Reece Homfray: Carn the pair - Why Port Adelaide must be inspired by its proud past, not live in it

Port Adelaide’s decision to appoint co-captains for the first time should not be seen as a step backwards simply because that’s not what’s always been done, writes Reece Homfray. Particularly if it gives the club its best chance of winning a premiership.

While embracing its tradition, Port Adelaide must also move with the times. Picture Sarah Reed

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Port Adelaide — perhaps more than any other club in the AFL — goes to great lengths to make sure that its proud past is driving its future.

Its foundation year 1870 is printed on the back of the guernsey, players have worn the prison bar jumper in an AFL final, train at the club’s spiritual home at Alberton then run out of the Geof Motley Race at Adelaide Oval.

Last year the club even invited the last coach it sacked in Matthew Primus back to speak to the current team about what it means to be a Port Adelaide person.

It still refers to the Port Adelaide creed, as written by Fos Williams in 1962 and goes by the mantra of ‘we exist to win premierships’.

And only this year has it finally conceded that a Magpies reserves team is no longer viable.

For 22 years after entering the AFL, Port Adelaide continued to field three senior teams because it could not or would not let go of its past. It’s an honourable pursuit.

The club respects the past and is inspired by it. But the team cannot live in it.

This version of Port Adelaide must write its own chapter and the decision to appoint co-captains for the first time should not be seen as a tragic step backwards simply because that’s not what’s always been done.

It’s a shame the ‘one or two’ debate has hijacked the proudest moment of Ollie Wines and Tom Jonas’ careers.

Port people aren’t saying ‘what do you think of Ollie and Tom?’ they’re asking ‘what do you think of two captains?

What a shame supporters aren’t uniting to celebrate the fact they have three outstanding footballers, leaders and men including vice-captain Hamish Hartlett taking them forward.

There seems to be three camps on co-captaincy. Those who like it, those who hate it and those who simply trust the judgment of those in charge to do what’s best for the team.

Both captains play what supporters would consider ‘the Port Adelaide way’.

Jonas plays unfashionable, unsociable footy. He’s had to curb his white-line fever but that extreme competitiveness remains — so much so he couldn’t help himself from physically remonstrating with first-year teammate Zak Butters after being denied the ball in last week’s internal trial game.

Port Adelaide's leadership group, from right, co-captains Tom Jonas and Ollie Wines with deputy Hamish Hartlett at Harts Mill, Port Adelaide. Picture Matt Turner

A tough, dour defender who scraps for every kick and to get just a fingernail on the ball, Jonas worked his way onto an AFL list as a rookie from Norwood learning to never take anything for granted.

And he speaks like he plays, admitting empathy isn’t his strong suit, there are no pleasantries, no BS, just brutal honesty whether the person on the receiving end likes it or not.

At 24, Wines is four years younger than Jonas but plays much the same way, albeit as a midfielder nudging 100kg who led the club in contested possession last season.

Wines arrived at Alberton as an 18-year-old from Victoria much to the angst of his family in 2012 but fell in love with the place 12 months later and decided he never wanted to leave. And he never has despite every opportunity to do so.

He hates losing and when Port Adelaide does, he is almost always the last one to get up from his spot in the rooms, sitting on the floor, back against the wall, knees up, staring straight ahead as if that might have been the last game he played.

But he’s more softly spoken than Jonas, he smiles more, connects with younger players and gives off a different persona.

Where Wines might be the ‘arm around’ type of leader, Jonas has no problem telling teammates exactly what he thinks and in today’s environment you need both. Whether that comes from one captain, two or three.

Warren Tredrea and Mark Williams with the premiership cup after winning the 2004 Grand Final. The club’s creed says it “exists to win premierships”.

Last year an emotional Mark Williams — Port Adelaide’s only AFL premiership coach and the son of Fos who played in six and coached nine as a Magpie — stood in front of the faithful and used his Hall of Fame induction speech to impart a message on the current playing group.

“I haven’t been back to Port Adelaide for a long time but there used to be a spare space next to the last premiership cup,” Williams said.

“That space next to 2004 should drive you, it should say to you ‘why not me?’.”

Be driven by the past, but write your own future.

Williams might not believe in co-captains but he does believe in winning premierships.

And if the club believes co-captains gives them the best chance to do that, then isn’t that the most important tradition of all?

After all, isn’t that why Port Adelaide exists.

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