Port Adelaide’s next two games will show if they are a genuine flag contender
Port Adelaide is the only side to claim three wins so far this AFL season. The next two matches against West Coast and Brisbane will show Power fans if this side is a genuine flag contender.
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We are about to find out just if Port Adelaide is a contender or pretender in 2020.
While off the field it’s been a challenging this year for the club, with COVID-19 cruelling the majority of their big plans to celebrate their 150th year anniversary, on the field it’s been smooth sailing so far.
The first win of any club who has gone into a hub – against Fremantle late on Sunday night – followed on from a Showdown thumping to move the Power back to where they’ve been since the first round of the season back in March – at the top of the ladder, but this time outright.
But is this another example of a Power side that’s offered hope to fans they will be a side to challenge for a flag, only to finish 10th in three out of the past four seasons?
Legendary coach Mick Malthouse recently labelled Port as a “tease”, an assessment even Power coaching staff have admitted is a fair one.
There is no doubt the Power are up and about right now, that’s what an unbeaten start to any season let alone a shortened one will do.
But these wins have come up against a Gold Coast side that was nothing like it has been in the past two weeks, an Adelaide that has looked simply woeful and a Fremantle team that despite containing two superstars in Nat Fyfe and Michael Walters is still very raw – and did trouble the Power in the opening term.
Realistically the Crows and Dockers are likely to finish in the bottom four in 2020, although to be fair Fremantle has looked competitive in each of its three games so far.
West Coast, despite the Eagles’ past two games, and Brisbane, are the Power’s next two matches. They will show the AFL and Port fans just what type of side Ken Hinkley has at his disposal in 2020.
If the Power claim two victories and go 5-0, then they are the real deal and will be halfway to the 10-win mark many predict will be enough for a finals spot in the 17-round season.
Even 4-1 will show the Power are to be reckoned with.
But a slip in the next two matches and the questions and doubts will again start to rear their head and Port fans who have been burned before will be forgiven if they start to feel like it is groundhog day.
In the past two seasons Port Adelaide has had a 3-2 record after the first five games, and in 2018 the Power won their first three before losing two on the bounce and ultimately fading out in the second half of the season and missing finals.
Power veteran Justin Westhoff told The Advertiser the next two weeks would be vital.
“I think so, I think that goes for everyone in the AFL,” he said.
“The teams who can put their foot down and get some wins early (get a huge advantage) and for us if we can string some wins together we can take some really good confidence out of that.
“That’s probably what we’ve lacked in recent years, being able to string together two, three or four really strong performances together and I think if we are able to do that the world is kind of our oyster at the moment.”
Hinkley also said the Eagles would be a chance to show where Port Adelaide are at.
“We are going to have to be at our absolute best,” he said.
“They are one of the elite teams in the competition, they haven’t quite played as well as they would have liked to in recent games I’m sure Adam (Simpson) won’t be missing anything when it comes to being ready to go for this week.
“And to be fair we have reasonable history against them, it’s been pretty tough games that we have played in my time against West Coast.”
WARRIOR WESTHOFF
A look at how the Crows are struggling to find the right back-up for Reilly O’Brien in the ruck on the ground further demonstrates just how much Hinkley loves having a player like Westhoff at his disposal.
The veteran is shifted all over the ground where required, but at the moment is playing the role as the Power’s second ruck to Scott Lycett and as part of the tall timber in Port’s attack with Charlie Dixon and Todd Marshall.
“I think Kenny has been pretty clear with that along with Nathan Bassett our forward coach and Jarrad Schofield our mids coach,” Lycett said.
“I think that’s the way it is going to be going forward which is ideal and it seems to suit me and the team playing that role.
“Our mids and forwards have some good chemistry at the moment, we have some really exciting youngsters coming through which is great for an old guy like me trying to find his way.”
With Power x-factors Robbie Gray (10 possessions), Connor Rozee (eight) and Steven Motlop (five) all quiet against Fremantle it was Westhoff who provided a bit of spark when Port needed it.
After trailing at the first break, within seconds of the game’s resumption Westhoff wrapped up Reece Conca in a big tackle to kick a goal and lay down the marker for what was a dominant second quarter by the Power.
OUTSTANDING OLLIE
Ollie Wines has had to endure plenty of discussions about him in the past 18 months.
That water skiing accident, whether he should be a co-captain of the club, does he want to stay at Port Adelaide, that COVID-19 protocols breach and most recently is he a part of the Power’s best midfield mix.
Hinkley reckons the last question has well and truly been answered, after the vice-captain’s 25-possession and one-goal game.
“It was a great performance by Ollie,” Hinkley said.
“Plenty of people wanted to throw some strange questions around his selection in our football team, in our football club, at some point I couldn’t quite understand myself – (but) he was outstanding.
“He’d had some football, he’d had some training sessions and he didn’t come into this game lacking confidence, and that was really important here.”
Speaking after the game Wines himself could not be happier with his return to AFL football.
“It has been difficult (being on the sidelines),” he said.
“Every guy on the list wants to be part of the 22 and you get quite jealous not being part of those wins I guess.”