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- Sep 17, 2006
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- #1
This week we front up against a Port side that looked quite good in dismantling WCE. The game is a milestone one for them with Boak becoming the first Power player to 350 games, while Hinkley coaches game 250. We have a history of ruining big milestone games for Port, so here's hoping we can do it again.
In saying that it won't be easy, Port have a very good midfield group who have a mix of ball winning and speed that can open sides up, their back line is quite solid and their forward line has multiple options to attack through.
We are still a work in progress and while we made amends for the Opening Round debacle against Carlton, we're going to need to step it up another notch against Port.
Nankervis and Lynch will be better again after blowing out the cobwebs against Carlton, but our backline is going to be restructured with Gibcus out for the year and Young also missing. That would suggest that Miller comes in, with Yze stating he wants to keep Balta forward at present, which means possibly Brown or Koschitzke coming in to help fill the void down back. If Balta does go to the backline then you'd expect Ryan or Koschitzke to partner Lynch up forward.
In the middle we'll need to find a replacement for Prestia who suffered yet another soft tissue injury, with young McAuliffe a chance at debating, or we could see Sonsie return to the senior line up now that his suspension is finished. Another possibility is Judson Clarke who has been in good form during the VFL practice matches.
For mine I'd like to see Miller Brown and McAuliffe coming in for Gibcus Young and Prestia, with Mansell moving into the starting 22 and more of Martin in the middle as he was only used 26% of the time at centre bounces on Thursday night. What was interesting though was Bolton was used more than double Martin despite Yze saying he wants to play him more forward. Maybe it was a case of easing Martin through the first game. As I mentioned above Port has a very good midfield so we're going to need our very best to try and break even.
Down back we'll need to have a solid game plan as Dixon looked powerful against the Eagles having the better of Barrass, while Marshall and Finlayson provided lead up options that allowed Charlie to work in space and not be double/triple teamed by dragging McGovern away. That is where they might decide to move Balta back, however listening to Yze speak Friday afternoon it appears that longer term vision is more important to him than short term pain.
Up forward Lynch and Balta should be a tougher test for the Port backline than Allen and Darling presented although we could possibly use another mobile marking option to try and spread the Port defenders in Allir Esava & Zerk-Thatcher instead of allowing one of them to sit back and help double team Lynch or Balta. Neither Ryan or Koschitzke looked good against the Suns, but we could bring one of them back this week to try and stop that happening but I think Yze liked the balance of the team Thursday night with the extra runner. So maybe they deploy Pickett forward again to play that 3rd marking option.
Predicted Line Up
B: Grimes Miller Broad
HB: Short Vlastuin D. Rioli
C: McIntosh Taranto Ross
HF: Mansell Baker Bolton
F: Balta Martin Lynch
R: Nankervis Hopper Dow
INT: Pickett Campbell Brown McAuliffe M.Rioli
Game Prediction:
We'll be in the game early but Port is a better team than us at the moment and given the way the dismantled WCE it should see them win by 4-6 goals.
In saying that it won't be easy, Port have a very good midfield group who have a mix of ball winning and speed that can open sides up, their back line is quite solid and their forward line has multiple options to attack through.
We are still a work in progress and while we made amends for the Opening Round debacle against Carlton, we're going to need to step it up another notch against Port.
Nankervis and Lynch will be better again after blowing out the cobwebs against Carlton, but our backline is going to be restructured with Gibcus out for the year and Young also missing. That would suggest that Miller comes in, with Yze stating he wants to keep Balta forward at present, which means possibly Brown or Koschitzke coming in to help fill the void down back. If Balta does go to the backline then you'd expect Ryan or Koschitzke to partner Lynch up forward.
In the middle we'll need to find a replacement for Prestia who suffered yet another soft tissue injury, with young McAuliffe a chance at debating, or we could see Sonsie return to the senior line up now that his suspension is finished. Another possibility is Judson Clarke who has been in good form during the VFL practice matches.
For mine I'd like to see Miller Brown and McAuliffe coming in for Gibcus Young and Prestia, with Mansell moving into the starting 22 and more of Martin in the middle as he was only used 26% of the time at centre bounces on Thursday night. What was interesting though was Bolton was used more than double Martin despite Yze saying he wants to play him more forward. Maybe it was a case of easing Martin through the first game. As I mentioned above Port has a very good midfield so we're going to need our very best to try and break even.
Down back we'll need to have a solid game plan as Dixon looked powerful against the Eagles having the better of Barrass, while Marshall and Finlayson provided lead up options that allowed Charlie to work in space and not be double/triple teamed by dragging McGovern away. That is where they might decide to move Balta back, however listening to Yze speak Friday afternoon it appears that longer term vision is more important to him than short term pain.
Up forward Lynch and Balta should be a tougher test for the Port backline than Allen and Darling presented although we could possibly use another mobile marking option to try and spread the Port defenders in Allir Esava & Zerk-Thatcher instead of allowing one of them to sit back and help double team Lynch or Balta. Neither Ryan or Koschitzke looked good against the Suns, but we could bring one of them back this week to try and stop that happening but I think Yze liked the balance of the team Thursday night with the extra runner. So maybe they deploy Pickett forward again to play that 3rd marking option.
Predicted Line Up
B: Grimes Miller Broad
HB: Short Vlastuin D. Rioli
C: McIntosh Taranto Ross
HF: Mansell Baker Bolton
F: Balta Martin Lynch
R: Nankervis Hopper Dow
INT: Pickett Campbell Brown McAuliffe M.Rioli
Game Prediction:
We'll be in the game early but Port is a better team than us at the moment and given the way the dismantled WCE it should see them win by 4-6 goals.
and were gifted soft frees infront of goal in the dying minutes
