How Dan Houston became Port Adelaide’s unlikely midfield ‘solution’
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley says the decision to switch Dan Houston into the midfield has helped to fix one of the Power’s glaring deficiencies.
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He is the defender-turned-midfielder that might have saved Port Adelaide’s season.
Just two months after moving to the middle for the first time in his entire football career, Dan Houston has been labelled “one of our solutions’’ by Power coach Ken Hinkley.
“I think he went at 90 per cent efficiency — that’s what we are looking for in our midfield and have been trying to build towards,” Hinkley said after Port stayed in the finals hunt by upsetting Essendon by 59 points at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.
“We have said it regularly that we understand our deficiencies and we’re working hard to try to fix them and Dan’s one of our solutions.’’
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The 22-year-old Victorian has turned into one of the Power’s great recruiting success stories.
Selected in the 2016 rookie draft after being overlooked several times by every AFL club at the main draft, Houston played most of his junior football as a forward before making his name at Port as a playmaking defender.
He was slotted into the Power’s midfield for the round 11 clash against St Kilda in China and has now become one of its most important on-ball components, adding standout kicking and decision-making skills to a midfield that had been considered one-paced and lacking genuine class.
Houston recorded a career-best 134 SuperCoach points against the Bombers, with an equal career-high 29 disposals, including 12 contested, a career-best two goals, 10 marks and six clearances.
Asked about why he triggered the midfield move, Hinkley said: “Because of our ability with the ball around the stoppage, whether we were clean enough collectively.
“We thought that Dan’s really powerful with his leg, he’s a really good kick of the ball, he’s an elite decision-maker and he’s a good outnumber player.
“He’s learnt his craft the right way. He’s learnt it as a defender to become a midfielder and there is a great message in that for any young midfielder — if you can learn how to defend first, then come into the midfield you can be pretty successful.”
Port’s win snapped a three-game losing streak and kept it in the finals race with three rounds remaining.
Houston said he never asked for the midfield move.
“(On-ballers) Tom Rockliff and Ollie Wines were out for the St Kilda game so Kenny said ‘go into the midfield, no pressure, just play how you want to play’ and I found I could play there a bit,’’ he said.
“It was different for me because I had always played down back for Port — and in my early years I was a forward — but I feel that I know the roles around the ground well enough that I can play any position if required.
“Kenny puts trust in me to make decisions and have the ball in my hands, so I’m fine with that role and happy to play it for the team.
“Last week (in a one-point loss to GWS) I wasn’t as good with the ball and for him to keep the faith in me and keep playing me in there was really good.
“I really like being around the footy and the pressure of having a bit of the team on your back, relying on you in the midfield, I thrive on that pressure.
“It’s just about consistency for me now.’’
Houston described Port’s win as “huge’’, admitting it has been “under the pump’’ after three consecutive defeats.
“It gives our season purpose still, knowing that we are still alive,’’ he said.
The Power plays Sydney at Adelaide Oval on Saturday and expects to be boosted by the return of co-captain Ollie Wines from a broken thumb.