With tall timber Alipate Carlile and Jackson Trengove missing due to injuries, it seems that the loss of height has been a contributor to Port Adelaide’s recent demise.
Is height an ingredient to a victorious club? North Melbourne defeated Hawthorn two weeks ago with a smaller side, however six winners this round had a taller team than the one they defeated, including Richmond.
On the weekend the Power fielded a team against Richmond which had an average height of 186.3cm – slightly lower than its mean list measurement of 187.8cm.
It should be considered Port Adelaide does have the 14th tallest list in the AFL.
Going into the game against Richmond, Ken Hinkley lost more height in his forward line when Sam Gray (176cm) came in for Angus Monfries (185cm) because the Power wanted to take a conservative approach to a hamstring niggle.
In Power’s second loss of the season against Sydney, just over a month ago, Port selected a team which had an average height of 187.1cm, similar to the side that had knocked off Hawthorn. The 0.8cm between the team that faced Sydney compared to the one that played Richmond suggests stature is not a factor. The midfielders of a selected team heavily impacts a side’s average height and it should be noted Port Adelaide has not suffered any noticeable injuries in that department.
Port Adelaide’s starting 18 backline averaged 189.5cm against Sydney, similar to the height of the defence (188.67cm) which played Richmond. This small differential also suggests height is not a factor within Port Adelaide’s team but Richmond still managed to take 17 marks inside 50 from 60 entries, whereas Sydney could only take 5 from 56.
Sydney had the likes of Sam Reid, Lance Franklin and Adam Goodes contesting, whereas Richmond only had Jack Riewoldt and Ty Vickery. So maybe a small differential in average height does make a difference, however there are also the variables of talent, experience and roles each respective player has.
Hinkley replaced either Carlile or Trengove with another tall, Cameron O’Shea, but swapped the other backman for a midfielder.
Port Adelaide does have a player who can fill in for the role of key defender in Tom Clurey. The youngster stands at 193cm and has been powering away at full back for Port Adelaide Magpies in the SANFL this year. He could easily slip into the side for Kane Mitchell (174cm).
Clurey debuted in Round 1 but hasn’t been seen at AFL level since. Clurey would be thrown into the deep end if he was selected this week, having to line up against Jack Watts, Chris Dawes or James Frawley, although this would help his development.
This would also allow Jack Hombsch to go back to the role of a third man up and intercepting marks, rather than trying to lock down monster forwards.
Currently any player from the Power has struggled to fly into a pack to take an intercept mark or a fist to kill contests in the defensive half. Port Adelaide has one fit ruckman, Matthew Lobbe, and going into the pointy end of the season it’s likely he’s tiring due to his heavy workload.
When Trengove was playing, he would occasionally be used as the ruckman when Lobbe was given the chance for a break, but with Trengove injured, Justin Westhoff is the Power’s second ruckman. This means there is a longer duration where Jay Schulz is the only operating tall inside Port Adelaide’s forward structure.
This has resulted Port Adelaide players often having either been kicking to one-on-two contests or being hesitant to kick the ball as no key forwards would be in their sight due to Schulz already having to work up the ground.
John Butcher is Port Adelaide’s best option to bring in another towering forward. Other key forward Mason Shaw has not matured mentally or developed physically enough to play AFL yet according to Port Adelaide’s coaching staff.
Butcher has played numerous AFL games, including three this year, but has never managed to cement a spot in the line-up. He can ruck in the forward 50, has great hands, especially overhead, but his kicking is notoriously hot and cold. Dubbed ‘Future’ many years ago, he has kicked 30 goals in the SANFL this season, sitting fifth for leading goal kickers in the competition.
Butcher is 197cm and could replace Sam Gray in Power’s side this weekend. If he did play and perform well he may be able to keep his spot at least until Trengove makes a return.
It is time for Hinkley to call on his young tall timber brigade?
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