Matt Turner analyses why re-signing of Ollie Lord is crucial for Port Adelaide’s next premiership era
Ollie Lord could have been Geelong’s long-term successor to Tom Hawkins. Instead, he has designs on spearheading Port Adelaide’s next era. MATT TURNER analyses why his re-signing was so vital.
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Newly re-signed Ollie Lord looms as the long-term successor to Charlie Dixon at Port Adelaide.
Fellow key forwards Jeremy Finlayson, Todd Marshall and Mitch Georgiades have more experience, but Lord is the most Dixon-like in the way he plays and imposes himself on games.
Although not yet a man mountain like the 200cm, 110kg Dixon, Lord, who is 197cm and 92kg, crashes into packs with similar aggression and competes strongly at ground level.
Lord played 13 games last season, debuting in round 6.
The 21-year-old came of age during the Power’s qualifying final loss against Brisbane at the Gabba, when he kicked four goals in a performance that ensured he held his spot when Dixon returned the next week and piqued the interest of clubs in his home state of Victoria.
Geelong came hard during the trade period, hoping to lure a player who came through Geelong Grammar and whose grandfather, Alistair Lord, won a Brownlow Medal in 1962 for the Cats.
Port quickly shut down having its young gun involved in the trade for Esava Ratugolea.
Now, two months later Lord has thwarted any clubs circling by recommitting to the Power ahead of the last year of his deal, extending until 2026.
Instead of being a potential long-term successor to Tom Hawkins, Lord is eyeing Dixon’s role as Port’s spearhead.
Dixon is out of contract at the end of next year.
At age 33, having played just 26 of 47 games over the past two injury-affected seasons, it may be his last.
“When Charlie decides footy’s no more for him, I’d love to take the reins over from him,” Lord said after re-signing on Friday.
“But he’s got a good amount of footy left in him.
“He’s been a great mentor.
“Even today, coming over and giving me a pat on the back.
“It was a real heartfelt ‘well done, mate’.
“He’s fit and firing, he does look a little bit slimmer, though I think everyone does this time of year.”
Dixon has been a mentor for Lord but rarely on the field at the same time.
They only played together twice this year – in the round 7 win against St Kilda and the semi-final loss versus GWS.
It begs the question: will Lord and Dixon be in the same forward line to start next season?
Lord’s display at the Gabba secured his spot to play the semi-final, ahead of ex-Giant Finlayson, and gave him confidence he belonged against the best teams.
But with Dixon still crucial to the Power’s chances of contention and Marshall and Finlayson among their best players when in top form, Lord probably starts 2024 in the SANFL.
Obviously depending on how each performs during pre-season.
Finlayson was headed for a strong finish in the club’s best-and-fairest before fading badly late in the campaign.
Marshall’s form was down from his standout 2022 season.
Georgiades, who is recovering from a serious knee injury, may be squeezed out early as well unless he plays higher up the ground.
Lord felt he was in best 22 when he was fit and firing.
“The job that I can do on the ground can be a real advantage to our team,” he said.
“My strengths are my aerial (work), my competitiveness and my strength in the contest.
“An area of growth of mine is to do that on a more consistent basis and make sure it’s not in little spurts.
“Us tall forwards are all pushing our case so I’m just trying to get myself in the best spot.
“Hopefully that’s playing (to start the season), if not, I’ll be gunning for round 2.”
During the trade period, Lord was understood to have been planning to play games next season before potentially re-signing.
He decided instead to get it out of the way.
“It was a possibility that I could have waited a little bit but I was pretty eager to sign on,” he said.
“It was flattering that another club threw my name in discussions (during the trade period) but there wasn’t a whole lot of thought and it didn’t move past that original discussion.
“I was always keen to stay here and sign on.”
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