Preview Preliminary final - Hawthorn v Port Adelaide, MCG, 20 September 2014 @ 4.45pm

[BIG MATTY WHITE]

Just on this, not to bring up old games or anything but the last time we played you in round 10 we went across without Lake, Mitchell, Gibson, Roughead and Rioli - all members of what I assume is the time honoured 'Dad's Army' and outscored Port in the second half of the game:

9 goals, 4 behinds to 7 goals, 7 behinds.

We also won a significant amount of the clearances and Inside 50's after half time.

The hallmark of our season thus far has been our depth and ability to cover our 7 30+ year olds. I'm much more confident in our ability to do this than I was in 2012 and that goes regardless of the result on Saturday.

Yeah old games mean nothing....

We were still finding our best 22 at that time...and right now in our best 22 we have 3 players that werent playing that day...2 of them are significant ins ..jake neade and jonas...

2 weeks after we pushed sydney in sydney to within 4 points it took buddy to pull his miracles out of his butt to beat us...it means nothing now...

The team you had then the team you now...means nothing

We are playing our best football we have all year...round 10 means nothing

 

[Dinsdale]

Given that the Hawks and Port against numbers are nigh on identical it is very relevant.

If you think Hawthorn have failed to craft wins and are just glorified flat track bully's I suspect you haven't watched much of Hawthorn over the last 3 years, which is strange considering we've crafted gritty wins in the last 2 PF's alone!

But yeah you're right, we haven't crafted a win like Port on Saturday

In round 19 we went to Adelaide without our CHB and FB and grinded out a 12 point win against the Crows interstate, a team that rolled Port in the Showdown by 4 goals just a fortnight previously. In round 18 we took down the Swans without our FB, despite sitting 4 goals behind halfway through the 3rd quarter. In Round 22 we did the same number on the Cats, coming back from a 25 degree day game in Perth and a 6 day break...

I would suggest that these games in this season alone compare favourably with the job you did on a depleted Fremantle, in a game that you actually underperformed relative to your round 8 and 23 performances.

You've done well to reply to the obvious trolling in such a measured manner.

 

[Rushed_Behind]

Yeah old games mean nothing....

We were still finding our best 22 at that time...and right now in our best 22 we have 3 players that werent playing that day...2 of them are significant ins ..jake neade and jonas...

2 weeks after we pushed sydney in sydney to within 4 points it took buddy to pull his miracles out of his butt to beat us...it means nothing now...

The team you had then the team you now...means nothing

We are playing our best football we have all year...round 10 means nothing

Good. When we win you wont have any excuses.

 

[La Vache]

What about goals against? The game includes both score for and against.

Anyway, point was Hawks tend to be flat track bullies - good with a tailwind, but have not handled the heat such as crafting the kind of win Port had on the road last Saturday.

Flat track bullies...

 

[Holy Rioli]

Flat track bullies...

Like in this game?

 

[BIG MATTY WHITE]

Good. When we win you wont have any excuses.

Why such angst man I come in peace...

All I have read here is you guys convincing each other of why you will win..

Good for you...you have been the best team on your home deck and reigning premiers coming off a 1 week break...

No excuses from us ...

 

[AC for PM]

Just to get us in the mood, the AFL site has video of the 2001 semi between these two sides. What a classic game this was. Barker's heroics in the last including the goal from the "impossible pocket" at Footy Park, Mark Graham's saving mark with a minute to go, dodgy umpiring as per usual

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2014-09-18/2001-semi-power-vs-hawks

I've been looking for these highlights for years

sorry - mildly on topic, yet off topic too

 

[Holy Rioli]

Why such angst man I come in peace...

All I have read here is you guys convincing each other of why you will win..

Good for you...you have been the best team on your home deck and reigning premiers coming off a 1 week break...

No excuses from us ...

Talking about match ups, asking some questions about players and their form etc no worries - calling us flat track bullies and going with the over done media hype of your superior fitness isn't going to win you any friends here though.

 

[BIG MATTY WHITE]

Talking about match ups, asking some questions about players and their form etc no worries - calling us flat track bullies and going with the over done media hype of your superior fitness isn't going to win you any friends here though.

Not me mate...all I asked was about the weather and tab odds...you got the wrong guy...

I am smart enough to know you dont finish or play like hawks do by being flat track bullies...

 

[Rushed_Behind]

Why such angst man I come in peace...

All I have read here is you guys convincing each other of why you will win..

