Could they do it?

[BB67th]

I think that Port have been one of the best teams of the competition so far and deserve to be at the top of the ladder. I know that they have only played fairly bottom teams so far with the exception of Adelaide, but if you have watched them play, they have been amazing. Ken Hinkley has turned this club around in the space of a few months, brought in a strong team culture that I feel Matty Primus was missing, and has brought in a good game plan. The recruiting job he has done over the Summer has been great as well and this team is looking good right now.

They are 4-0 at the moment, have a very good percentage, and trail only Essendon on the ladder.

Looking at their draw going forward, could they possibly make it to their bye without losing a match? This is what they face in the next 6 weeks.

Eagles - AAMI Stadium
North Melbourne - Blundstone Arena
Richmond - AAMI Stadium
Carlton - Etihad Stadium
Geelong - AAMI Stadium
Bulldogs - TIO Stadium

They should beat the Eagles this week, will beat the Dogs, at home who knows, they seem to playing really well at AAMI, and they will be in it for the games in Victoria. Now I realise that they probably won't win all of these games but I think they will probably win 4, or at least 3 games. That would leave them in a really good position to make a charge home for finals.

So what do other people and the Port supporters think? Or they the real deal, or am I just jumping on the bandwagon?

[AFEV]

Um, I think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself here.
They have beaten the 3 teams that are COMFORTABLY the worst in the comp and a very unimpressive Adelaide outfit.

Honestly I wouldn't be shocked if thy lost all those games.

[Dudge]

Um, I think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself here.
They have beaten the 3 teams that are COMFORTABLY the worst in the comp and a very unimpressive Adelaide outfit.

Honestly I wouldn't be shocked if thy lost all those games.

Sid, even to the bulldogs, remember you were 8-1 last year, and in the finals---- thats right ;)

[Ziplock]

bulldogs they should beat. Apart from that, maybe north+ eagles. Richmond and Geelong should curbstomp them, and Carlton should win pretty comfortably.

[Toga]

They are looking good, massive turnaround that's for sure, Hinkley's done a great job and I am happy the power are back on their feet but no way do I see them going undefeated to the bye...

Bulldogs the only definite win I can see there..

[Dudge]

bulldogs they should beat. Apart from that, maybe north+ eagles. Richmond and Geelong should curbstomp them, and Carlton should win pretty comfortably.

Oh Zip, you're still drunk from you're 21st lol, "curbstomp". Geelong maybe, but.......................?

[AFEV]

Um, I think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself here.
They have beaten the 3 teams that are COMFORTABLY the worst in the comp and a very unimpressive Adelaide outfit.

Honestly I wouldn't be shocked if thy lost all those games.

Sid, even to the bulldogs, remember you were 8-1 last year, and in the finals---- thats right ;)

I didn't say I thought you would lose them. Just wouldn't be surprised. You should win a couple of them but there is no way you will win them all.

Not sure how Essendon 2012 is relevant to Port 2013?  :P

[Cicjose]

If Richmond win this week they should beat Port

[Ziplock]

Um, I think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself here.
They have beaten the 3 teams that are COMFORTABLY the worst in the comp and a very unimpressive Adelaide outfit.

Honestly I wouldn't be shocked if thy lost all those games.

Sid, even to the bulldogs, remember you were 8-1 last year, and in the finals---- thats right ;)

I didn't say I thought you would lose them. Just wouldn't be surprised. You should win a couple of them but there is no way you will win them all.

Not sure how Essendon 2012 is relevant to Port 2013?  :P

in the sense that both supporters talked up their teams prematurely, and essendon didnt make the 8?

[Toga]

Well, the Advertiser (kind of) agrees with you BB for what it's worth, Riccuito reckons they'll go into the byes with 2 losses...

[Noz]

Going to SA this year and facing one of the Adelaide teams will be the second hardest test in the AFL this year (first being WA)
Port can very well have 8-9 wins on the board before the bye

When i said it here people laughed at me.


The fact is we have one of the best midfields in the competition we can compete with the best teams now in the middle which we have lacked in the past. We have Boak who has now pushed into the elite category with Ebert, Hartlett and Cornes pushing up to that category and guys like Wines, Wingard and Broadbent who are all providing great support in there.

