Would have lost with Nick R included today

[kalsaint]

Lets face it, we most likely would have lost this game even with Nick playing.

Credit where credits due. Port won all the key categories to win a game. Our midfield skills and disposal resembled something like 2006 when turnovers were prominent and while we struggled with a morte accountable defensive structure.

Today the defense was as good as normal but the delivery to forwards was poor. Many times the ball was bombed with hope and many of our better players were guilty of this. In fact Lenny is starting to make this a habit this year.

Without Sneider we had no direct route to goal. I dont blame Milney. He was reasonable given the pressure and delivery. He did kick into players a couple of times but I also recall this occurring with about 5 others too.

Kosi is certainly not Nick but he is not alone here. Goddard not kicking the ball once i the first half indicated the Port pressure applied. The skill errors when pressure was not applied was the biggest concern to me today and the occasions when certain players fringe players started to run forward of the ball when the ball need to be grabbed and used to advantage.

This year our clearances have been up and down but even when up we have had difficulty making value from these unless deep in defence. This is why we have been accurate most of the year.

If we dont fix the midfield we will get a couple of floggings from better sides this year. We have had pressure lapses many times this year and out tackle count has often been beaten.

Plenty of work to do. Nick masked some of this now its become more obvious.

I also believe Ross was outcaoched today. Rodan had way too much influence and I didnt see solid match ups with accountability until well into the second half. This was poor. Skills training this week is inevitable. However, Port wasnt much better today but had more endeavour and effort.

[Sainternist]

more hypotheticals. where's geoffry robertson?

[SaintSimmo]

I think we could of won with him playing, but he wouldnt have had much of an effect personally.

[Lenny_Hayes7]

It's not just about KPI's!! He takes the oppositions number one defender and frees up kosi milne etc as well

[kalsaint]

more hypotheticals. where's geoffry robertson?

Its maybe a hyperthetical but Nick is only one player (albeit our best). I am thinking of the difference between this game and the game last year against Hawthorn.

Why were we able to beat Hawthorn against the odds. It wasnt about Nick.

[SainterK]

more hypotheticals. where's geoffry robertson?

Better than your effort with the thread encouraging people to take cheap shots at a player

[Furphy]

No tall forward (even Roo) would have done too well in those conditions. The goal kicking stats from last night prove this.

[Milan Faletic]

No tall forward (even Roo) would have done too well in those conditions. The goal kicking stats from last night prove this.

Roo is more than just a tall forward and could have brought others in to the game. Would have played Kosi up the ground a bit more.

[saintkid]

Roo's gut running and his countless efforts to make a contest would have gone a long way to help winning last night.

[clarky449]

Im not sure, i mean Roo is something special

[n1ck]

No tall forward (even Roo) would have done too well in those conditions. The goal kicking stats from last night prove this.

Roo is more than just a tall forward and could have brought others in to the game. Would have played Kosi up the ground a bit more.

Kosi played up the ground too much already.

I said countless times to HSVKing that the times that Kosi lead up the ground very rarely led to a scoring chance as we had no marking target within 50 whatsoever.

Milne and Schneider were already hanging around the HFFs and to have Kosi lead so high up the ground was just ludicrous.

[rodgerfox]

No tall forward (even Roo) would have done too well in those conditions. The goal kicking stats from last night prove this.

Tredrea kicked over 25% of our total score.

[SainterK]

No tall forward (even Roo) would have done too well in those conditions. The goal kicking stats from last night prove this.

Tredrea kicked over 25% of our total score.

Adam kicked over 25% of their total score

Seriously though, I don't think the scoreline for either team is anything to celebrate.

[Shrappy]

Would have won by 5 goals, if he doesnt kick them he brings the others into the game as normally has 2-3 flying against the great man...

if we are not 30 - 40 pts better off with Nick then i have never seen him play...