it's official, Port Adelaide choke

[mikesmi]

for the second year in the row, they have done it again, CHOKE, CHOKE, CHOKE, that's payback for that heartbreaking loss last year.

[Charlie]

Port simply top top topped themselves! Ok... with a little help from 22 fearless bandits from interstate wearing red and white, who now face a deadly battle to escape to the airport with their stolen treasure... a week's break! :D:o;)

[swan_song]

As much as I loathe, hate and detest them, I do actually feel for Port. They have been a remarkable team for at least two seasons now, but today they came up against a team that wanted it more...
I don't hold with the choking label one bit...the transition from being a startup AFL club to being a very good team at this level has in reality been achieved in a very very short period of time. I think there's still some hangonver from the port magpies riding on the power's shoulders. Maybe deep down they still see themselves as Port magpies playing in the AFL, and there's a bit of self doubt...
Mind you, I wouldn't like to be in Essendon's shoes next week....

[chewyonyourboot]

I actually feel very bad for Port and their supporters. They have outclassed every team..(except us) this year. They have also played great footy throughout the year.

What struck me about this game was that it seemed to lack the traditional 'feeling out' period that finals usually have...It was a really hard game, but not a rough game..By that I mean it was hard but fair... no cheap shots...both teams play that way..unlike some others that could be mentioned..Port players also don't seem to spend half their time looking at the umpires for free kicks.. I think they are a great, fair team..

It's a credit to the Port players that although they were understandably frustrated today, they didn't resort to cheap shots..especially considering the youth of some of our players..

I wish them the best for next week

[Roscoe]

As I've said many times before - Pork need to recruit Linda Lovelace - "so they don't choke on the big ones"

I bet some of those feral posters on Bigfooty are really copping it big time

[BAM_BAM]

[i]It's a credit to the Port players that although they were understandably frustrated today, they didn't resort to cheap shots..especially considering the youth of some of our players..

I wish them the best for next week [/B]

take another look at TK's corky. I thought I saw a raised extened elbow from Hardwick. Could be wrong but it looked that way to me. Waiting for the 8.30 replay to confirm

[Glenn]

Originally posted by Roscoe
As I've said many times before - Pork need to recruit Linda Lovelace - "so they don't choke on the big ones"

I bet some of those feral posters on Bigfooty are really copping it big time

LMAO Pure Gold....... Well worth the trip from Sydney to see Port continue the tradition and choke... and there finals record now..played 7 won 1 lost 6

[swan_song]

LOL @ Glenn....I love it!!!

[hammo]

The choker's tag has become a self-fulfilling prophecy for Port.

As many said before the game, if Sydney had a good start, every Port Adelaide player would have those thoughts running through their head.... a case of the invincible smelling their own mortality.

Now all week they'll have to deal with it, be told it, think it.

In the post match interviews it must have been mentioned a dozen times.

Some great material which Kevin Sheedy is no doubt already planning to put to great use.

[sharpie]

I cant believe some of you are now feeling sorry for Port.

1) They are the dirtiest team in the league. Look at Hardwick and Pickett. For two guys with the ball skills they have, they spent an aweful lot of time playing the man and not the ball. Hardwick is an out and out boofhead. You can take the man out of Essendon, but you cant take Essendon out of the man.

2) The Swans have competed bloody well with Port in the last 3 encounters - 1st lost by a goal after the siren last year, 2nd earlier this year where we cost ourselves the match with poor conversion, and now today.

3) The Swans have suffered for far too long being one of the teams with a perceived poor record in the finals. It is about time we turned the tide. One reason for mediocrity is a lack of killer instinct. Lets not worry ourselves with others' misfortunes.

4) No team can call itself successful until it can win finals, no matter how many home and away games it wins. In fact, if you win nearly all your regular season games, you deserve all the criticism you cop if you cant win the important finals.

[ScottH]

You are right Sharpie, We have had a good record against Port but not always successul. We also have not had a good record in finals since 96. but we proved all the critics wrong today. The swans were tipped to be wooden spooners by nearly all the media "experts" at the start of the year. Now we are one game away from another GF! They must feel embarrassed, as do the Port players.

[Rob-bloods]

I hate to say it but we have a bad record in finals PERIOD, what about in the eighties two double chances and dumped out twice with two losses including a season where we scored 238, 215 and 198 (or thereabouts) in three consecutive matches..these guys have a red hot go now every time they go out, they do not appear to think oh this injury, that injury they get stuck in....as fans we can really ask no more.............................................. ..........
except perhaps a Brownlow for Goode'sy and a Premiership Cup!!

[sharpie]

I agree that the Swans have a bad finals record. But the only way to turn that around is to win the first one. You have to start somewhere. And after that, who knows? There may be a 2nd win close by, and then a 3rd!

