Post match. Pies punish Port - All comments.

[Beast]

The gritty performance that was our last yelp for the season came a week later than I expected.
Broomy justifying my rating is the only real positive to come out of the game.

Must be some chance of finals though. If we can grit out a win against the Eagles next week, then it's Brisbane and GWS. Win both of those and we are a definite chance of finals. It's hardly fantasy stuff.

I don't reckon we'll make it anyway but our chances have been significantly boosted by the unexpected Crows loss and Port continuing their deplorable form of the last couple of months. To be honest I do not give a fat rat's clacker about us macking the finals given we're nowhere near contending and probably will be spending our first round pick on Moore, much too my dismay.
Given our youngsters a taste of September will only have merit if we can provide a good account of ourselves, a pummeling could be detrimental to their confidence.

[jackcass]

Happy with the win, wasn't confident going in. Further improvement from last week. All you can ask is for the team to get better each week.

Happy that Armstrong made a few of us eat our words. Like Young, still not convinced but if he can bring that each week he'll hold his place.

Another tough game next weekend.

[rocketronnie]

I'm happy with that win. Both teams played ugly and we out played them in the end. We played as a team for a change. We are back in the eight and hopefully we stay there. Improvement will be needed for next week however.

[Jezza]

Great win! Very pleased with the way the boys played for the whole game. While the scoreboard isn't completely reflective of how well we played I thought we were a five goal better side today with the way we won the clearances and created numerous opportunities for ourselves in front of goal. All you can ask for as members and supporters of the club is seeing more efforts like this from now on.

Sidebottom, Beams and Adams were the standout players today. Adams in particularly really showed why he's going to be a great player of the future with his ability to always find the ball no matter what. Sidebottom was great with some crucial goals despite some criticism he's received here. Beams as usual is a superb player as he constantly won the clearances today. Travis Cloke presented well up forward today and he was always a threatening option up forward for the Port defenders. I think the fact that Ben Reid has returned has helped Cloke be freed up and as result is allowing him more opportunities to score goals.

I also loved Tony Armstrong's game tonight. It doesn't surprise me that he had 100% disposal efficiency tonight. I kept a really close eye on him tonight and I don't remember him turning over the ball once and I was thoroughly impressed and surprised at the same time in what he was able to produce for us. I'm totally in favour of giving him another game next week and I'm extremely pleased that he proved me wrong after I was critical of his inclusion into the senior side this week.

Also tonight was the first time where I really started to believe that Tim Broomhead is going to be a gem for us. I've had reservations about him but I think he'll make it if he continues to develop the way most of us expect him to develop.

Another aspect of tonight's game that really impressed was our defence which had been out of form in the past week. It brought back memories of performances from earlier in the year. Also what's most positive is that we played as a team tonight which was very satisfying to watch.

Overall great win and nice to send off Maxy in the best possible way. Looking forward to a normal week of football without us being on the constant receiving end of abuse from opposition supporters, trolls and the media.

[STOKA35]

Has hiss posted

[Tannin]

Looking forward to a normal week of football without us being on the constant receiving end of abuse from opposition supporters, trolls and the media.

Fair enough. Surprised that you have become a Sydney supporter though.

[Az]

There is not a commentator that could match anywhere near the hatred Gerard Healy has for us. Nobody comes close. Absolutely sick of the bloke!

[Mossi]

There is not a commentator that could match anywhere near the hatred Gerard Healy has for us. Nobody comes close. Absolutely sick of the bloke!

Add Dunstall to that list. Then there is McLure, Russel .......... Mate as the saying goes your either a Pies person or your not!

[Mugwump]

Good win, but we really need to start hitting targets routinely to be a contender. It is doing my head in, to see us chop the ball across the ground or put it short and turn it over. Heritier seemed to be the worst offender last night , though Taylor Adams and Keefe are still an iffy proposition. All three of these played well last night, but need to front up for target practice this week.

[DT]

Great win! Very pleased with the way the boys played for the whole game. While the scoreboard isn't completely reflective of how well we played I thought we were a five goal better side today with the way we won the clearances and created numerous opportunities for ourselves in front of goal. All you can ask for as members and supporters of the club is seeing more efforts like this from now on.

Sidebottom, Beams and Adams were the standout players today. Adams in particularly really showed why he's going to be a great player of the future with his ability to always find the ball no matter what. Sidebottom was great with some crucial goals despite some criticism he's received here. Beams as usual is a superb player as he constantly won the clearances today. Travis Cloke presented well up forward today and he was always a threatening option up forward for the Port defenders. I think the fact that Ben Reid has returned has helped Cloke be freed up and as result is allowing him more opportunities to score goals.

I also loved Tony Armstrong's game tonight. It doesn't surprise me that he had 100% disposal efficiency tonight. I kept a really close eye on him tonight and I don't remember him turning over the ball once and I was thoroughly impressed and surprised at the same time in what he was able to produce for us. I'm totally in favour of giving him another game next week and I'm extremely pleased that he proved me wrong after I was critical of his inclusion into the senior side this week.

