Port Adelaide’s trade targets as they look to add big defender to their key position stocks

With key forward goal-kickers getting bigger each year, teams need a big key back to with them – a weapon Port lacks right now. So which trade target would fit best at Alberton?

Harry McKay, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher and Esava Ratugolea

South Australian-raised Essendon defender Brandon Zerk-Thatcher has emerged as a potential target for Port Adelaide, as the Power seeks to add more height to its backline.

Drafted from SANFL club Sturt with pick 66 in 2017, Zerk-Thatcher is unsigned beyond 2023.

Port likes the 24-year-old, who stands 195cm and 91kg.

He has played 45 games for Essendon, including a career-high 16 this season.

The Power also holds interest in fellow tall defenders Geelong’s Esava Ratugolea and North Melbourne’s Ben McKay, who are without deals for 2024.

Port is hopeful of signing one of the trio to boost its key backline stocks around 2021 All-Australian Aliir Aliir.

Essendon’s Brandon Zerk-Thatcher is high on Port’s list of key position targets. Picture: Michael Klein

The Power came hard at Ratugolea during last year’s trade period, but its pick 33 was not enough to satisfy the Cats for a contracted player.

Ratugolea, who turns 25 this month, has featured in 13 AFL matches this season after being overlooked during last year’s finals as Geelong claimed the flag.

The 197cm, 108kg swingman was managed on Saturday when Jake Kolodjashnij returned to the Cats’ team to play alongside Sam De Koning, Jack Henry and Tom Stewart.

Port is believed to prefer Ratugolea to McKay, but remains keen on the Kangaroo.

McKay, 25, is expected to leave North and Essendon reportedly has strong interest on him.

The 202cm, 104kg giant has 13 played matches this season.

WHY THEY ARE IN THE MARKET

A lack of backline height has long been seen as a potential weakness at the Power, even during its 2020 and 2021 preliminary final campaigns.

At 194cm, Aliir is the tallest key defender in the club’s best 22, while Trent McKenzie is 191cm.

McKenzie, captain Tom Jonas (188cm) and Tom Clurey (193cm) have long been battling admirably undersized, in an era where AFL spearheads are giants.

Eight of the league’s top 16 goalkickers last season were at least 198cm.

Think Tom Hawkins (198cm), Joe Daniher (201cm), Nick Larkey (198cm), Harry McKay (200cm), Ben King (202cm), Mitch Lewis (199cm) and Max King (202cm) – they are the size of ruckmen a decade or so ago.

At 202cm, Ben McKay would be a great fit to take on the AFL’s big key forwards – the sort of player Port doesn’t have. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

So clubs now need to have even taller key defenders to help combat the hulking forwards.

Then factor in that Aliir turns 29 in September, McKenzie is 31, Jonas is 32 and looks likely to be in his last season and Clurey is 29.

At the other end of the age spectrum are three Power defenders who are untried at AFL level: Kyle Marshall (201cm, 19 years old), Tom McCallum (193cm, 19) and Jake Pasini (192cm, 22).

Once Marshall puts on weight, he can develop into an ideal size to handle those opposition behemoths.

McCallum and Pasini are considered more intercepting types.

So it is clear the Power needs to bring in an AFL-ready key defender in their mid-20s

McKenzie will re-sign at Port and Clurey reportedly is open to moving to another club for more opportunities.

Clurey has played just one AFL match this year, four in the SANFL and has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a back injury.

As a team, Port Adelaide’s one-on-one defensive contest record this year also points to why it needs to improve in that area.

It ranks 16th in the competition in win percentage for one-on-one defensive contests, winning 28 per cent, and last in loss percentage, losing 32 per cent.

HOW THE TARGETS COMPARE

McKay is the tallest of the trio and at 202cm provides the sort of size Port Adelaide does not have to contend with the modern-day spearheads.

Ratugolea is not far behind height-wise and has shown he has the versatility to also play as a forward or ruck.

Zerk-Thatcher is a similar size to Aliir and you suspect will command the cheapest contract of the trio.

Esava Ratugolea has shown he has the versatility to also play as a forward or ruck. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

As for their defensive profiles, Champion Data statistics show that in 2023:

■ Ratugolea ranks below average for disposals (9.4 per game), average for marks (4.5), above average for intercept marks (2.9) and average for intercept possessions (6.1), is 19th for defensive one-on-one win percentage (38 per cent) and 20th for defensive one-on-one loss percentage (23 per cent)

■ McKay ranks average for disposals (12.2 per game), above average for marks (6.2), elite for intercept marks (3.9) and above average for intercept possessions (6.7), is 23rd for defensive one-on-one win percentage (37 per cent) and 42nd for defensive one-on-one loss percentage (30 per cent)

■ Zerk-Thatcher ranks average for disposals (11.8 per game), average for marks (5.4), average for intercept marks (2.1) and above average for intercept possessions (6.6), is 13th for defensive one-on-one win percentage (40 per cent) and 48th for defensive one-on-one loss percentage (37 per cent)