Then Ken Hinkley's auto extension if make Finals clause kicks in. He had that clause before, no way he doesn't have it again.









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[Sanders]

This season is done.

I don't think Ken will be sacked this year. AFL won't allow it. The AFL made them promote from within to get their new CEO. They won't let them pay out a coach who just made two Prelims.


They will get a soft draw next year, with most of the older players still playing.

Could easily flat track their way back into the 8 in 2023.


Then Ken Hinkley's auto extension if make Finals clause kicks in. He had that clause before, no way he doesn't have it again.









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No. I’m saying they’re done, period. Not just 2022, this entire cycle is over.

There will be no bounce back to contention in 2023, just like there wasn’t for us in 2019

It’s not that this year is a write off, the cumulative effect of 2021 + 2022 = 0 left over

You’ll see mass turnover at the end of the year. Guys like Gray, Boak, Dixon all retired. Ken steps down, Koch steps down.

All change. There’s no coming back from this, it’s reset time

 

[StonesThrow]

I wish we had port's ticket prices!

$70 to stand on the hill is ridiculous

 

[Geoffa32]

No. I’m saying they’re done, period. Not just 2022, this entire cycle is over.

There will be no bounce back to contention in 2023, just like there wasn’t for us in 2019

It’s not that this year is a write off, the cumulative effect of 2021 + 2022 = 0 left over

You’ll see mass turnover at the end of the year. Guys like Gray, Boak, Dixon all retired. Ken steps down, Koch steps down.

All change. There’s no coming back from this, it’s reset time

If that mass turnover happens, yeah agree done.

But...I do think there is enough there for them to flat track it next year.

Alir out is massive for them. Had he played against us we lose. Hberg would not kick 4 with him playing loose man. He is a genuine elite third defender.

That is all it takes for them to eek out enough wins against bottom 10 clubs.



Their two "contender" years were frauds as well. Struggled against top 8 sides through 20/21.They were never genuine contenders. Just gained good ladder position flat tracking it.

What we are seeing now is a few injuries exposing their real lack of depth. They need their best team out there to be competitive.




Ken won't step down. Blight called him a "survivor " a few years ago. Said his existence in the Footy industry was largely through persistence and resilience, a genuine survivor
Blight meant it as a compliment.

But a used car salesman will never walk away from money on the table.



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