Round 6 – Port Adelaide v West Coast: Last Call – All Passengers Aboard the Alberton Train…Last Stop Top Four

Port Adelaide v West Coast Eagles

May 10th, 2015

RD 6

Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

Port Adelaide will wake up tomorrow morning with a sobering reality. Or perhaps a few sobering realities. Firstly that their current 2015 season form is miles away from their stellar 2014. Secondly, that too few at Alberton are working hard enough on a consistent week-by-week basis. Basically too few are being expected to do the bulk of the work on the field. And thirdly, their loss against West Coast will hurt them in the mad rush in August to secure a top four finish.

West Coast were terrific. Port were not. Yet Port’s best would comfortably account for West Australian team on any given day. Yet what was served up by Port on Sunday was a perplexing, sloppy, lazy and disturbing brand of football. Their skills were woeful. Their fitness, so lauded last year is now the subject of some finger pointing. Their midfield not willing to work hard enough. Their forward line while immensely talented unwilling to lock the ball in.

West Coast, now sitting second on the AFL ladder most certainly came to play and were harder at the contest, had a greater desire and played a smarter brand of football.

Port had a brief bright patch in the second quarter, and fought hard in the last ten minutes. Everything else in between was exceptionally ordinary.

One of Port’s bright lights has been the consistent and thrilling form of Nathan Krakouer. His grace and skill under pressure is becoming a favourite pastime this season. Monfries was brave and important. Gray his usual silky self. But things fell away quickly after that. Again the defence was unfairly put under enormous pressure. West Coast had a game plan and stuck to it, and won. Seems straightforward to me. Port seems to have unsuccessfully deviated from a winning style of football that took them to within a goal of a grand final last year. Why? And while we’re asking why, why was Aaron Young subbed out of the game when he too was giving Port something?

The normally cool and calculated Ken Hinkley might be better served this week by giving his charges a roast publically. They deserve it.

For the moment Port are sitting on the ladder where they should be – with the also-rans. Too many passengers, not enough train seats.

CHRIS MICHAELS

@cargoartmag

Comments

  1. Dave Brown says

    Yep, Chris, as good as Port were at the beginning and end of last season people seem to have forgotten how poor they were in the middle. They got out of the Hawthorn and Crows games lucky (and by being much more efficient than their opponents). They just can’t expect to concede so many inside 50s and win each week – eventually the opponent will kick straight. Opponents appear to have worked out that Port are very vulnerable moving the ball out of defence if they can’t get their famed slingshot going.

  2. Fair summary Chris. Gray and Krakouer were good but I cant have Monfries. Your lack of a marking target to provide a contest up forward is a big structural weakness. Schulz is ok on the lead but not in packs. Monfries is a midget. Paddy Ryder is the Bob Cunis of footballers. Without a marking target you go sideways out of defence. I love watching Wingard but he doesn’t present or hurt opponents like Gray.
    Like the Crows the Power have started to believe all the bullshit about them in the monochrome Adelaide media. I never knew Roo was Premier of the State.

  3. Dan Hansen says

    Firstly I think people are not giving West Coast enough credit. They are a team that should play finals this year. I agree that too much work is being left to too few but have also noticed that Port are bombing it too often into our forward line. It almost as if the players think that now we have Ryder with Schulz and Westhof that constructive movement into the forward 50 is no longer required.

    It’s hard not to be too critical but your article is a fair assessment.

  4. I thought Port missed Ollie and Polly.

    Eagles missed Big Ezi and Brown Dog and it was mentioned more.

    And Robbie seemed to forget where he was going and why quite a few times in the second half. Unfortunately it was when he had the ball in his hands.

  5. Agreed WC were very good. But I think a Port team playing at their best beats them any day of the week.
    And with so much riding on the game (Coll, WB and Hawks all losing) Port just didn’t deliver.
    I think their fitness is a concern.
    Ollie Wines is being missed, but bit sad that relying so much on a young, third yr player.

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