Preview Round 2, 2022: Port v Hawthorn, AO 7.40pm, Saturday 26th March

[parsons nose]

I find the commentary interesting around our defence being undersized. The biggest mismatch last week was not Goldy vs DGB. It was Lewis and Ziebell.

Who takes Lewis, McEvoy and Gunston from ports side this weekend? There’s a bigger match up problem there IMO. We will also have Breust, Wingard and Moore to cause problems as well.

Ports midfield is where things will get hairy for us though, especially after our performance last week in the engine room.

Agree. Big game for noodle this week. We cant afford them easy Centre clearances out of the front of the square.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

After one game? You are seriously hard task master. I just think we need to give him another 1-2 games.

Started to find his feet in the second half. An set up a nice goal in the last qtr. James is building for a steady 2022.

Score involments 4 at an efficiency of 92%.

He's plateaued for 2 seasons and played a mediocre practice game followed by a mediocre first round game. I am not a hard task master - I want Worpel to return to form. Hoping he can do it in the seniors this week - but his effort last week wasn't remotely good enough for a former PCM winner.

 

[Iceman!]

Going in to this game with low expectations, last week was a good win but against a better team we would have been up against it.

We are young, new coach and we will have some growing pains. Port are an experienced team, that know how to win games.

Result doesn't really bother me, it's all about how we go about it.

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

He's plateaued for 2 seasons and played a mediocre practice game followed by a mediocre first round game. I am not a hard task master - I want Worpel to return to form. Hoping he can do it in the seniors this week - but his effort last week wasn't remotely good enough for a former PCM winner.

Not completely his fault, his role changed when Tom returned. I am confident, he is doing as Sam has requested.

Sam did mention in a presser last year, that Worpel had sacrificed his normal game for the team.

 

[The Kipster]

I don't think Shiels playing actually means we are more likely to win. He's been a feature of the line-up the last few years when we've lost the majority of our games. He no longer moves the dial. I think the side has been picked to give us the best shot of winning.

Not forgetting his wife is having a baby and that he doesn't want to travel to SA.

 

[GerryLewis]

Anyone know what's happening with Sam Butler? Not named at Box Hill this week.

 

[hawkman]

The contest with Hall on the HFF flank is the concern with Worpel. Previous years he would have taken it with 2 hands and taken the contact and then disposed of it. This time he flapped at it with 1 hand and then was spinning to avoid the contact. That would never have happened in 2018-2019

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Not forgetting his wife is having a baby and that he doesn't want to travel to SA.

You don't have to have a pregnant wife to prefer the latter. That state is full of serial killers and incorrectly sized pints.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

Anyone know what's happening with Sam Butler? Not named at Box Hill this week.

I reckon he is travelling with the squad

Or has covid

 

[TheFourPillars]

I reckon he is travelling with the squad

Or has covid

He doesn't have Covid

 

[Tassie Cryptik]

Who will Port put on Nash to try and curb his influence?

 

[MrPremiership]

Who will Port put on Nash to try and curb his influence?

double tag of Butters and Wines

 

[hawkman]

Agree. Big game for noodle this week. We cant afford them easy Centre clearances out of the front of the square.

Wines and Boak smashed us last time along with Dixon. Just needed to be competitive in the middle to give the rest of the team a chance

 

[hawkguru]

Is Phillips a confirmed sub? Or can it be any emergency listed til game time?

 

[hawkman]

Is Phillips a confirmed sub? Or can it be any emergency listed til game time?

Any emergency

 

[BIGHAWK23]

He doesn't have Covid

So whats the issue then

 

[MrPremiership]

Shiels' axing nothing to do with his partner, or expecting a child.

It's a sign of the new direction Sam is taking

 

[TheFourPillars]

So whats the issue then

He might just be building his fitness to play

 

[TheFourPillars]

Shiels' axing nothing to do with his partner, or expecting a child.

It's a sign of the new direction Sam is taking

Not so sure he isn't lining up for box hill either

 

[hawkguru]

Any emergency

If that's the case then I hope Ned long is that sub

 

[hawkman]

Shiels' axing nothing to do with his partner, or expecting a child.

It's a sign of the new direction Sam is taking

I'm more surprised that he isn't even an emergency than he was dropped. I was expecting the sub role to be rotated through him and Phillips a lot this season

 

[hawkman]

If that's the case then I hope Ned long is that sub

Why? We went through it with Downie last year with a player debuting as a sub. It isn't a great option. Would prefer Long to have a full game at Box Hill

 

[MrPremiership]

I'm more surprised that he isn't even an emergency than he was dropped. I was expecting the sub role to be rotated through him and Phillips a lot this season

"managed" is the polite way to drop a veteran, Clarko used to do it all the time, its nicer than "omitted".

Also kind of stops him from playing VFL, and I believe it still counts as a game played under specific contract clauses for KPIs etc

 

[streetspirit]

If that's the case then I hope Ned long is that sub

I expect Long is the travelling emergency, just as a part of the experience of travelling with the squad. Sub will be one of the other emergencies.

 

[hawkman]

"managed" is the polite way to drop a veteran, Clarko used to do it all the time, its nicer than "omitted".

Also kind of stops him from playing VFL, and I believe it still counts as a game played under specific contract clauses for KPIs etc

Could have done it the Geelong way where Higgins has been "rested" after 1 game. The egos must be a bit fragile down there