Review R23: The Good, Bad and Ugly vs. Port Adelaide

[CrowBloke]

Our midfield mix is disgustingly bad and we'd perform better if we just changed it up with our current players.

Why is our first port of call when slotting in new mids moving our only All Australian midfielder (Dawson) out of the midfield?

Why are we prioritising Berry over Soligo as an inside mid when the latter has shown far more at AFL level?

Why is Crouch being played as a handball receive distributor instead of an in an under contested ground ball winner?

When the game is on the line why are we adding Laird to the midfield when he has failed in that role to the point of being moved out?

Why aren't we prioritising clean one touch midfielders like Zac Taylor?

Why have we decided that Rankine should spend most of his time up forward when we've seen what he can do in the midfield and our delivery to our forwards isn't good enough to make use of him?

Why have we given up trialing Rachele and Pedlar in the midfield?

Why did it take until the end of the year to develop Curtin in the midfield when it was obvious this was a good position for him when he was drafted?

Why did we drop Billy Dowling yet have persisted with Laird, Berry and Murphy?

The answer to all of those (astute, relevant) questions is: BECAUSE WE HAVE NICKS.

 

[Bovo]

View attachment 2082938

Standard scripted defense of a scummy hit

it’s not about whether Houston is a “fair player” or not. He made the wrong decision and that decision has led to an injury to another players head. That’s all it is. He will get weeks. How many? That’s anyone’s guess

 

[Geoffa32]

If the tribunal find it is high contact, do the AFL owe us an apology for no free kick?

Four umpires and none of em saw that high contact??

 

[Drakescoffeecake]

Enjoy your Kern King_Tredrea

 

[Samcro24]

If the tribunal find it is high contact, do the AFL owe us an apology for no free kick?

Four umpires and none of em saw that high contact??

When.

And yeah that was a joke.

Did they pick a free out of the ensuing mele?

 

[CrowBloke]

I was at Prospect Oval when Nick Gill fairly cleaned up a Port player on the end of a hospital handball. Port supporters wanted to jump the fence and kill him. They would have chaired a Port player off if it was the other way around.

Supporter bias often defies logic/fairness/objectivity, but the majority of Port supporters' reactions to the Houston hit is disgraceful.

When Rankine took out Starcevich (who was unaware, looking behind, off the ball, copping 4 games) at the time I thought it was the wrong thing to do --- I didn't like it --- it's a bit like a blindsided coward's punch in a bar or street that sends people to hospital, or worse (eg poor David Hookes).
Rankine might have done it out of prolonged aggravation from Starcevich's niggling/scragging, but it was still unfair.

If it had been Rankine cleaning up Houston in reverse last night, I'd feel the same; it was unnecessary/grubby.

Rankine was unaware, a sitting duck, and a tackle would have been fair. Houston chose to flatten him. The intent was not to nullify the play by a fair tackle but to take Rankine out.
Houston should get 4 weeks at the very least.
I won't object if it's 5 or 6 weeks.

 

[DJ75]

Absolute Port logic right here.

This photo is the most damning of Houston and his first point of contact with Rankine. Its a head high hit. Fact.

View attachment 2083545

Yes it is, but it also doesn't matter. You bump a guy and he gets concussed it's 4 weeks regardless.
You shirt front a guy, make head contact and knock him out in a very bad look? 6-8 weeks.

 

[Apsaalooke]

The Houston-style T-bone shirtfront is next.

Dermott Brereton got it right, for a change. Houston’s bump would have been OK 2 eras ago.

 

[Enviable Tradition]

Since you’re here, what’s your thought on the penalty, if any ?

Not sure I should answer that here lol.

Trying to be neutral I'd say it's 4 weeks. He elected to bump and concussed him and the AFL are trying to rule that out.

If I'm the Alberton KC I'm arguing that the ball was in play, he didn't leave the ground or hit him in the head (arguable) and trying to get it lower than that.

On SM-G975F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Tex Danger]

Honestly I wish this were true but there was definitely some Port supporters booing him off. I can't for the life of me understand why.

The same kind of morons on each side that vilify Betts and Rioli.

Nowhere near as many as made out on here though and I can definitely say in my section at the top of the Eastern stand surrounded my long term 11 game members I didn't hear anyone near me boo and saw the majority clapping.

On SM-G975F using BigFooty.com mobile app

I didn’t notice watchin live but in replay can definitely pick up an overall boo but it’s clearly not the whole crowd, enough to be too much though

Also can clearly see a lot of waving him off which is poor

I do have to say I’ve never been in a crowd where a player going off the ground on a stretcher had got anything other than a clear round of applause. That clearly didn’t happen so even the fact it’s been debated how many actually booed or gave him a send off is a sign of poor form

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

Dermott Brereton got it right, for a change. Houston’s bump would have been OK 2 eras ago.

