The Tackle: Champs, chumps and coaches with questions to answer
Week one of September action is done and dusted. MARK ROBINSON looks through whose legend grew and who was a let-down over week one of the finals in The Tackle.
Port Adelaide
Silver lining shines out of Port’s weekend from hell
Port Adelaide superstar Zak Butters has been cleared of any serious injury after being subbed out of Friday night’s demolition by the Cats while, queries remain over a underperforming spearhead.
Cornes: Hinkley coaching for his career as fairweather vultures circle
From the first bounce, the intent was clear. As the smoke cleared and Port Adelaide were handed an 84-point thrashing, now the head coach is once again in the crosshairs, writes Graham Cornes.
The Power said they were ready this time – what was that?
Port Adelaide said they were better prepared for finals compared to 12 months ago when they were bundled out in straight sets. MATT TURNER writes, it was another familiar tale.
Incredible moment that set the scene for a stunning night
Jeremy Cameron didn’t get much space. But the greats never do. What the Geelong star produced in the opening minutes at Adelaide Oval will go down in history. This is how it unfolded – and what it set in motion.
Robbo: Ridicule awaits Ken, Power and it’s deserved after choke
It was Port Adelaide’s biggest game of the year, and they choked, writes Mark Robinson. And with either the Bulldogs or Hawks waiting, it’s going to be a long week for Ken Hinkley.
Coach’s blunt truth after AFL bloodbath
Under siege Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley was brutally honest in the wake of the second-largest finals loss in the club’s history.
‘Not turned up’: Port lashed after finals disaster
Four finals losses in a row, including three at home, has people asking whether Port Adelaide players have what it takes to win a premiership.
‘We have not turned up’: Pressure on Ken after more finals failure
Port coach Ken Hinkley was left without answers in another finals embarrassment as pressure mounts on his ability to take the Power further. So is Ken’s time up? Have your say.
No Stewart, no worries: Danger, ‘Judd-like’ star tear Port apart
Patrick Dangerfield once said Max Holmes has ‘Judd-like traits’. They were there for all to see on the big stage as Geelong stunned the footy world without one of their biggest stars.
Player ratings: Bronx cheers for Charlie on Power’s night of horrors
It was a dirty night for Port Adelaide, but no one had a worse night than Charlie Dixon in their horrific loss to Geelong on their home deck. See how every player fared in the Cats’ thumping win.
Another finals nightmare for Ken’s ‘shell of a team’
Port Adelaide finished second on the ladder but, like in the previous three finals, couldn’t deliver on the big September stage. And the pressure is right back on Ken Hinkley.
‘Substandard’: AFL great goes scorched earth
Underdogs Geelong have dominated Thursday’s qualifying final and a footy great has slaughtered Port Adelaide’s effort.
McGuane: Cats – beware of JHF, the next-generation Dustin Martin
Jason Horne-Francis has been a dominant force lately, so which Cats could get the job for the first final of 2024? MICK MCGUANE previews the crunch clash in Adelaide.
Robbo: Midfield concerns? Cats still have trump card to play
The Cats midfield looks like being exposed by Port Adelaide — but they still have an important card to play, writes Mark Robinson. Robbo previews who whill shape the finals series.
Worth the wait: Groundskeeping Port star ready to roll in finals
Jordon Sweet has not played an AFL final. But the Port Adelaide ruckman is ready after a long apprenticeship – and has been balancing footy with time on the SA Cricket Association roller.
Ratugolea’s wild ride to surprise qualifying final assignment
Port Adelaide’s Esava Ratugolea will take on former side Geelong in a position many thought was in the past for him. It’s just part of a wild career for the Power big man.
Rozee: Port ‘better equipped’ to handle finals heat this time round
Port Adelaide captain Connor Rozee has touched on what’s different this year compared to other failed finals campaigns. Plus the expected replacements for Dan Houston and Kane Farrell.
Ultimate finals guide: The key factors that will decide every final
Who’s racing the clock, who needs to lift and what weaknesses could be exposed in week one of AFL finals? ED BOURKE runs the rule over each match in our ultimate finals guide.
Robbo: Ken’s destiny rests with Port’s trio of match-shapers
Finals football separates the good from the great. Mark Robinson writes, for Ken Hinkley to become a coaching great, his destiny lies in the hands of Port’s dynamic midfield superstars.
AFL star forced to make awful family move
Jeremy and Kellie Finlayson have been forced to make a difficult decision for their young family amid her ongoing cancer fight.
Mum guilt vs coach guilt: Arnell’s tricky juggling act
In January Lauren Arnell became the first AFLW senior coach to give birth while in their role. She opens up on becoming a mother and Port Adelaide’s chances in the 2024 season.
Houston defiant on Port future, reveals Rankine text snub
Dan Houston has shut down the hopes of Victorian clubs desperate to lure him from Port Adelaide and opened up for the first time on the bump which ended his finals dream.
Koch blasts ‘rigged’ SANFL: ‘They got what they wanted’
The Port Adelaide chairman has launched an extraordinary spray after his club crashed to its first wooden spoon in over a century.
Farrell to miss finals as young gun in frame to fill half-back void
The Power may have to turn to another youngster to run the half-back line alongside Logan Evans after Kane Farrell joined Dan Houston in being out for the season.
