Analysis: The evolution of Ollie Wines’ role at the Power ahead of GWS do-or-die final

The numbers suggest Ollie Wines’ impact is way down on his Brownlow winning high. So is it time to inject the bull back into the midfield where he belongs?

Ollie Wines (middle) midfield minutes have dipped this season. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Two years after winning a Brownlow Medal as a midfield bull, Ollie Wines has become Port Adelaide’s fifth-choice centre-square option and is playing large chunks of games on a wing.

As the Power prepares to face GWS in a home semi-final on Saturday night, Champion Data statistics show the Port vice-captain is averaging 14.3 centre bounce attendances this year – his fewest since his debut campaign in 2013 – and 10.9 over the past seven games.

Wines had more CBAs than any Port on-baller last season (18.9 per match, 71 per cent) and the equal-most (18, 74 per cent) during his Brownlow-winning 2021.

But his role had changed as midfield opportunities increased for younger quartet Zak Butters, Connor Rozee, Willem Drew and Jason Horne-Francis.

Wines attended just seven centre bounces (21 per cent) in Port’s 48-point qualifying final defeat to Brisbane at the Gabba on Saturday night.

The 28-year-old struggled to have an influence on the contest, collecting 14 disposals (three kicks), one tackle, one mark, one inside 50 and three score involvements.

Power coach Ken Hinkley said Wines’s form had been “quite solid” before being a little down against the Lions.

And he revealed the Echuca product would return to the midfield for longer in the knockout clash against the Giants.

Ollie Wines (left) leaves the field after Saturday night’s loss to Brisbane. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Wines told this masthead that although it had been a little difficult getting used to his new role, he was loving learning new ways to influence the game.

He said part of the reason behind his move was his limited summer training, the result of post-season surgery on his left knee that required a longer lay-off than expected and a slow build into the 2023 campaign.

“I didn’t really have a pre-season so with pretty much a complete new midfield in Buttsy and Roze and Jason Horne-Francis, it’s really taken me a while to adjust to how they play,” the Port Adelaide star and Fox Footy ambassador said.

“So we’re probably not getting ultimate bang for our buck with my time in there at the moment.

“It’s probably going to take a pre-season to really jell with those guys being full-time midfielders.

“The other thing that gets thrown in is when we tag … it’s going to be in the midfield the whole time and (CBA) decreases for me and Horne inside.

“Ultimately, we’re seeing the results of Connor and Zak being in there the majority of the time and the seasons they’re having.

“While they’re playing that way, you’ve got to keep them in there as much as possible.”

Ollie Wines with his Brownlow Medal in 2021. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The reduction in Wines’s midfield time became particularly noticeable on the back of Port’s round 19 home loss to Collingwood when he had five CBAs (17 per cent).

From that game on, his:

■ CBA percentage has dropped from 54 per cent to 37 per cent

■ Midfield time has decreased from 71 per cent to 55 per cent

■ Wing time has increased from 19 per cent to 29 per cent

■ Forward time has risen from 10 per cent to 16 per cent

Given his reduced on-ball role, it is unsurprising that Wines’ rating across key statistical averages compared to other AFL midfielders has fallen away in 2023.

■ Disposals (22 per game this season, rated average)

■ Contested possessions (9.2, average)

■ Clearances (3.7, below average)

■ Score involvements (4.3, below average)

■ Tackles (3.5, below average)

Asked if he felt he was getting the best out of himself playing his new role, Wines said: “It’s a little bit hard to say”.

“Our wings we don’t really judge ourselves on possessions or getting the ball,” he said.

“It’s a little bit hard to assess your game on statistics.

“We rely on our wings a lot to open the ground up through the corridor, get back defensively and help our backs – a lot of the things that don’t see on the stats sheet or show up in the paper.

“Being able to learn that and impact in that way has given me some confidence but it is different when you’ve played mid your whole life.”

Wines said as acting captain he sometimes inserted himself into the midfield if the opposition was getting on top, but who played on-ball was usually the coaches’ call.

Ollie Wines and coach Ken Hinkley pre-game in the qualifying final. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Drew has been the biggest beneficiary of Wines’s CBA drop-off since round 19, going from 45 per cent to 62 per cent.

On Saturday night, Drew led the way for the Power with 88 per cent as he tagged Lions Brownlow winner Lachie Neale.

Port’s most common centre-bounce quartet this season has been Rozee, Butters and Drew with ruckman Scott Lycett.

That combination has been used 51 times – 10 more than the next-highest which includes Wines rather than Drew.

Wines has attended at least 50 per cent of CBAs just once in the past nine games – in the 51-point home win against GWS in round 22 – compared to 13 in the first 15.

His previous performance against the Giants was his best this season, according to Champion Data’s player ratings.

Willem Drew’s received more midfield minutes recently. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images

He had more CBAs (73 per cent) than any Power player and registered season-highs in disposals (29), along with six clearances, five inside 50s and a goal.

A week later, against Fremantle in Perth, Wines’s CBAs dipped to 43 per cent.

Then it was 38 per cent in the last minor round against Richmond and 21 per cent in the qualifying final.

Hinkley said Wines would play in the midfield more on Saturday night.

“Last time he played against the Giants he had a really strong game, probably his best game for the year,” he said.

“I like to live in the optimistic basket and I think he can have that game again this week.

“We had some other things going on last week that we were trying to organise and sometimes you’ve got to be flexible, not just Ollie but everyone in the team.”

Catch the knockout semi-final between Port and GWS live this Saturday on Fox Footy, available on Kayo Sports.

Originally published as Analysis: The evolution of Ollie Wines’ role at the Power ahead of GWS do-or-die final