AFL 2023: All the news, analysis from Port Adelaide vs Essendon
Last year it was Connor Rozee. Now Zak Butters has taken it upon himself to become Port Adelaide’s matchwinner. We examine the key moments and mindset which has taken Butters to the next level.
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In 2022 it was Connor Rozee who blossomed and became a star of the competition.
Is it Zak Butters’ turn in 2023?
After watching the young gun help inspire Port Adelaide to a narrow win over Essendon on Sunday, teammate and former Power captain Travis Boak says yes.
“Yeah, no surprise, no surprise,” he told The Advertiser.
“What he commits to his game, himself, to want to be the best player he can be. His competitiveness and drive to lead this side and just go out and win is huge.”
The competitiveness and drive of the 22-year-old that Boak spoke about was on show, and key, in the Power’s five-point win over the Bombers at Adelaide Oval.
In the first quarter the Power were absolutely smashed by the Bombers at clearances, especially at centre bounces.
The clearance count was 12-7 in the Bombers favour, but in the centre it was 8-1 as Essendon took a 15-point lead into the first break.
“They were destroying us at the centre bounce in the first quarter, no doubt about that,” Boak said.
“We planned for it all week but sometimes they change things up and they got their hands on the ball better than us.
“But I thought the boys were able to get their way into the game really well, they adjusted well and we were able to wrestle that back.”
Butters was key.
While the Power were blown out of the water in the first quarter, it was a different story in the second as Ken Hinkley’s side turned the tables on the Bombers — but couldn’t score.
Butters was front and centre in the comeback.
He had 11 disposals in the second quarter.
He had five clearances, two from the centre as the Power evened up the clearance ledger.
As the Power came back and then edged out the Bombers to take their winning run to five in a row, Butters finished with 28 disposals, six tackles, five marks, nine score involvements and six clearances.
It continues a hot streak for Butters, which has coincided with the Power going on its winning run.
After two quiet games against Collingwood and Adelaide in the two games the Power dropped, recording 18 and 15 disposals, Butters has been on a strong run of form.
Since he had more time in the midfield in Round 4 against Sydney, Butters has averaged 27.8 disposals for the Power.
It was around that stage of the season last year that Rozee was moved into the midfield by Hinkley, and he responded with an All-Australian and best and fairest winning season.
All signs are pointing to Butters having his own breakout year.
With his time in the midfield up to 63 per cent in 2023, compared to 47 per cent last year and his time spent forward now 32 per cent as opposed to 48 per cent in 2022, Butters has increased his disposals this season from 22.1 to 24.5.
His uncontested possessions are up 11 per cent from 13.1 to 14.6, his metres gained 38 per cent from 279m to 385m, his inside 50s up 45 per cent from 3.3 to 4.8 and his ranking points increasing form 96 to 100.
Hinkley said he was enjoying Butters’ form this year.
“As a footy club, as a coaching group we have admired what Zak brings and we have since he got to the club,” he said.
Boak said it was an exciting future for the Power with Butters, Rozee and Jason Horne-Francis set to lead the way.
“I just think Connor, Zak, Jase they all have it in them that they want to compete and be the best they can be and help the team win,” he said.
“We are in a pretty good place if they are all leading that way and no surprise that Zak has taken his game to another level.”
After Butters’ 2020, in which he made the All-Australian squad playing as a forward, it was assumed by many that it would be him rather than Rozee that would start to emerge as the jewel in the Power’s crown.
A 36 disposal game against Essendon in Round 2 in 2021 looked like the emergence was real.
But in what has been a recurring theme in Butters’ career, an injury soon followed.
On Sunday it looked like it might have happened again when Butters was left holding his knee, and looked to be in serious pain, in the fourth quarter.
This was after he tried to tackle Zach Merrett and he dropped his own knees into the ground.
Boak said he was in awe of how the 181cm and 78kg Butters puts his body on the line.
“He cracks in harder than most and certainly for his size it is incredible,” he said.
Hinkley said Butters was too brave for his own good sometimes.
“I don’t like watching him play footy,” he said.
“He is very, very good at it but I don’t like watching him play. He is too tough for his own good.”