Good for you...you have been the best team on your home deck and reigning premiers coming off a 1 week break...

No excuses from us ...

No angst. At the end of the day we're better than you. We go about our business our way. Everyone talking about how good port are and how we have to worry about this player and that player. Anyone think that a team that has lost 13 games in three years is actually a decent team?

This week reminds me of the second week of the finals where everyone is talking up the chances of the bottom 8 teams while under-selling how good the top 4 teams that lost are. We haven't played for a week and are out of sight out of mind.

A rude awakening awaits Port at 4.45pm Saturday and it's not going to be pretty.

 

[Hawkk]

Yeah old games mean nothing....

We were still finding our best 22 at that time...and right now in our best 22 we have 3 players that werent playing that day...2 of them are significant ins ..jake neade and jonas...

2 weeks after we pushed sydney in sydney to within 4 points it took buddy to pull his miracles out of his butt to beat us...it means nothing now...

The team you had then the team you now...means nothing

We are playing our best football we have all year...round 10 means nothing

Past match ups do mean something. I also would debate whether you are playing your best football right now, the statistics against Fremantle last week do not suggest this.

Since the North Melbourne loss in round 16:

Def Adelaide by 12 points in Adelaide (48-41 Clearances, 62-52 Inside 50's, 29-22 Scoring Shots)
Def Sydney by 10 points in Melbourne (35-33, 55-49, 29-29)
Def Dogs by 42 points (46-36, 53-41, 27-15)
Def Melbourne by 50 points (40-45, 51-40, 30-20)
Def by Dockers in Perth by 19 points (39-38, 38-52, 26-25)
Def Geelong by 23 points (34-37, 47-42, 24-16)
Def Collingwood by 65 points (38-33, 52-41, 31-18)
Def Geelong by 36 points (35-42, 56-52, 29-18)

The only blemish in that lot was a game against the Dockers, a game where we had to juggle back-to-back-to-back 6 day breaks on the return without Roughead and with an understrength Gunston.

Don't forget we also took it Sydney up there in Sydney as well. Albeit with Lake, Mitchell and Rioli from halfway through the 3/4 quarter (when we were in front). We also took them down in Melbourne as well, later in the season and without Lake. Whoever wins this game will probably take Sydney in the decider IMO

 

[Holy Rioli]

Not me mate...all I asked was about the weather and tab odds...you got the wrong guy...

I am smart enough to know you dont finish or play like hawks do by being flat track bullies...

Sorry my point was with regards to another Port supporters posts - I don't even mind a bit of light hearted banter, just got no time for the obvious trolling.

 

[Hawkk]

Not me mate...all I asked was about the weather and tab odds...you got the wrong guy...

I am smart enough to know you dont finish or play like hawks do by being flat track bullies...

Then why suggest it in your post?

 

[Holy Rioli]

Yeah old games mean nothing....

We were still finding our best 22 at that time...and right now in our best 22 we have 3 players that werent playing that day...2 of them are significant ins ..jake neade and jonas...

2 weeks after we pushed sydney in sydney to within 4 points it took buddy to pull his miracles out of his butt to beat us...it means nothing now...

The team you had then the team you now...means nothing

We are playing our best football we have all year...round 10 means nothing

You sound like Jason Dunstall on the couch the other night trying to justify the Port outs. At the end of the day the 3 outs were available but weren't in good enough form and now they are

 

[BIG MATTY WHITE]

No angst. At the end of the day we're better than you. We go about our business our way. Everyone talking about how good port are and how we have to worry about this player and that player. Anyone think that a team that has lost 13 games in three years is actually a decent team?

This week reminds me of the second week of the finals where everyone is talking up the chances of the bottom 8 teams while under-selling how good the top 4 teams that lost are. We haven't played for a week and are out of sight out of mind.

A rude awakening awaits Port at 4.45pm Saturday and it's not going to be pretty.

See the thing is your on the other side of the media for once...right now we are the media darlings and its not like we just got given it we earnt it .....but some of our supporters get carried away with it as do opposition supporters can too..

just like round 10 what the media say means nothing...

but you can forgive us for being a little confident...we read the exact same thing on the freo board last week as what you guys are saying here..

.but in reality you guys are the best team in the league right now just like last week I cant argue with your rude awakening comments as we havent proven anything yet....you guys have you have all the runs on the board...

its yours to lose..

