Match v Port March 8 at Alberton

[samuraisaint]

Sounds like Stanley had another shocker as did Newnes.

Also sounds like with the new breed of tall fwds (195-200cm) we will still be found out down back .

We need to really hope Bruce comes on in the next 2-3 years.

Butcher on top today - but most clubs now have at least one very tall fwd.

Minch - GOAL

Newnes fair enough - still learning. Stanley is very lucky that Walsh left for more money at Sydney otherwise he would be the new ruckman at Sandy fulltime.
Maybe I'm being a bit harsh but I reckon Lee, Maister, TDL and Stanley all need to be given their papers at years end if there is not significant improvement.

[stevie]

For some reason it streams well for me on PC but not on tunein

TuneIn works perfect for me on the IPad. Can listen to stations all around

[Con Gorozidis]

Stanley has a contract for 2015? Hes bloody lucky he has that...

Id give Lee one more chance next year- needs a proper pre-season to get his body right.
His shoulders really holding him back.

[BringBackMadDog]

Some interesting stats we had 50 clearances to 29 yet managed only 36 inside 50's compared to 43. Either we are going way too indirect from clearances or we butchered the ball again. But when you consider the quality of the Port midfield the clearance stat is very promising

[jonesy]

Sounds like Stanley had another shocker as did Newnes.

Also sounds like with the new breed of tall fwds (195-200cm) we will still be found out down back .

We need to really hope Bruce comes on in the next 2-3 years.

Butcher on top today - but most clubs now have at least one very tall fwd.

Minch - GOAL

Newnes fair enough - still learning. Stanley is very lucky that Walsh left for more money at Sydney otherwise he would be the new ruckman at Sandy fulltime.
Maybe I'm being a bit harsh but I reckon Lee, Maister, TDL and Stanley all need to be given their papers at years end if there is not significant improvement.

Almost as early as Con's call on Billings, with Lee. Think he is a good prospect in time,no star,but will be handy

[mullet]

Some interesting stats we had 50 clearances to 29 yet managed only 36 inside 50's compared to 43. Either we are going way too indirect from clearances or we butchered the ball again. But when you consider the quality of the Port midfield the clearance stat is very promising

Good to hear someone post something positive. So sick of hearing how shithouse we are going to be this year.

[Con Gorozidis]

Some interesting stats we had 50 clearances to 29 yet managed only 36 inside 50's compared to 43. Either we are going way too indirect from clearances or we butchered the ball again. But when you consider the quality of the Port midfield the clearance stat is very promising

Good to hear someone post something positive. So sick of hearing how shithouse we are going to be this year.

Good to hear we won clearances - no surprise with Dunstan, Armo and Len Dog inside doing some grunt.
We just need Jack and another couple of outside players to receive compose and deliver.

[dragit]

Lee is 1 year in... has only played 10 games some as a sub, kicked 17 goals.

As a tall fwd there isn't much point calling his career over at this stage.

He'll get 4 - 5 years to prove himself and build up his teenage body.

[fingers]

Lee is 1 year in... has only played 10 games some as a sub, kicked 17 goals.

As a tall fwd there isn't much point calling his career over at this stage.

He'll get 4 - 5 years to prove himself and build up his teenage body.

I think you're right. Stanley I'm not so sure about.

[samuraisaint]

Sounds like Stanley had another shocker as did Newnes.

Also sounds like with the new breed of tall fwds (195-200cm) we will still be found out down back .

We need to really hope Bruce comes on in the next 2-3 years.

Butcher on top today - but most clubs now have at least one very tall fwd.

Minch - GOAL

Newnes fair enough - still learning. Stanley is very lucky that Walsh left for more money at Sydney otherwise he would be the new ruckman at Sandy fulltime.
Maybe I'm being a bit harsh but I reckon Lee, Maister, TDL and Stanley all need to be given their papers at years end if there is not significant improvement.

Almost as early as Con's call on Billings, with Lee. Think he is a good prospect in time,no star,but will be handy

IMD I did say at years' end. Lee handy? Hasn't showed anything yet. Maister has shown more. Remember that Lee turns 24 this year. He defintely isn't earning his game time, is he? If he can't get his marking sorted out, along with his second efforts, then I don't see the point in perservering with him.

[samuraisaint]

Lee is 1 year in... has only played 10 games some as a sub, kicked 17 goals.

As a tall fwd there isn't much point calling his career over at this stage.

He'll get 4 - 5 years to prove himself and build up his teenage body.

I think you're right. Stanley I'm not so sure about.

Another hammy for Stanley today. This won't help his cause - especially after his performance which wasn't great by all accounts.