Port Adelaide will be hoping that Butters’ almost kamikaze way he puts his body on the line in games doesn’t halt what is increasingly looking like another breakout by a Power young gun.
INSPIRING FINLAYSON PROVING TRADE DOUBTERS WRONG
When Port Adelaide handed over a future third round pick to get Jeremy Finlayson from GWS at the end of 2021 there was plenty of doubts about the deal.
Power premiership player and the club’s former AFL games record holder Kane Cornes described Finlayson as the “last player” his former club needed.
Current St Kilda list manager and former Carlton and GWS list manager Stephen Silvagni said the Power would be doing the Giants “a favour” by taking Finlayson off their hands.
But right now Finlayson might just be one of the Power’s most important players.
Like he did against Sydney and St Kilda, Finlayson made a big impact for the Power late in the game with his goal in the fourth quarter coming at a crucial time for Hinkley’s side against the Bombers.
But again his versatility was huge for the Power as the Bombers dominated them in the ruck contest.
It was expected Sam Draper and Andrew Phillips would have a field day against the inexperienced Brynn Teakle and that happened.
It was a big reason in the Bombers’ strong start to the match, especially how Draper was able to dominate Teakle.
“He dominated the middle,” Hawthorn legend Dermott Brereton said on Fox Footy.
“Five hit-outs to advantage in the first quarter, (Essendon scored) four goals from centre bounce, three goals from centre bounce in the first quarter.
“They were 8-1 at one stage out of the centre square.
“When he rucked against Teakle, they scored goals, they got three goals in that matchup. In comes Finlayson, who‘s not as high a jumper as Teakle but is actually able to work out a little bit of a different method against him.”
The Power started Finlayson in the ruck to begin the third quarter.
He actually didn’t record a hitout for the day, but he was key in the way the Power were able to overcome the ruck dominance the Bombers had for most of the game.
Boak said Finlayson had become a vital player for the Power.
“He has been huge for us, obviously his versatility in being able to play forward and in the ruck, he loves both roles,” he said.
“His finish around goal is incredible, I said it to him he is the snap king. He doesn’t seem to miss too many snaps and when he gets his opportunities I think he makes the most of them.
“Certainly with players like him, the versatile type that can compete as a tall up forward and then go in the ruck and not just be in the ruck but give us another player at ground level those guys are vital especially the way we want to play.”
Hinkley said he wasn’t surprised at Finlayson’s impact.
“We knew what we were getting, he is a high quality player and we were glad to get him,” he said.
“It has turned out that we were the right club for Jeremy because what he, Kel and their families are going through he needs to be around family and for us he is a pretty valuable part of our team.”
What Finlayson is going through away from footy, with wife Kellie battling terminal cancer, makes his performances this season even more incredible.
“It is incredible, his story off-field is as challenging as it gets and you don’t want anyone to go through it,” Boak said.
“He comes into the club with a smile on his face, he comes in on game day and he loves playing footy.
“It is what sport and footy clubs can do for people and not only if you are involved in the footy club we can provide a place where he can come and feel a bit of happiness because he loves playing footy.”
PORT SURGES PAST YIPS TO FIFTH-STRAIGHT WIN
Jason Phelan
Surging Port Adelaide made it five wins in a row on Sunday, Zak Butters and Connor Rozee starring as the Power overcame inaccuracy and a brave challenge from Essendon to prevail in a five-point thriller.
The hard-nosed Bombers muscled their way to an early lead at Adelaide Oval, but despite some shocking kicking for goal, Port edged in front in the third quarter then held off a furious late rally to score a hard-fought 12.20 (92) to 13.9 (87) win.
Essendon kept coming and led by a point eight minutes into the frantic final term, but classy goals to Junior Rioli and Rozee edged their side in front.
The entertaining contest was still in the balance inside the last minute, and Andrew Phillips had a chance to level the scores after he marked on the 50m line.
But the ruckman’s shot from just outside 50 bounced through for a behind, and Port was able to soak up the last 21 seconds of the enthralling contest to improve to a 6-2 record.
Darcy Parish, Zach Merrett and Jake Stringer were huge at the stoppages for the plucky Bombers, who slipped to a 4-4 record with their third loss in a row.
