2020 Season Top 8

[Bulldog Joe]

Re: 2020 Season Top 8

Find it hard to disagree with anything from MJP's post on our chances.

I would add that an improvement and consistent year from Tim English would be huge for our prospects.

[GVGjr]

Re: 2020 Season Top 8

Top 4. So, last year I said top 6 and this year I think we should really push a little further...

For me it is primarily an attitude thing that will see us rise a couple of steps. I honestly could have cared less about kicking 20-goals in a row against Essendon or 12 in a row against the Giants - those teams were terrible on those days and I know you can only beat who is out there, BUT the lessons learned in a couple of games by players and coaches alike:

1/. Carlton
2/. North
3/. GWS final

Should have long lasting consequences. I think the community at large recognises that we have accumulated a great deal of talent since the 2014 season but so much of it has been inconsistent...we haven't been a "REAL" footy team for a couple of years now and I will keep pointing to the Matty Boyd concussion / premature retirement as a key issue. You need guys from the rookie list/low in the draft order who have done it the hard way to tie things together. You need guys at their second (and third) club who understand they need to take their chances when they get them if they want to play. You need guys who are fighting back from long-term injury and finding things aren't exactly the way they remember them. To quote Al Pacino, you need guys prepared to die for that inch. We have had a lot of guys who experienced early success and thought they were premiership players...when the reality is that they just happened to play in a premiership side (you can figure out the difference in those two categories yourself but both groups have medals around their necks).

I see this hard edge in a good number of our players right now - and the lessons learned in those critical 'effort based' defeats last year that the outcome of the game isn't about how good you might be but about who is prepared to sacrifice for the team...and that there is no magic switch you can flip to turn things around have been hard learned (but learned).

Don't get me wrong - you need high-end talent and in Bont + Naughton we 100% have that. But you need more than that. You need talented guys who are determined to get everything out of themselves. You need players who understand that they are playing on the edge of a cliff every week and if they don't hold the line then they will go over the edge (out of the side) and maybe never to return.

Add to ALL of that a contest happy game-style that has the ability to score from anywhere on the field AND a much better defensive group - well led by Crozier (not a typo) who are prepared to both work together AND sacrifice both their bodies and goals to their direct opponent to help one another out - that I expect will lead to a turnaround in our points against tally (and of this I feel very confident).

Do I think there will be a couple of disappointing losses? Yes - because I think there are still a few guys in the current MC best 22 (and no, I'm not naming them 'cos I have promised to be positive) who are still happiest when they have the ball vs when WE are playing winning footy and that causes fractures and missteps...but, I think the weight of numbers will see us through and I think there will be a few changes in the perceived best 22 between R1 and, say, R12. Once we get rolling, well...I'm really hoping for a season the likes of which I haven't gotten to enjoy since 1998. (I'm obviously talking H+A here cos in 98 we were cooked in that r22 game vs NM).

p.s. We can withstand almost ANY injury to ANY player and still be very competitive but the two we need on the park the most are Bont and Naughton...without those two, who knows.

There are a few points I wanted to comment on

While injuries have been a convenient excuse for the last couple of years along with age and experience it isn't really an accurate reason. Clubs should plan for contingencies and that includes covering injuries. It's taken 2 years but we have finally acknowledged and addressed they fact that we were light on for key position players. I agree that (God forbid) injuries to Bontempelli, Macrae and Naughton will make it hard however, it also provides opportunities for others to step up. If we have balanced the list correctly or at least got the list close it shouldn't be an excuse.

Glad you mentioned Crozier who has been impressive for us since he arrived and I think he has improved each year as well.
He's a leader of the back line and is always organising other defenders. He's quick to leave his man when needed to provide an extra number in a contest plus the combination of his marking and his kicking have been a huge positive for us. Then you notice his tackling is also impressive. He's a smart player and should be an automatic selection for the match committee

I hope we can address some of our poor 'effort' based performances from last year as we either didn't bring the right energy to the game or we didn't plan for a highly motivated opposition. I've mentioned this before but showing up with the right energy and focus is something that every player can control.

I also hope we consider using a tagger from time to time. We can't let the teams better players go unchecked and assume we will out shoot them on the day.

And finally, after the loss to a manic GWS in the elimination final it's given the players and coaches a yardstick to measure against and boy do we need to make sure we aren't caught out again.

If we have learned some lessons from last year we will be very competitive and a top 5 spot is there for the taking.

[mjp]

Re: 2020 Season Top 8

I also hope we consider using a tagger from time to time. We can't let the teams better players go unchecked and assume we will out shoot them on the day.

I suspect you are destined for disappointment on this point.

[Mofra]

Re: 2020 Season Top 8

Why can they?

What has Raynor shown to this point except that he might be a small forward best suited to play out of the goal-square De Goey style...but Cameron already does that...so...is he going to do stuff that he hasn't shown he could already do? Is he going to become a mid? Well...I'm not sold on that. Where does he PLAY??

Increased tank - earmarked as a high HF which is a very difficult position to play at AFL level - play well anyway

McCluggage isn't far behind Brad Hill in his two-way running and his running capacity has increased this off-season.

[Mofra]

Re: 2020 Season Top 8

I think if Port is to have a highly successful year it's imperative that Charlie Dixon plays at least 20 games for them which has been problematic for him only having done that twice through his career. At close to his best he is a nightmare for opposition teams and if he kicks 40 plus goals they'll be around the mark

Charlie Dixon is arguably the most disappointing KPF of the past decade.
He has ridden on the back of 'potential' far more than Jarrad Waite ever did and has produced less. You need more than to just 'be big' to make it as a KPF at AFL level. Guys like Darling and Membrey are constantly put down as 'a little too short' to play KPF posts but they produce far more than Dixon ever has because they constantly lead and attack the ball.