[port1978]

Well, I was going to say well done Sydney & that you guys just played so much better than us today......but now I'm not really sure if it was that you guys were so good, or if you only won because we choked.....:rolleyes:

But anyway, to the Swans supporters who aren't saying crap about us choking, well done, enjoy your win & hopefully we'll see you in the GF! :)

[sharpie]

Originally posted by port1978
well done, enjoy your win & hopefully we'll see you in the GF! :)

I hope so too. Much better prospect than having to play either Essendon or Collingwood at the MCG. It'll well and truely be our home ground then!

[hammo]

Originally posted by sharpie
I cant believe some of you are now feeling sorry for Port.

1) They are the dirtiest team in the league. Look at Hardwick and Pickett. For two guys with the ball skills they have, they spent an aweful lot of time playing the man and not the ball. Hardwick is an out and out boofhead. You can take the man out of Essendon, but you cant take Essendon out of the man.

2) The Swans have competed bloody well with Port in the last 3 encounters - 1st lost by a goal after the siren last year, 2nd earlier this year where we cost ourselves the match with poor conversion, and now today.

3) The Swans have suffered for far too long being one of the teams with a perceived poor record in the finals. It is about time we turned the tide. One reason for mediocrity is a lack of killer instinct. Lets not worry ourselves with others' misfortunes.

4) No team can call itself successful until it can win finals, no matter how many home and away games it wins. In fact, if you win nearly all your regular season games, you deserve all the criticism you cop if you cant win the important finals.

And I would also add they continue to show us no respect. Williams kept going on about how soft and pathetic Port were, yet no praise at all from what I can find of how bloody well the Swans actually played.

[Rizzo]

Pickett plays hard but I don't think he's dirty. That bump on Kirk was bone rattling but above board. Hardwick on the other hand, does tend to drop the knees and can be a real mongrel.

[ugg]

Hardwick was lifting elbows all day as he went into the contests. A really dirty player.

[sharpie]

Originally posted by Rizzo
Pickett plays hard but I don't think he's dirty. That bump on Kirk was bone rattling but above board. Hardwick on the other hand, does tend to drop the knees and can be a real mongrel.

I think Pickett is turning into as much of a boofhead as hardwick. I agree that his bump on Kirk was legitimate, but it was also completely unnecessary. All he was determined to do with that bump was to injure Kirk. It is a gutless style of play, taking cheap shots at unguarded opposition. He could just have easily attempted a normal tackle, but instead from about 5 metres away prepared himself for a shoulder charge. That is not hard, or courageous or even smart play. It is dirty and gutless. Play the ball, not the man.

[Sanecow]

If a shirtfront doesn't contact the head (which is dirty) then I really can't complain about it, because when (rarely these days) a Swan lays one (esp. on someone hateable), I enjoy it!

However, nothing is more disappointing than laying a shirtfront and having the recipient jump straight back up! So credit to Kirk on that! Tough!

[dawson]

I thought I saw Tadgh go down due to some interference from Hardwick - did anyone else see this?

[Sanecow]

It was something to do with him, but the replay didn't exactly show it clearly. Hardwick is a knob.

[NMWBloods]

Looked like incidental contact to me - I tihnk Hardwick's knee made contact with Kennelly's thigh, just above the knee.

[dawson]

When Derek Kickett played his first game against Essendon as a Swan - do you know who copped it????????

D.Hardwick :D :D :D :D

What a wonderful sight it was as well

[BAM_BAM]

I saw Hardwick try to connect with TK. The actually contact may have been incidental knee to thigh. But his elbow had it connected would have been nothing but intentional.

D, find me a word that describes how much I loath this guy and I will be indebted to you forever. I Hate him so much.

[Diego]

Originally posted by BAM_BAM
I saw Hardwick try to connect with TK. The actually contact may have been incidental knee to thigh. But his elbow had it connected would have been nothing but intentional.

D, find me a word that describes how much I loath this guy and I will be indebted to you forever. I Hate him so much.

Yeah i noticed it too at the time. I was filthy that it was Hardwick, who earlier tried to rough up The Schniederman.

The guy is soft..a real coward. Watch him run when Baz is around. ;)

[dawson]

People say the umpiring was ok - but I couldnt believe it when Schneider was not given 50.

He had marked the ball and was then wrapped up by Hardwick who hit him in the head and pushed him over?!?!?!?

He then missed the shot for goal :(

[Sanecow]

The umpiring was pretty ****ty, but it was pretty fairly ****ty - the missed frees went both ways, so it's hard to complain. Schneider running back with the flight of the ball, interfering with a Port player and then deliberately running the ball over the line ring a bell?

Hardwick also fears Nicks with good reason :D