Port Adelaide’s depth in every position and the future stars who can stand up in rollercoaster 2020 season
Port Adelaide will be looking to their youthful stars again in 2020, starting in Showdown 48. We look at the Power depth in every position.
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As Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley recently described it, the 2020 season is going to be a survival of the fittest.
With limited preparation, following a two-month shutdown, there will be sore bodies after one week, let alone three of four.
Strict weekly protocols and a month away from in the Queensland Hub won’t make things any easy, either, especially on matchday.
And that’s if there are no further interruptions or hiccups along the way.
If Scott Lycett and Mitch Georgiades prove their fitness at training today, Port Adelaide, like its cross-town rival, will be close to full strength in Showdown 48.
Only Willem Drew (foot) and Tobin Cox (quad) have been ruled out through injury.
But the legitimacy of the Power’s top-eight quest will be determined by the contributions Ken Hinkley gets from the entire squad.
“After a couple of good drafts and trading some mature-age guys, we feel like we’ve got a really good balance across the board,” midfielder Tom Rockliff said ahead of the restart.
And Rockliff’s statement is backed up by the numbers.
Port Adelaide rank fifth in the competition for games played – only West Coast, Hawthorn, Collingwood and Geelong have more AFL experience on their list.
But unlike those four sides, which are oldest in the league, the Power are the seventh-youngest.
Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma exploded onto the scene in their debut season last year and Port’s latest crop of draftees, lead by Mitch Georgiades and Jackson Mead, could have a similar impact in 2020.
But it’s not just the kids will play a role, with Rockliff naming Joe Atley and Willem Drew as two players ready to step up from the middle tier.
“We feel like we’ve got a list which can push really hard and deep into finals,” he said.
ROUND 1 TEAM
B: Tom Clurey, Trent McKenzie, Ryan Burton
HB: Tom Jonas, Darcy Byrne-Jones, Jarrod Lienert
C: Xavier Duursma, Dan Houston, Karl Amon
HF: Sam Powell-Pepper, Steven Motlop, Brad Ebert
F: Mitchell Georgiades, Robbie Gray, Todd Marshall
FOLL: Scott Lycett, Travis Boak, Connor Rozee
I/C: Hamish Hartlett, Tom Rockliff, Zak Butters, Justin Westhoff
DEFENCE
Rated 3rd by Champion Data
Players who missed Round 1: Jack Watts, Riley Bonner, Joel Garner, Riley Grundy, Jake Pasini, Martin Frederick.
The only glaring issue is the lack of a strong key-defender who can play on the opposition’s biggest forward in the goalsquare.
Jarrod Lienert was a late inclusion for Riley Bonner against the Suns and, like Bonner, Lienert’s strengths are his kicking and run off halfback.
Although Bonner is likely to come straight back in to the Power’s best 22, at 195cm, Lienert can play on talls. And it’s something he would have to do again this year if star pair Tom Jonas and Tom Clurey were to miss, given Riley Grundy and first-year defender Jake Pasini are unlikely to be ready.
But, along with Lienart, the toughness of Joel Garner and skill of Jack Watts, who will find his way back into the senior side sooner rather than later, make for a well-balanced second-tier in defence. Much like the group who played against the Suns in Round 1.
MIDFIELD (Including rucks)
Rated 10th by Champion Data
Players who missed Round 1: Ollie Wines, Willem Drew, Joe Atley, Sam Mayes, Jackson Mead, Jake Patmore, Trent Burgoyne, Cam Sutcliffe, Peter Ladhams, Sam Hayes
Former skipper Wines will come straight back in for Showdown 48 but with Dan Houston set to continue his pre-season move into the midfield, there isn’t an obvious player to make away. And Hinkley’s selection dilemma underlines the evenness of the engine room at Port Adelaide, something which continues down the line. There’s no star among them but Atley, Drew, Sam Mayes and Cam Sutcliffe all boast AFL experience and, aside from Drew, who is six-to-eight weeks away after more footy surgery, are all ready to step up and play a role if required. However, the all-round nature of Jackson Mead’s game, including his ability forward of centre, could see him get an opportunity first.
In the ruck, Peter Ladhams was unlucky to miss in Round 1 after a strong finish to 2019, while the talent of developing big man Sam Hayes, who missed half of last season recovering from a torn ACL, has many excited at Alberton. Playing two ruckmen is unlikely to be a popular tactic in 2020 but Port have plenty of depth behind No. 1 big man Scott Lycett.
FORWARD
Ratted 9th by Champion Data
Players who missed Round 1: Kane Farrell, Wylie Buzza, Boyd Woodcock, Miles Bergman, Dylan Williams, Tobin Cox
The arrival of the high-marking Mitch Georgiades has offset the concern over Port’s lack of genuine key targets in attack behind Charlie Dixon. Off-season recruit Wylie Buzza is there if Dixon, who is set to take his place in Showdown 48, fails to get going, and Georgiades, a first-year player, tires. But the former Cat, while he will play a role, is unlikely to replace the presence or scoring of either. Exciting draftee Dylan Williams, however, is one who could have a big impact on the scoreboard once he builds his fitness base. And Tobin Cox booted 31 goals in 14 SANFL matches last season. Port’s top pick from the 2019 draft, Miles Bergman, is also likely to start his career at half-forward before pushing further up the ground.