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‘We are Port Adelaide’. Last year, this was a statement to invite ridicule and pity or, even worse, apathy.
This year, it stands for something meaningful; heart, courage and commitment.
12 months ago, the Power were the target of much invective. Disgraceful, disgusting, deplorable. Putrid, pathetic, inept.
Basically half of what the current Melbourne Football Club are rightfully receiving. All of it applied to them then as it does to the Dees now.
Today, Port is being showered with torrents of praise, and the superlatives can’t come fast enough. Twitter went into meltdown on Saturday night in the haste to admire their efforts.
They’re now a team everybody wants to watch including, most pertinently, their own supporters. What an atmosphere they created against West Coast. Even when the team was the best part of seven goals down, AAMI Stadium was a cauldron.
They are now a fan base filled with equal parts hope and belief.
1-7 in 2012 has turned into 5-0 in 2013. But how has it happened?
Admittedly, they’ve had what has turned out to be the friendliest draw in the league. Melbourne is a laughing stock, the expansion clubs put up a fight but are still learning, while the Crows and Eagles are mere shadows of their successful 2012 outfits.
The five teams they’ve defeated have combined for only six wins, and none against are higher than 12th on the ladder.
Plenty of people, when looking at the cancerous Melbourne, are saying you need to get the off-field right before you can fix the on-field. Clean the place out. It’s a hard contention to argue with.
Love him or hate him, David Koch hasn’t put a foot wrong since accepting the presidency, despite the early negative murmurings about him not living in the same state as the club.
His penchant for boldly getting on the front foot makes Viv Richards looks a quivering wimp. ‘Kochie’ has brought back the swagger.
More clubs spurned Ken Hinkley than Taylor Swift has had ex-boyfriends. While to the best of my knowledge he didn’t write song after song about his heartache, his no-nonsense approach speaks to his many years in the Geelong premiership machine.
The epitome of ‘firm but fair’, the whispers about Hinkley from Alberton were as strong as they were immediate. He has stated many times he wants a team-first attitude from each and every one of his players, and they’re certainly delivering. Hinkley has brought strength, discipline and leadership.
And what of the playing list?
Thought to be a ragtag collection of off-cuts, supposedly waning veterans and injury-riddled crocks, we are instead seeing a team of blossoming guns being led by senior teammates rejuvenated by the new regime. All are fit, hard and committed.
Hamish Hartlett has the potential to be in the Scott Pendlebury class, and I don’t know many who rate the Collingwood champion higher than I do. No need to elaborate further.
Oliver Wines is the hardest teenager to move from over the ball since Dustin Martin, and before him Joel Selwood. The kid has a strong, thick, bull of a body, and his surety of hands isn’t dissimilar to Jobe Watson.
With those two, Port have the potential to possess the premier inside and outside-mid of the competition in the not-too-distant future. Which isn’t to say Hartlett doesn’t get his hands dirty either, laying a team-high six tackles on Saturday night.
Kane Cornes is back to his ball-magnet best, racking up possessions like Stephen Dank does media mentions.
Justin Westhoff is performing something of a late career ‘Richo role’, doing as he likes up forward, down back and through the middle, marking everything and finishing his work on the scoreboard.
Rejects from other clubs include Campbell Heath, Lewis Stevenson, and the impressive Angus Monfries. The former two have provided honesty and resilience, even if disposal is an issue from time to time, while the latter has always shown class, but has a tougher edge under Hinkley. His first tackle of Saturday night knocked Matt Priddis out of the match.
Forget the soccer mums, you should always tackle to hurt in this game. Make a statement. Take no prisoners.
Chad Wingard, Cam O’Shea and Jake Neade came to the club in a variety of ways, but all find themselves integral to the new found improvement. Wingard looks to have all the tricks, and plenty of polish to boot, O’Shea is one of many to have elevated himself under Hinkley, and Neade is the Cyril-lite, a jolt of electricity every time he’s near the ball.
Alipate Carlisle is making Richmond people wonder if they went after the wrong key defender, Jay Schulz has become a much more rounded AFL player in recent years, and we’re yet to see the best of Robbie Gray’s supreme talent over long periods.
Geelong chased Travis Boak’s signature like greyhounds after an electronic rabbit, and with about as much success. If there were any doubters, they can now see why. After a herculean performance to get Port back into the Round 3 showdown, his leadership skills and will were back to the fore against West Coast as he kicked two goals in as many minutes to take his team from 8 points down to 4 points in front.
Some players thrive upon the appointment to a leadership position, and the new skipper has proven himself to be one. It’s scary to think of what the Cats would look like if they’d been able to land him.
New president. New coach. New captain. New team.
As The Roar’s own Vince Rugari, a passionate Power man, tweeted on Saturday night, “They’re playing Port Adelaide footy again. That’s the best bit.”
Tough, uncompromising, unwavering.
You might beat them for skill while they’re a building team, but you won’t beat them for spirit, as the Eagles found out to their cost on Saturday night, their season now possibly derailed beyond salvation.
I suspect they won’t be the last.
They are Port Adelaide. And they’re not done yet.