Review R17: Port v Melbourne Review

[Macca19]

Well another loss and we remain bottom of the ladder for at least the next two weeks. At least they fought it out this week so I commend the teams effort on that, but its the lapses of concentration that continue to ruin and sap the confidence of the players and supporters. A shit start, followed by 5 goals in 7 minutes to finish the match as a contest in the third quarter. Its just another in a long trend of opposition momentum that we've seen all year nay the last 5 years. We'll be down the bottom a long time until we fix this.

What was nice was the form of some of the lesser likes in the side. Hitchcock I thought had a really impressive game, plenty of pace and he found a lot of the ball on the wing. Banner kicked 3 and played well up forward, despite his lack of chasing. Sal played somewhere near what we know he can. Chad had his best game of the year. Pearce and Dom led from the front in the middle and Gray had another ripper.

Unfortunately it was the lack of respect for some opponents that caused us issues. Sylvia killed us. Petterd once again caused us too many headaches than a player of his calibre should. Maric kicked 3. Shouldnt happen.

I thought our midfield work was rather impressive. Lobbe again played a fine lone hand in the ruck against a very competitive Melbourne duo. Our spread was much better. Our forward movement was improved on the last month.

Still a lot of work to do though. We are really staring down the barrell of the wooden spoon now.

Player Reviews:

Kornes - Struggled for impact though he did ok on Scully. Really struggling now. I watched a game from 05 the other day and he was a completely different player. Direct disposal, pacey, clean. Nothing like he is now.

Cassisi - Led from the front. A captains effort. Couldnt ask much more from him tonight

Thomas - Grew into the game tonight. Hated his first 30-40 minutes, but his second half was very good and thought he was one of the catalysts in getting back into the contest.

Hartlett - Similar to Thomas. Thought he was shocking in the first half, but improved as the match wore on. Couple of horrendous kicks though

Jacobs - His best game of AFL by far. Really impressive performance. Looked self assured, had clean disposal and found the ball well. More of that please

Pearce - Kept working and working all night and thought it was one of the better 4 quarter performances of the year.

Salopek - His best game of the year by a large margin as well. Much better disposal, looked back to his best

Hitchcock - Loved his run and carry with the ball, liked his efforts in the forward line. Just needed to be a bit cleaner with his hands sometimes

O'Shea - Really mucked up 3 or 4 times in the first half by taking too long witht he ball but he ran out the game well

Gray - Thought he was 2nd best on ground tonight. Liked his efforts in the middle, gave off a couple and kicked a couple as well. In great form.

Salter - Not a defenders a-hole and his disposal which was once so impressive has turned into bombscare central

Trengove - Solid in his role and beat Watts convincingly.

Banner - Lacks pace and 2nd efforts but you cant fault his impact tonight. 3 great clever goals and some fine play through the middle. Needs to be persisted with

C Cornes - Game of the year for him as well. Marked strongly and kicked 3. Best forward on the night

Chaplin - At times was ok but was a disaster zone at others. 2 clangers in a minute sparked Melbournes rush in the third

Boak - Well held tonight, didnt have near the impact he should have

Lobbe - Thought that unlike the last few weeks he really worked hard to the final siren. Kept competing and I think he has some real talent in terms of his tap work. Getting better with more confidence. Finally

Rodan - Did as good as could be expected. Actually had quite the impact when he came on

Logan - Not his best performance tonight. Struggled.

Schulz - Just couldnt get near it tonight. Well held by Frawley

Ebert - Despite the orgams Darcy had over his game, I just didnt think he had that much of an impact.

Pettigrew - 7 more weeks

POTY Votes
10
9
8 - C Cornes, Gray, Cassisi
7 - Jacobs
6 - Lobbe, Banner, Trengove, Hitchcock, Pearce
5 - Thomas, Salopek
4
3 - Hartlett
2 - Rodan, Kornes
1 - Boak, O'Shea
0 - Pettigrew, Schulz, Salter, Chaplin, Ebert, Logan

 

[PJ Power]

0 - Pettigrew, Schulz, Salter, Chaplin, Ebert, Logan

Never, ever, have I agreed with the "0" rated players more. Great job Macca. These six guys sucked like none other. Boak very close to joining them.

 

[b0ydman]

enjoyed your comments, but each week you are way too kind on the players.
way too kind.
we are bottom, having lost all but 2 games this season because they are sh*t.
too nice

 

[El_Scorcho]

Can't disagree with too much there Macca.

I'm usually not a Thomas fan but he was probably the only player bar Cassisi to keep his intensity up for 4 quarters, despite his limitations.

O'Shea did some really good things, and unlike everyone else on our list, he's working his arse off and gut running all day. Shame about the few poor decisions.

Agree totally on Kane. He didn't get his AA guernseys just by being a tagger. He'd work his arse off, position himself brilliantly, needle threading handball and much, much sharper kicking. Where has that player gone?

Chad can keep his spot for the rest of the season, and 2012 if he's going to play like that for the rest of the year.

When your backline has Pettigrew, Salter and Chaplin, it's going to rain easy goals through lack of concentration and that's basically exactly what happened. I'd rather we play Chad back there, or anyone really.

 

[LeverPuller]

Just figured a quick perspective from a Melbourne supporter might be good.

Best for Port:
Cassisi
Chadwick
Salopek
Ebert
Rodan (once on)
Gray

The why oh why player:
Jay Schulz

Muppet of the night:
Toss up between Hartlett for that last-quarter 10m chip out on the full or whoever it was that elbowed Nicholson in the head off the ball (he'll go for a week, whoever it was)

 

[Macca19]

Also Hartlett.

