Port Adelaide game at home was our reality check

[saintkid]

Honestly, I'm not that disappointed with today's loss and in fact expected it, so when we got the first quarter scores, the focus went completely to our Mother's Day lunch

If we were truly such an improved side in 2023, reflecting our ladder position, that Port Adelaide game on our home turf should have been a convincing win. However, we were pretty disappointing after the first quarter. They challenged us with the game plan we had showcased to date and we were unable to respond. You could see the belief and self-confidence in the Port players as the matched progressed and we ended up chasing their tails.

Today, with the shoe on the other foot, playing Adelaide over there, we were taught a football lesson and a reality check of where our list is at.

[Scollop]

I expected a loss today too but I want to comment about the Port loss

If I recall in the threads leading up to that game there was a lot of discussion regarding the 5 day break

We had good form leading up to that Port game. We had momentum. Instead of the club and match committee using that momentum to advance the team and the club, they rewarded the individual players.

No change even though it's a 5 day break and even though we had fresh players available who were like for like replacements

Well done guys on a great start to the year! We trust our fitness staff and we trust our best 22 who were in the line up for 2-3 weeks consecutively

Sports science % game time witch doctor voodoo crap..well done guys!! We are at this point because of poor planning

Same thing last week. Why not give Bytel, Windy and possibly Billings a match against North and hold off some guys to come in fresh against Adelaide?

[saintkid]

Fair post Scollop and I tried to justify our disappointing game to thoughts of that effect but Collingwood also came off a 5 day break that round and look how they finished off their game. They haven't mixed up their winning team much either outside injury.

It's the way our team responded for the 3 quarters after quarter-time and the way Port played us or were allowed to play.

I left the ground that night pretty flat and felt the final scoreboard flattered us.

Today Adelaide did to us what we should have to Port that Friday night here at Marvel.

[perfectionist]

The Port game showed that we lack physical strength and sufficient weight, despite determination, to move opposition players off the ball. Ross referred to it as "heat". Port play a bit dirty as well. In previous years they have lacked skill and simply relied on crash bang. Getting JHF made a massive improvement in the skill area. They still do crash bang. I rate our game against Port as one of our best, despite losing. Had we brought the same game today, it would have been a lot closer. Adelaide applied some "heat" but the stats show that got almost all of their goals from turnovers. Heat has a role to play there in some cases, but no pressure kicks or handballs to the opposition don't. That's skill error. From the moment Liam Stocker dropped a mark in the first minute, we were on a downhill run.

[The_Dud]

For me it was the Collingwood and Blues games that were the turning point. They showed how to beat our system and our turnovers seem to have jumped since then and we haven’t been able to get them under control.

Again today some absolutely brutal ones under little pressure.

[Vortex]

I thought the Essendon game was our peak, the emotion of the 150th gave us a sugar hit to help us scrap over the line.

Some of our early wins were due to the sugar hit of the RTB buzz, the first 4 weeks we had some fitness advantage but we have levelled out with the middle of the comp on that score.

The comp has worked us out now so we don't have any competitive edge to strong arm sides and with a very average list the rest of the season could play out as was being predicted by most pundits in the comp before R1.

We need to get some quality onto the list over the next few years as Ross and his system alone won't get the job done.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

A predicatble combination of fitness levels evening out across the competiton and the defensive game-plan (a novelty this year) being worked out.

We coud all see it coming but it's dispiriting to discover that RTB and the legends in the box had no answer for it.

Membrey and Steele are clearly hampered by their injuries as well.

[SaintWiki]

Our tackles are now often less than 100% effort, our hunting in packs seem have dropped, our handballs and kicks are often woeful and how often do we block kicks. You can see we were giving 100% at 100% of the time in our early games. Does the game plan confuse us (if there is one) or has the seriousness freaked us out - you could see the enjoyment on everyone's face before this huge drop off.

[Devilhead]

Currently 6 & 3 with 120% yet some comments here would have you thinking we were 3 & 6 with 70%

We got done badly today but our other losses against the sides currently 1st and 4th were by a 1 goal margin without our no 1 Forward and with others out

If sides have worked us out then surely we miss finals from here?

