Cap Space: Jason Horne-Francis, Ben McKay, Scott Lycett and Port Adelaide’s ‘win now, win later’ mantra
If there remains a hole on Port Adelaide’s list it is in key defence. But the Power have a plan to solve it. See exactly where the club’s list is at.
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Ken Hinkley only wanted to talk about one man when he started dialling Jason Cripps’ mobile phone number.
The Port Adelaide coach had just watched Jason Horne-Francis tear-up the SANFL preliminary final for South Adelaide late in 2021 and was desperate for his list manager Cripps to work some sort of trade miracle to secure the No. 1 draft pick from North Melbourne.
“Sell the farm”, Hinkley said, in a manner that was half-serious, half tongue-in-cheek.
The Kangaroos batted away huge offers from Port Adelaide and Adelaide for the top pick in late 2021, but fast forward nine months and Cripps’ ears began to prick up again when it became clear Horne-Francis was unhappy living across the Victorian border.
Perhaps it was obvious in the way Horne-Francis was playing. The way he was clashing with teammates.
Then he was dropped. But this was never about one missed icebath.
There was a game late last season when North Melbourne officials were unsure whether Horne-Francis would actually play-out the second half of a match.
Whether Horne-Francis took off his boots or not in frustration or protest remains unclear, but what was absolutely certain was that the first-year playmaker was incredibly unhappy.
And the feelings were beginning to become a little mutual across the club.
Port Adelaide, however, saw upside. The Power is a football club that does not rebuild. Not ever.
If there is a list philosophy written up on a blackboard somewhere in the bowels of Alberton it will say something like ‘Win now, win later’.
Port Adelaide does not want to do what Hawthorn is doing this season, and what Carlton and Melbourne have done in the past.
Anyone at Port who wants to rebuild should probably pack their bags, as the Power is the only club in the AFL yet to receive a wooden spoon.
So, late last year, a window opened to land a No. 1 pick without crashing to the bottom of the ladder, and even better, Horne-Francis was a South Australian hometown hero.
And since the Crows were into Izak Rankine, it was clear where “the Hornet” was headed in his desire to be closer to family, including his three-year-old brother.
At the same time, Port had briefly considered landing Richmond hard nut Jack Graham, and hosted him at the club in the first week of the exchange period.
But that plot was quickly abandoned when Horne-Francis’s manager Ben Williams indicated his client was keen on the Port Adelaide deal, only hours after Graham had met Hinkley, Cripps and Chris Davies.
Sorry, Jack. It was awkward timing. But that was the day things ramped up.
FINALS OR BUST
There was, after all, a sense of urgency at Port Adelaide entering this season.
Hinkley’s contract expires at the end of 2023 and the spotlight was always going to be intense on Port Adelaide’s senior coach this year as the club negotiated a brutal first five weeks of the fixture.
But what shouldn’t be lost is Hinkley’s outstanding home and away record (131 wins - 92 losses) entering his 10th season.
The Power won more games than any other club in 2020-21, but got smashed in the 2021 preliminary final by Western Bulldogs, and was then hard-hit by injury early in 2022, missing finals by two games.
Impressively, the Power rallied after the slow start last year, confirming the players all still believed in Hinkley.
In contrast, West Coast faced a similar situation in recent years and raised the white flag.
But Hinkley’s systems work. Even with some personnel issues down back, Port had the best defence in the league in 2020 (average 51.1 points against) and the third-ranked setup in 2021 (67.8).
Subsequently, Port assessed its list late last season and thought it wasn’t that far away, if it could fill some gaps.
So all the poker chips were pushed into the middle of the table, knowing it had the makings of an elite young midfield to build around.
The club had been crafty at the trade table in recent years, securing picks 12 and 18 from St Kilda for key defender Dougal Howard, Paddy Ryder and Pick 10.
They snared Ryan Burton and pick 18 (Xavier Duursma) from Hawthorn in exchange for Chad Wingard, making the most of Alastair Clarkson’s desire to keep the Hawks up the top.
Then Port landed Aliir Aliir for a second-round pick, effectively replacing a spoiler (Howard) for an interceptor (Aliir).
So, after some tough trade talks with North list boss Brady Rawlings, Cripps landed Horne-Francis and Junior Rioli in a four-way mega-deal with West Coast, the Kangaroos and GWS.
The move cost Port its first-round pick (number eight) last year, as well as this year’s first, second and third-round selections. They’re the poker chips.
