matchups vs port

[penga]

im not super familiar with the port list, but some matchups that might work would include:

kirk on stevens
bolton on tredrea (try and do what he did against richo, send him out and wide )
okeefe on wanganeen (keep wanganeen honest, similar to r smith)
barry on s burgoyne
crouch on p burgoyne
mathews on cockatoo-collins
sadders (if he plays, maybe kennelly) on cornes
BBBB to take out schofield (legally of course) in first minute
warfe (presuming he plays, hope not ) and schauble???
warfe cant take pickett, and schauble couldnt keep up with any of their agile forwards...

i wouldnt mind seeing barry vs tredrea either

anyone esle we gotta worry about?

question is: who is gonna cover goodes, schneider and davis?

hardwick on davis perhaps, hardwick would prob rough up davis a bit and id doubt that ND could handle that too well...

ill presume paxman on hall and wakelin on magic with k cornes on willo and prob james on maxy...

any of these wrong, (ie injuries) port supporters?

[barry]

Have port actually been on tele up here?
Like you I have very little idea about the side.

But, I think we will loose, I just hope is not a turning point in our season. This break in momentum has me worried.

But, if a few unlikely results go our way, we could be 1st after this weekend !

[penga]

Originally posted by barry
This break in momentum has me worried.

i really rate our chance against port... when was the last time we beat them and at AAMI, or for that matter when was the last win at AAMI? maybe its time to break another hoodoo!

our real worry is their gameplan, i think we can contain their big names one on one and the week off is our chance to have a real crack at breaking it... their strength comes from setting up the play from HB through wanganeen et al... but with the pressure our forwards exert on their opponent i dont think it will be easy for them to create from the loose man...

oh yeah, montgomery (sp?) on schneider prob... or montgomery on ND and DH on AS

[Craig]

I reckon Schauble will be given first crack at Treadrea as he is the only one with the body strength to go with him. I know the Bolton thing worked against Richo, however I think Treadrea is a different type of player, stronger and doesn't lose his cool as easy.

I think we have the defence to go with Port, even if Saddo doesn't play. On paper I think we have a good chance, whether that correlates to a win is anyones guess.

[omnipotent]

Your matchups sound good. Just as a matter of interest though ND has always played on Hardwick and beaten him when I have watched. Hall is always around as a minder.

[TheHood]

I am not worried about the momentum thing. In fact I think it will serve us as well as it serves Footsgray. We need the recovery as much as anyone.

Port will be our toughest assignment to date but haven't we said that at the start of every round for one reason or another?

Port are dangerous because:

1. They are in very good form;
2. We have to travel 3 hours to get there;
3. The ground size doesn't suit us;
4. We probably have 2000 supporters to their 25,000

Port think we are dangerous because:

1. We are in very good form;
2. Our form is difficult to define therefore counter;
3. Their best backmen will be very busy, so their counter attack might suffer;
4. Roosy had it all over Choco in their playing days hehe that part might be fiction

I am looking forward to the contest. Both sides have gun forwards and the best repelling backs in the comp. The midfield contest is so important. If we get enough fuel into 50, our forwards are canny enough to get us home!

[dimelb]

Not too worried if people try to rough up ND - he seems to be able to weather it, and look what happened when McVeigh ESNDN tried it - one goal thank you very much.

[RogueSwan]

I agree with you there dimelb. Davis will keep his cool frustrating Hardwick into doing something stupid giving ND a free and a goal.

[penga]

go put the money down now... we havent beaten port at AAMI since 99, another hoodoo about to come crashing down...

FWIW, we havent played em at AAMI since 99 either, so that could be a dilemma in the hoodoo breaker

when was our last win in the finals??? it might be the hooodoo breaker that might be of worth... oh, and when was the last time we won a flag???

[Craig]

I like your thinking!

I'm going to put a few bucks on the Swans this week. They are paying $3.80 which is pretty long odds considering their form.

If we beat Port or West Coast we will have to be Premership favourites!

[jixygirl]

The last time we won a final would probably have to be in the 1996 prelim final when Pluuger kicked the behind to get is into the grand final, but I'm not sure. However, I know for a fact that Sydney won their last premiership in 1933 (and Essendon fans are worried about when they will win their next premiership!) As for the closest game at hand, Sydney have a small chance because of the form we have had, but if we don't get the hitouts in the midfields, we are gone.

[TheMase]

Our last Final win was 5th September 1998.

Defeated St Kilda 89-87 to move into the Semi final before being beaten by eventual premiers Adelaide.

[Ganjaman]

Originally posted by Craig
I'm going to put a few bucks on the Swans this week. They are paying $3.80 which is pretty long odds considering their form.

The TAB has been visited, a lazy ten is on Sydney. Good odds indeed considering we are fourth. The more nobody rates us to win this match the better. It will only put more pressure on Port to perform. We are off the hook with expectation, complete underdogs, just the way our boys like it.

[Nico]

Stop Wanga and you stop Port. No doubt in the world that Kirk will follow him no matter where he goes. Doesn't matter if Wanga is HBF as Kirk's job will be purely to stop him getting the pill, not kick goals as a pretend HFF.

The rest of the matchups will be a raffle. Could a bit of ring a ring a rosie early with triple matchups etc.

[penga]

im pretty sure kirk will get stevens