Deep dive special: Inside look at Port Adelaide for 2020
Port Adelaide forked up $2 million over to secure him as a free agent at the end of 2017. Will 2020 be the year that the Power see the best of Steven Motlop? Plus, an update on their out-of-contract stars.
Port Adelaide
Don't miss out on the headlines from Port Adelaide. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Port Adelaide’s hopes of snapping a two-year finals drought in its 150th year – and coach Ken Hinkley keeping his job – could rest on the broad shoulders of powerhouse key forward Charlie Dixon.
Nineteen months after he suffered a horrific broken leg which threatened to prematurely end his career, former Sun Dixon is finally fit and firing. The 29-year-old looms as the Power’s most important player as the club chases just its second finals appearance in the past six years.
“It’s obvious what he does for our forward line,” Hinkley said after Dixon hit the ground running in the Marsh Community Series with 4.3 from 18 disposals, including 12 contested, opposed to Brisbane’s All-Australian full-back Harris Andrews.
Watch every match of every round of the 2020 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE & On-Demand with KAYO. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
“He’s such a big figure. He gets great opponents and he gets regularly double-teamed, which he should, because we direct alot of ball at him.
“But our other forwards all get reward a lot of times for what Charlie does for them, that’s the importance of him to ourside.
“If you are going to mark him by goals alone, you are going to mark him harshly, I think, because he’s a fiercely competitive big bloke.’’
The statistics paint a compelling picture of just how important the 200cm, 107kg Dixon’s presence at the goalmouth is for Port.
When the Power last made the finals in 2017, the 29-year-old kicked a career-high 49.30 and was clearly its best player in the heartbreaking two-point extra-time loss to West Coast.
He monstered the Eagles’ defenders with a career-best 23 disposals, including 16 contested, but was erratic in front of goalwith 3.6.
Dixon broke down against the Eagles in Round 21 the following season and worked his way back through nearly a year of intense rehabilitation. Then he struggled to fire last season.
He did not return to the AFL until Round 14, kicked only 13 goals in nine games and was dropped to the SANFL.
Despite his lack of form and fitness, Dixon was still the third-most used forward 50 target in the competition in the gameshe played.
With Dixon out of the side and then off the boil, Port struggled to convert territory dominance into goals.
Port Adelaide ranked first for inside 50 differential per game (+9.5) and time-in-forward-half (+8min 18sec) but was ninth in scores (82 points) and 15th in percentage of scores per inside 50 (40.8 per cent).
With little input from Dixon, the Power became the first team on record to lead the league for time-in-forward-half differential and miss the finals.
Its differential was a whopping three minutes more than the second-best side, Brisbane Lions, prompting Hinkley to say, “there’sone stat we’re not good at and that’s efficiency’’.
He hopes that will change with Dixon fitter at the goalfront.
“He had a great year in 2017 when he had a good pre-season,’’ Hinkley said.
“But then injuries meant his pre-seasons were basically non-existent for a couple of seasons.
“His (2018) injury was horrific and people forget that, the broken leg/ankle was folded inside out pretty much.’’
Now in a contract year after signing a lucrative five-year deal to move to Port from Gold Coast at the end of 2015, Dixon said he had enjoyed his “biggest’’ pre-season and was in the best shape of his life.
This is despite suffering a slight groin strain in the round two Marsh Community Series win against the Western Bulldogs in Whyalla – where he again showcased his talent with five strong marks and five scoring shots (2.3) before he left the field in the third quarter as a precaution.
The club insists he will be fit for the start of the premiership season.
“I’ve had a full pre-season and I feel good,’’ Dixon said.
“Last year I had probably four weeks of training before I came back and played, so your touch isn’t there, your confidence isn’t there – you question everything you’re doing.
“To be able to know that I’ve done the work is good for the brain.”
Port’s general manager of football Chris Davies said much of the team’s success would revolve around better ball movement into attack and finishing skills in front of the sticks.
“We’ve been working really hard on the way we play,’’ he said.
“We get the ball inside 50 enough, but we have to have better connection to our forwards, so we’ve made some changes to ourgame style and also some positional moves to ensure that will happen.’’
Last year’s AFL Rising Star runner-up, the classy and athletic Connor Rozee, will spend more time on the ball after cuttinghis teeth as a forward in his rookie season while the move of one-time defender Dan Houston to the midfield in the secondhalf of last season was a winner.
