St Kilda v Port Adelaide: All the news, intel and key takeaways from AAMI Community Series pre-season match
Jeremy Finlayson has thrust his name forward to be Port Adelaide’s new backline attacking weapon as a surprise pre-season switch looks to have rejuvenated the Power veteran’s career.
Port Adelaide’s shortage of key defenders may have helped it unearth an attacking weapon.
Jeremy Finlayson is only playing in the backline because of injuries to Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (back) and Esava Ratugolea (knee), but a stellar showing in the Power’s 44-point victory over St Kilda at Moorabbin on Saturday will have his coaches wondering if he can be a more permanent solution.
Finlayson recorded 29 disposals (ranked fifth on the ground), 13 marks (No. 1) and seven intercept possessions.
At half-time, he’d had more marks (eight) and metres gained (334m) than anyone, the second-most touches (18) and intercept marks (two), as well as four score involvements.
Fox Footy’s Leigh Montagna said Finlayson looked “right at home” in defence, just two weeks on from being shifted from attack.
A backman early in his career at GWS, Finlayson’s poise in possession, ability to pinpoint teammates and targeted, corridor kicking to start defensive 50 chains 50 shone.
Zerk-Thatcher finished equal-seventh in the club’s best-and-fairest last season, but you would not list sharp ball movement among his strengths.
Finlayson also took two nice intercept marks late in both of the first two quarters and was given some kick-in responsibilities.
He is 29, entering the last year of his contract and coming off a frustrating 2024 that featured a four-game ban for making a homophobic slur and a season-ending ruptured spleen.
This could be the move the mobile swingman needs to extend or reinvigorate his career.
It happened to Liam Jones at Carlton and Rory Lobb at the Western Bulldogs.
“He’s been terrific – a rebirth,” Gerard Healy said on Fox Footy.
Power assistant Chad Cornes, who himself started as a forward before becoming a defender, said Finlayson could help Port move the footy the way the team wanted.
“The real positive about Jez is the decisions he makes with the ball in hand and, for a tall guy, the way he finds the footy,” Cornes said.
Finlayson’s performance was one of the biggest positives in a much improved display for Port, albeit the Saints were poor until half-time.
THE MIDFIELD
How will Port Adelaide replace superstar Zak Butters?
The early indication is it will be a mix of the usual suspects.
A day after dual All-Australian midfielder Butters was ruled out for six to eight weeks due to a knee injury, there was no left-field addition to the on-ball unit.
Instead, Connor Rozee (39 disposals, seven tackles, eight clearances, one goal), Jason Horne-Francis (31 disposals, six clearances), Willem Drew (22 disposals, five tackles), Ollie Wines (31 touches, four clearances) and Travis Boak (22 disposals) shared the load.
Skipper Rozee attended the most centre bounces (20) for the Power, followed by Drew (18), Wines (17), Horne-Francis (16) and Boak (four).
Jackson Mead lined up mostly on a wing, although had on-ball stints around the ground.
Jordon Sweet rucked at 15 centre bounces, while Ivan Soldo – in his first match at the top level since June last year – went to 10.
Cornes said the midfield group would all have to shoulder a bigger workload without Butters.
Pickpocket Rozee on the run ðŸƒâ€â™‚ï¸#AFLSaintsPowerpic.twitter.com/PCrYBNPApl
— AFL (@AFL) March 1, 2025
THE FORWARDS
Much of the spotlight in the lead-up to Port Adelaide’s round 1 clash against Collingwood at the MCG will be on Power star turned Magpie Dan Houston.
A low-profiled player who went the other way in the Houston trade should not be overlooked.
Joe Richards registered 20 disposals, kicked a goal and had seven score involvements.
His pressure was rewarded with the first major of the match two minutes in.
Soon after, the 25-year-old half-forward forced another turnover inside Port’s attacking 50.
“It’s something we haven’t had a lot of over the last couple of years, a player like that who can work as hard as he does, gets hard up and down the ground, really adds to the way we want to move the footy and is tough in the contest,” Cornes said.
Ollie Lord’s pre-season has been intriguing.
The Power get around Powell-Pepper 🫶#AFLSaintsPowerpic.twitter.com/yUgih89kRG
— AFL (@AFL) March 1, 2025
With a spot seemingly his to take with Charlie Dixon retired, Todd Marshall out long-term with an achilles injury and Finlayson in defence, Lord joined the Power’s reserves players late in last week’s game when the top-liners had all hit the showers.
Lord did not feature until the second half against the Saints.
Instead, Sweet went forward in the first two terms when Soldo rucked and the ex-Western Bulldog looked OK, kicking a goal.
It makes more sense to play two ruckmen this year because Dixon is not there and the forward line is now more athletic.
Lord pushed his case when he came on.
