West vs Port

WEST
West Adelaide has been strengthened significantly by the inclusion of four premiership players to tackle Port on Saturday.
Captain Chris Schmidt, key backman Tom Keough, running defender Logan Hill and goalsneak Shannon Green have all been named on the field in the Bloods’ 23-man squad.
Schmidt has recovered from a hamstring strain while Keough has been sidelined by damage to his meniscus in his knee.
Oliver Johnson couldn’t be considered due to a knee injury while Tom Pillion was sent back to the Reserves.
Northern Territory recruit Errin Wasley-Black will play his 50th Macca’s League match.
League
F: Rankine, Fielke, Green
HF: Turner, Middleton, Bates
C: Batley, K. Stevens, Hill
HB: Agostino, Burgess, Wasley-Black
B: Caire, Wilson, Keough
 
R: McPherson, Schiller, Schmidt
INT: J. Stevens, Karpany, Noble, Silverlock, Favretto
IN: Hill, Schmidt, Keough, Green
OUT: O. Johnson (knee), Pillion
Reserves
Waite, Head, Anderson, Pillion, Peter, Carger, J. Evans, Ryan, Iannucci, I. Johnson, Majok, Holliday, Scott, Vassallo, Halkias, Fairlie, J. Ryan, Lynch, L. Evans, Bottin.
Under-18
Nunan, Eichner, Gutsche, Baker, Crump, Walton, Inglis, Boots, Jones, Milsom, Wellington, Field, Tierney, Laube, Milde, Sinderberry, Heitmann, Smithson, Rana, Hocking, Thilithorpe, Horstman, Westley, Wright, Dunkin, Avery, Hannagan.

That's good that we have them back and I wish the team well and good luck on Saturday. I however will be saving the admission fee and giving the game a miss due to it bring an AFL reserves opponent. I really have no interest in these games whatsoever and consider them a waste of time. See you all for the remaining 2 games.

Just to change things up a little Iwould like to see Keough play forward this week.

Lachlan wrote:Just to change things up a little Iwould like to see Keough play forward this week.

Just to change things up a little I would like to see us give Port a smashing. We've certainly something to prove after that infamous day at Alberton in Round 9.
Go you Mighty, Fighting Bloods

It might depend a bit on Port's line up, i.e. whether they end up going really tall up forward but I agree lachlan, I think we need another mobile marking target up forward to go to because we're too predictable when it's just Middleton. Also, he'd be one of our few forwards who can kick.

First up well played port adelaide and anyone who thinks they are not a genuine threat for the premiership is mistaken.

I will leave the detailed summary of why we lost to those who have better knowledge of the game -- cue black and red but the following comments are on my thoughts of the game and our team.

Firstly i absolutely hate losing but tonight strangely after a flogging i am sad and mellow but truely not angry in any way.

FIRSTLY
Before the game my uncle and i looked at thier team and identified 7 or 8 players who are genuine highest level sanfl player backed up by another 5 or 6 who are genuine first quality sanfl footballer -- given this we agreed that it was going to be bloody hard

SECONDLY
When they came out i was suprised how manny 6 foot 3 players that had and  the bulk of thier player looked bigger and stronger than our team  --- given the hard  hitting and hard tacling style westies were going to have to use then it was clear then that it was highly likely  that late in the game we would run out of our legs

Ignoring the scoreboard in the first half we competed strongly and it never was made easy for them but imo they gave a great display of concise kicking to leading forwards and this was the real difference  ----  our players need to embrace this and from now on at all training sessions and preseason make improved kicking a first priority.

Frankly i felt that our third quarter was nothing short of sensational --- our player did not drop thier heads, ignored the score board and i believe actually outscored them --- a very good effort and something we need to take forward.

For last quarter simply we ran out of legs for reasons above mentioned.

WE LOST AND ABOVE IS NOT ANY ATTEMPT TO MAKE EXCUSES rather as i said just my reflections on the side and having not seen them for 3 or 4 weeks i could see genuine improvement --- this season is stuffed but if the improvement continues and we recruit appropriately then i see light up the tunnel towards next year

What and embarrassment for the WESTIES dance girls today.All the hard work they put in practising for the pre match show to be spoilt by and inept job by the person organising a simple task of putting the right song on and this is not the first time it has happened . Is it really that hard of a task to do . TURN IT UP.

Whether Port have 21 AFL players or 0 in their side, we have to be able to beat them to win another flag, and we are a long way off being able to beat them.

Agreed aldo you are spot on and that must be our desire but reread my first comment -- when thier coaches play serious and not silly afl rules they are clearly by a street the best team in the league

In agreement with your comment and for next season i am waiting for those who understand footy better than me to identify our failing so they may be addressed cue black and red etc

A very disappointing performance. We certainly need to find a couple of
experienced key position players for next year. Added to that we need
to recruit 2 gun midfielders as well.

I hate to say this,however I thought we gave up in the last quarter and to let
an opposition side kick 10 goals is totally unacceptable.

Can't add much to what was said so well by Oldfella. We had our strongest team for a long while. Missing only Webb from our best 21 this year. We were playing on our own paddock. The named full back line of Caire, Wilson and Keough looked terrific. But Port booted ten goals to our one in the last Q. We only managed a miserable eight goals for the whole game. It was not quite as bad as at Alberton but it was close.

With only a couple of matches left it is time to play some guys in the reserves that need a run.
1. Jack Evans.
2. Noble.
3. Waite.
4. Holliday.
5. Ryan.

I was very surprised young Noble was dropped in the first place.
I watched Nick Favretto very closely on Saturday and he continues
to disappoint me with his intensity around the contest and his lack of
pressure on the opposition when they have the ball.

I'm sure the coaches continue to work with Nick on these areas, however
he doesn't seem to have improved greatly.

He wouldn't be in the league side for the remaining 2 games if I
was on selection.