Once again Ken Hinkley got lucky with the manner in which Bulldogs managed to lose against Hawks. For some reason, our coach (most mediocre in the league) escaped the scrutiny he so richly deserved for so many clueless calls in that Showdown 55. That was such collectively gutless performance by Port on Thursday. I have never seen any backline as listless and bereft of ideas as Port’s was. I wished Tom Clurey and Tom Jonas played that day. They were always negated by bigger forwards, but they, at least, used to offer some semblance of defence – however, underwhelming that was. What we witnessed last Thursday was omnishambles of epic proportions. I have serious doubts on Port making it to top eight this season. Even if they do, they will be the surest team to exit in the elimination finals. Not just Ken Hinkley, majority of the coaching staff (may be barring Josh Carr) should get marching orders prior to this August.

For us Port fans, this is a all-too-familiar story. Ken and his troops never had it in them to play four quarters of quality footy – especially away from home, or against a decent opposition. After the media pumped up our mid-field after Essendon game, the midfield was shown up — first by Freo, and now by Pies. Port’s forward line is misfiring, the back line is suspect and all at sea when whips are cracking; and the days like today when the mid-field gets owned, they collectively drop the bundle. Relatively softer draw is what kept Port in the first few rounds. If today’s performance is anything to go by, Port will barely get into top eight this season. Unfortunately, straight set exit is looming. How I despaired when Port re-signed Ken last year. Today’s performance was not down to Ken. Players especialy FIGJAM Rozee needs to own up his going AWOL in the game. But, the frustrating thing is Ken just does not have it in him to get his players to turn up for big games. Any half-decent coach will have plan B / plan C when the opposition teams go berserk. Not Ken’s side. They are rabbits facing a freight train.

Not only did Ginni not get a couple of free kicks for high tackles (on other occasions an allowance can be made that he might have caused the high contact) his tackle on Tom Stewart did not draw holding the ball. There seems to be different sets of rules for different players / teams. In Saturday night game at the Adelaide Oval, there were so many holding the ball decisions that were not given. The problem is not the rules-on-the-fly, it is the lack of consistency that is baffling.

Since Tim’s points were only six and he rightly chose not to waste the space on Port Adelaide, I will fill in. Last year, I put a line through Port’s season after their two-point heartbreaking loss against Pies at home in round 19. Based on expected scores, they should have won that game, but miserably failed to win the big moments. After eight months, another prelims premature exit, a current member like me would have expected they would have learned anything. But no, they have gone worse. They have lost their game against Demons exactly like they lost against Pies last year. It shows, the club have collectively learned nothing and have made no jot of an improvement. It may still be the round 3, but it is not too early to put a line through Port Adelaide’s season. They appear to be far worse pretenders this season than the last season. The list is mediocrity personified everywhere. Port is going to miss the top 8, and the coach Ken is serving his last season at Port. His sacking in August or September is a high probability. While Ivan Soldo’s trade has been positive, BZT has been passable; Esava Ratugolea’s acquisition is proving to be retrograde.
Either Western Bulldogs or Essendon will take Port’s place (not exactly the same position on the ladder though) in the top 8 this season.

As a Port supporter and also David King’s fan, I think the answer is: Kane Cornes and Jason-Horne Francis. Kane Cornes single-handedly created more anti-Port Adelaide crowd than anyone else. His constant berating of Richmond, West Coast, and North Melbourne meant many neutral supporters have turned against Port. Interesting to see which sides Kane is going to rile against this season.

As an ardent fan of AFL and cricket, and an occasional viewer of NRL (a litter confession I have been supporting Penrith Panthers since 2020 grand final loss), I never thought I would say this but the theatre and brilliance of tonight could easily match any greatest AFL and Cricket games. Around 54 minute mark, I was about to switch off tele; thank goodness, I did not do that. What a game that was!

Even though I am a Port supporter, I never thought Zak Butters was a realistic chance as his best mate Connor Rozee would eat into a lot of Zak’s votes. However, I feel sorry for Marcus Bontempalli. He has been a bridesmaid so many times but never a bride. Votes polled by J Horne-Francis and Lachie Neale in some of their games was downright disgrace to the way voting happens for this prestigious medal.

