Willie Or Won't He?

How’s that saying go? It’s better to have and not need, than need and not have? We should be ok; they’re not all staying in a hotel together. He can’t know all their individual addresses, can he? Time to Restump Podcast the Power threat level!

For the first time this year we’re going in with an unchanged line up. Is this the consistency and stability we’ve all been desiring? It does feel a little like foreign territory though because so far this year, we’ve consistently changed our minds, our players, our effort and intent, our game plan, our ball movement and our form. Maybe the only change we have to deal with this week is the weather.

With four wins and six losses and sitting in 15th on the ladder, it’s fair to say Port Adelaide aren’t travelling too flash. And to add insult to injury, they’ve now lost the vital Jason Horne-Francis. So, why does this feel like such a danger game? On the back of Port’s season and our performance last week, we should be going in quietly confident. Yet, I can’t shake this nervous feeling. 

Do we go at Willie Rioli? He has shown that he’s easily rattled. The mental game is as important as the physical game, so why would we not use it to our advantage? He kicked three goals against us in our last encounter but, to be fair, he hasn’t been a big historical threat against us…. well at least on the field anyway. Of the six games he has played against Fremantle, he has gone goalless just once. However, he’s kicked 3 goals on 3 occasions this year from just 9 games, so he is in pretty good nick.

While I’m not sure if we’re that sort of team and I really don’t know if we have the individuals willing to do so, for the record, I vote we rattle the cattle-truck out of his cage. Get Willie thinking about other things and give his teammates an extra protection task. But does it really serve our purpose? I admit I am a bit of a fan of the theatre of footy.

While their form isn’t great, Port has beaten Hawthorn and Sydney, so they are capable. And with Zak Butters and Ollie Wines in the middle, Connor Rozee distributing and setting up play make off half back and Mitch Georgiades up forward with Willie Rioli at his feet, you can see how they cause some feeling of trepidation. 

While we might have a bit more talent across the board, do we have the capability to slug it out in a potentially bruising encounter in the wet? It’s difficult to forget we didn’t handle the treatment in the pristine dry conditions under the roof at Marvel against the Saints. The rain, should it impact the game, could be the great leveler on Saturday night. 

The Restump investment club has gone sideways and is in need of a bail out. Can we blame the Trump tariffs? They’re being blamed for everything else! But quitting is for cowards and as we always say at the Restump, you’re only ever one hot streak away from a full recovery. May the Gods be in our odds.

Anyway, it’s all about the maritime melee this Saturday night. So, pull on the trackie, bang on a beanie, rug up, grab a cup of coffee and let’s have a chat about it further on the pod. 

Send us a text

Support the show