Deep Dive: Port Adelaide’s older guard and future stars combine in win over Gold Coast Suns
Port Adelaide’s future is bright, but it’s older players are also shining. Here’s how they delivered the win in our Deep Dive analysis.
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There’s a saying in the renovation trade that any house has untold potential with ‘great bones’ and that is Ken Hinkley’s legacy regardless of his Port Adelaide future.
Hinkley is aiming for a flag – and must make finals to keep his job – but his optimism isn’t misplaced in presiding over a compelling blend of the old from Travis Boak and Tom Rockliff to the new in rookie leaper Mitch Georgiades.
A 47-point win against Gold Coast is no cause to triumphalism but Port’s blend of experience and draft production line that impacts immediately in Georgiades (two goals), Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma is extraordinary.
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Todd Marshall (two) is ready to explode at 21 – held back only by off field tragedy and the time it takes to fill out a 198cm frame.
“I was really confident about what we did in the pre-season and the group has a lot of belief about them,” said Hinkley.
“We are only 12 months in with Zak and Connor and Pep’s first season in our forward line. It is really good when you consider Mitch and Todd are finding their way as well.
“That is why it was important to have Robbie Gray, Brad Ebert and Justin Westhoff around them to help them. It is really important to support young people with mature people around them.”
Saturday’s Showdown against Adelaide will be an intriguing insight into the list management of Port and Adelaide.
The Power will conceivably enter the clash without injured, hardened leaders Charlie Dixon (adductor), Ollie Wines (shoulder), Brad Ebert (knee) and Hamish Hartlett (thigh) but its youth cohort will relish a head to head battle with contemporaries Chayce Jones and Ned McHenry.
Rozee lit up half forward with stunning runs and assists against the Suns. Forget second year blues, it’s a case of the sky is the limit for the 2018 No. 5 pick.
“Brad hurt his knee, went back out there but will be assessed through the week and we will take no chances. Hammer looks like he had a quad so looks like it is more likely he will miss than play,” said Hinkley of third term injuries that stemmed Port’s dominance.
Port put the game to bed with a 40-point halftime lead where its tackle intensity and swift ball movement paved nine goals.
With Charlie Dixon stymied by the effects of a broken leg last season Port became the first team on record to lead the league for time-in-forward-half differential and miss the finals.
Port won the time in forward half differential by 17 minutes against the Suns but recorded a shot at goal accuracy of 31 per cent.
Hinkley noted Port fell away kicking 1.10 in the second half but its 9.6 in slippery conditions in the first half saw Georgiades and Marshall stand up with two apiece while Steven Motlop was back in business with majors and assists.
“The second half we had total domination and kicked 1.10 and four misses. It was a pretty good performance albeit our completion had a bit to work on,” conceded Hinkley.
Port Adelaide won the contested possession count by 13 and clearance count by 11 with Boak and Rockliff on fire.
“Our ability for us to use the ball in tight is never underestimated by us,” said Hinkley.
Port’s defence is rock solid with Tom Jonas, Darcy Byrne-Jones and Ryan Burton combining belligerence with skill.
Georgiades wouldn’t let coronavirus spoil his party fronting in an AFL debut on the Gold Coast with his parents as the only spectators and two eye-catching goals.
There is a COVID-19 AFL fan lockout but Georgiades’ parents received dispensation for a coast to coast rush from Perth to Metricon Stadium for their son’s Port Adelaide debut.
Georgiades booted his maiden AFL goal in the first term then followed with a smart mark and set shot in the fourth term.
“It was good to get that out the way. You always dream of your first AFL goal. It was pretty exciting, got the blood flowing from there,” Georgiades told the Sunday Mail.
“It was the best feeling I have ever had which I guess everyone goes through when they kick their first goal. It was absolutely amazing.
“Lucky a couple of balls came my way. It was exciting and all the hard work paid off from the pre-season.”
Hinkley says fans should “get used to him jumping” but Georgiades’ exceptional leap was hobbled last year by triple surgeries to address calcified bleeding in his thigh.
“I guess I have been in pre-season for six to eight months coming back from injury,” said Georgiades whose corked thigh during a 2018 school football grand final triggered serious pain and disconcerting spasms.
How good is this? Debutant Mitch Georgiades kicking his first goal and the reaction from his family is priceless #weareportadelaide pic.twitter.com/oY3VUZMHCI
— Daniel Norton (@Norts1974) March 21, 2020
“My last proper game of footy was year 11 at school so it is a big step up in tempo the pre-season and coaches prepare you the best way they can for game day.
‘I do like to jump at the ball, try to use my leap a bit. It is one of my weapons I like to bring out of the bag I guess.”
Georgiades and Marshall combined seamlessly in attack – twin towers of the future with Dixon sidelined. The on-field guidance of Rockliff, Boak, Westhoff and Ebert was invaluable for Port’s youth brigade. The Suns elite rookies Noah Anderson and Matt Rowell – by contrast – will have to fend for themselves.
“We rely on the older boys to provide that structure, level head to steer us through and we used that a lot,” said Georgiades.
“Toddy has been really good in the pre-season and it feels like he is about to burst out which is very exciting and it’s great having him alongside us.
“I think we focused on our battles, it wasn’t the prettiest footy. We played hard footy but weren’t as clean we would have liked in the second half but it was pretty slippery conditions.”