Power recruits Jack Watts and Tom Rockliff give coach Ken Hinkley the response he wanted
RECRUIT Jack Watts bounced back from his spell in the SANFL to give Power coach Ken Hinkley the performance he wanted in Port Adelaide’s 36-point win over St Kilda.
JACK Watts and Tom Rockliff arrived at Port Adelaide as two high-profile and high-quality recruits in the off-season.
So Ken Hinkley’s decision to drop both of them to the SANFL in the first half of the season was not only a big call but a brave one as well.
But the coach who knows exactly what makes each of his players tick knew what he was doing.
MATCH REPORT: FIVE MATCH SURGE HAS PORT IN TOP FOUR
And his track record of getting a response from those he’s sent back to the reserves continued on Saturday when Watts and Darcy Byrne-Jones returned to the senior team with a big impact in the Power’s win over St Kilda.
Watts was lacking intensity and had kicked just four goals in four games when he was dropped for the returning Todd Marshall after Round 12 and his response could not have been more impressive.
At the Magpies he presented hard, hit packs, took marks and kicked goals. In two SANFL games he had 36 disposals, 14 marks and kicked 5.5 which was proof he didn’t belong at that level. We all know that. But for Watts to return to AFL level he had to earn it, which he did.
Back in the side at Adelaide Oval yesterday he started across half-forward, took an early contested mark at half-back by pushing hard up the ground, and by half time had kicked 2.0 on a day when his teammates had the yips.
He also got his hands to the footy and worked hard without it - chasing down David Armitage late in the third term.
Byrne-Jones meanwhile spent a week in the reserves after he was late to a meeting. Byrne-Jones was never out of form but the message was clear - Port Adelaide has high standards and will not apologise for upholding them.
The running defender played mostly loose against the Saints yesterday, found plenty of the footy and his play on the wing to set up Travis Boak’s final quarter goal was outstanding.
The Power is playing for a top-four spot this season but Hinkley hasn’t been afraid to make some big calls at selection.
Earlier in the year big-names Rockliff and Sam Powell-Pepper were out of touch and spent two weeks in the SANFL. In the eight AFL games since returning, they’ve both averaged over 20 disposals and nearly five clearances, and the team is 7-1.
Big calls and they’ve had the desired result.
FIVE THINGS WE’VE LEARNED
1. A passage with impressive marks and passes between Jack Watts, Charlie Dixon and Justin Westhoff paraded three big and skilful men who will be crucial in the finals. The only knock on it was Westhoff’s missed set shot — and he wasn’t alone in being shaky in front of goals.
2. Robbie Gray is worth the admission price on his own even when he’s having a quiet day. He missed a couple of shots and was double teamed and shut down for much of the match but still provided a highlight by dancing around Jarryn Geary for a mark and a goal.
3. The bookmakers got it right when they dismissed the Power’s suggestions this could be a danger game. They had the Saints at $7.50 and were never worried. The win against Melbourne didn’t mean much and the depth is not there at the Saints.
4. Tom Rockliff is starting to assert himself with the confidence and class that made him Brisbane captain. His poise and precise delivery to Watts in the 12th minute would have had the recruiters who brought the pair in at the end of last season smiling.
5. Port Adelaide has the balance between midfielder-forwards Chad Wingard and Gray right. Wingard is five years younger and cherishes playing on the ball while Gray is getting even better in attack as he’s getting older.
- by Jesper Fjeldstad
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