But the Power also netted in return two potential stars, as well as a second-round pick tied to Collingwood and a third-rounder tied to Fremantle.
Port swooped on Rioli because it had struggled with its forward connection and potency at ground level without injured speedster Orazio Fantasia and Robbie Gray retired.
Horne-Francis and Rioli, who was one of the Eagles’ best runners, was a significant one-two hit to boost the forward half of the ground, but Cripps had one more name on his whiteboard.
Geelong’s Esava Ratugolea in exchange for pick 33.
MOUNT MCKAY
If there remains a hole on the Port list it is in key defence and on Saturday Collingwood exposed the vulnerability, talking 14 marks inside the Power’s back 50m.
It is why the club is circling North Melbourne free agent Ben McKay who would be a perfect addition to the Power defence if he can’t secure the deal he wants at North Melbourne.
McKay has played only 52 games in seven-and-a-bit seasons, is out injured again with a foot fracture, and would command a salary in excess of $800,000 to move.
Clearly, there is risk, and Carlton is interested, too, if Tom De Koning leaves.
As a restricted free agent, Port and Carlton can land McKay without giving up any first-round draft picks in a trade.
Ratugolea, 24, was keen on the move last year, but the Cats held him to his contract. He was Chris Scott’s best player in the round 1 loss to Collingwood.
So Ratugolea stayed, the Power’s early interest in Brodie Grundy fizzled, and Port sent Horne-Francis in for surgery on his calves to fix a problem which may or may not have gone under the radar at Arden St in some way.
And in round 1, Horne-Francis was best-on-ground as part of a midfield unit which sizzled, led by jets Connor Rozee, Duursma, Zak Butters, Ollie Wines and Miles Bergman.
Four of those five players are under the age of 24.
It’s a prime engine room which towelled up Brisbane Lions in the season-opener at Adelaide Oval, but copped a reality check from the rollicking Magpies in round 2.
Unsurprisingly, Horne-Francis and Taylor Adams were caught up in a scrap off the ball which threatened to spill over.
The Showdown awaits, and tempers will likely flare, again.
RUCK’N ROLL
Port is at the upper limit of its salary cap, but could entertain offers for ruckman Scott Lycett to help free-up some room for McKay.
Lycett, 30, arrived on a bumper five year-deal worth $3 million, but is out-of-contract this year and could come under selection pressure.
The Power like Jeremy Finlayson, 27, in the ruck, Brynn Teakle, 23, is a ready-made option, while Sam Hayes, 23, could be ready to take the mantle next year if he can top-up his fitness.
Lycett, who suffered a swollen eye in the loss to Collingwood, may be surplus to requirements. The man who played 57 games across his first four seasons arrived at the club for nothing as a free agent.
The Power would love Melbourne excitement machine Kysaiah Pickett, who hails from South Australia, but the Demons expect him to stay.
While he may not love the city of Melbourne, Pickett does love the club and its senior coach, Simon Goodwin.
The Demons have already lost Luke Jackson and do not want a complete wipe-out from the 2019 draft by losing Kozzy, too.
It is expected the deal will be a big one to keep him.
GORGEOUS GEORDIADES
There are question marks in attack.
Charlie Dixon is out of contract at the end of the season, but has already made clear he wants to play on. If he does, it will be on reduced terms.
The bigger fight centres around Mitch Georgiades, the up-and-coming key forward who is lightning-quick and looks unstoppable in the air at times.
But the 21-year-old is trying to develop more tricks at ground level and he can occasionally get the yips in front of goal, knocking his confidence.
In round 1, the 192cm Georgiades kicked 1.3. In round 2, he kicked 1.2.
That was after slotting 23 goals 24 behinds last year.
Like St Kilda’s Max King, it’s a chink in the armour.
He is a Western Australian, and both WA clubs would love to get their hands on him.
But there is also a big watch on which Melbourne clubs attempt to muscle in on the action in an attempt to make him their Tom Lynch at centre half forward.
Collingwood, who looks like the top destination club in the land due to its exhilarating game plan and coaching style, could enter the frame.
But Port remain confident the man taken one pick before Geelong’s Sam De Koning will stay, if Georgiades continues to play in the senior side.
If Georgiades is dropped to the SANFL for any length of time, then things will get more interesting as the key forward surely puts contract talks on hold until later in the year.
Originally published as Cap Space: Jason Horne-Francis, Ben McKay, Scott Lycett and Port Adelaide’s ‘win now, win later’ mantra
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