Match thread: Swans v Port prelim.

[dejavoodoo44]

Rampe cleared. Careless conduct, low impact and high contact = a fine. $2500.

Personally, I think a fine is a bit much, as I don't think Rampe actually got him high. But of course, I might be biased.

[dejavoodoo44]

These are the Mongrel Punt player ratings for the game. The ratings for our players seem a bit more considered and consistent, than the ratings that they gave for our previous game. The ratings for the Port players are perhaps a touch cruel at times.

https://themongrelpunt.com/afl-season-2024/2024/09/21/prelim-player-ratings-sydney-v-port-adelaide/

[imuninformedtwo]

These are the Mongrel Punt player ratings for the game. The ratings for our players seem a bit more considered and consistent, than the ratings that they gave for our previous game. The ratings for the Port players are perhaps a touch cruel at times.

https://themongrelpunt.com/afl-seaso...port-adelaide/

The funniest part of that is it’s a reminder Port effectively gave up a year and a bit of draft picks to get Zerk-Thatcher and Rategolea. The sort of decision that kills clubs for a decade

[dejavoodoo44]

The funniest part of that is it’s a reminder Port effectively gave up a year and a bit of draft picks to get Zerk-Thatcher and Rategolea. The sort of decision that kills clubs for a decade

Yes, a fair few people reckon that Port needs to do an extensive rebuild, but they haven't really got anything to do it with. Though it seems that the sort of rebuild many Port fans want, is for Hinkley to be encased in concrete and incorporated into some sort of renovation work at Alberton. I mean, I thought some of the spite that Bulldogs fans direct towards Beveridge is pretty feral, but Port fans are like the archetypal mob of angry townsfolk on the march, armed with pitchforks, nooses and shotguns.

[Nico]

The funniest part of that is it’s a reminder Port effectively gave up a year and a bit of draft picks to get Zerk-Thatcher and Rategolea. The sort of decision that kills clubs for a decade

It's interesting that they traded for Zerk-Thatcher from Essendon, the team with the worst defence in 2023.

[dejavoodoo44]

As expected, Heeney got the maximum Ayres Medal votes for the game. He now leads with 20 votes from Zorko on 15 and Neale on 13.

https://aflcoaches.com.au/awards/gary-ayres-award-best-finals-player/leaderboard/2024/20250128

[dejavoodoo44]

These are the votes for the game.

10: Isaac Heeney (SYD)
6: Chad Warner (SYD)
6: Oliver Florent (SYD)
4: Errol Gulden (SYD)
2: Nick Blakey (SYD)
2: Joel Amartey (SYD)

And with grand final votes being worth 150%, there's still a number of players who could win it, besides the previously mentioned top three. There's McCluggage on 9 votes. Florent, Warner and Rayner on 6. And even Lloyd, Ah Chee, Ashcroft, Berry and Lester on 5.

[liz]

The funniest part of that is it’s a reminder Port effectively gave up a year and a bit of draft picks to get Zerk-Thatcher and Rategolea. The sort of decision that kills clubs for a decade

I think it was worse than that. They gave up a year and a bit of draft picks AND Duursma to get BZT, Ratugolea and two journeyman rucks. The first journeyman ruck, Soldo, was lauded as a transformative ruck for the first part of the season until he got injured and Sweet came in in his place. Sweet's been good for them, but I read that now Soldo is pissed off that he couldn't get back into the side and maybe wants to move to a third club (despite being contracted for another couple of seasons at Port).

It puzzled me at the time why they didn't recruit just one of Sweet and Soldo, rather than both. They could have kept Hayes on their list as back-up who, despite not really being physically ready, performed quite well in a couple of games last year.

In a similar vein, it confuses me why the Suns are intent on recruiting both Dan Rioli AND John Noble to play across their half back line next season when they already have a few pretty good (and young) players in those kinds of roles, like Uwland and Buderick. Plus Flanders who played a lot of this season across half-back because they couldn't really fit him into their midfield. Plus someone like Weller who is probably well suited to such a role.

[imuninformedtwo]

I think it was worse than that. They gave up a year and a bit of draft picks AND Duursma to get BZT, Ratugolea and two journeyman rucks. The first journeyman ruck, Soldo, was lauded as a transformative ruck for the first part of the season until he got injured and Sweet came in in his place. Sweet's been good for them, but I read that now Soldo is pissed off that he couldn't get back into the side and maybe wants to move to a third club (despite being contracted for another couple of seasons at Port).

It puzzled me at the time why they didn't recruit just one of Sweet and Soldo, rather than both. They could have kept Hayes on their list as back-up who, despite not really being physically ready, performed quite well in a couple of games last year.

In a similar vein, it confuses me why the Suns are intent on recruiting both Dan Rioli AND John Noble to play across their half back line next season when they already have a few pretty good (and young) players in those kinds of roles, like Uwland and Buderick. Plus Flanders who played a lot of this season across half-back because they couldn't really fit him into their midfield. Plus someone like Weller who is probably well suited to such a role.

Ah yeah, forgot those ruckman were part of it.

As for the Suns they’ve also got the younger Uwland coming, who’s apparently a superior player again.

i guess if I had to guess at their logic, they’ve got the draft collateral to play with, including once they junk Lukousis, and they don’t rate the run through the midfield that highly. So one or two will end up on the wing, and someone like Buderick gets shoved out. If I had a knock on the Suns it’s their wings and kicking skills, and Rioli is elite and could easily play wing. Noble is more like Lloyd as a smart player, who runs forever and is a good kick, but I wouldn’t give up the world for him either.

[liz]

Ah yeah, forgot those ruckman were part of it.

As for the Suns they’ve also got the younger Uwland coming, who’s apparently a superior player again.

i guess if I had to guess at their logic, they’ve got the draft collateral to play with, including once they junk Lukousis, and they don’t rate the run through the midfield that highly. So one or two will end up on the wing, and someone like Buderick gets shoved out. If I had a knock on the Suns it’s their wings and kicking skills, and Rioli is elite and could easily play wing. Noble is more like Lloyd as a smart player, who runs forever and is a good kick, but I wouldn’t give up the world for him either.

If the Suns deem Budarick surplus to requirements, I hope the Swans are ready to capture the crurmbs. He's an excellent player, only held back by some long term injuries. And just the kind of player we'll need in a couple of seasons.

[Kafka's Ghost]

What I said in the pre match thread, and no one else seemed to pick up on, was that we had a number of different players from round 21. Out went Adams, Francis, Cory W, Wicks, Ladhams, In came Papley, Rampe, Campbell, JMac, Amartey, Melican. A significantly improved team. I said to Ludwig before the game that I thought we were peaking.

Totally agree with this observation. All massive ins.

[Kafka's Ghost]

By the way, really happy to have re-found the new and better r&wonline!

[Agent 86]

These are the Mongrel Punt player ratings for the game. The ratings for our players seem a bit more considered and consistent, than the ratings that they gave for our previous game. The ratings for the Port players are perhaps a touch cruel at times.

https://themongrelpunt.com/afl-seaso...port-adelaide/

Harsh but fair (on Port). Rowie was good and looked pretty spent. But James Rowbottom – 8.5? Fair enuf, perhaps… but next time take the shot, James (that handball to Lloyd who was underpressure was a shocker)!