The Port Litmus Test

[Vortex]

The big issue we have discovered this season is our significant lack of depth and whilst we have had 3 good wins on the trot, a big reason is due to either young or maligned players stepping up.

King
Dunny
DMac
Connolly
Byrnes
Kent
Highmore

These players have been been a big reason we have won the past 3 games and so the question for mine is can these players sustain the performance consistently.

That's a third of our team, it's a motley crew.

Are we vulnerable to falling back to where we were a month ago?

Starting with today's game we now embark on a 6 game tour that sees us take on mostly teams in the top 8 or teams fighting for the top 8.

Will we pass the test...a big ask for a team that on paper doesn't look like a top 8 team.

[Hawkesbury Saint]

Great post Vortex.

There does seem to be some vulnerability there, especially among your maligned list.

I'm really hoping Kent can continue his role and put in another solid one. Great to see another chance for Dunny and I think he has a lot to play for in terms of pride. It's great that things have clicked for him and he is getting the run of the green. Loads of potential and hard work are coming together with great confidence. I wish him all the best. I hope this is the spark for a great late career, and desperately hoping it is with the Saints.

I am really beginning to believe in DMac, Byrnes, Connelly and Highmore. Butler I love and wouldn't it be great to see the shackles released in such an important game.

You are so right Vortex. Absolute crunch game and a massive litmus test of how far we have progressed since darker days this season, and for individuals in terms of self belief.

So glad they have guys/guns like Steele, Jones, Howard, Ross, Ryder, Hill, Membrey, Sinclair around them. Together we rise or fall. Today is a massive test.

Go Sainters!

[stkfc1]

I'm very bullish about today. We have a better ruck combo and our midfield I think is fairly evenly matched. Our back six is playing better than their forward 6. They have lost some very attacking players in Rozee, Motlop and Dursma

If we play like last week, we'll win by 30+

[samuraisaint]

Port without Robbie Gray is huge.
Like us when Harvs wasn't out there.
No excuses today. Should win. Must win.

[Bowey Boy]

Anyone know how many times Port have played us in Melbourne?

[saynta]

Anyone know how many times Port have played us in Melbourne?

Three times maybe.

[asiu]

no excuses
(imo)

WIN
'n in the winning
put em to the sword

(which i'm confident we shall achieve)

[shanegrambeau]

Anyone know how many times Port have played us in Melbourne?

We’ve played ‘em 5 times at Marvel Melbourne since 2000.

Lost three times.

Last played them here 2013. (Lost)

We also played and beat them three times at Waverley between ‘97-‘00.

(I assume that AFL Park means Waverley)

[Sainter_Dad]

Anyone know how many times Port have played us in Melbourne?

Three times maybe.

Since 1997:
9 - AAMI
7 - Adelaide Ovel
4 - Aurora/York
2 - Football Park
1 - China
9 - Marvel/Telstra Dome/Etihad/Colonial/Waverley

Since 2005:
7 - AAMI
7 - Adelaide Ovel
2 - Aurora
1 - China
3 - Marvel/Telstra Dome/Etihad/Colonial/Waverley

I think

[Vortex]

A BIG FIKN FAIL

[The_Dud]

Couldn’t have had it more in our favour if we tried.

Pathetic performance.

[evertonfc]

Everything was in our favour.

You got a good look at what we're really made of today.

[SaintPav]

Anyone know how many times Port have played us in Melbourne?

Three times maybe.

Since 1997:
9 - AAMI
7 - Adelaide Ovel
4 - Aurora/York
2 - Football Park
1 - China
9 - Marvel/Telstra Dome/Etihad/Colonial/Waverley

Since 2005:
7 - AAMI
7 - Adelaide Ovel
2 - Aurora
1 - China
3 - Marvel/Telstra Dome/Etihad/Colonial/Waverley

I think

We’ve played them at Marvel only 3 times since 2008.

That’s 13 years. Weird.

[Saintmatt]

Everything was in our favour.

You got a good look at what we're really made of today.

Exactly. We’re pretty much an average group of individuals who pick and choose when they play for each other.

Way too many C Graders across every line and a serous lack of polish.

[Banger9798]

We should have won that today.
Port are a good side, but our mids let us down in Q2, bit fought back.
Set shots bad on both sides, but we were on top in last Q,

Players like Kent just not up to it

[freely]

No stamina in the last quarter. Our boys could either run or think, not both. Last week, 4th quarter seemed to be a bit of a focus. Maybe at training this week we thought that problem was fixed.

[BadRossco]

Played dumb football, giving away 50’s, holding frees, hand balling to disadvantage, not sticking tackles, poor set shots and with the exception of Connolly field kicking is not great. Kent certainly put his hand up to make way for Higgins and proved he is not AFL standard. Port were not that impressive but stuck their tackles, made less mistakes and kicked slightly better so deserved the win.

[bangaulegend]

Pretty simple IMO too much reliance on Steele & Crouch to get the job done . No spreading the work load today too much left for too few

[Yorkeys]

This years premiership is wide wide open. Anyone in the 8 could win. We could have had a real shot, we have the talent. Today, again, the team proves it does not have the mental strength. Trying to draft that in is quixotic, has to come from coaches and management demanding it.

[B.M]

Coaches demanding it?

Does that work??

[Vortex]

Who didn't play for 4 quarters?