Sad Bulldog's Day! (Port 132 - 75 Footscray)

On the other hand, I am excited as a Golden Retriever! Not only because Port won, and big!, but also because the 2018 World Cup has started! I must warn you all that, since I will be busy watching it, I won’t post for the next 30 days as much as I have been doing so far. Still, I solemnly promise at least a review after every Port’s game.

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The alarm rang at 6:15am. Wife doesn’t wake up without coffee and she had a special Pilates class at 7am. Since I would watch Port’s game anyway, I simply set the alarm a bit earlier than I would. Temperature was in the low 40^oF’s (near 6^oC) outside. Those things we do for love![1]

When the game broadcast started, I was fully awake. It was still dark outside, so, when NTUA played, it seemed I was closer to Port Adelaide than the actual 8,000 miles distance that separates the club from Uruguayana. At some point during Q2, when the sun was already shining amidst the clouds, my younger son appeared in the living room.[2] He watched with me until HT, and spent good part of his time with  me asking “what if the team in blue wins?” That’s how bad our second quarter looked like.

This was only a 50/50 game, if BAD Port appeared. It did, but still lead at HT by 25 points. We got a line-up for a weather condition that didn't happen. Before the game, I wrote in BigFooty: “Night games are the best (at least, for me)! If it were away, no one would be complaining. Nothing that a raincoat and one gallon of hot wine can't solve.” It didn’t rain, but it was cold. Nevertheless, the attendance wasn’t that great.[3] 

On the game, we really missed Neade's forward pressure. (not really!) Watts’ kicking could have improved our forward entries. (really!) Overall, however, it was a solid win; at least, scoring-wise. Unfortunately, I just watched the first half; the part in which we didn't play well.[4] I had to take my older son to a class. We went walking, with the dog, while I tried to follow the game on the radio. So, the time between getting him ready, taking him to class, and bring the dog back home, fully coincided with the second half. Still, it was possible to get an idea of what happened.

If there is a parallel with another game this season, it would be Hawthorn’s: our Q1 was bad, but we won easily because our opponent got self-destroyed; in Q2, there was a reaction, when the opponent lifted up their game. Thankfully, the similarities ended up there – in the part I watched (humpf!). Port was playing at home, the Dogs are worse than the Hawks, but, most importantly, the umpires didn't scr...,[5] I mean, we didn't let them actually get back into the game. In the second half, then, we improved and won easily.

We are still learning and evolving as a team. However, even with our struggles, we have a 8-4 record [6], and there are 4 very winnable games (against Carlton, Kilda, Freo, and Dogs) in our next 6 on the schedule. We have every opportunity we could have asked for and a few more to get our team straight before the last stretch of the season. We can correct our issues, both defensively and offensively. Hopefully, we do correct them. Mate, I can't even imagine how we may look like if everything clicks...

Our infield with Ryder, Wines, Wingard, Rockliff, and SPP is the unit the closest to be settled and ready.[7] It has room for improvements, but it is already nasty; beautifully nasty! And there are still Polec (growing every week) and Motlop wide! The game against Melbourne passes through our midfield. If we dominate, our chances of winning increase exponentially.

On offense, unfortunately, we won’t see Watts against his former team. The Magpies play on Sunday, and I don’t expect Watts returning in a 5-day rest. We will see our forward line with Watts, Marshall, and Dixon only against Carlton in the MCG.

Yesterday, Marshall wasn’t great. However, I fully expect him better after taking the weight of his second “First AFL game” of his young career. On the other hand, Dixon scored every two touches – 3.2:20 from 11 disposals. That's pretty much what we need from him. He was being criticized for moving, but not scoring. Now that he has scored, we are complaining he wasn't moving. Come on! We should recognize his contribution tonight. Dixon was hurt last game and has 90%-ish TOG this season; and we won by 57 points. He basically rested, while improving his kicking. That’s good news.

The only change for next game should be on defense, and it is injury-related. If Jonas is OK, he is back; otherwise, we will go unchanged. Our defense will face a tougher opponent next week, and I am wishing they can be ready for the challenge. They are maturing fast, but I am not sure it is fast enough to hold the Demons now. We will need to wait and see.

CARN THE POWER!

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Notes:
[1] Brazil’s Valentine’s Day is in June 12^th, so there was an extra incentive. Why June 12^th? Because February 14^th is in the middle of Summer and usually near Carnival (Brazil’s greatest cause for break-ups). June 12^th is during Winter and in the Eve of June 13^th, Saint Anthony’s Day – the patron-saint of marriages!

[2] We've played Living-Room Football earlier in the week. It was brutal contested one-on-one football! I lost (1.6:12 - 4.2:26), but, in my defense, his mom was umpiring, and my goal was 1/3 of his.

[3] Probably because mulled wine is not popular in Australia. Pity! It is around here. I've googled "Brazilian ‘Quentão’ recipe", and there were many available (including some kids-appropriated). You all should try it. For instance, this is a link for one recipe I have found: http://theamazingflavoursofbrazil.com/quentao-spicy-brazilian-mulled-wine/

[4] I would need to watch the second half, but the World Cup begins today. I won't have a break!

[5] Not that the umpires were good, but that they were evenly bad this time.

[6] This is two wins more than I was expecting for us to have at this point of the season.

[7] By the way, if Wines keeps playing like in the last couple of games, I will begin hoping he signs the new contract only after the Grand Final.