New Port Adelaide ruckman Scott Lycett still unsure who gets the No. 1 role at the Power

West Coast premiership ruckman Scott Lycett took the first hit-out in Port Adelaide’s internal trial on Friday night, but he is still to push All-Australian Patrick Ryder from that lead role

West Coast premiership ruckman Scott Lycett took No. 1 ruck duties from Patrick Ryder in Port Adelaide’s internal trial at Alberton Oval on Friday. But he is far from certain of keeping that mantle. Picture: Tom Huntley.

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PORT Adelaide’s newest big recruit, West Coast premiership ruckman Scott Lycett, is not claiming the No. 1 ruck mantle from Patrick Ryder just yet.

The Power’s preference for Lycett to carry the bulk of the ruck duties - while All-Australian Ryder worked more in attack to cover the absence of injured key forward Charlie Dixon - in the club’s internal trial at Alberton is far from a lock.

“Next time,” said Lycett in Whyalla at the Power’s community camp, “you might see the complete opposite. “I might play more as a forward and ‘Paddy’ more in the ruck. That’s the beauty of trial games - you try things. And we still have got three or four games to play to see what works best.”

Port Adelaide ruckman Scott Lycett coducts a Port Adelaide Community Camp in Whyalla at Fisk Street Primary school. Picture Sarah Reed

Port Adelaide’s first competitive hit-out will be the JLT Community series on Saturday, March 2 at Port Pirie in a summer Showdown with Adelaide.

Lycett, 26, is eager to see how his growing tandem with Ryder - and the new Power gameplan - holds up against true AFL competition rather than against well-informed team-mates. The internal trial at Alberton did expose, as AFL premiership coach Malcolm Blight often says, the “dancing with your sister” drawback of in-house competition.

“I’m glad to see the end of the pre-season and the (chance) to play against teams that don’t know what we are trying to do,” Lycett said.

Port Adelaide Scott Lycett (left) wrestles Peter Ladhams at the Power’s training camp in Noosa. Picture Sarah Reed

“It has been a bit hard in training when you are trying things ... and other people know exactly what you are doing (because they have been in the team planning sessions).

“I’m looking forward to the challenge of getting back into (competitive matches).”

Lycett’s move to Port Adelaide - as a free agent after 75 AFL games with West Coast - is timely for the Power as the AFL introduces the new 6-6-6 starting positions. This format makes it more critical for teams to have dominating ruckmen at centre bounces giving midfielders first opportunity to work in greater space.

“We’ve had a lot of chats about the (6-6-6 format) - and centre bounces are going to be very, very important ... more important than ever,” Lycett said.

“If you are not on top in the ruck, you will need the midfield to set up defensively. So I really like the rule - it will be good for the game.

“There obviously is pressure on the ruckmen, but I am looking forward to how it goes.”

Lycett joined the Port Adelaide squad in Whyalla where the Power has a stronger link with its new sponsor, British billionaire Sanjeev Gupta, the saviour of the Whyalla steel works.

A country boy himself - from Ceduna - Lycett noted the importance of AFL footballers being in country zones. He recalled his days of admiring Crows ruckman-forward Kurt Tippett and appreciating a Crows school visit on the Eyre Peninsula.

“(AFL players) were like Gods to us as country kids who did not see them very often,” Lycett said. “So being a country kid myself it is good to be able to give back as an AFL footballer to the country.”

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