 

[PJ Power]

Just figured a quick perspective from a Melbourne supporter might be good.

Best for Port:
Cassisi
Chadwick
Salopek
Ebert
Rodan (once on)
Gray

If your perspective has Ebert in our best players, then it seriously needs to be questioned.

He and Schulz gave us nothing up forward.

 

[Honeyboy Wilson]

Probably knew it was his last game for the season anyway.

 

[ClintEastwood]

I think you give Hitchcock too much credit. The way he continually squibs contact is so damn offensive and on the nose.

 

[Froggy]

still not sure why Salopek or Pettigrew got the nod in front of others, Pettigrew leaking goals for the first half. I figured it was last chance gimme games for the both of them and well at least one failed. Sal was OK but still frustrating.

What I noticed again though is that our players are so ****ing slow when we get a free, they walk back to look up to kick there is no urgency Trengove in particular he gets a free or a mark it's like he goes to sleep mentally for 5 seconds just standing there staring out into the night ergh so frustrating.

Kornes is done, Chadly played like he is playing for his life, was a tough night on the ground for Schultz, shit delivery and he wasn't gonna win much of it on the ground.

Banner was good I think he needs more weeks to get his AFL match fitness up it was evident a few times when he had to go again he just didn't have the legs but he played well and his improvement from one week to the next in the team is a big positive.

I wonder now that we are bottom if they'll actually select our strongest team, I doubt it.

 

[Portia]

Hitchcock is in the same category as any AFL goalsneak - in a good side, he's one game away from being dropped. Of course we're not a good side, so he's first team.

 

[LeverPuller]

If your perspective has Ebert in our best players, then it seriously needs to be questioned.

He and Schulz gave us nothing up forward.

Ebert at least gave the impression of offering a threat, unlike Schulz who offered nothing more than a big dopey 'huh' every time the ball came near him.

He did get hurt in a contest fairly early so I wonder whether it restricted him, because I really think he did all right, especially when there weren't many to pick from.

 

[*PAF]

I thought Mitch Banner was shocking.
SANFL player perhaps, AFL player? No.

 

[El_Scorcho]

Banner kicked 3 goals. I don't know what more you can ask for someone playing across half forward. He just needs to chase harder.

 

[finbarr]

Matt Thomas was fantastic.

 

[finbarr]

Banner kicked 3 goals. I don't know what more you can ask for someone playing across half forward. He just needs to chase harder.

Did a great chase down for a holding the ball in the last quarter. Give him time and i reckon he'll get there.

 

[*PAF]

Banner kicked 3 goals. I don't know what more you can ask for someone playing across half forward. He just needs to chase harder.

He is one of those players that may well kick 3 goals for us but will be inderectly responsible for the other team gettind 5 or 6.
To chase harder implies he chases a little in the first place. He doesn't.

 

[El_Scorcho]

Did a great chase down for a holding the ball in the last quarter. Give him time and i reckon he'll get there.

He is one of those players that may well kick 3 goals for us but will be inderectly responsible for the other team gettind 5 or 6.
To chase harder implies he chases a little in the first place. He doesn't.

Hmmmm.

I think he'll get there as well. I like his composure and ball use in general.

I also love calling him Rex and making Simpsons quotes every time he gets the ball.

"Listen, rummy, I'm gonna say it plain and simple Where'd you pinch the hooch? Is some blind tiger jerking suds on the side?"

 

[Portology]

Give him time... to chase ? One thing to learn the discipline to chase. Another entirely to find the speed to chase, that may never happen. Which is it with Banner ? Loved his goal sense tonight but he's going to have to work more consistently harder to keep Hitchy & Phillips out in the long run, but short term, where is the pressure on his spot on the list ? A cynic might say "3 goals and Richmond losing opens up the possibility of another Thomson or Farmer type trade".

 

[Powerade 08]

Banner can chase as much as he wants but we knew before he came in that he wasn't an AFL player. The only thing he is good for is a quick snap at goal without looking because he practices it every time he wins a clearance in the middle...

 

[PJ Power]

It's the lack of Banner's pace that is concerning. Yes, there is an element of not wanting to chase, but even when he is running to a contested ground ball with an opponent on the wing, he manages to fall behind when he starts in front position.

His speed to get ball to boot is a bonus, and clearly he is one of very few players in our side with genuine goal sense.

I wouldn't move him on just yet. There are a fair few more lost causes on our list than Banner.

 

[Honeyboy Wilson]

It was Banner's second full AFL game for the year, cut him SOME slack in the match fitness department. Hartlett was doing the lack-of-effort-chase-thing for about a month there too. Banner popped up with 3 goals which no other small forward this year has been capable of doing. Unless you count Boak.

 

[philthy05]

i agree with people rating shultz's game as poor tonight but he is a honest trier and i thought he honestly tried tonight, just a bit off and poor delivery and frawley is a gun.

how good has lobbe been? his stats look great, far better than alot of the spuds people have been asking for us to chase.

 

[philthy05]

we have all next year to give players like banner and salter games to prove they deserve to remain on our list. then we make a big cull ready for 2012 draft

 

[WHOME]

Banner's lack of leg speed tonight was alarming. Fail to see a future for him as an AFL midfielder for that reason but he certainly knows where the goals are, small crumbing forward may be an option but then again you want those blokes to be able to chase and apply pressure, going by tonights effort that appears beyond him also.