An elite ball user and hard runner, Houston has enjoyed a standout summer and will be a key member of the Power’s midfield.
Importantly, Port will start the season with few fitness headaches.
Last year’s co-captain Ollie Wines – relegated to vice-captaincy duties behind Tom Jonas this year – at this stage is theonly first-choice player ruled out of Round 1, following shoulder surgery.
MORE AFL NEWS:
AFL could front-load 2020 fixture to prepare for coronavirus impact
AFL investigating coronavirus mini-draft to help clubs whose players contract COVID-19
AFL boss Gillon McLachlan says health and safety the reason for ‘ghost matches’
THE LIST
ARRIVALS: Wylie Buzza (Geel); Miles Bergman, Mitch Georgiades, Jackson Mead, Dylan Williams, Jake Pasini, Trent Burgoyne (national draft).
DEPARTURES: Billy Frampton (Adel); Dougal Howard, Paddy Ryder (St K); Matthew Broadbent, Sam Gray, Jack Trengove, Aidyn Johnson,Cam Hewett, Kai Pudney (all delisted).
Port wanted to get its teeth into the top end of a second consecutive draft and was happy to trade Dougal Howard, Paddy Ryderand Billy Frampton, who spent time in the SANFL last season, to secure prime selections.
OFF-CONTRACT
Robbie Gray (unrestricted free agent)
Gray signed a one-year contract extension on Friday which will keep him at Port until the end of 2021. “He’s had as good apre-season as I’ve seen from him in my time at the club and is moving as well as we could hope for,’’ Davies said.
Charlie Dixon
“Charlie’s such an important part of our team and at his best is one of the better key forwards in the competition,’’ Daviessaid. “He’s in the final year of a long-term deal and I’d imagine that we’ll start talking to his manager at some point earlyin the season.’’
Sam Powell-Pepper
“Peps is really enjoying the new (forward) role that he is in,’’ Davies said. “The club has supported Sam throughout the earlypart of his career, he’s given us great service and I can’t see any reason why he won’t be at the club long term.’’
Travis Boak (unrestricted free agent)
“Travis has maintained, despite the injury to his shoulder over the off-season, outstanding conditioning,’’ Davies said. “Wetalk to his management regularly and right now there is a want from both player and club to come to an agreement for the future.’’
List management strategy
“At the end of 2018 the club made a decision to say that our list needed to change, we didn’t think we were going to win tothe level that we wanted to with the players that we had,’’ said Davies, who brought in three important first-round draft selections in Connor Rozee (No. 5 overall), Zak Butters (12) and Xavier Duursma (18).
“We went to the draft again at the end of 2019 to try to put together a list that we think is going to deliver what ultimatelyPort Adelaide’s mantra is and that’s to have a list that can win premierships.
“We had four picks in the top 25 and have been really pleased so far with we’ve seen from Mitch Georgiades (No.18), who has had a lot said about him and the excitement he can bring to the team, Miles Bergman (14), Dylan Williams (23) and Jackson Mead (25).
“I think they’ll all have opportunities to push for AFL selection at some stage this year.
“Jake Pasini and Trent Burgoyne (rookie draft) don’t look out of their depth either, so at this stage our draft has been areally big tick.’’
THE BURNING QUESTIONS
How much pressure is coach Ken Hinkley under?
PLENTY. It’s pretty simple. If Port doesn’t make the finals this year the club’s patience will run out. Hinkley — entering his eighth year as Power coach for finals appearances in 2013 (fifth), 2014 (third) and 2017 (seventh) — has a clause in his contract that automatically triggers another year on his deal for 2021 if he steers the Power into the finals. But if it falls short for a third consecutive year then supporter discontent will triumph and Hinkley — popular with his players — will be pushed out.
What did the club make of Hinkley’s bold pre-season declaration, “Look out, we’re coming’’, saying a premiership was possible this year?
“My personal view is that if your coach can’t have confidence in your group going into the year, how can anyone else have confidence,’’ Davies said.
“Ken has always been a person who has worn his heart on his sleeve but at the same time I think he was only reiterating the confidence that he has in our group.
“He believes we have the potential to be better than what we have in the past and live up to this club’s mantra of competing for premierships.’’
What improvements can Port make?
“OUR defence last year was quite miserly and clearly our midfield got enough of the ball,’’ Davies said.
“We had the best inside 50 differential and most clearances in the competition, so platform wise we’ve got something to work from.
