Why Port Adelaide needs to offer Polly more crackers or years
PORT Adelaide needs to open the cheque book and do everything possible to stop the player it can least afford to lose being poached by a rival club. See where your team sits as we get to the pointy end of the Power Rankings season.
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- Fantastic future? Port in free fall rather than rising
- ‘Passive’ Power must work harder: Hinkley
- Live ladder: Where will your team finish?
- Power’s futile fight proves effort not enough
- Polec’s two million reasons to avoid being homesick
PORT Adelaide needs to open the cheque book and do everything possible to stop the player it can least afford to lose being poached by a rival club.
In a season that has unravelled because of its inability to move the ball quickly and ultimately score — Jared Polec’s value with his run-and-carry as a creative and goalkicking wingman can not be understated for the Power.
Port Adelaide needs more players like him yet as it stands right now he is faced with an offer from North Melbourne that could be too good to refuse.
Could be. Polec has not agreed to leave yet and as the Power sifts through what happened in 2018 and what it needs for 2019, he must be a priority.
If it can’t match the Kangaroos’ reported offer of $600,000 a season for five years then it must get close. If not in value then in term.
Yes he’s one-sided but that left foot is as good a kick as any in the team and his one-on-one defence isn’t the best but Port needs his weapons.
Collingwood had just kicked four goals in a row to open the second quarter — and one was due to Polec who had his pocket picked on the line — when he hit back.
He took the ball at half-back, hit a target, pushed forward, got it back from Aidyn Johnson, sidestepped his opponent and kicked a 40m goal.
Who else besides Steven Motlop can generate run like that in Port’s side?
It has a glutton of inside grunt players. So much so that first-round draft pick Sam Powell-Pepper has spent the past two weeks in the reserves and Brad Ebert has been reinvented all over the ground.
They brought Tom Rockliff in on reportedly $650,000 a year but even with signing him, Motlop and Jack Watts, it was reported in February that Port is in the top-four clubs for salary cap space and has room to land another big fish. That could be Scott Lycett but regardless of whether that stalls, it cannot give up on keeping Polec.
He is over his foot injury, playing 43 games in the past two years and averaging 23.5 disposals while winning his share of contested ball.
He is a South Australian who likes the club and living in Adelaide but sometimes you have to pay overs. The argument he’s not worth $600,000 a year is flawed because he’s worth what the market is willing to pay.
At 25, Polec has at least five years of good footy left in him and it should be at Alberton.
GOOD WEEKEND FOR …
Buddy. Three weeks ago Lance Franklin’s season was written off. John Longmire revealed he’d only trained for “20 minutes” all year and he was struggling. Cue 13 goals in three games and he’s back.
ONE TO FORGET FOR …
Fremantle. The Dockers lose by 133 points and Ross Lyon turns on the journo who dares question how long Freo’s rebuild is taking.
BURNING QUESTION …
Will Sam Powell-Pepper finish the season in the reserves or earn a recall at Port? Dropped for two weeks and will it be a third as well?
ROUND 22 POWER RANKINGS
1. RICHMOND (17-4)
Absorbed everything Essendon could throw at them on Friday night and secured the minor premiership and what should be an all-MCG finals series where they’ve now won 20 on the trot. The flag is theirs to lose.
2. SYDNEY (14-7)
Solid win over GWS to confirm their finals credentials and even an outside chance for the flag if they get going in September.
3. HAWTHORN (14-7)
Far from perfect against St Kilda but could well have lost that game given the Saints had all the momentum. But cool heads prevail and the Hawks are looking good for top four.
4. GWS GIANTS (13-7-1)
Injuries have again taken their toll on the Giants, no more so than on Saturday night when Phil Davis left the ground and Lance Franklin took over. Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday will be a cracker.
5. WEST COAST (15-6)
Losing Jack Darling so early in the game didn’t help and they were brave in hitting the front in the final quarter but the Dees just wanted it more and had arguably more to play for.
6. COLLINGWOOD (14-7)
Steamrolled the Power in the final quarter and Brodie Grundy provided another reminder why Max Gawn shouldn’t get the All-Australian ruck gig just yet.
7. MELBOURNE (13-8)
Huge performance from the Dees who will believe they can do anything in finals now they’re there. Seven goals from Jake Melksham and Mitch Hannan, who were both inclusions this week, was a major positive.
8. GEELONG (12-9)
Could not have been more emphatic against Fremantle in a season where percentage could mean the difference between a home final or hitting the road.
9. ESSENDON (11-10)
Brave and close but not close enough against Richmond, which is the story of Essendon’s season.
10. PORT (12-9)
Not enough from Rockliff and Wingard, who should be match-winners at Port Adelaide by now. Lost clearances and contested ball with Powell-Pepper in the reserves again.
11. ADELAIDE (11-10)
Pride does count for something after holding on against North Melbourne at Adelaide Oval on Sunday night. Wayne Milera’s star is confirmed after another great game and Jenkins has bounced back well in 2018.
12. NTH. MELB (11-10)
The Roos showed a lot of spirit to come from 30 points down at the final break and could have stolen the win in the final term but not quite. Dumont and Daw were super.
13. W. BULLDOGS (8-13)
Had to fight all the way for the win over Carlton and eight wins means the season isn’t a complete disaster.
14. BRISBANE (5-16)
Had to dig deep to beat the Suns on their home deck in a typically fiery Q-clash.
15. ST KILDA (4-16-1)
Didn’t beat Hawthorn but showed enough to keep the wolves from the door.
16. FREMANTLE (8-13)
Conceded 23 unanswered goals to Geelong in the worst performance of any team this year.
17. GOLD COAST (4-17)
Showed some fight and Fiorini’s 32 touches and a goal was a positive, but fell short against the Lions.
18. CARLTON (2-19)
Much better signs than previous weeks and were right in the game against the Dogs. Will finish the year with the wooden spoon but at least showed some fight.
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Originally published as Why Port Adelaide needs to offer Polly more crackers or years