 

[BIG MATTY WHITE]

You sound like Jason Dunstall on the couch the other night trying to justify the Port outs. At the end of the day the 3 outs were available but weren't in good enough form and now they are

Exactly my point ....things change and the past means nothing for this game...

Except jonas...he was always best 22 probably our best defender..

 

[Rushed_Behind]

See the thing is your on the other side of the media for once...right now we are the media darlings and its not like we just got given it we earnt it .....but some of our supporters get carried away with it as do opposition supporters can too..

just like round 10 what the media say means nothing...

but you can forgive us for being a little confident...we read the exact same thing on the freo board last week as what you guys are saying here..

.but in reality you guys are the best team in the league right now just like last week I cant argue with your rude awakening comments as we havent proven anything yet....you guys have you have all the runs on the board...

its yours to lose..

Fair enough, but we are a different beast to Freo. They looked tired. No Johnson, McPharlin, Silvagni. Barlow in a moonboot leading up to the game, Ibbotson doing a shoulder(came back on), coming back from a tough slog in Sydney opposed to a training drill, not as dynamic offensively.

 

[BIG MATTY WHITE]

Then why suggest it in your post?

Seriously?....

I am not an idiot...you guys are the best team
As a supporter I am under no illusion where you guys are a team...and I would never suggest you guys are flat track bullies...

Stop trying to fabricate something I never said..

 

[Hawkk]

See the thing is your on the other side of the media for once...right now we are the media darlings and its not like we just got given it we earnt it .....but some of our supporters get carried away with it as do opposition supporters can too..

just like round 10 what the media say means nothing...

but you can forgive us for being a little confident...we read the exact same thing on the freo board last week as what you guys are saying here..

.but in reality you guys are the best team in the league right now just like last week I cant argue with your rude awakening comments as we havent proven anything yet....you guys have you have all the runs on the board...

its yours to lose..

Probably a fair point. That said I'd argue that Port were the better performing side across the home / away season rather than Fremantle. You should have tourn them a new one in the 2 home and away games you played against them and probably under performed in the SF (or perhaps Freo performed to a higher standard in that game?)

By my reckoning the Hawks and Power have been the 2nd and 3rd best sides in it this season so it should be a terrific match, no doubt.

 

[BIG MATTY WHITE]

Fair enough, but we are a different beast to Freo. They looked tired. No Johnson, McPharlin, Silvagni. Barlow in a moonboot leading up to the game, Ibbotson doing a shoulder(came back on), coming back from a tough slog in Sydney opposed to a training drill, not as dynamic offensively.

hey man I cant argue....you dont need to convince me...and shouldnt be trying to convince yourselves.....you guys have the best team...

the only thing you cant convince me off is that we are without a chance of winning this game ....which I hope you can understand

 

[Hotlips]

Yeah old games mean nothing....

We were still finding our best 22 at that time...and right now in our best 22 we have 3 players that werent playing that day...2 of them are significant ins ..jake neade and jonas...

2 weeks after we pushed sydney in sydney to within 4 points it took buddy to pull his miracles out of his butt to beat us...it means nothing now...

The team you had then the team you now...means nothing

We are playing our best football we have all year...round 10 means nothing

Your best footy involves that shitfull first half you put in against a spent Freo?

 

[Rushed_Behind]

hey man I cant argue....you dont need to convince me...and shouldnt be trying to convince yourselves.....you guys have the best team...

the only thing you cant convince me off is that we are without a chance of winning this game ....which I hope you can understand

Before the game the Timbuctoo 3rds have a chance.

Of course I respect the way you guys have resurrected your club and yes you do have a chance.

 

[grizzlym]

hey man I cant argue....you dont need to convince me...and shouldnt be trying to convince yourselves.....you guys have the best team...

the only thing you cant convince me off is that we are without a chance of winning this game ....which I hope you can understand

No one can convince me that Port don't have a good shot at this game.

No game is a laydown, especially when you get to the best four teams of the year.

And especially when Port has so much quality, and is playing with so much spirit and flair.

I believe Hawthorn will win. But, for one, I'm not underestimating Port one bit.

 

[daniel23]

we will win this by 6+ goals

 

[moginie]

Port didn't play out of their skins during our one encounter. We were coming off hectic 2 months and players looked drained.

I've got to call this one out. You had just come off a long break - you played Fremantle on May 10 then us on May 24.

The players didn't look drained from where I was sitting. Nor was it commented on by the hordes of Port supporters around me in the Riverbank Stand. It was more about how fit they were.