How to fix Port Adelaide’s mess after #epicfail
SECURING much-needed support for Paddy Ryder, offloading one of its big-bodied midfielders, deciding on a set position for Chad Wingard and attracting an experienced mentor for Ken Hinkley should be Port’s priorities during the off-season.
- Melbourne’s victory all but settles top eight
- Fantastic future? Port in free fall rather than rising
- ‘Passive’ Power must work harder: Hinkley
- Live ladder: Where will Port fall?
- Power’s futile fight proves effort not enough
PORT Adelaide hasn’t won a final since September 13, 2014 and the drought won’t be broken anytime soon.
After losing five out of the last six games, the Power’s season will come to a disappointing end this Friday night against Essendon, leaving serious questions unanswered.
These key areas need urgent addressing in the post-season review.
Midfield
KEN Hinkley has been far too loyal to an underperforming midfield this year by continuing to select players who have performed well below their best.
The clubs ranks 14th in clearance differential against their opposition this year, which is unacceptable for a side that possesses an elite ruckman in Paddy Ryder and big-bodied, contested midfielders such as Ollie Wines, Tom Rockliff, Brad Ebert and Sam Powell-Pepper.
The midfield is stocked with too many similar types and the coaching panel has been unable to discover a combination that works.
The list management team must consider trading out one of Powell-Pepper, Rockliff or Ebert as all three cannot survive alongside vice-captain Wines in the engine room.
The trio is all contracted for next season and beyond but they may be open to a shift to another club to ensure more midfield opportunity.
Jared Polec’s likely departure to North Melbourne will hurt as he possesses the outside speed and class that has been lacking. The club is rightly after a first-round draft pick as compensation for the Polec loss.
Hinkley has had no faith in his back-up ruck stocks this season and securing much-needed support for the ageing Ryder this trade period is of the highest priority.
Defence
THIS line has been the club’s strength all year and the age profile of the back six is exciting. Tom Clurey, Dougal Howard, Riley Bonner, Darcy Byrne-Jones and Dan Houston have collectively improved in 2018 and will play a lot of football together in the coming years.
Port Adelaide’s team defence has been the highlight of the year, allowing the opposition to score only 73 points per game on average.
The return of Hamish Hartlett (knee) and Matthew Broadbent (ankle) in 2019 will add leadership, penetration and depth to the already solid defensive.
Attack
THE high-profile recruiting of Steven Motlop, Jack Watts and Rockliff was designed to improve Port Adelaide’s forward-half efficiency, delivery inside 50 and overall scoring.
As a flow-on from the midfield’s struggles, this move has failed with the Power ranked 12th for scoring by only averaging 80 points per game.
Charlie Dixon has battled with the responsibility of being the key focal point and has kicked a disappointing 26 goals for the year while also covering for Ryder in the ruck.
Every opportunity should be given to exciting 20-year-old Todd Marshall in 2019, while Ryder must spend more time in the forward half when the club brings in ruck support. If fit, Ryder is capable of kicking 25-30 goals.
After throwing Chad Wingard into a variety of roles this year, Hinkley must decide if he is a forward or a midfielder and stick to his guns.
Coaching
WITH senior assistant coach Matthew Nicks and head of development Aaron Greaves departing at season’s end, Port must look to raid Richmond’s or Hawthorn’s coaching panel as their replacements.
These two clubs have the most successful football programs in the country and this intel would be valuable for Hinkley.
Brett Ratten is departing Hawthorn and could be the perfect mentor.
In every sense 2018 has been a failure and the Power supporter base is shattered at the thought of another wasted season.
Extremely hard decisions across all areas of the football program are required in the off-season to ensure the mistakes of 2018 aren’t repeated.
ROUND 22 WINNERS
1. Drought breaker
MELBOURNE will return to the finals for the first time since 2006 and has the tools and game style to beat anyone in September.
2. Boak’s fight
PORT’S leadership group was rightly questioned after last week’s loss to West Coast and Travis Boak responded against Collingwood with his best game this year.
3. Buddy best
LANCE Franklin, below, booted five goals against the Giants on Saturday and proved yet again he is the best player in the game.
4. Bloods on fire
THE season looked all but over when Sydney suffered back-to-back losses against Gold Coast and Essendon in rounds 18 and 19. In an amazing turnaround, they have won their last three and sit fourth on the ladder. We should learn to never write them off.
5. Purring
GEELONG kicked a remarkable 23 unanswered goals in its demolition of the hapless Dockers on Saturday giving it a much-needed percentage boost. Whoever plays the Cats in the first week of the finals will be nervous.
LOSERS
1. Play the kids
WHEN Adelaide’s Alex Keath withdrew from the side to take on the Kangaroos it was the perfect opportunity to give a youngster like Elliott Himmelberg a game in the meaningless fixture. Disappointingly it opted for Andy Otten as his replacement.
2. King miss
ESSENDON’S Devon Smith is lucky his vicious punch didn’t connect with Richmond’s Kamdyn McIntosh on Friday night. The intent was every bit as bad as what Andrew Gaff did a fortnight ago.
3. Giant Hurt
ADELAIDE’S high performance team has had a poor year but not as bad as GWS Giants. More weekend injuries threaten to ruin their year.
4. Priority backflip
CARLTON chief executive Cain Liddle couldn’t have been any more emphatic in May when he stated his club would not request a priority draft pick from the AFL. Fast forward three months and he has finally realised how dire the state of the list is and has done a backflip. Embarrassing.
5. Pathetic
IT’S hard to work out what was worse for Fremantle this week. On the park they lost to Geelong by 133 points, but off the field the decision to re-sign Hayden Ballantyne and Harley Bennell while also considering an extension for 35-year-old Aaron Sandilands is just as perplexing.
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