[Mofra]

Re: 2020 Season Top 8

I also hope we consider using a tagger from time to time. We can't let the teams better players go unchecked and assume we will out shoot them on the day.

The only two players I can recall ever being used as run-with players under Bevo are Libba and Wallis.
Libba's efforts in the second half of the GF against JPK went a long way to helping us win. I remember Wallis blanketing Heppel for 3/4s under Wally copped an ankle.

Wallis looks set to be more of a forward this year and Libba? Who knows when/if he returns to the senior team as (like Macrae) he doesn't seem very capable of playing anywhere else bar midfield.

[Rocket Science]

Re: 2020 Season Top 8

Charlie Dixon is arguably the most disappointing KPF of the past decade.
He has ridden on the back of 'potential' far more than Jarrad Waite ever did and has produced less. You need more than to just 'be big' to make it as a KPF at AFL level. Guys like Darling and Membrey are constantly put down as 'a little too short' to play KPF posts but they produce far more than Dixon ever has because they constantly lead and attack the ball.

C'mon, you're being a bit unkind here, Charlie has the most fearsome double fist-pump in the game.

Nobody celebrates bagging consecutive snags, in his 3rd game back from a 12-week layoff, in the chilly depths of July, in a Sunday twilight clash, against mediocre opposition, that his club ends up losing, like Dixon does. Get around him.

[Bulldog4life]

Re: 2020 Season Top 8

I think if Port is to have a highly successful year it's imperative that Charlie Dixon plays at least 20 games for them which has been problematic for him only having done that twice through his career. At close to his best he is a nightmare for opposition teams and if he kicks 40 plus goals they'll be around the mark

I like their depth and they have gotten value for money from their push on youth over the last 2 trade and draft periods.

The coach has put all the cards on the table and set a very high level of expectation and time will tell if they can live up to it.

Although only a practice match it will be interesting to see how we go against them. Should Trengove come in to play on Dixon?

[mjp]

Re: 2020 Season Top 8

Increased tank - earmarked as a high HF which is a very difficult position to play at AFL level - play well anyway

McCluggage isn't far behind Brad Hill in his two-way running and his running capacity has increased this off-season.

Sorry - yeah, I'm happy with McCluggage...he's super.

I don't see it with Rayner I'm afraid. He just seems to me one of those guys who will be a perpetual tease...players he reminds me of:

Stringer
Petracca
De Goey

All of the 'mid field size but best suited forward' type players...it is a tough gig, a really tough gig making it as a player. The challenge for all of these types are they are true 'power athletes' if you will. Capable of explosive speed, movement and turning the game in 5-minutes. But they are always under pressure to 'build a tank' and take a turn in the mids etc (both for the good of the team and the good of their own game as playing as a medium sized forward is - like I said - a tough gig)...but when their loads increase at training, then the injuries come.

Rinse repeat on that cycle.

I see the appeal and why Brisbane drafted him at 1 overall...I just never would have.

[GVGjr]

Re: 2020 Season Top 8

I suspect you are destined for disappointment on this point.

I'm just about sure we will avoid it at all costs but our efforts against Cripps a few weeks after he had a 38 possession game against us the first time should be a reminder that it does work

[Bornadog]

Re: 2020 Season Top 8

There are a few points I wanted to comment on

While injuries have been a convenient excuse for the last couple of years along with age and experience it isn't really an accurate reason. Clubs should plan for contingencies and that includes covering injuries. It's taken 2 years but we have finally acknowledged and addressed they fact that we were light on for key position players. I agree that (God forbid) injuries to Bontempelli, Macrae and Naughton will make it hard .

in 2017 and 2018 we had at least 10 to 12 of our best 22 out with injuries and played as the
youngest team in the AFL. Yes you can’t blame all losses on injuries but when you are in that position it is very difficult to win games as well as have ready made players to step, which we didn’t

It seems it is convenient to forget this.

[Twodogs]

Re: 2020 Season Top 8

in 2017 and 2018 we had at least 10 to 12 of our best 22 out with injuries and played as the
youngest team in the AFL. Yes you can’t blame all losses on injuries but when you are in that position it is very difficult to win games as well as have ready made players to step, which we didn’t

It seems it is convenient to forget this.

It's just an excuse. Every team has injuries. It's a brutal game.

[Bornadog]

Re: 2020 Season Top 8

It's just an excuse. Every team has injuries. It's a brutal game.

its also fact

[GVGjr]

Re: 2020 Season Top 8

in 2017 and 2018 we had at least 10 to 12 of our best 22 out with injuries and played as the
youngest team in the AFL. Yes you can’t blame all losses on injuries but when you are in that position it is very difficult to win games as well as have ready made players to step, which we didn’t

It seems it is convenient to forget this.

The first thing many people do after a loss is point out the age and experience profile and injuries. That is all well and good but when you look at it a bit deeper and realise for example that we chose to ignore the injury and struggles with Tom Boyd by not covering his ability to play forward and provide a ruck option then I think it's very easy to blame his absenteeism as an injury not a problem with our list planning or injury diagnosis. Each to their own though but I've never quite understood why honestly acknowledging some of the mistakes we make along the way is on occasions frowned upon but applying dubious excuses is seen as being supportive.

I'm delighted that that we have addressed the gaps with our key position depth last year which might make it harder to hide behind 'injuries' testing our depth this season.

[Twodogs]

Re: 2020 Season Top 8

its also fact

We can blame injuries for any misfortune we get but every club has them.

Every club has injuries and just plain bad luck but what sets them apart from other clubs is how they face up to and deal with those problems.