AFL qualifying final Brisbane Lions v Port Adelaide: Dean Brogan, Mitchell Georgiades' preview Power chances
On face value, a trip to Brisbane - where the Lions haven’t lost this year - should worry Port. But one Power legend says Ken Hinkley’s side will find a silver lining in the qualifying final test.
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There is arguably no tougher way to start the finals campaign than Brisbane at the Gabba.
But Port Adelaide premiership player Dean Brogan says that might be a blessing in disguise for a Power outfit he says has its game back — but needs to “sharpen” a key aspect.
The Lions haven’t lost at the Gabba this year, and since 2019 they have just lost eight times at home.
But Brogan said it might not be the worst thing for the Power to make the trip to Queensland in week one of the finals.
“Ideally they could have finished top two but going to Brisbane in the first week is a bit better than if you have to go through them in a prelim,” he said.
“So I think they are in not a bad spot.”
It is a daunting task, but injured Power forward Mitch Georgiades said the playing group was confident about any challenge in front of it as their finals campaign kicks off.
“Yeah absolutely,” he said.
“I think the last couple of meetings we have had, and even this whole year, there has been such a growing belief throughout the home and away season.
“It is definitely ingrained in the group.”
Brogan said the Power should have a lot of belief going into the finals campaign, but Ken Hinkley’s side needed to address a key area.
“I think they have their game back, is at the level when they were on that winning streak? Potentially,” he said.
“They are back in some kind of form. I think offensively they are in a pretty good spot, I just think defensively they would have really worked on that over the last couple of weeks.
“As we know in the top eight I think they rated eighth defensively so they do need to sharpen up on the defensive side of their game.
“I just think if they can improve in that area by a couple of goals they are a massive chance to at least make a prelim and when you make prelims it can go any way.
“So I think the key for them is to sharpen up on the defensive side of their game. If they can do that then I think they are in a very good spot.”
The Power will have to rewrite history if they are to claim glory come the end of this month.
Every flag winner this century has ranked in the top six at the end of the minor round for fewest points conceded.
The Power was 12th in the competition in that statistic this season, coughing up 1906, an average of 82.9 per game.
It was the most of the eight finalists and more than three teams not playing in September (the Western Bulldogs, Geelong, Adelaide).
Not since North Melbourne in 1999 has a premier been without one of the six stingiest defences in the league across the home-and-away season
Brogan said the Power could break that trend this year with finals a different beast to home-and-away games.
“That is no secret, they know that is the case,” he said.
“But is this the year where it can be changed.
“They are going to have to buck the trend because history says you can’t win it when you come into a finals series ranked 12th in defence.
“But why not change it? They are going to have to improve.
“Typically finals are low scoring so that will help them but they will need to sharpen up defensively and it is not just their defenders, they need to sharpen up all over the ground.
“They need to get their forward half game in order, time in forward half is huge in finals series and Port need to have the ball forward of centre a lot of times to set up shape and the defensive side of their game.
“Because if it becomes a turnover game and goes up and back teams will score on them.
“So they do need to get it in their forward half and lock it in so they can set up the ground and stop teams from kicking big scores against them.”
Brogan said the Power’s midfield, featuring young stars Zak Butters, Connor Rozee, Jason Horne-Francis as well as Brownlow Medallist Ollie Wines and the important Willem Drew, would give Port Adelaide confidence it could buck this trend in September.
“Their midfield is, if not the best in the comp, right up there, and you throw Drew into the mix with the jobs he does, you throw (Miles) Bergman around the footy and (Dan) Houston isn’t far away,” he said.
“And then you throw Boaky (Travis Boak) on the wing and they have some really good firepower.
“If their midfield is playing well they always have a chance.
“Against Brisbane in the midfield it will be a really good arm wrestle and I think Port can win that battle.
“It is just what happens up forward and down back
“If the midfield is in line or above you are always a chance and typically in finals it is the midfield that gets it done.”
TOUGH CALLS LOOM AS BROGAN WEIGHS IN ON PORT RUCK DILEMMA
Key defender Trent McKenzie continues to make promising steps ahead of a potential return for Port Adelaide’s qualifying final against Brisbane.
McKenzie is listed as a test for the Power’s daunting trip to the Gabba to take on the Lions as he recovers from a PCL injury suffered against Geelong in Round 21.
He joined in on full training drills on the weekend and on Tuesday he was put through a significant speed and direction changing drill at Alberton at the Power’s session.
McKenzie could be one of three inclusions for the Power, with Todd Marshall expected to be available along with ruckman Scott Lycett.
Lycett was managed in the final minutes of the Magpies’ SANFL elimination final after impressing.
He was recovering with Port’s SANFL team on Tuesday but did venture out into the middle at one point as the Power did some ruck and midfield work.
Power 2004 premiership player Dean Brogan said they would be three big inclusions for the Power.
“They are three big keys aren’t they?” he said.
“In the last month of the year they had Todd but we know that he was playing with a niggle so this is why the week off before finals helps every team.
“This has helped Port Adelaide, to have them will be huge.
“Trent McKenzie is a huge in. Hopefully he has done a lot of work, we know he is their number one lockdown defender.
“With Brisbane’s forward line they are going to need as much help as they can and him coming back will be big.
“And I think Lycett is the man for the finals series, he is really combative and has been there before.”
Fresh off four goals in the SANFL on Sunday, Orazio Fantasia continues to loom as a potential smokey for the Power.
Brogan said he would be an ideal tactical sub in the finals.
“He has been in really good form hasn’t he?” he said.
“He has done everything that has been asked of him and he is probably the forgotten man there but he can be the ideal sub because when the sting is out of the game you can bring him in and we know how damaging he can be.
“It just gives them another dynamic.”
Originally published as AFL qualifying final Brisbane Lions v Port Adelaide: Dean Brogan, Mitchell Georgiades' preview Power chances
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