Port practice match report

[liz]

Yup - even match reporters need to practice too, before the real stuff gets under way. With no video to assist its based on a few scratchy notes made and what I remember but hopefully those not able to attend the game will find something in it to interest them.

http://redandwhiteonline.com/content.php?id=880_0_2_0_C

[satchmopugdog]

Thank you Liz...your reports are always valued.

[Frog]

Yup - even match reporters need to practice too, before the real stuff gets under way. With no video to assist its based on a few scratchy notes made and what I remember but hopefully those not able to attend the game will find something in it to interest them.

http://redandwhiteonline.com/content.php?id=880_0_2_0_C
A few scratchy notes huh? Great report, as usual. Thanks Liz.

[satchmopugdog]

P.S. While I'm at it...thanks for the work on the computer thingies to fix the thingy thingies. One of those unseen jobs done by those pasty faced techniciany types who emerge from those windowless rooms every so often to remind you rthey are still alive.

[Carolyn]

Thanks Liz! Great work as always! :)

[Nico]

Thanks Liz, good report that highlights a few issues that maybe we should not be too concerned with.

You mentioned the overuse of handball and handballing to a player in a worse position. This has been obvious in the last few pre seasons and indeed early games of 2005 and 2006. Both seasons they have got this right and it appears to be a part of being rusty.

Same could be said of the forward defensive work. Seems to come good when the real pressure is on.

Micky O a bit scratchy. Whats new. I am sure Roos said recently that he gets fit through match fitness rather than a tough pre season due to his gammy knees. Sounds to me that he might be a bit more forward than recent years, which also seems to go for the team. Was it Goodes who said we were at about 75% 3 weeks ago.

Something I have noticed is the number of goals we have kicked in the practice matches. I think 13 is the least. On SEN yesterday arvo there was a fair bit of debate about the low number of goals kicked in the pre season games and the incredible number of players around the ball. Not copying us by any chance are they. Particularly Hawthorn and StKilda.

Is it that we have now refined our game to the point where we can still kick good winning scores with the plethora of forwards we have. Are we now getting more goals from our midfield which is certainly what needs to happen. One interesting stat they brought up on TV last 2 seasons is that we almost always win when kick 15 goals or more. We played 1 good quarter against Port and still kicked 14 goals!

As an aside did anyone notice Brisbane's game plan of trying to kick goals from inside 50. They kick long to a forward, wait for the punch by a defender that clearly will happen with the new rule, the ball goes to ground usually wide of the corridor, they have a player wide to pounce on it and feed it back to one of as many as 5 streaming into the corridor 20-30 metres out. It seemed to work brilliantly in bursts until Carlton woke up to it and blocked it off in the second half.

[giant]

Much appreciated - tho I think a banana kick over the shoulder may be a physical impossiility?

Disappointing that Schmidt & Moore didn't stand up - they're not likely to get better chances than this to make an AFL career for themselves.

The "one handball too many" sydnrome is a classic early season symptom like the short pass that's just a couple of metres too short or dislocating your fingers when you're going for a mark - hopefully they'll get that out of their system before round 1!

[royboy42]

The comment that we seem to win most times we kick 15 or more goals is a perennial...I wonder if any of our stats fiends could establish if this figure would win for most teams? It seems that a 90 point base before behinds would stand anyone in good stead most of the time?

[ScottH]

Nice work, Liz.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Great work liz, although i admit i only read %75 because i scanned it:o

It's good to see most people aren't people so gloomy about our effort on friday night anymore, and realising that our players are allowed to have a sloppy match as it is still preseason. Errors like over use of the ball, kicks falling short and slack defence can easily be put down to preseason scratchyness, and we'll iron that out in the coming weeks.

Having said that, i totally agree with Nico on one point in particular. We played one sharp quater of footy, and still managed 14 goals. Usually our bad matches result in 8 goals at the most.

[ROK Lobster]

2 things. Firstly, thanks Liz, as always a well-written and well-considered report.

Secondly, rather than all saying thank you, and meaning that to read comments on thegame and the report itslef, such as Nico's, the reader has to wade through umpteen posts syaing "thanks Liz" could we do that differently? I like the thanks aspect, and think it should be encouraged. Why not have a public poll at the top (moderated to have only one option), where we can register a thanks and an acknowledgement that we read the report and save the thread for discussion of the match and/or report?

[ScottH]

Secondly, rather than all saying thank you, and meaning that to read comments on thegame and the report itslef, such as Nico's, the reader has to wade through umpteen posts syaing "thanks Liz" could we do that differently? I like the thanks aspect, and think it should be encouraged. Why not have a public poll at the top (moderated to have only one option), where we can register a thanks and an acknowledgement that we read the report and save the thread for discussion of the match and/or report? Valid point.

However, some people go to a lot of effort to do a match report, sometimes with very little thanks. Report threads generally don't have a lot of posts, except for the odd thanks, or a correction of some sort, or a contradictory opinion on a particluar point. It is nice to know your effort is appreciated by a few people, rather than a number on a poll.

[ROK Lobster]

Valid point.

However, some people go to a lot of effort to do a match report, sometimes with very little thanks. Report threads generally don't have a lot of posts, except for the odd thanks, or a correction of some sort, or a contradictory opinion on a particluar point. It is nice to know your effort is appreciated by a few people, rather than a number on a poll.That's why it should be a public poll, so all the names are listed.

[Sanecow]

Am I right to assume that Spida didn't play? Are the team lists for the game somewhere online?

[ScottH]

Am I right to assume that Spida didn't play? Are the team lists for the game somewhere online?

Spida rotated with Jolly through ruck/forward.

[ScottH]

That's why it should be a public poll, so all the names are listed.

Fair enough, will see what others feel.

[RogueSwan]

Much appreciated Liz,


Vogels alternated between forward and back, looking far more valuable in attack than defence. Yet the absence of White from the squad suggests that Vogels is a probable for the West Coast game.

I thought I read somewhere that everyone who had already played 3 preseasons games were dropped for this encounter? However, I still don't think that means White will be playing in round one.

[Layby]

Great report Liz, it was tops, well done.

Have you ever thought of sports journalism as a job ?

Surely all your previous history in the game will help ?

[liz]

I thought I read somewhere that everyone who had already played 3 preseasons games were dropped for this encounter? However, I still don't think that means White will be playing in round one.


There would have been plenty more sitting out if that was the case.

Roos said earlier in the week that it would pretty much be the final squad to take on the Eagles - obviously with a couple of top-ups since the bench was bigger - and that no-one who didn't play in this game would come into consideration for round 1. He later identified Kennelly as the one possible exception to this when there was doubt over his shoulder recovering in time.

[giant]

Am I right to assume that Spida didn't play? Are the team lists for the game somewhere online?

Didn't play the last quarter due to "hamstring tightness" according to one report.

[Jeffers1984]

Leo was good. He couldn't do much due to the good delivery from ports midfield but one thing im really concerned about is that he's most likely gonna give up front position most times. There were a few times he was caught for chopping the arms of Ebert and i reckon he may be caught alot more times this year.