Port Adelaide midfield plans for new tactics to maximise value of extra depth
PORT Adelaide puts its new-look midfield on display at an internal trial at Alberton on Saturday with star recruit Tom Rockliff noting the Power has more than new talent to show — there also are new tricks.
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PORT Adelaide has a new-look midfield — and one of its newest members, Tom Rockliff, knows talent must be coupled with technique to make a difference in the AFL.
Rockliff, the former Brisbane captain, will make his first appearance in a Power jumper at the club’s internal trial at Alberton Oval on Saturday evening. How senior coach Ken Hinkley and midfield boss Michael Voss divide the new options in the Port Adelaide engine through multiple rotations will be one of the headline themes of the Power’s pre-season.
Rockliff, who was immediately endorsed by his new team-mates for the Power leadership team this week, expects his work — and that of captain Travis Boak — as a forward to be just as critical as his influence in the midfield.
“The good thing is we have depth,” says Rockliff, one of the star gains for Port Adelaide from the October market along with Steven Motlop (Geelong) and Jack Watts (Melbourne).
“And with that depth we can play a few tricks ... we can manipulate, hopefully, the opposition in the way we want to play.
“There are (several) players who can go through the midfield ... and there also is (several) players who can move forward.
“I’ll predominantly be a midfielder, but I’ll also play forward. That is the luxury we have at the moment — the ability to be able to drift in and out (of the midfield rotations) and in and out of the contest.”
Rockliff is one of 11 new players claimed in the Power’s aggressive restock of its list after returning to AFL finals action last season. The challenge of making Port Adelaide’s first (or best) 22 is, by Rockliff’s count, a genuine contest for as many as 35 players. This is the new measure of the Power’s depth chart at Alberton.
“And we have a pretty healthy list at the moment — so the pressure is on,” adds Rockliff as Hinkley has just experienced defender Matthew Broadbent (ankle) struggling with injury.
“We have a group of players who are happy to play any role for the team — and that is the most exciting thing, particularly when you have Ollie Wines, Sam Powell-Pepper, Brad Ebert, Robbie Gray, Chad Wingard, Boak, myself, Motlop, Watts ... there are so many we can throw through the midfield.
“The exciting thing is we have so many players who can play different roles — and we can give opposition teams different looks. We can do that in games — and during quarters — and that will make our forward line and midfield dangerous.”
The Power internal trial starts at 5pm and follows an Australian-first members’ convention dubbed “Inside Port Adelaide Live.”
michelangelo.rucci@news.com.au
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