Insider: Port Adelaide captain Travis Boak leads from the front in the big games

WHEN it comes to playing well in big games, Port Adelaide captain Travis Boak stands head and shoulders above his teammates.

My Pictures of the week. Port Adelaide Captain Travis Boak and senior coach Ken Hinkley at the first finals press conference at Alberton. Photo Sarah Reed.

FREMANTLE coach Ross Lyon is no fool.

When he gives master tagger Ryan Crowley a job to do he has done his homework.

So it was significant when Lyon opted to apply the Crowley Claw to Port Adelaide skipper Travis Boak, rather than Brownlow Medal fancy Robbie Gray, in the top-four deciding clash at Patersons Stadium last Saturday.

When it comes to playing well in big games, Boak stands head and shoulders above his teammates.

In the nine matches the Power has played against top-eight sides this year, Boak has averaged a club-best 117.5 Champion Data rankings points.

This is 11 points higher than his season average of 106 points.

And it is 12 points higher than the next-best Port player, Gray, when it comes to performing against finals sides.

Gray averages a team-best 111 rankings points against all rivals but 105 against the premier teams.

Hard-running midfielder Boak is the only player in Sunday’s Port-Richmond elimination final who ranks in the top 10 of the AFL’s best big game players this year.

The statistic is measured by Champion Data among sides who will contest the finals.

Boak sits among the elite, with only dual Brownlow Medallist Gary Ablett, from Gold Coast, Brisbane ball magnet Tom Rockliff, Essendon’s Jobe Watson, GWS’s Callan Ward, Sydney’s Josh Kennedy, Collingwood’s Scott Pendlebury and Dayne Beams and Fremantle’s Nathan Fyfe ahead of him.

The leader of the Power pack, Boak — an All-Australian last year and short-listed for selection this season — hasn’t failed to deliver in any “best against the best’’ matches.

He has averaged a superb 29.2 disposals in matches against fellow finals combatants Sydney, Hawthorn, Geelong, Fremantle, North Melbourne, Essendon and Richmond this season, despite having taggers hang off him.

Boak’s best output was 39 against Richmond when the Tigers caused a boilover at Etihad Stadium in round 17.

He had 34 disposals against premier Hawthorn in round 10, 32 against Geelong in round six and 31 against flag favourite Sydney in round 20.

Proving that he saves his best for the best is that in his 12 games against non-finalists, Boak has averaged 24.8 disposals — five fewer than against the more highly-acclaimed teams.

Power vice-captain Brad Ebert said his skipper’s impact in big games isn’t by accident.

He said Boak thrives on the big occasion and is also challenged, as captain, by coach Ken Hinkley to lead from the front.

“Overall Boaky is a great leader in terms of his professionalism on and off the field,’’ Ebert said.

“But Kenny’s big push is that we deliver on game day and Boaky takes great pride in this.

“When the pressure has been at its greatest he has been able to stand up and really deliver.

“Even last week against Crowley, who is the competition’s best tagger, he was able to get 10 clearances.

“When the stakes are at their highest, he has been able to deliver regularly, which is a great credit to him and one of the reasons he is so highly respected not only at our club but throughout the league.

“We’ll look forward to more of the same from him this week.’’

While Boak will be a marked man on Sunday, Port will take note of those players who make Richmond tick.

Captain Trent Cotchin and classy ball user Brett Deledio are the most high-profile Tigers but Brandon Ellis (108 points), game breaker Dustin Martin (102) and former Giant Anthony Miles (102) have the best records against top opposition.