Unlike many, I don’t see too much of promise for Port for foreseeable future. The same old frailties that were on display in earlier seasons still haunt the Port players. There is certain soft “under-belly” about PAFC. Being out-coached, out-powered, out-muscled has been all too familiar with the coaching staff and playing groups collectively. Personally, I would write off next couple of seasons — even if Port hover in and around top 8. With Crows, Suns, and Bulldogs expected to be much more competitive next season, Port likely to miss top 8 next season. Where would Port have been if not for Butters, Rozee, Houston, JHF and SPP — they had a forgettable finals series. With the current coaching setup, mental scars of finals fade-out will linger with the playing group.

I have been amongst the disgruntled bunch of sooks that protested PAFC’s decision to extend Ken Hinkley. Actually, I am still sooking 😊 . While I blame the club for the incorrect decision to reward Ken, on the topic of potential trades, I am with the club. All three are risky options. Only time will tell if they are worth it. I do feel Port dodged a bullet by not selling the farm to get Broadie Grundy. The leak of Travis Boak’s contract talks should concern the club though.

Whole of Port’s playing group and the coaching staff should hang their heads in shame for their lack of efforts on the big stage last night. One just cannot count the number of missed tackles and barely-there attempts by Port’s players. There was not one player (maybe barring Ollie Lord) who could get a pass mark. I don’t see any positives for Port despite finishing top four. Future is hazy: trading off all their picks in the hope of a false dawn means — Port will make up the numbers if do they finish top-8 but more likely languish in top 6 of the ladder for years to come.

This is exactly what some of us Port supporters dreaded for when the Port announced two year extension to Ken Hinkley — rather prematurely. Right from the word go, the announcement of “August” timeline for the decision on Ken’s future was flawed. It should always have been end-of-season decision, and not just the results of home-and-away season. Finishing top-4 was a false dawn. One only has to witness what the change of coach has done to Pies and now Giants (where departed coaches took their teams to grand finals). Port under Ken Hinkley has been a soft-kill and low-flying team that has developed tendency not turn up for big games. Now straight set exit in 2023 and 11-14 ladder finish in 2024 would force Port’s hierarchy to deeply regret the two year extension to Ken. If I were Rozee or Butters, I would request a trade interstate. They are genuine stars stuck at wrong place at right time.

Tim — You are very brave to tip Port vs Brisbane Lions at the Gabba. Being a Port member, I am just not sure which “Port” turns up on Saturday. One word that comes to my mind is — “trepidation” (to borrow from Luke Beveridge’s recent interview) when I think about that qualifying final.

As a Port supporter, I think, citing “injuries” as the reason why they cannot win the premiership is being far too charitable to Port. Since the “bye”, their form has dipped and both their bookends — forward line and backline have been misfiring since then. And that would be the reason they cannot go deep into the finals. For Port to defeat Brisbane Lions, not just Butters and Rozee, but JHF, Ollie Wines, Todd Marshall, and Finlayson need to have a massive game.

Based on the most recent form, here is the favourite to win the flag (in the order below):
1. Melbourne
2. Collingwood
3. Brisbane Lions
4. Carlton
5. GWS
6. Port
7. Saints
8. Sydney

I am not a Pies supporter. I regularly watch First Crack, and in the last few weeks, the panel have changed their top four teams 4-5 times. Surely, Pies’ great run for 18-months counts for something. An outright statement such as “Pies flag chances are finished” is a hyperbole.

Thanks for sharing that link to the tied test. Just watched 15 minutes of that video and Windies scored better than Bazball rate in 1960-61. Incredible!

Flemo — By the time Australia plays next Ashes in England, it will be 26 years at least since it last won a series there. Similarly, it will be 23 years since Aussies since won in India. Is it not time for Cricket Australia to aim high and have a goal of winning those two prized series from this day forward? For some reason, the Australian sides of last decade or so have been pretty poor in seizing big moments within a match or series. I could pick Australia-India test series here in 2020-21 as case in point. The same trait was on display in recent tour of India and now in England. Whatever were the reasons, I still cannot digest: from 2-0 lead, this team blew the chance to win one of the three tests.

I know that Cricket Australia will spin this tour as a complete success with: 1) WTC final win and 2) Ashes retention, but a board that aspires to achieve higher goals should consider the last three weeks as nothing short of “dropping the bundle” and even a semi-fiasco and set up a review of the captaincy, the coaching, and overall tactics. With a lead of 2-0, not being able to win one of the three tests has to be deemed as failure.
What a massive opportunity lost! If Australia could not win a series with Steve Smith and such good bowling line up in its ranks, I wonder how many more Ashes series we have to wait to see a series win in England.

