Match of the Round: Port v Cats

[Dry Rot]

While Saints v Swans should be a good game, how can you match the GF replay?

The Cats would obviously like a good start to the season but Port must be fired up in front of their home crowd to atone for their shocking GF.

I reckon Port will get up in what could be a nasty game.

Thoughts?

[hujsh]

Do they do a GF replay each year round 1?

[Dry Rot]

Do they do a GF replay each year round 1?

Dunno - they did last year, I went to it. Good game - Kerr was a standout BOG.

I presume Choco will have Port fired up. Does either side have any serious injury concerns?

[Go_Dogs]

Chaplin and Brogan are both under an injury cloud, but both sides should be fielding pretty much full strength sides assuming both get through testing in the next day or two.

Port will be wanting Brogan to play, the ruck will be an area of advantage they have.

I think Port will have too much leg speed over the vast AAMI Stadium, and expect them to be pretty keen to atone. Their forward line looks very impressive, Ebert and Motlop as the small targets, Tredders and Westhoff Snr the talls, with Gray and Pearce to play roving roles and a handful of others who could play there and do damage.

Both teams should be aiming for top 4, so it should be a very good standard game.

[Throughandthrough]

Am actually going to this game...

..as my son's playing mini league @ half time.

Hopefully for Geelong!

[LostDoggy]

Do they do a GF replay each year round 1?

No. They used to and the should but they would have to forego their tailored draw for the favoured clubs?

[LostDoggy]

The season opener is between the teams that finished last and second last the previous season. Anyone else find this ridiculous?

[Dry Rot]

The season opener is between the teams that finished last and second last the previous season. Anyone else find this ridiculous?


Looks like the Judd factor overwhelmes any rational thinking.

[hujsh]

Looks like the Judd factor overwhelmes any rational thinking.

Richmond Carlton rivalry too i guess.

[Dry Rot]

Anyone watch this last night? How good were the Cats? (for at least the first two quarters)

[GVGjr]

Anyone watch this last night? How good were the Cats? (for at least the first two quarters)

Almost a class ahead but Port let themselves down with their execution into the forward line.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I watched most of it.

Can't help but not feel impressed with The Cats. Usually sides show signs of weaknesses or 'hangovers' after a Premiership, but they look pretty emphatic in the way they're going about their football. It's remarkable how much they work for one another. At just about every contest, Geelong has two players. If one receives the ball, another's running past. They're rarely left to defend outnumbered - it's really quite staggering if you pay close attention to this, particularly in the first half.

Not going to be an easy task keeping up with them, although they're due for some injuries. Port Adelaide looked pretty ordinary up to half time, but they bounced back alright. They missed several shots in the last quarter though, they really blew their chances.

Interesting game; The Cats faded a bit, and looked shakey when under pressure in the last five or so minutes, but anyone would still regard them as the team to beat. As for Port Adelaide, I wonder if they'll drop? You could make a fair case, they were lucky in a number of matches last year, and after last night - although they came back - you could certainly see a number of weaknesses.

It's round 1 though, too hard to make accurate calls. Last year we easily accounted for Geelong and we all know how that ended up.

[hujsh]

Not going to be an easy task keeping up with them, although they're due for some injuries.


Egan is a pretty big injury and they weren't quite Swans level injury free last year. But should they get injuries they do have impressive depth with guys like Prismal and Varcoe waiting who are also young.

[mjp]

It's round 1 though, too hard to make accurate calls. Last year we easily accounted for Geelong and we all know how that ended up.


I remember watching Essendon win in Round 1 2004 (after winning the flag with the baby bombers #2) and thinking - who is ever going to beat these blokes. Cockatoo-Collins had come into the side and kicked a few...they beat West Coast by a couple of kicks if I recall. I just remember thinking 'put down your glasses, it is all over'.

Grand final: West Coast vs Geelong.
Bombers finished 10th or 11th...they missed the finals in any case.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Egan is a pretty big injury and they weren't quite Swans level injury free last year. But should they get injuries they do have impressive depth with guys like Prismal and Varcoe waiting who are also young.

Egan only missed about four matches though.

I'd like to see how Geelong play without Scarlett, Ablett, Johnson or Bartel - somebody like that, who they can't simply cover.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I remember watching Essendon win in Round 1 2004 (after winning the flag with the baby bombers #2) and thinking - who is ever going to beat these blokes. Cockatoo-Collins had come into the side and kicked a few...they beat West Coast by a couple of kicks if I recall. I just remember thinking 'put down your glasses, it is all over'.

Grand final: West Coast vs Geelong.
Bombers finished 10th or 11th...they missed the finals in any case.

It's funny how things like this happen, there's been a few instances where teams have blitzed future Grand Finalists in the first few rounds, and then went on to miss the Finals themselves. Quite a few times I've thought, 'Gee, they look good - how is anyone going to beat them if they play like this?'

Low and behold, it's a long season and Round 1 is arguably the most unpredictable week.

[hujsh]

Egan only missed about four matches though.

I'd like to see how Geelong play without Scarlett, Ablett, Johnson or Bartel - somebody like that, who they can't simply cover.

If Egan was fit they could cover for Scarlett. Ablett and Bartell would hurt but could win without Bartel, not sure about Ablett. Johnson however i think would be the hardest to cover for. The true star power up forward IMO

[Sockeye Salmon]

I remember watching Essendon win in Round 1 2004 (after winning the flag with the baby bombers #2) and thinking - who is ever going to beat these blokes. Cockatoo-Collins had come into the side and kicked a few...they beat West Coast by a couple of kicks if I recall. I just remember thinking 'put down your glasses, it is all over'.

Grand final: West Coast vs Geelong.
Bombers finished 10th or 11th...they missed the finals in any case.

Wrong decade?