We are becoming one of the best rebounding teams in the comp with guys like Pittard, Heath, Stevenson and Jonas all stepping up this year and receiving good support from Carlile, Trengrove and O'shea were building a strong core down there and will stop teams from kicking 100+ each week like we have been in past years.

Our forward line is another where we have struggled in the past but now we have more avenues to goals than relying on Jay Schulz to kick a winning score each week, Wingard, Neade, Monfries, Stewart have all stepped up kicking a few goals here and there and of course Westhoff, Gray's return boosts a already strong forward line and when Butcher returns it will smell trouble for the opposition defence.

[Toga]

I don't doubt you've improved Noz and you're very right there in saying that the big change is that your players are all stepping up which they haven't done in the past. You have a great young midfield that will be one of the best in the future (not quite yet ;)), you've recruited some good backs and forwards to help out Schulz, Trengove, Carlisle, Cassisi etc. Think Boak really stepping it up this year and becoming a fantastic leader has been of huge importance to you.

BUT in saying that change from being cellar-dwellers to premiership contenders doesn't happen in a year... While you have obviously improved greatly on last year I'm not sure I can see you breaking into the finals, probably more likely to finish around the 12-13th mark imo.

Don't get me wrong, you are building a fantastic young team and have a bright future, but I don't think you're quite there. Yet. ;)

[Noz]

Celler-dwellers to premiership contenders doesn't happen?

Thats funny

Adelaide last year
Geelong 2007
Bulldogs 2007

[Toga]

Celler-dwellers to premiership contenders doesn't happen?

Thats funny

Adelaide last year
Geelong 2007
Bulldogs 2007

Geelong finished 10th in 2006, premiers next year. Wouldn't call 10th "cellar dwellers"

Bulldogs did shower in 2007, what's your point? ???

Adelaide (14th - 2nd) was two wins off of finishing 10th in 2011... So were never THAT far off the mark.

Port Adelaide (14th - ?) finished five wins behind the next-best team (Brisbane) in 2012... That's a lot more improvement needed to finish in the eighth this year.

Look, all I am saying is that I think Port have an amazingly talented list and will be a great team a few years ahead, but don't think they will challenge for finals this year. Yes, in some examples teams pull themselves drastically up the ladder like Adelaide did last year. Just don't get sucked into the adelaide media hype this year. :) Your time will come, and it will be soon. 8)

[Ziplock]

ok, seriously, get some perspective.

You've run over GC (38), GWS(56), Melb (79) and adelaide(9).

frankly, none of those scores are particularly impressive.

I mean, melbourne lost to essendon by nearly 150, and to wce by nearly 100. Then GWS lost to melbourne by 41, and saint kilda by 72... that's how poor those two teams are. Both GC and Adelaide have been very average this year... scraping a win over the saints, losing to both sydney and brisbane.

Adelaide havent been much better, but when it comes down to it, showdowns rarely reflect a teams true calibre.

Coming up to your bye you have wce- who you might be (they're struggling with injury with embley, glass, nic nat, nicoski, rosa, waters, wellingham all out, or struggling with injury), who I'd rate at about 50/50 at this stage.

You have north, who once again, at this stage I would call a 50/50.

Richmond would win pretty comfortably. Nearly every single one of their lines beat all of your corresponding ones.


Carlton should win as well.

Geelong should smash you. If Hmac wasnt injured, I would go so far as to say 07 GF repeat.

You should beat the WBD easily.

seriously. You've won 4 games. You've won three of them comfortably- against 16th, 17th and 18th last year. You scraped a win against 3rd place from last year, and one that (unlike some people I know), I really think were overrated last year, and this year.

I think both port, and adelaide, will be fighting it out for the last few spots in the 8.

If you beat north and richmond comfortably, I'll re-evaluate that assessment. As it stands atm though, flower, port supporters will get excited over anything.

you're ranked 13th for contested possessions, but first for uncontested (once again, highlighting the calibre of your opponents, for reference, saint kilda are ranked 2nd for uncont. and 17th for contested)

=14th for clearances
14th for tackles
17th for 1%

alone any of these, or even two, would be explainable. I really think though that they just highlight how shower your opposition has been. I'm not saying it shows you're bad, but being second on the table but 14th for clearances, tackles and one % really shows the lack of pressure you've had placed on you by opposition teams. Especially with the contested possessions vs uncontested, it just shows you've been running over poor and unexperienced sides.