The Australian coaching ranks in this series have been too insipid and one-dimensional. England made a few changes in their batting order based on current form of their batsmen. We see none of that. Travis Head is clearly not at his best in the last few innings. Mitch Marsh seems in good touch. So why don’t they promote Marsh? During Australia’s fielding, I don’t recollect many instances when the 12th man came over to carry a message from the coaching staff. Even when the bowlers struggled tactically, no help was forthcoming.

As great as Port’s effort was for the entirety of the match, in the end, they folded. Collingwood had nothing to prove — they have been showing their prowess for nearly two seasons now. It was Port’s opportunity to show they are not “flaky”. With that loss, their hopes of top-2 finish go begging. As David King often says, “Don’t get beaten by what you!” Whole footy world knew Pies were going to mount an ambush in that quarter, but Port were utterly unprepared. Port supporters would have to wonder what have Kenny & boys learned from 2020 preliminary final six-point defeat to Richmond. Last night’s defeat was eerily similar. This club is hurtling towards another wasted year. They have zero chance of travelling to Gabba or MCG and win. Any result other than grand-final appearance should be considered a failure and Kenny’s contract extension should hinge on that.

Being a Port supporter myself, I just don’t see Port winning more than 3 of the last 6 games. The best case scenario gives them four wins only. Since the bye, there has been drop-off (unquantified %) in effort and form across the squad except Rozee and Houston. Due to injury or otherwise, Butters has not been playing that great in the last three games. I can easily write off games versus Pies and Cats — with a huge dent in their already middling percentage.They would lose either of the games versus Crows and Giants. If they drop both, I can easily see them just cling on to #4. That is about it. Which ever genius within the Port hierarchy conceived the idea of “managing” their players for the Carlton game needs to have a deep and hard look into the mirror. No — I don’t believe Port lost because they managed players last Saturday. But, right from the bounce, the body language of the whole playing group last Saturday suggested, they grossly underestimated the rejuvenation of Blues and had a rude shock within first 10 minutes. In the post-mortem of the season, their under-preparation and poor planning for the game versus Blues would become a big talking point.

Sadly, nothing is going to change in the next two tests. This Aussie side including the coaching staff is oblivious to facts and larger public opinion — to the point that it reeks of arrogance.

As a Port supporter, it hurts to say this: that loss is more damaging than Port’s management think. That loss may have just triggered a losing streak for Port. I was at Marvel yesterday and it was the Port of old that did not turn up on crucial games. If Port could not handle Blues’ ball movement, wait until next week when Pies will give them a bath at the Oval. With Showdown, Geelong at cattery, and GWS at home to come, Port’s feel-good story seems to have come to an abrupt end. Their banking of early wins means they will still hang on to top #4, but on the evidence of what I saw yesterday, they cannot beat Collingwood or Lions or Melbourne at home or away. As much as I dread to say, a straight set exit is now a distinct possibility for Port. If that happens, Kenny has to depart.

There are authors that list cogent arguments and then draw the conclusion based on arguments; while there are others that already have a pre-conceived conclusion ready and then spin arguments to suit the conclusion. And I believe this piece belongs to the latter category. As a Port fan, I am not touchy to read that Port were flaky in the past and many narrow wins this season indicating soft underbelly. But I cannot fathom how the term “peaking” applies to Pies that have barely lost four games in about 12 months (albeit those two loses coming in finals series). Lions, while scoring big against likes of WCE, GCS, and Saints have been embarrassed by lowly-ranked Hawks (the same team that conceded more than 16 goals to Port a week earlier) and Crows on either side of the bye. How is their credentials any better or worse than that of Pies and Port? At the risk of being termed “clutching at the straws”, I would say Port of 2020 & 2021 would not have won too many games against Top-8 teams once they were 2-3 goals behind in the second half. This year they managed to win quite a few games against good sides like Melbourne & Geelong having a quick burst of goals. That maturity is keeping us faithful believe in them. They could still drop a couple of games playing Pies, Cats, Crows. Could we then expect to see a column “Port’s Freefall”.

What a welcome relief to take my eyes off the AFL and watch a bit of cricket! There has been an overdose of footy in last three months as Port Adelaide — the team I support — has been doing okay. Hope this WTC Test is going to last all five days and exciting one.