Insider: Port Adelaide’s Justin Westhoff is a super swingman

JUSTIN Westhoff is the AFL’s ultimate swingman. The Power gamebreaker has the ability to kick goals at one end and stop them at the other.

JUSTIN Westhoff is the AFL’s ultimate swingman.

The Port Adelaide gamebreaker has the rare ability to kick goals at one end and stop them at the other — often just minutes apart.

“He’s very unique,’’ noted Power football operations manager Peter Rohde.

“He’s got incredible flexibility to his game and he’s become a very effective player for us.

“I guess you could say he’s become our Mr Fixit.’’

In one-and-a-bit seasons under Ken Hinkley as coach, the bushy-bearded Westhoff — brilliant in Sunday night’s round one win against Carlton — has become arguably Port’s most important player.

Starting in attack against the Blues, Westhoff was quickly shuffled back as the home side took control early.

The 199cm athlete stopped the bleeding by taking several strong intercept marks before moving forward where he dominated the second quarter, kicking four goals, to put the Power on top.

Westhoff, who copped a heavy knock to the head which saw him benched briefly in the second term, finished with a remarkable five goals, 20 disposals, eight marks (four contested), five intercept possessions and nine score involvements.

The once-maligned 27-year-old running machine has in the past two seasons become the master of playing attack as well as defence.

Of all the players to kick 35 goals or more in that time, Westhoff has a higher percentage of disposals won in the defensive half than any rival, highlighting the enormous territory he covers.

Westhoff, who has kicked 36 goals in the 2013 and ’14 seasons, has won 44.4 per cent of his possessions backward of centre.

This is two per cent more than midfield teammate Chad Wingard (43 goals, 42.4 per cent defensive disposals) and a massive six per cent higher than the next-ranked player, Hawthorn’s Jack Gunston (46 goals, 38.9 per cent).

“One of Westy’s real strengths is that he allows us to control a game,’’ said Rohde.

“Obviously we’d like him to play forward as much as possible because he is a tough match-up for opponents and is dangerous in front of goal.

“But when we are in trouble we are able to put him as a roadblock in defence and he is generally able to stop the bleeding and slow things down until we are able to settle and go again.

“He’s been invaluable for us with the role he plays.’’

Westhoff can also act as a back-up ruckman for No. 1 big man Matthew Lobbe while he has also patrolled the wing effectively, causing match-up headaches for opponents.

His heat map makes interesting viewing.

While Westhoff wins most of his ball inside 50, he also wins plenty of it on the wing and dropping back in front of opposition key forwards.

The map shows he deliberately stays away from the corridor between the two 50m arcs.

Westhoff, the player with no fixed address, says he enjoys the swingman role.

“Ken has confidence in me to play in a variety of positions, to be that swingman, and whatever Ken wants me to do, I’ll do,’’ he said.

“I feel really comfortable in the way I’m playing, in my knowledge of the game at the moment and in my body.

“I’m happy to play any role that the team needs me to play.’’

He is playing them with perfection.