8 reasons we can win against Port ...

[angelopetraglia]

In 2016 I posted this ... https://www.woof.net.au/forum/showth...in-against-GWS

I thought it would be a bad omen if I didn't repeat it. 8 reasons we can win against Port ...

1. Round 9. We have defeated Port on their home deck already this year. That must give the group belief. There is no reason we cannot do it again. We got off to a good start. They challenged us more than once, but we held firm and prevailed. This is not a new challenge. We know we can do this. (We also beat them on their home deck in 2019).

2. Round 23. We were down on form. They had the better of us for large periods of that game. However, throughout all that we still should have never lost the game. We were 15 points up with 10 minutes to play and they had only kicked six goals for the game. We should have iced the game from that position. It has to give us a sense of belief that even when we were not at our best, we should have still beaten them. We are playing better now. They boys can feel that.

3. Port’s recent Prelim Final history. In their history they have played in six Preliminary Finals for two wins. However, they have lost their last two in close encounters. Losing to Hawthorn by three points in 2014 and losing on their home deck last year to Richmond by six points. The weight of expectation is on Port. They have all the pressure to perform. They are short favourites. We only know too well how the pressure can build when you lose close Preliminary Finals. Those demons can be difficult to vanquish. Will they tighten up?

4. Away Prelim Form. Six teams have won a Preliminary Final away from home in the last six seasons. There is a lot of pressure on the home team. In these massive Prelim games, history tells us that you can win away from home. Last year both the Cats and Tigers won away from home. In 2019 GWS knocked over the Pies at the MCG. Of course, in 2016, the Dogs defeated GWS away and the Swans also defeated the Cats at the MCG. Hawthorn also did a number on Fremantle in 2015 in Perth.

5. Battle Hardened. This team has now faced serious adversity this year and prevailed. We have quarantined in all parts of the country. We left our homes after three straight losses and the footy world wrote us off. We then went to Tasmania and got the job done against a Bombers team that had won 5 out of their last 7 (with two narrow losses to Sydney and GWS). We then got the win against Brisbane on their home deck in front of a full house of their fans. We now must fly to Perth, before flying to Adelaide. So, we are going Tasmania -> Brisbane -> Perth -> Adelaide. The group is together. The group is bonding. The group is on a mission. The Port boys have just been sleeping in their own beds for the last two weeks, living normal lives. Some may see this as an advantage, but compare that to the sense of adventure and mission that we are on.

6. We have Bont. His knee is OK. He will play. Even slightly hampered, we have the best player in the game and he can do things that no one else can. Bob says it best “There’s a skill to acknowledging when a game needs a big moment. It’s another thing to be able to act on that. Then, you’re in rarefied air when you can impact on it spectacularly. I don’t just mean a mark and a goal. He has a knack of doing it defensively, offensively, unselfishly, or selfishly, when it’s, ‘Right, I have to go back and kick a set shot’. Marcus is the Most Valuable Player in the competition because he’s got natural gifts, but also because he trains harder than anyone. He applies himself more than everyone. He thinks about the game in a deeper sense than just about anyone I’ve ever met. He has a profound appreciation for the history of the football club. Part of is not nuanced, it’s not poetry, it’s not in the ether. He just wants it.”

7. Dunks & Treloar. They have been building slowly. Last week was a step backwards for Adam, but I am backing him to bounce back, his overall finals record is fantastic. Dunks has been getting better every week. Dunks was made for big finals with his pressure, smothering and contested ball winning ability. Add a fitter Dunks and Treloar to Bont, Jacko, Libba, Hunter and Smith and we have the midfield depth and talent to more than match Port. It will be largely won and lost in the middle and our boys can get the job done.

8. We have Bevo. Is there a person better suited to motivate and steer a team when the odds are stacked against them? As others have said, he thrives off the “us against the world” situation. He will use it. He will harness it. He will weave stories. He will motivate us. Does anyone doubt he will have the boys ready for the contest?

Any other reasons we can win?

[azabob]

Awesome work AP

We got this

#BeMoreBulldog

[bornadog]

* Port have won 7 in a row, but with the week off, they may lose momentum, whereas we are building momentum as well as confidence.

* They will also have in the back of their minds round 9, and round 23 when they know we should have won - so psychologically they are worried.

[hujsh]

* Port have won 7 in a row, but with the week off, they may lose momentum, whereas we are building momentum as well as confidence.

* They will also have in the back of their minds round 9, and round 23 when they know we should have won - so psychologically they are worried.

Means they're due a loss if anything

[Ghost Dog]

Good thread
We go well when we are underdogs.
Dixon has been well beaten by Kieth.
They only beat us by a point last time. Not much to hang your hat on.
They only beat us by a point last time. Not too much to feel bad about for us.
Our change of personnel will keep them guessing.
It feels too good this week. Nobody wants to lose that / momentum.
Dunks is warming up. Each game is better and remember what its like when he’s firing? He’s a gun.
Less crowd capacity will mitigate the home advantage.
2016 was not that long ago. Finals experience not to fold even when several goals down.

[FrediKanoute]

We will win because we are better than Port.......they know it!

[AshMac]

It’s up to us now to bring the intensity and skill - they’re very beatable for us.

Disgraceful lead up circumstances we have to endure compared to them - but we are best when everything is against us!

[Rocco Jones]

You all forgot our biggest superpower, mind control of umpires.

[angelopetraglia]

You all forgot our biggest superpower, mind control of umpires.

Bevo the Jedi Master

[josie]

Boys have fire in the belly & manic pressure/men of mayhem has returned- our smothers vs Lions was ala 2016-and very few high tackles

We have X factor in naughts & Bailey smith

We have the cleverest, smartest player in league in Daniel

We have Macrae who is Toyota reliable criminally underrated by opposing teams and long may that continue

We have Libba-best in & under player in league & surely one of best goal kicks from 29 to 40 m out off one step in league

[SquirrelGrip]

We have Macrae who is Toyota reliable criminally underrated by opposing teams and long may that continue

"Toyota reliable" surely isn't a positive....?!?

[kruder]

I actually think having the whole group together is an advantage the vibe would only be building after the last two wins and Perth quarantine with the sun out, looks a whole lot better than Melbourne lockdown right now.

It's interesting there have been so many big wins this year from teams that have been impacted by harsh quarantine restrictions prior to playing. Lets hope it can continue.

[josie]

"Toyota reliable" surely isn't a positive....?!?

There was a write up I read from another poster with a Gleeson article saying Macrae is Toyota reliable. I’m just quoting that. Was a witty article. Here is link (would have been in the age in vic): https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.smh...05-p58oyl.html

[Mitcha]

I'm hoping the boys get a bit lippy reminding Port that all the pressure is on them. Another top 4 finish, week off, home ground and crowd advantage. Battling against the odds means nothing to our guys, we've been doing it as a footy club for ever. Get in their faces but maintain focus on the contest.

[MrMahatma]

It's interesting there have been so many big wins this year from teams that have been impacted by harsh quarantine restrictions prior to playing. Lets hope it can continue.

Very, very true.

Port couldn't be under MORE pressure to win. The expectation is that they do. They couldn't have more of a non-personnel related advantage, or perhaps more to the point, we couldn't have a bigger disadvantage. Dead set, there hasn't been a harder finals series ever based on what we've had to go through to date, and what we're confronting on the weekend.

So, it's simple... Dogs by 4 goals.