“But the reality is – and the numbers show it – we haven’t converted our territory dominance into scores, so we are all well aware of the need to address that.
“We have worked really hard on the way we deliver the ball into the forward line, to give our forwards better looks at it.
“That’s been a challenge for us over a period of time, it’s a challenge that the coaches and the players have worked really diligently during the off-season to try to address.
“Our coaches have changed some of the personnel in the midfield and forward line (Houston and Rozee to the midfield and pressure machine Sam Powell-Pepper to attack) because we know we’ve got to fix that area of our game if we are going to progress in2020.
“The early signs suggest that some of the things the coaches and players have worked so hard on are working.’’
IT”S A BIG YEAR FOR
Steven Motlop
Apart from a late moment of brilliance that sealed victory in Showdown 44, the former Cat hasn’t delivered what Port wanted when it handed out a four-year contract worth about $2 million to secure him as a free agent at the end of 2017.
The 29-year-old forward-midfielder had a modest first season at the Power and last year was twice dropped to the SANFL, playing six games in the local league.
But after enjoying one of his best pre-seasons, Motlop might be ready to finally show why the Power invested so heavily in him.
He shone against Brisbane in the Marsh Community Series with 22 disposals and three goals and veteran teammate Tom Rockliff, who joined Port from the Lions at the same time as Motlop, said he was poised for a bounce-back campaign.
“He’ll probably admit that he wasn’t at the level that he wanted to be last year, but he’s set himself up with an outstanding summer,” Rockliff said.
“His running capacity is unbelievable and his ball use is sensational, so he’s a really important player for us.
“Not many players can go with him when he’s up and about and running and getting to contests and if he can continue to play like that he’ll trouble the opposition.’’
PRE-SEASON HERO
Mitch Georgiades
Port’s second pick at last year’s national draft (No.18 overall) has turned heads at Alberton with his athleticism, leapingability and courage, prompting development coach Chad Cornes to suggest he is a better prospect at the same age than West Coast premiership forward Jack Darling.
“Before the draft we got told he’s a bit like Darling, but I doubt Darling was this impressive in his first pre-season, although I think he’s a brilliant player,’’ Cornes said of the Western Australian product, who is the son of former Footscray forward John Georgiades.
“It’s been one of the best pre-seasons I’ve seen from a young key forward. I’ve never seen a young kid fly for as many mark sas he does.
“He has a brilliant leap, he’ll fly from places he probably shouldn’t fly from, and the way he launches at the footy, hits the ground and gets straight back up is amazing.’’
THE BEST PLAYER YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE HEARD OF
Sam Hayes
The 20-year-old ruckman’s development was stalled by a knee reconstruction in his first season at the club in 2018, which cost him a year of football, but the Power has big raps on the 203cm giant.
The athletic Hayes – a big ballwinner for a ruckman and currently behind Scott Lycett and Peter Ladhams in the ruck pecking order – finished last season strongly in the SANFL which is why the club traded Paddy Ryder to St Kilda.
STATS THAT MATTER
Port’s 2019 game averages
1st Inside 50 differential (+9.5)
1st Time in forward half (+8min 18sec)
1st Clearances (+5.0)
15th Percentage scores per inside 50 (40.8 per cent)
16th Shot-at-goal accuracy (44.1 per cent)
Source: CHAMPION DATA
CELEBRITY FAN
Anna Meares, dual Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist
“I’m excited to see how Port builds from last year’s list progression, particularly with standout kids Connor Rozee, Xavier Duursma and Zak Butters having had a full season under their belts. They should grow even further this year. The club’s 150th anniversary makes the year even more special and I like the decision to revert back to one captain. The pieces are in place to make the top eight. Win, lose or draw, I love being involved with Port Adelaide for its community mindedness. The club’s about more than football, more than sport, it’s about the people it represents.’’
Originally published as Deep dive special: Inside look at Port Adelaide for 2020
Saints cool on Soldo as Lions eye Daniher replacement
Jack Macrae is still coming, but Ivan Soldo might not be. JON RALPH has the latest on the Saints’ targets, as well as who the Lions might be eyeing to replace the retired Joe Daniher.
Race for trade period’s hottest property goes into overdrive
The list of clubs interested in Gold Coast’s sought-after pick 13 is growing, complicating Collingwood’s efforts to wrench Dan Houston out of Port Adelaide in a trade.