Dean Brogan says Port Adelaide must blood Billy Frampton in Paddy Ryder’s absence
PREMIERSHIP ruckman Dean Brogan says Port Adelaide must pull the trigger on raw big man Billy Frampton as insurance for injured Paddy Ryder in the lead up to September.
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PREMIERSHIP ruckman Dean Brogan says Port Adelaide must pull the trigger on raw big man Billy Frampton to bed down critical insurance for injured Paddy Ryder in a ‘Plan B’ for September.
Brogan rates Greater Western Sydney as Richmond’s serious flag rival — drawing similarities with Richmond’s late season surge from outsiders to the 2017 flag — after humbling Port at Adelaide Oval.
GWS’s 206cm Dawson Simpson monstered Charlie Dixon, Dougal Howard and Ollie Wines
winning 21-3 hit outs to advantage for his dynamite midfielders in a 22-point win on Sunday.
“I don’t think it is a sustainable model having makeshift ruckman coming up in big games, I think you need big bodies against other big bodies,” former Giants ruck coach Brogan said.
Port coach Ken Hinkley fears untried, 200cm ruckman Frampton is too raw for AFL but Brogan says big men learn on the job. Port’s structure can’t afford to have spearhead Dixon away from the forward line notes Power premiership ruckman Brogan.
“I saw him play against the Crows the other week and he looked all right. Ruckmen are never ready, always get thrown in at the deep end,” said Brogan of 21-year-old Frampton.
“Rarely do you play a ruck who is primed and ready to go.”
SANFL Magpies coach Matt Lokan was impressed with Frampton’s two goals, 19 hit outs and as many possessions against Glenelg’s Jesse White on Saturday. However, East Fremantle product Frampton is yet to be blooded at AFL level after four years at Alberton.
“They are at that time when they will have to look at throwing someone in for a couple of weeks, experiment,” said Brogan with Port also sweating on Howard’s fitness ahead of Sunday’s clash against Western Bulldogs in Ballarat.
“It is an interesting selection meeting going to playing the Bulldogs who don’t play a genuine ruck.”
Brogan warned Port must get games into Frampton or Peter Ladhams if Ryder is injured again and unavailable for finals. Possible dates against goliaths including Simpson, Melbourne’s Max Gawn or Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy await in September.
“Whether he (Frampton) goes well or not, if he can compete then structure wise around the ground it stays sound. If Ryder gets injured again and you go into a finals series you don’t want to be playing the Giants or Melbourne without a ruckman,” said Brogan.
Brogan revealed GWS elite on-ballers including Josh Kelly and Steve Coniglio prioritise Simpson’s silver service over his lack of athleticism in an endorsement of specialist ruckmen.
“He is a lumbering, old-school ruckman but I know the Giants midfielders love playing with him because he does put it where you want it, makes it hard for the other ruckman,” said Brogan of Simpson who won 46 of GWS’s 57 hit-outs while Port managed 30.
“He dished it to them on a platter.”
Fifth-placed Port will be playing for a top four spot against Western Bulldogs in Ballarat on Sunday with a tough run home to follow against Adelaide, West Coast, Collingwood and Essendon.
The consecutive losses against Fremantle and GWS are cause for concern at Alberton.
“I am really concerned where they are at. I love the way they don’t give up but it is hard to fix skill level in a week. They need to hit targets,” said Brogan.
Leon Cameron’s Giants have won six of seven games, jetting to sixth spot and invaluable momentum says Brogan.
“It was only this time last year that Richmond got going. They are the most threatening team in the eight at the moment for sure,” Brogan said.
“It is remarkable for the Giants to be where they are given the injuries they have had. They are starting to show what they can do at the right time of the year. They are playing the most consistent footy with Richmond. GWS has Jeremy Cameron and Tom Scully to come back in. All the dominoes are starting to fall their way at the moment.”
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