Tell McAdam that.

 

[Smart Fella]

Hi Grotto! That’s a very poor quality pic from a bad angle. I remember seeing the highlights, and distinctly remember Rankine’s arm flailed upwards when his head made contact to the ground. Which is the likely time of the concussion. I’m also basing on Houston’s past record, which I don’t recall him being one of those unfair players.
I’m not arguing that I think he’ll get off a suspension, but more the issue of his intent to cause a head injury.

So if Houston concussed him, his arms would have flailed before he hit the ground? Interesting take.

On motorola edge 30 pro using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Geoffa32]

I didn’t notice watchin live but in replay can definitely pick up an overall boo but it’s clearly not the whole crowd, enough to be too much though

Also can clearly see a lot of waving him off which is poor

I do have to say I’ve never been in a crowd where a player going off the ground on a stretcher had got anything other than a clear round of applause. That clearly didn’t happen so even the fact it’s been debated how many actually booed or gave him a send off is a sign of poor form

No doubt the TV producers turn up the ground affects mic to add to the theatre of the moment.

 

[Tex Danger]

What was worse was how the hell did Port get a free after they stopped time to carry Rankine off?! That felt like a bizarre moment.

Anytime a player is stetchered off for a head hit, should get an instant free. We already have frees paid for dangerous (sling) tackle (with potential for head injury). But somehow no frees paid for actual dangerous bump with actual head injury!!

I thought same at the time and it may have been a free in the melee which infuriated me

Think play was stopped because of a power mark though so that was the resumption

 

[Tex Danger]

No doubt the TV producers turn up the ground affects mic to add to the theatre of the moment.

And filtered out the respectful clapping you usually get?

Impressive

 

[Southerntakeover]

Some people in here saying fog got sucked in. The frees against him were total bullshit. The umps got sucked in. That keane 'bump' on butters, was a dive by butters. The rioli free against fog, another dive. Fog had his hand on riolis jumper and fog was pulled harder by his jumper and the momentum moved to rioli.

We should have been far more aggressive after the hit on rankine tbh.

Agree, not sure that we actually did a whole lot wrong.

The umpires decided to go out of their way to make the perpetrators a protected season, and let Port players instigate shit then flop to the ground with shit eating grins and get free kicks for it.

The tone was set once the umpires on the field decided there was nothing wrong with the head hunting to begin with.

 

[ams4crows]

We still haven't heard from the club if Izak is ok.

That is a real worry

I've never hated Port more, their fans and whole club can get in the bin, just disgraceful behaviour from the lot of them.


I actually can't believe the Sunday Footy show reckon his head wasn't hit and that Houston deserves a chance to play in a grandfinal, just get stuffed, Izak's career could be over for all we know.

 

[Doctor B]

You can clearly see in this magnified picture that Houston's first point of contact was with Rankine's head.


View attachment 2083562

Video

 

[Danger in Texas]

We still haven't heard from the club if Izak is ok.

That is a real worry

I've never hated Port more, their fans and whole club can get in the bin, just disgraceful behaviour from the lot of them.


I actually can't believe the Sunday Footy show reckon his head wasn't hit and that Houston deserves a chance to play in a grandfinal, just get stuffed, Izak's career could be over for all we know.

Yeah I'm really concerned, usually an update usually comes out that night, or the morning after

God I hope it isn't anything to do with the neck/spine

 

[Southerntakeover]

Port fans after winning 1 out of four showdowns against a bottom four team:

 

[kirky]

Video

How the hell can Port say it is shoulder to shoulder contact?

Rankine was in their sights all game and they saw an opportunity and took it.

 

[Apsaalooke]

Tell McAdam that.

You know 2 eras is 20-30 years ago when McAdam was in nappies

 

[FullyBigKPro]

How the hell can Port say it is shoulder to shoulder contact?

Rankine was in their sights all game and they saw an opportunity and took it.

"Potential to cause injury"..... Remember that?

Ridiculous arguments form Poort.

 

[Scorpus]

Port fans after winning 1 out of four showdowns against a bottom four team:

View attachment 2083715

With the amount of bans I've handed out they aren't beating those Rachele "no teeth" allegations. Just big time classless behaviour

 

[George Kramer]

If the tribunal find it is high contact, do the AFL owe us an apology for no free kick?

Four umpires and none of em saw that high contact??

We didn’t get a free for that?