‘That’s bulls**t’: AFL controversy explodes
Port Adelaide’s thrilling 14-point victory over Carlton wasn’t without controversy, as late umpiring drama again reared its head.
Power surge leaves Carlton’s top-four hopes in jeopardy
Port Adelaide has made its move in the packed race for the top four, coming from 25 points down to defeat Carlton and leave the Blues’ hopes of a double chance in serious jeopardy.
Wines stars, Carlton mids struggle and the Friday night takeaways in SuperCoach
SuperCoaches might need to get on board with another Port midfielder on the run to finals as Carlton’s midfielders struggle under the Friday night lights. Discover the three takeaways and relive all the action and analysis.
Draft bonanza Port could get in bumper Houston trade
Port Adelaide star Dan Houston has shown interest in returning home to Victoria – and the clubs are set to line up. But he won’t come cheap. Here’s what the Power could ask for in return.
McGuane: How Port can expose Carlton in Friday night blockbuster
There was no Connor Rozee last time the Blues and Power faced off, and that looms as one of a few reasons why MICK MCGUANE is backing the Power to cause an upset in Melbourne.
Nicks, Crows not giving up on faint finals hopes
Adelaide is less than a 1 per cent chance of sneaking into the top eight – but that won’t stop Matthew Nicks from dreaming big. The Crows coach explains why he hasn’t lost hope.
‘It’s really simple…’: Hinkley responds to West Coast noise
Reports this week have suggested Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley is a leading contender to replace Adam Simpson at West Coast. So, what did the man himself think of all the talk?
‘It’s f****d’: Kellie Finlayson’s heartbreaking cancer update
The wife of Port Adelaide player Jeremy Finlayson has revealed shattering news about her cancer prognosis, opening up once more about her fight.
The Lowdown: What should Power do with Esava?
Esava Ratugolea may hold his spot this week against Carlton, but is the Power better with two key defenders? The former Cat hardly inspired confidence on his return, leading SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON to ask if Port is better without him.
Carr rules himself out of Eagles job – but what about Ken?
Port Adelaide has been steadfast in denying that a formal Ken Hinkley-Josh Carr succession plan exists. So, will West Coast come calling for either? The Power assistant has responded.
Make no mistake, Charlie still makes the Power better
Charlie Dixon may well be in his last year, but his game against the Tigers proves one thing, writes MATT TURNER. If the Power are going to contend again, they need their big man up and going.
Battling Tigers expose huge flaws in Port’s finals credentials
It might be a win that looked convincing on the scoreboard. But as MATT TURNER writes, Port Adelaide will need to be much better than it was against Richmond to navigate a gruelling run home and earn a finals berth.
‘Simple’ way for Suns to rectify away form
Until the Gold Coast can break its away hoodoo, the ‘narrative’ will remain the same, according to Suns coach Damien Hardwick.
‘Where I’m meant to be’: Ex-basketball prodigy joins Power
A basketballer who was previously part of the Adelaide 36ers academy has signed with Port Adelaide and declared it’s “where I was meant to be”. Find out more about Jacob Moss here.
Power dealt blow as Finlayson set to miss rest of season
Port Adelaide’s key forward stocks have been dealt another blow, with Jeremy Finlayson set to miss the rest of the season after a nasty injury. SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON has the details.
The Lowdown: ‘Grim’ problem facing Power
Port Adelaide can’t afford to put a foot wrong on the run towards finals with 13 teams in the hunt for eight spots. SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON sees a “grim” flaw in the Power’s side in The Lowdown.
AFL greats torch young star over ugly acts
A young Port Adelaide star has been called out by AFL greats after several undisciplined acts cost his side dearly on Sunday.
Robbo: Hodge goes into bat for Horne-Francis
Jason Horne-Francis gave away more free kicks than any other player in 2023. He’s ranked No. 19 this season. MARK ROBINSON unpacks if the Hornet is still an easy target for opposition.
Hinkley turns up heat on Power after crucial loss
The competition is as even as it’s ever been this late into an AFL season, and Ken Hinkley knows how much his side’s loss to the Gold Coast means.
Butters hits back at taggers – and the doubters
Does Port Adelaide star Zak Butters need to change his ways on the field? It’s a question many have asked – at least externally. The numbers, and Butters himself, answer definitively.
Hinkley backs Josh Carr to be senior AFL coach
Ken Hinkley says he hopes Josh Carr sticks around to take over the senior coach mantle, but that he can’t stop him from going to West Coast now that job is available. Plus, see the Power’s round 18 team.
‘Time to let Dad go’: New deal for Power father-son gun
Port Adelaide youngster Jackson Mead is ready to forge his own path after being rewarded with a contract extension. MATT TURNER has the details.
Power: Charlie could come straight back in
Port Adelaide key forward Charlie Dixon hasn’t played any footy in three weeks. But with Mitch Georgiades suspended, could he return for the Power’s crunch clash against Gold Coast?
The Lowdown: The ‘criminal’ call which put Crows behind eight-ball
Some matches are lost before the ball has been bounced, and one decision by the Crows – either in the coach’s box or in the players – put Adelaide at a massive disadvantage. SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON unpacks it in The Lowdown.
SANFL clubs in showdown with Power, Crows
SANFL and AFL clubs in South Australia are locked in a struggle over where Port Adelaide and Adelaide can recruit top-up players for their reserve sides. SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON has the latest.
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