Port Adelaide: The real deal or a false dawn?

Ken Hinkley has been lauded for his ability to develop a destitute and impotent team into a premiership contender.

Now, Kenny from Camperdown faces an even tougher challenge – getting a a premiership contender to deliver a premiership.

After two successive finals campaigns, including a heart-stopping preliminary final against the eventual premiers Hawthorn last year, Port Adelaide are sitting at twelve o’clock on the infamous Mick Malthouse premiership clock.

But what does it take to win a premiership? There is no single ingredient. Recent history boasts teams of many different persuasions, whether it is the free flowing football of Geelong circa 2007-2011, the dogged defensive style of Sydney in 2004, or the meticulously drilled Hawthorn sides of 2013-2014.

Commentators, coaches and past players pinpoint a strong defensive structure as being vitally important in a club’s quest for the flag. Others say having finals experience is essential. Some street corner pundits are of the view that a team needs to be evenly spread across all areas of the field. And of course, above all else, there is self-belief, desire and luck which significantly impact a team’s prospect.

So what of Port Adelaide?

On an individual talent basis, Port Adelaide are unparalleled, particularly in the midfield and their rotating small forwards. Chad Wingard will be a bona fide star of the competition by season’s end, if he is not already. His partner in crime, Robbie Gray, has managed to overcome injuries which plagued him in previous years and he is finally delivering on his much lauded potential.

Hamish Harlett, under Hinkley’s tutelage, has blossomed into a powerful, prolific midfielder. It is staggering to think Ollie Wines is entering just his third season of AFL football, providing necessary grunt, poise and a ferocious appetite for the contest.

Their midfield not only has star quality, but it also has some of the hardest working on-ballers in the league who provide excellent on-field leadership – one need look no further than Brad Ebert.

In the modern game, run and rotation is extremely important. Port Adelaide have this in spades. Jared Polec, Matt White, Angus Monfries, Matthew Broadbent, Jarman Impey and little Jake Neade all provide run and carry across the backline, midfield and forward half of the ground. Port Adelaide’s movement of the ball was at times last year reminiscent of Mark Thompson’s Geelong in 2007, which is unsurprising given where Kenny learnt his craft.

From a spiritual perspective, Travis Boak’s rise from a talented, but inexperienced, midfielder to one of the best captains in the AFL has been as extraordinary as Port Adelaide’s climb up the ladder. When we approach the deep end of September, leadership and character are often what separates the premiers from the contenders.

And where Port Adelaide excel, particularly when compared to some of the other contending teams, is in their ruck division. Matthew Lobbe is perhaps the best young ruckman in the league. The recruitment of Paddy Ryder will alleviate Lobbe’s workload, and create the strongest three pronged attack in the league with Jay Schultz and Justin Westoff. John Butcher is a handy replacement should one of the three big men get injured.

The chink in their armour, if there is one, lies in their backline. In the modern game, it is not just the back six who defend. The entire team must defend. As a team, Port Adelaide do this well, restricting their opposition to a miserly 76.27 points a game last year.

However, should they come up against Buddy Franklin and Kurt Tippett, Jarryd Roughead and Jack Gunston, or Tom Hawkins and Mitch Clark, the pressure will be on Jack Hombsch, Jaspar Pittard and Tom Jonas to assist Alipate Carlile and Jackson Trengove.

That’s not a knock on Carlile or Trengove, both who enjoyed stellar seasons last year. But preliminary finals and grand finals are won by moments of individual brilliance and Port need to be conscious of curtailing the brilliance other top four teams have in their forward half of the ground.

With the advantage of playing half their games at Adelaide Oval, a top two finish beckons, and is probably essential for them to win the flag.

It certainly isn’t a false dawn. Port Adelaide have every right to be optimistic about 2015. They are my tip for the premiership.