PORT MELBOURNE vs ESSENDON
Saturday 19 April, 7:10pm, ETU Stadium
PORT MELBOURNE
B: F. Rosman (3), J. Van Es (6), T. Hird (4)
HB: H. Hooper (37), T. Graham (28), D. Bedendo (12)
C: D. Heppell (59), J. Green (14), H. Stubbings (31)
HF: M. Rider (21), P. Farrant (22), O. Mulady (5)
F: C. Riley (7), J. Miller (23), D. Lloyd (44)
R: A. Kuol Mun (27), W. Martyn (8), C. Lazzaro (1)
INT: R. Polkinghorne (24), T. Highmore (35), S. Grant (38), L. Bond (41), T. Wanganeen (2)
EMG: A. Curry (13), A. Manton (16), M. White (39)
IN: L. Bond, S. Grant, O. Mulady, H. Stubbings, T. Wanganeen
OUT: M. Gahan (hamstring), N. Hawkins (hand), T. Hofert (injured), S. Philp (injured), A. Manton (omitted)
NEW: Sam Grant, 22, 203cm, Coburg
ESSENDON
B: J. Laverde (15), W. Hoare (51), J. Nguyen (42)
HB: Z. Johnson (40), L. Hayes (18), M. Foley (73)
C: L. Lual (34), E. Tsatas (5), S. McKay (80)
HF: A. Davey (33), R. Unwin (38), T. Sellers (75)
F: C. Nyko (65), K. Gerreyn (19), O. Smartt (63)
R: V. Visentini (39), A. Day-Wicks (44), X. O'Neill (55)
INT: D. Akuei (64), S. Clough (56), J. Hately (50), J. Peris (53), J. Eckersley (58)
23rd Player: S. Clough (56)
EMG: N. Quigg (83), J. Busuttil (68), H. Sinnott (54)
IN: M. Foley, L. Lual, O. Smartt, E. Tsatas
OUT: T. Goldstein, W. Setterfield (AFL), A. Clarke (collarbone), J. Busuttil (omitted)
Head-to-Head: Essendon 17-14-1; At ETU Stadium: Level 8-8; Streak: Essendon 1; Last time: Essendon 16.11 (107) def Port Melbourne 11.15 (81) – Round 15, 2024, ETU Stadium
Port have made some changes ( with a few injuries). I like the 'ins' including Grant from Coburg making his debut for the club.
* It's time to restore the VFA name.
Another disappointing loss. We have issues with our forwards. Just not damaging our dangerous.
We had enough opportunities to impact the scoreboard.
I'd be tempted to play AJ as a deep forward to try and straighten us up.
I'm not sure that Manton and Signorello are the solution but we definitely need to rejig the setup.
Another loss against Box Hill this coming week seems likely.
* It's time to restore the VFA name.
Bit early to be chucking the towel in yet NorthPort !
Looked to be a little top heavy to me.
We might be from the bush. but we ain't green
Hmm perhaps Digs and apologies for responding to a comment directed to northport but it's hard to see where improvements will be made. Pre season is done so fitness is what it is, we havent signed a top vfl level forward to replace Gowers so our forward options are what they are, injury list isn't huge (Anastasio will be out for the season). We often deliver to opposition hands - other than perhaps a bit of improvement I'm cohesiveness (after 6 games we should have made inroads in this avenue) I can't see us making huge strides.
Ports motto for the season is Borough rising - it wasn't mentioned that they meant impatience.
I know those that read Port posts and always expect positivity will not like these comments and I'll be the first one to say I was mistaken if I'm hapilly proven wrong.
17 PREMIERSHIPS, 19 X Runners up
THE VFLS MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUB - THE MIGHTY PORT MELBOURNE BOROUGH!
I'M PORT MELBURNE BORN, I'M PORT MELBOURNE BRED, I'LL BE PORT UNTIL I'M DEAD!!!
I think we lost some capable players in the off season that despite some good recruiting, doesn't really make a huge improvement to the list.
The Bulldogs trio in Gowers, who was a potential match winner on his day, Roarke Smith and Robbie McComb are hard to replace. Felix Flockart was set to have a big season and his return to local footy was a curious one.
I haven't been overly impressed with Van Es, or Graham.. Also they need to keep Hooper in the middle.
The cohesiveness you mentioned Mega, I think some of that comes from early wins, and we don't see that often in recent years, particularly with the round 1 interstate game.
* It's time to restore the VFA name.
I agree with what you mention, for me the two big losses are Gowers and Flockart, some say he was destined for AFL so not playing another year of vfl is bewildering. As I said pee season recruiting was good but losses were big as well- I feel we have lost that destination club tag, going forward is their anything that the club can do to ensure big names stay at club ? Was it on field success that (generally) kept strong players together in the Ayres era ?
17 PREMIERSHIPS, 19 X Runners up
THE VFLS MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUB - THE MIGHTY PORT MELBOURNE BOROUGH!
I'M PORT MELBURNE BORN, I'M PORT MELBOURNE BRED, I'LL BE PORT UNTIL I'M DEAD!!!
Digs what was player retention like under the McCartney era at North Ballarat ?
17 PREMIERSHIPS, 19 X Runners up
THE VFLS MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUB - THE MIGHTY PORT MELBOURNE BOROUGH!
I'M PORT MELBURNE BORN, I'M PORT MELBOURNE BRED, I'LL BE PORT UNTIL I'M DEAD!!!
Very good Mega !
Always very popular with most players that I can recall.
We might be from the bush. but we ain't green