Also tonight was the first time where I really started to believe that Tim Broomhead is going to be a gem for us. I've had reservations about him but I think he'll make it if he continues to develop the way most of us expect him to develop.

Another aspect of tonight's game that really impressed was our defence which had been out of form in the past week. It brought back memories of performances from earlier in the year. Also what's most positive is that we played as a team tonight which was very satisfying to watch.

Overall great win and nice to send off Maxy in the best possible way. Looking forward to a normal week of football without us being on the constant receiving end of abuse from opposition supporters, trolls and the media.

Excellent post Jezza. Great to see Beams play so well defensively. If he can integrate that into his game he becomes an absolute top liner.

Just to delve into a couple of areas for improvement:

Keeffe - glad he played a really good last quarter because he gives me som palpitations - can take too long to make a decision - needs to not be perfect but play a bit more instinctively. Also, he needs to be a bit harder at the contest on a consistent basis. Like him but needs to keep improving and should do.

Langdon - absolutely love Doull Mark II - he has actually played well for the last two weeks but made a couple of poor errors. Will improve with experience and it is good he is working through fatigue. This guy is a gem and interesting that Pendles named him as the next captain.

White - good to see second and third efforts - this is what he needs to do consistently. Looks like his game is finally coming together but let's hope it does. Benefitting from having Reid in.

Lumumba - resurrected his season in the last two weeks magnificently. Please though cut out the awful turnovers

Witts - going well just needs to stand up in the marking contest a bit more. Quantum leap of a season though for him.

Pendlebury - real captain's game yesterday - one thing is that if he can hit the scoreboard once or twice he would really top it off. Much better yesterday.

Fasolo - did well after such a long absence. Needs to watch his positioning in contests as can get sucked into non-goal side spots and be burnt if we don't win the contest. Beautiful kick when he makes the right choice.

Ok now for a general point:

Kick outs - boy oh boy we need to improve these. I would like to see Goldsack kick out more as he has a mighty boot. Keeffe is a good kick but is a bit slow of mind. Maybe we could train Fasolo too to do some kick outs.

But, all in all, that was a very satisfying win from the way the guys played. Just need to hurt the opposition more on the scoreboard when we are on top but the last quarter period when we locked it in the forward line was fantastic

[think positive]

Heart

Said it all yesterday. Even if we had lost, while I wouldn't be feeling high as a kite right now, I'd be happy. Yeah we still butchered a few things, and not just the babies, but we didn't QUIT.

Langdon, can't see where any one has mentioned how bravely he went into that defensive contest, and nearly got himself killed, the way Armstrong just fitted, gees, when did you see a first gamer take a kick in in the last quarter, with the game on the line? Frosty frosty frosty, gees imagine when he's an experienced player! Goldy getting up after being slammed into the pole. No bullshit, just kept on playing.

Also special mention to Blair, the look on his face after he was flattened by Witts after taking that mark! Hehehe! Love Blair!

Love my Pies! It's gunna be a beautiful day!

[3rd degree]

Couldn't make it, but had the radio blaring , had a good feeling after seeing us last week. It was a gutsy win, Sidey and Beams sounded like they were killing it. Clokey just too strong. Well done to Broom Head and Armstrong. Keefe and Frost fought hard. A great effort by our backs to restrict Schulz and Monfries to 2 sausage rolls. Keep fighting lads.

[BigVman]

Great job boys. We had to win one of those games against teams in the 8. Now we just need to beat those below us and bingo

[Culprit]

Watching from afar it was great to see the Port Supporters here crying.
Armstrong looked good, but one game doesn't make a season. Broomhead is one exciting prospect. Beams was simply awesome. Cloke still can't kick straight. Finally 32k despite freebies and Maxwell tribute means people are walking away from attending football. The AFL, MCC should start worrying as people have found a cheaper alternative.

Any news on Reid?

[Neil Appleby]

Good to see the pressure back and to see us win the contested ball. Also good to see some boys given the chance and take it. Broomhead and Armstrong did as well as we could have hoped. Keeffe was terrific and so were Frost and Macaffer; those boys did their jobs so well. Lumumba has a bit of run back, the 'old' Blair was back and Cloke was near his best for the year. A gutsy win, but we still have a way to go with efficient ball use don't we? We sit 17th scoring 70.7 to bottom team Gold Coast's 70.6. Individually, there are only a few players scoring pass marks for this vital stat:

Keeffe 83.3%
Seedsman 80%
Frost 78.7%
Lumumba 78.1%
Goldsack 78.5%
Fasolo 77.4%
Maxy 77%
Williams 76.2%
Langdon 75.4%
Pendles 75.4%

Our young backs are doing their bit, but it's our older, more experienced blokes who are failing with the ball. Little wonder we can't kick enough winning scores.
Still, yesterday was a step up with an efficiency of 74.4%. That puts us up with the top bracket like the Hawks, Kangas and Bombers who are averaging 73+. The battle for Bucks and his merry men is to try and keep improving the ball use; the rest will take of itself.