[cwrcyn]

Lee's biggest issue is his aerobic fitness. He looks way behind his team mates in this respect. I just hope it's because he had two shoulder reconstructions during the off-season and hasn't done anywhere near the fitness work of most others. If not, then I'd be very concerned. Key position wise, we're as threadbare as our midfield in relation to quality. We're okay with ruck, okay with half backs and half forwards, but a long way off in the the other areas.

[BringBackMadDog]

Some interesting stats we had 50 clearances to 29 yet managed only 36 inside 50's compared to 43. Either we are going way too indirect from clearances or we butchered the ball again. But when you consider the quality of the Port midfield the clearance stat is very promising

Good to hear someone post something positive. So sick of hearing how shithouse we are going to be this year.

Good to hear we won clearances - no surprise with Dunstan, Armo and Len Dog inside doing some grunt.
We just need Jack and another couple of outside players to receive compose and deliver.

I think we have inside mids covered for a few years. Dunstan, Armo, Curran are all as tough as nails, if Ross can make it he adds to this depth. We need Saunders, Wright, Steven, Billings, Webster, Newnes to provide the run and carry, this is where our improvement will come from.

I still believe our biggest problem is finding another key forward to support Roo. Haven't seen a lot from Lee, Stanley and Maister over the pre-season, although Maister shows some intent and hits packs hard.

[Stephen Theodore]

Sounds like Tommy Curren's doing alright again. Think we've found a player there. IMO we need to throw the kitchen sink at a couple of FA midfielders at the end of the year and recruit the best FF in the land.

Why ? As has been suggested on this forum numerous times, and rightly so, no point paying big brass for any FA for at least 2-3 seasons.

I assume that is due to the age discrepency between a FA and our up and coming core? Fair enough.

Correct

[cwrcyn]

Stanley a hamstring? Longer will surely play in round one.

[BringBackMadDog]

Stanley a hamstring? Longer will surely play in round one.

even if stanley was 100% fit I think you'd have to pick Longer over him anyway. Stanley is a long way from being starting 22 at the moment.

[saintbrat]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-03-08/p ... tice-match


PORT ADELAIDE 3.0 9.1 14.5 18.7 (115)
ST KILDA 7.2 10.5 13.6 16.10 (106)

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Butcher, Ebert 3, Cassisi, Westhoff, Boak, Hartlett 2, Broadbent, White, Young, Wingard
St Kilda: Armitage 3, Riewoldt, Hayes, Savage 2, Dunstan, Ray, Curren, Maister, Stanley, Lee, Minchington

BEST
Port Adelaide: Ebert, Wines, Monfries, Polec, Cornes, Impey
St Kilda: Hayes, Geary, Dunstan, Ray, Armitage, Montagna

INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Nil
St Kilda: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Fleer, Pannell, Ryan

Crowd: 6,000 (approx.) at Alberton Oval

[Eastern]

Nil injuries?

What's all the excitement about Stanley's hamstring? !!

[dragit]

Nil injuries?

What's all the excitement about Stanley's hamstring? !!

Misprint, he did a heartstring.

[saintbrat]

[HitTheBoundary]

Schneider. 2 weeks.

[magnifisaint]

Schneider. 2 weeks.

Get up!

[saintbrat]

any clues that Jasper is a Port/ Sth Australian reporter
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-pre ... 6848967637

[sverik25]

Is Schneider actually injured???

[degruch]

Just got back from the ground, I'd have to say that I'm surprised Newnes had a 'shocker', he was in everything and proved very useful...decision making left a little to be desired, but nothing on, say, Jones. Dunstan looks like a great pick up, looking forward to seeing more of him. Overall, our backline cost us...porous at the start and disposals running out were shocking. Whatever our defensive zones are supposed to be, they didn't kick in until the second half.

Midfield looked pretty good, especially given Hickey never really gave us first use of the ball at centre bounce...many tap outs looked more like good luck than technique. It's McEvoy all over again, which is not such a bad thing...he's useful forward and around the ground, just not aggressive at the centre bounce. A lot of the contested stuff semmed to be on the other side of the ground though, so maybe I'm wrong.

Stanley looked okay, but lacked a bit of awareness in the F50, probably due to being stuffed in defense all year in 2013. Looked the better of the 2 ruckmen IMO. Great to see Roo brilliant as per usual, shooting sharply, deserved at least one more set shot due to a missed free kick. Lee and Maister really are casual support though.

It's hard to gauge where we're at, as both teams are an enigma (we're expected to be crap, Port on the improve, but who knows where), but Port rarely looked troubled to be honest. Good run for the team, against a reasonable even opponent. We're not gonna get too much joy this year, but I wouldn't call this a negative result at all.