Henny Pennies anyone?

[Scollop]

Currently 6 & 3 with 120% yet some comments here would have you thinking we were 3 & 6 with 70%

We got done badly today but our other losses against the sides currently 1st and 4th were by a 1 goal margin without our no 1 Forward and with others out

If sides have worked us out then surely we miss finals from here?

Henny Pennies anyone?

You're only as good as your current form dictates and NOT what happened 4 weeks ago

Freo, Richmond and the Gold Coast are coming...and they are in better form than us

We are the worst performing team (last 5 weeks) out of ALL the sides in the top 8.

[Devilhead]

We are the 5th best performing team in the last 9 weeks

Form fluctuates across all teams with a player refresh we could easily bounce back against GWS & Hawks

Going by your reasoning the Cats could be in trouble given they got whacked by an average Tigers team who only beat a deplorable West Coast the week before

[Scollop]

Going by your reasoning the Cats could be in trouble given they got whacked by an average Tigers team who only beat a deplorable West Coast the week before

Tell that to Richmonds next 2 opponents who will be lining up against a bloke called Dusty in red hot form

He looks fit again. The other thing with Richmond is that there’s a few in their team whose bellies are pretty full after 3 flags

They also had a few injuries (like most teams) and they have Broad back and their defence is better and with Lynch back soon their forwards will be better

Anyhoo…thanks for the footy analysis

[Devilhead]

Cats were ripe for the picking

Do you think Tigers will make Finals?

Their next 2 opponents are Essendon and Port

[scallopsroe]

Given the "Mulligan" public talk by Ross Lyon, I hope he's aware of the floggings this side received in 2022:

Melbourne (Mother's Day), Essendon, Bulldogs, Sydney (at SCG), Freo, and of course the debacle in Cairns against Port. It seems the squad is lacking the mental and physical strength to match opponents when challenged physically and tactically. This trait has been apparent for the past decade when we rollover when the heat is applied by a more determined opponent.
Now to see how the coaching staff respond, I don't want to see another repeat of 2022 when we buckled and caved in under pressure.

No side deserves a free hit Ross.

[saynta]

The Port game showed that we lack physical strength and sufficient weight, despite determination, to move opposition players off the ball. Ross referred to it as "heat". Port play a bit dirty as well. In previous years they have lacked skill and simply relied on crash bang. Getting JHF made a massive improvement in the skill area. They still do crash bang. I rate our game against Port as one of our best, despite losing. Had we brought the same game today, it would have been a lot closer. Adelaide applied some "heat" but the stats show that got almost all of their goals from turnovers. Heat has a role to play there in some cases, but no pressure kicks or handballs to the opposition don't. That's skill error. From the moment Liam Stocker dropped a mark in the first minute, we were on a downhill run.

So windy is a definite in for you?

[Devilhead]

Every current top 8 side biggest losses this year

Collingwood lost to Brisbane by 33pts
Melbourne lost to Essendon by 27pts
Brisbane lost to Port by 51pts
Port lost to Collingwood by 71pts
St Kilda lost to Adelaide by 52pts
Geelong lost to Richmond by 24pts
Bulldogs lost to Melbourne & St Kilda by 50pts
Adelaide lost to Richmond by 32pts

Every side has down days

[perfectionist]

The Port game showed that we lack physical strength and sufficient weight, despite determination, to move opposition players off the ball. Ross referred to it as "heat". Port play a bit dirty as well. In previous years they have lacked skill and simply relied on crash bang. Getting JHF made a massive improvement in the skill area. They still do crash bang. I rate our game against Port as one of our best, despite losing. Had we brought the same game today, it would have been a lot closer. Adelaide applied some "heat" but the stats show that got almost all of their goals from turnovers. Heat has a role to play there in some cases, but no pressure kicks or handballs to the opposition don't. That's skill error. From the moment Liam Stocker dropped a mark in the first minute, we were on a downhill run.

So windy is a definite in for you?

I like his attack on the ball when it is free and his attack on the opposition when they have it. He doesn't stand aside.