Port Adelaide shows promise but proves inconsistent in 2020 season — its second in a row without finals
Port Adelaide missed the finals for the fourth time in five years, but 2019 also delivered signs of hope for the future. The question is, can the Power turn promise into performance next year?
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Inconsistent. Promising yet frustrating. Predictably unpredictable.
They are some of the ways to describe Port Adelaide’s 2019 season — its second in a row without finals.
Fittingly, the club’s up-and-down campaign ended with an 11-11 record, which landed it in 10th spot — the same position as 2018, when it finished 12-10.
But while the outcome was similar for the Power these past two seasons, the journey was quite different.
Port entered 2019 on the back of significant list, coaching and leadership changes.
It traded away dual All-Australian Chad Wingard, wingman Jared Polec and half-back Jasper Pittard, used those deals to net them three top-20 draft picks — Connor Rozee, Xavier Duursma and Zak Butters — as well as Croweater Ryan Burton from Hawthorn, and also recruited West Coast premiership ruckman Scott Lycett.
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Power flag winners Jarrad Schofield and Brett Montgomery returned to Alberton as fresh faces in the coaches box, while Port broke with tradition by naming Tom Jonas and Ollie Wines as co-captains after skipper of six years Travis Boak stood down.
Whether it was due to the personnel tweaks, the club’s disappointing 2018 or other factors, most experts tipped Port to struggle this season.
So it was a shock to many when the Power upstaged last year’s preliminary finalist Melbourne by 26 points at the MCG in round one, in a game where Butters and Duursma kicked three goals between them, and Rozee also had some nice moments.
It was a sign of things to come — on all fronts.
The Demons proved arguably the season’s biggest disappointment, remarkably finishing second-bottom, Port’s first-year trio continued to shine and the Power notched several more victories when pundits least suspected.
Port stunned West Coast by 42 points in Perth in round five, upset eventual minor premier Geelong by 11 points at home in June and recorded a 59-point away thumping of Essendon four weeks ago.
Those successes were mitigated by as many poor losses and an inability to notch consecutive wins from rounds nine to 17.
Defeats to an understrength Richmond at Adelaide Oval in round four, Hawthorn in Tasmania in round 10 and the Western Bulldogs in a rain-soaked home fixture in June proved particularly costly.
But the Power’s biggest disappointment came in the penultimate round when they had their finals destiny in their own hands and also-ran North Melbourne hammered them by 86 points at Marvel Stadium — a result that ultimately cost Port a top-eight spot.
A big issue for the Power in that game — and throughout the season — was starting slowly.
Port had four goalless first quarters in 2019 and two in which it kicked just one goal, and it lost all six of those matches.
Kicking higher totals and greater efficiency going forward were key themes of the club’s pre-season but translating that onto the scoreboard proved problematic at times and the Power finished its campaign with just 26 more points for than last year.
While key forward Charlie Dixon’s absence until round 14 as he recovered from his horrific leg injury did not help, Port also battled to get its mix of talls right and Lycett, Todd Marshall, Billy Frampton, Dougal Howard, Justin Westhoff, Peter Ladhams and Dixon all came in and out of the side due to form.
Rozee finished as the club’s leading goalkicker with just 29 — the equal-fewest in Port’s AFL history — after playing all 22 games.
His impressive debut season and the promising signs from Duursma (20 games, 11 goals) and Butters (19 matches, 12 majors) were Port’s biggest positives for 2019, along with the improvement of Darcy Byrne-Jones and Tom Clurey, Dan Houston’s midfield move and the renaissance of Boak on the ball.
All those things will give Power coach Ken Hinkley, who club chief executive Keith Thomas has guaranteed will still be in the role in 2020, cause for optimism.
But right now there is also major disappointment inside the club and fan angst outside it for failing to make the finals again this year and if that buoyancy does not translate into September action next season, it will likely spell the end of Hinkley’s time at Alberton.
NEXT PREMIERSHIP TEAM
B: Jonas, Clurey, Garner
HB: Burton, Howard, Bonner
C: Duursma, Houston, Byrne-Jones
HF: Rozee, Marshall, (Recruit)
F: Woodcock, Sam Hayes, Butters
R: Lycett, Wines, (Recruit)
I/C: Drew, Powell-Pepper, Frederick, (Recruit)
CLUB CHAMPION
Former skipper Travis Boak would have to be a firm favourite to claim his second John Cahill Medal after a stunning return to top form this season.
Eight years after winning his first best and fairest and following consecutive modest seasons playing across half-forward, Boak led from the front without the captaincy mantle while lining up in the middle.
He was Port’s only player in the 40-man All-Australian squad and led the club for disposals (637) and clearances (146) this year.
Improved defenders Darcy Byrne-Jones and Tom Clurey could also be in the mix, while Dan Houston should poll well after his mid-season move into the midfield.
TRADE TABLE
OUT: Power coach Ken Hinkley does not expect his side to be very active during the exchange period but the club has already announced that 2017 best and fairest and All-Australian Paddy Ryder and Port junior Sam Gray will be exploring their options elsewhere. Both are out of contract.
So too is Karl Amon, who may again request a trade back home to Victoria, and Billy Frampton, who other clubs are said to be looking at.
There has also been speculation about third-year midfielder Sam Powell-Pepper possibly leaving Alberton despite being contracted for next season.
IN: Port Adelaide needs players who can use the ball well, particularly through the midfield. Could it make a play for Essendon’s out-of-contract South Aussie Aaron Francis?
He can line up at either end of the field and has a beautiful kick.
Western Bulldog Bailey Williams is another out-of-contract Croweater who makes good decisions and may be on the radar.
SEASON 2020 FORECAST
Port Adelaide should find itself in a similar position to the past two seasons — right in the thick of finals contention.
The club will be banking on more consistency once their youngsters learn from their 2019 experiences and get another pre-season under their belts, and for better injury runs for Charlie Dixon (nine games this year), Brad Ebert and Hamish Hartlett (both 11).
But scrutiny will be intense on coach Ken Hinkley, who needs to make the finals to trigger a deal for 2021, and it will be interesting to see how he and the club go under even more pressure, considering Port will be expecting more wins and bigger crowds as it celebrates its 150th year.
ON THE AGENDA
Port Adelaide’s first agenda item has already been ticked off — confirming Ken Hinkley will keep his job for 2020 and in doing so quashing speculation the club may sack the contracted coach.
Next Port will be hoping to have a successful SANFL finals run, which will expose some of their younger players to pressure games and give them opportunities to catch Hinkley’s eye. Then once players return for pre-season training, Hinkley will need to work out how to finally get his team to improve those problem areas of turnovers and inefficiency in attack.
Getting Connor Rozee more midfield time should also be a consideration over summer.
DRAFT PLAY
Right now, before any priority picks are handed out or selections swapped, the Power will draft ninth and at 27.
Port will stick to a best-available approach to who it takes but South Australians Cam Taheny, Will Gould, Will Day and Dylan Stephens may all be in the mix.
The club also has picks 61-63, 66 and 81 up its sleeve to help secure father-son prospect Jackson Mead, who it is very keen on and whose dad is inaugural Power best and fairest Darren Mead.
The Power will be hoping other clubs do not bid on fellow father-son possibility, Trent Burgoyne.
GRAND FINAL TICKETS
A serious premiership tilt looks unlikely for three to four years, which means club greats Travis Boak, Robbie Gray and Justin Westhoff may retire without a flag.
But if Port can find a few genuine A-graders from its current crop of quality youngsters and add a couple more pieces via the trade period or draft, it has the foundations of a contender.