Port Adelaide ruckman Scott Lycett honoured at All-Stars selection eyes big season, possible Peter Ladhams ruck tandem
Peter Ladhams is set to lead Port’s ruck on Sunday as Scott Lycett sits out for the Bushfire Relief game. Lycett believes they can form a strong tandem this year if they get picked together.
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Scott Lycett is confident he and Peter Ladhams can play well together if Port Adelaide opts to use them in a ruck tandem this season.
Lycett paired with Ladhams just once last year – in the Power’s 25-point home loss to the Western Bulldogs in the wet – and spent most of the campaign alongside Paddy Ryder.
With Ryder now at St Kilda and Port seeking to give five-gamer Ladhams more opportunities, Lycett and the former Norwood junior have been working their forward craft in anticipation for them combining more in 2020.
But they will have to wait until after the Power’s first Marsh series match this Sunday to join forces.
Ladhams is set to lead the ruck with third-year tall Sam Hayes against Brisbane in Moreton Bay, while Lycett sits out ahead of next week’s Bushfire Relief match at Marvel Stadium.
Lycett, who was picked to line up for the All-Stars against Victoria on February 28, said he and Ladhams could feature regularly in the same side if they were performing strongly.
“I’ve played some pretty good games just being the sole ruckman but at the end of the day, it’s not up to me, it’s up to what the coaches think is best for the team,” Lycett said.
“I haven’t really had too much opportunity to be No. 1 but I’ve shown in stages, when I have, that I’ve done it pretty well.
“Pistol (Ladhams) and myself only had one game last year and it was a bit wet.
“I think we’ll get more opportunity together this year and he’s a different player to Paddy, more similar to myself.
“If we’re both playing pretty good footy, there’s no reason why we can’t be in the team.”
Port product Lycett played 18 matches for the Power last year after returning to the club from West Coast but had a mixed 2019 campaign, starring several times and also being dropped.
When coach Ken Hinkley tapped him on the shoulder this week to tell him he had been chosen in the All-Stars squad, Lycett was both surprised and felt honoured.
“I’m not sure I consider myself one of those (among best in league),” Lycett said.
“It’s about raising some much-needed funds for people in need so if I can be a part of that, I’ll try to do my bit for sure.
“Hopefully it’s going to be a really special night.”
Lycett was keen to reacquaint with former West Coast teammates Elliot Yeo and Brad Sheppard, and ruck coach Dean Cox, as well as ex-Henley High buddy Brodie Smith on the All-Stars team.
“It’ll be good to play with (Smith), we’re good mates,” he said.
“ (Yeo and Sheppard) messaged me straight away yesterday and said they’re looking forward to catching up.”
Banter has also flown around between Lycett and Power teammate Robbie Gray, who has been selected for Victoria.
They were Port’s only two players chosen for the representative match.
“I said ‘I’ll have to be careful I don’t tap it down to you’ … but he said ‘nah, don’t worry, give it to me anyway’,” Lycett said.