Nix Vs Adelaide - Match Thread

Results (and performances in my opinion) show that we are best with Muscat at right back and Siggy in the middle.

It it ain't broken don't fix it!!

I will be at my work Xmas party we are throwing for our clients on Friday night, we're decking out our entire workshop and will have a 4x4 configuration 168" plasma wall set up and also a 14sqm LED screen outside......

I have a sneaky plan that around 10:00pm one of those screens will miraculously switch to show the Nix game.......

For how long I'm not sure.......

This isn't really on topic and is more premature than Bigtobz on a good day but we may run into problems if our golden run continues, the playoff first leg is scheduled for the weekend 0f 6-8 Feb, the same weekend as the Welly 7s. The draw says that the team that finishes top gets to choose where to play in the first week, could be problems in that unless they can pull off a one day turnaround to have the place ready for Sunday we won't be able to play here. Something to think about........ and if we were to play away my free sevens tickets that I got would suddenly be up for sale

basin reserve perhaps?
clark007e2008-12-01 10:15:43

Pretty sure Sydney or Queensland had to swap home and away legs last year.

Also not on topic, when I booked my Melbourne flights a few months back, I banked on Melbourne finishing 1st and us 4th and so decided to stay on in Melbourne for the weekend of the semis.

Now I'm getting worried we are going to get a home semi and it will be the first home game I've ever missed.

I think it will be a tough call for us to get a home semi game but at this stage we should be aiming for a top 4 finish and nothing else.

Ain't it a messed up play off system where 1st and 2nd play home and away semis, 3rd and 4th play home and away semis, then winner of 3v4 plays loser of 1v2 in preliminary final, then there is the grand final.
I could be wrong though... It does happen.

Its an alright system as if you finish in top two you get two chances to make the finals.

so does the gamne start at 10:00 Friday 5th dec NZ time?

Correct

Hope he goes up North, I doubt the Gold Coast will want him

I hope he stays! I think it'll be good to retain the same back 4. They played so well on friday I'm still remembering all of Siggy and Dura's huge tackles.

paston strong keeper and defence strong, all's we need is smeltz to find the back of the net and we're good

Why wouldn't they? He's better than Rees.

WE MUST KEEP DURANTE IN THE GAME. HE IS SUCH AN INTELLIGENT PLAYER! WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THE SAME RESULT WITH DODD!! (bless him!)

Is that ewe Mrs Durante?

tHis game will show if the Phoenix is the "Real Deal" this season. If we are serious about challenging for the playoffs we have to be able to go to top sides like Adelaide and take points.

I too have noticed this, it's good aye? Except for the dolmio fans (who constantly bag us for everything we do) the other fans forums are speaking positively about the Nix

I think it's important we take at least a point from here and then beat perth the week after

Also no Fred for the last 4 games....unless we steal his passport!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

He still won't be able to play...and I imagine would be seriously pissed off too.

Guest players can't play in the last 4 games of the season.

Even Robbie Slater gave us some slightly grudging praise last night. A lot of the Aussie press are a bit fixated on Fred, citing him as the reason the Phoenix are suddenly doing well - when actually I would argue that he only started to show his true class in the 2nd half of the Melbourne game. Our revival started quite a long time ago,

Also slightly off topic:
Prinzessin Adelheid Amalie Luise Therese Carolin was born in the castle of Meiningen, Germany, in 1792. In July 1818 she married the heir to the British throne, and she changed the spelling of her name from Adelheid to Adelaide. In 1830 William was crowned King William IV of Great Britain, and Adelaide was crowned Queen of Great Britain and Hanover. When the Colony of South Australia was officially proclaimed in 1836, its new capital city was named after Queen Adelaide.

I never new that before

neither did I .  timmy2008-12-04 07:35:23

Smeltz was injured last week, hence his early exit as a precaution - any word?

Striker Smeltz (calf) and Brazilian midfielder Fred (groin) have slight strains and, though Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert expects both to start at Hindmarsh Stadium tomorrow night, he added Dodd to the squad as a "bit of a precaution".yomcat2008-12-04 09:51:17

i think we should have thrown the game v Waitak. Adelaide know now how crap Waitak are - and wont think about resting players v the Nix  -as they could put out their team physio and kitman and still give them a kicking in Japan

Just A thought... Say They Flew Costa or Coveny over because Smeltzy couldn't play - and then in Covs/Costa went and blasted a hatrick and played the games of their lives, would smeltzy automatically regain his position against Perth?
Of Course.

Lots of comments on how you have to earn and fight your way into the squad (Dodd, Durante etc) but its a very one sided fight for Shane Smeltz now isn't it?

now you do have a great point there. I don't think Covs would ever score a hattrick in his life. he does so much work with and off the ball and at his age I really admire that. Costa...well, I really hope he'd get a hattrick and started playing like Smeltzy (or at least started scoring like him).

What would happen, in my opinion, would be that next week Ricky would play with 2 strikers up front and one less midfielder.

Also, going back to Fred turning our season around..well I personally agree/disagree 50%. Surely having such a talented guy in the squad can only help: it boosts the players' morale and can come in pretty handy during game time.

however, so far, he has done OK, but not wonderfully. I'm not having a go at him, but I'm far more impressed with, say, Siggy, Brown, Muscat, Smeltz and the way they've been performing in the last few games. That said, I do hope that the diminutive Brazilian will blossom and score 5 goals in the remaining 4-5 matches, securing a place in the top 4 for us!