BOMBERS HANG TOUGH
Essendon coach Brad Scott was proud of the fight shown by his players in Sunday’s last-gasp loss to Port Adelaide, but conceded he will need to get creative to cover the loss of key defender Jordan Ridley.
It was a cruel blow for Essendon, already shorthanded in defence, with Ridley to miss the difficult assignment against the Lions in Brisbane on Saturday night.
“We just have to find a way … that’s our job,” Scott replied when asked about his back-half woes.
“But the talls are becoming a bit of a challenge.
“Harrison Jones has hurt his back, so he’s going to be out for a period of time.
“So, we’ll just have to work our way around it, whether that’s with a change in personnel or a change in system.
“We’ve had a challenging run of games against really good teams and our boys have been excited by that and up for the fight.
“Brisbane in Brisbane, six-day break … there are all the excuses in the world if you want to look for them.
“But we’ll relish that opportunity.”
BULLS LOCK HORNS
Powerful forward Jake Stringer started on the ball, as did young powerhouse Jason Horne-Francis, with the Essendon star getting the better of the tantalising clash of midfield bulls in the first quarter.
Essendon smashed the Power at centre bounces, winning centre clearances 8-1 in the opening term – including three to Stringer – as the visitors bounded away to a 15-point lead at the first break.
The Bombers kicked three goals directly from centre bounces and ruled the stoppages around the ground too, leading the total clearances 12-7 and gathering 27 more possessions, leaving Ken Hinkley with a big problem to solve quickly.
RIDLEY RULED OUT
Jordan Ridley got the tough job on Todd Marshall, but the key defender was subbed out of the game with concussion in the second quarter.
“We’re going to have to be a bit creative,” Brad Scott told Fox Footy.
“He’s got a concussion, it’s not a broken jaw, so we’re going to have to flick our forward line around a bit and play our talls on the ground a bit longer.
“It starts by putting pressure on the ball and winning the contest.”
Scott responded by moving Kyle Langford, who kicked two goals in the first half, from attack to defence to mind Marshall.
BUTTERS FIRES UP
The Power was able to correct the lopsided clearance count after the first break, with Zak Butters shaking off an indifferent start to explode into action with 11 touches and five clearances in the second term.
But while Butters was able to spark the Power, the home side let itself down with poor kicking for goal.
Port went inside attacking 50 15 times to Essendon’s six for a frustrating return of 2.7 in the second – one of those Travis Boak’s 200th career major – to trail by 14 points at halftime.
The Bombers made the most of their limited opportunities with three goals, including a beauty from Merrett on the run, which was set up by Dylan Shiel, who flattened Rozee when the pair met heavily after showing great courage.
JONAS SORE
Port skipper Tom Jonas was subbed out in the third quarter after he landed flat on his back in a marking contest, but it was one of the few negatives for his side that piled on the pressure.
The dam wall looked set to burst, with the Power leading inside 50s 52-31 at three-quarter time, and taking the lead for the first time 21 minutes into the third term when Charlie Dixon booted the first of back-to-back goals.
Port led by a solitary point at the last change and showed impressive poise under pressure to pull off the win.
SCOREBOARD
POWER 3.4 5.11 9.16 12.20 (92)
BOMBERS 6.1 9.11 11.3 13.9 (87)
PHELAN’S BEST
Power: Butters, Rozee, Houston, Drew, Boak, Horne-Francis, Burton.
Bombers: Parish, Stringer, Merrett, Shiel, Langford, McGrath, Draper.
GOALS
Power: Dixon 2, Byrne-Jones 2, Rioli 2, Rozee, McEntee, Powell-Pepper, Marshall, Boak, Finlayson.
Bombers: Langford 2, Weideman 2, Perkins 2, Stringer 2, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Caldwell, Hobbs, Menzie, Merrett.
INJURIES
Power: Jonas (back). Bombers: Ridley (concussion).
Umpires: Haussen, Nicholls, Chamberlain, Broadbent
Crowd: 36,247 at Adelaide Oval
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jason phelan’s votes
3. Z Butters (Port)
2. D Parish (Ess)
1. C Rozee (Port)
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Originally published as AFL 2023: All the news, analysis from Port Adelaide vs Essendon
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