The 23-year-old kicked a goal after winning a high contact free kick then claimed a beautiful mark on the wing that helped lead to a Sam Powell-Pepper major.
Mitch Georgiades and Willie Rioli came off after half-time but Cornes said they were being managed.
RUTHLESS POWER PUNISHES ‘SLOPPY’ SAINTS
— Chris Cavanagh
No Charlie, no worries.
A new-look and unpredictable Port Adelaide forward line had no problem finding avenues to goal on Saturday as it picked apart an at times sloppy St Kilda side in a 44-point pre-season win at Moorabbin.
On the back of Charlie Dixon’s retirement and Todd Marshall’s Achilles injury, the Power have been forced to set up very differently in attack this season – and it might be for the better.
Mitch Georgiades and recruit Jack Lukosius were the key targets against the Saints and worked beautifully together, assisted by a bevy of smalls including another recruit in Joe Richards who was prolific early.
Forgotten man Sam Powell-Pepper – who missed most of last season with an ACL – is fit and looks primed for a big bounce-back year after booting two goals, while fellow small Willie Rioli (three goal) was as exciting as ever before being managed out of the game in the second half.
The options Port had in attack were a major contrast to the Saints, who looked rudderless without injured key forward Max King.
In the absence of King – who remains touch-and-go for round 1 after a setback with his knee – Anthony Caminiti and Cooper Sharman were to shoulder the load but had limited impact.
The Saints recorded a paltry two marks inside-50 in the first half when the game was on the line, with a second-quarter shoulder injury for Mitch Owens only adding to the problems.
Sharman also finished the game on the bench with a hand injury.
Questions over how Port Adelaide would cover the loss of vice-captain Zak Butters (knee) in the early part of the season were also answered, with Connor Rozee (39 disposals), Ollie Wines (31 disposals) and Jason Horne-Francis (31 disposals) all stepping up through the midfield.
NEW ROLE
Rory Lobb was one of the most successful magnet moves of 2024 after his switch from the forward line to defence for the Western Bulldogs.
Jeremy Finlayson could be the big switch of 2025.
Finlayson kicked 12 goals from 12 games last year as an inconsistent forward, going goalless in five of those matches before ending his year early with a lacerated spleen.
But with Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (back) on the sidelines, Finlayson starred in defence against the Saints.
He finished with 29 disposals and 13 marks, looking a natural in the new role.
NEW RECRUITS
Former Western Bulldog Jack Macrae did what he does best as an in-and-under onballer for the Saints, gathering 32 disposals and six clearances in a solid display for his new side.
Former Gold Coast Suns swingman Lukosius played as a high forward for the Power and got on the end of two goals, along with using his lovely kicking skills to hit up teammates inside 50 on multiple occasions.
Former Magpie Richards was also potent in the Power forward line, particularly early.
He had 10 disposals and a goal to his name by quarter-time, before finishing the match with 18 touches.
NEW FACES
After impressing in St Kilda’s match simulation against Carlton, Hugh Boxshall backed it up.
Selected at pick 45 in last year’s national draft, the West Australian product looks like being a late draft gem as he again pushed his case for a round 1 debut.
The prolific runner caught the eye with his running power and strength, while also showing a bit of spunk about him as he milked a 50m penalty in the second quarter and side-stepped opponents with ease.
Boxshall finished as one of his side’s better players with 15 disposals and two goals.
St Kilda’s top draft pick from last year – Tobie Travaglia – was activated into the game midway through the third quarter and headed onball, having a few nice moments late in the contest.
Saints’ SSP signing Harry Boyd tried hard as a lone hand in the ruck against the Port pairing of Jordan Sweet and Ivan Soldo, with No.1 ruckman Rowan Marshall again missing with a pelvis injury.
For Port Adelaide, No.15 draft pick Joe Berry (14 disposals) worked his way into the game in the forward line.
Third-year Saints tall Isaac Keeler – who is yet to make an AFL debut – entered the game in the second half and showed some promise, including slotting a late goal.
SCOREBOARD
ST KILDA 0.1 1.4 4.6 7.7 (49)
PORT ADELAIDE 6.3 8.3 11.6 14.9 (93)
GOALS
ST KILDA: Higgins 2, Boxshall 2, Wilson, Keeler, Hall
PORT ADELAIDE: Rioli 3, Powell-Pepper 2, Lukosius 2, Byrne-Jones 2, Sweet, Rozee, Richards, Lord
BEST
ST KILDA: Macrae, Wanganeen-Milera, Boxshall, Steele, Garcia
PORT ADELAIDE: Rozee, Finalyson, Horne-Francis, Bergman, Wines, Richards
INJURIES
ST KILDA: Owens (shoulder), Sharman (hand)
PORT ADELAIDE: Willie Rioli (calf/managed), Georgiades (TBC)
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