Why the Crows and Power must hit the ground running in pre-season as their premiership windows narrow
BLINK and you’ll miss it — the elusive chance to bank the AFL’s ultimate commodity — a premiership medal. Too many players take it for granted that opportunities will continue to present themselves. The time to act is now for Adelaide and Port.
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HAVING just blown a 42-point halftime lead in the 1993 prelim and missed the chance to play in the club’s first ever Grand Final, the scene in the rooms post-match was one of desolation.
My disappointment was somewhat eased though in the knowledge that this was just our third year in the competition and, with a relatively young squad, in the years ahead success seemed assured.
Unfortunately there are no guarantees in football and the next three years were full of turmoil, including injuries, no finals and two sacked coaches. Fortunately for six of us, success came later. But for the majority, including guys like Chris McDermott, Tony Modra, Matthew Liptak and Simon Tregenza, their moment had passed.
The 2012 season for Adelaide was a similar story. After missing out on the grand final by a kick to eventual premiers Hawthorn, the future appeared bright for a bunch of young Crows.
Taylor Walker, Rory Sloane, Richard Douglas, Sam Jacobs, Andy Otten, David Mackay and Brodie Smith, all in their early 20s, and, while time was on their side six years ago, another missed opportunity in last year’s grand final sees the need for success to be now much more pressing.
Port Adelaide veterans Travis Boak, Justin Westhoff and Robbie Gray, who were all present at Port’s closest tilt at the flag in recent times, the 2014 prelim, could have at least found solace after the defeat knowing that the crop of youngsters that played that day — Ollie Wines, Chad Wingard, Hamish Hartlett, Tom Jonas, Brad Ebert, Jack Hombsch, Jasper Pittard, Jared Polec and Matthew Broadbent were as good as any in the competition.
Fast forward to 2018 and the Power hasn’t won a final since.
This is not aimed at highlighting the lack of success at our local clubs, as ultimately only one in 18 can win each year. What it does show is that real opportunities, for most, don’t arrive every year and that when they do present themselves you have to grab them.
I’ve lost count of the retirement speeches I’ve heard, as a player, then later as a coach,
where the retiring player describes their career being over in what seems like the blink of an
eye. And for too many of them they finished without the premiership they craved.
It is with this in mind that has me, as a Crows supporter, and I’m sure countless Power fans,
rueing what appears to be wasted seasons, and fearful that players like Eddie Betts, Gray, Walker, Boak, Jacobs and Westhoff edge closer to retirement and remain largely unrewarded.
Both sides have the talent on their lists to have success. I don’t think there is any doubt
about that. Can they apply it effectively? That is the challenge.
So much of Adelaide’s trouble revolved around its pre-season. There will be no experimenting this year with the mental approach of the players and I would be flabbergasted if there was anyone who turned up for day one of the pre-season not raring to go and in the right shape. That’s something that didn’t happen in December 2017.
Port Adelaide needs to start off by deciding how it wants to play. After finishing top four in both attack and defence in 2017, the pendulum has swung too far in the direction of defence.
While the Power are competition leaders in that element of the game it has come at the expense of their ability to attack. The last six weeks they have averaged 67 points (bottom four in the AFL), scoring with just 36 per cent of their forward entries, which is 18th out of 18. No risk, no reward is an apt description of Port’s attacking play of late.
Ken Hinkley’s early mantra of brave ball movement has been jaded by being repeatedly being hurt by turnovers. Recent weeks have proven that playing safe doesn’t fix the problem either.
The only way forward is for Port to improve its kicking skills.
Every recruit or player traded into the Power next year has to have elite skills. It has to be the number one criteria for the recruiting staff. The players already at the club also need to improve. Confidence is built on the back of seeing yourself doing it over and over again.
All players train hard at AFL clubs. Adelaide and Port are no exception.
The question is, would your focus and urgency rise if you thought that your next season was your last?
I’m sure it would, and it will be for some. If only that urgency could be reflected by every
player on the list.
That is the challenge for both clubs and in particular Walker and Boak as leaders to impress
upon their players.
To not waste a minute preparing for their club’s next big moment.
Who knows how many they have left?
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