Port Adelaide’s exponential improvement continued in 2014, with the club coming agonisingly close to a spot in the grand final.
If hype was money, then the Power could erase world debt – but will the anticipation prove just in 2015? Or is Port set to plateau?
Let’s have a look at the list changes.
Additions
Paddy Ryder (Essendon), Dougal Howard, Logan Austin, Jesse Palmer, Billy Frampton, Nathan Krakouer, Johann Wagner (draft).
Losses
Dom Cassisi (retired), Brent Renouf, Cameron Hitchcock, Campbell Heath, Ben Newton, Lewis Stevenson (delisted).
What happened last year?
It’s hard to believe that just over two years ago, Port were coming off one of the worst seasons any club had endured in the modern era, mired in financial ruin and having seemingly begged and pleaded Ken Hinkley to coach the club because nobody was interested.
In 2014, with largely the same list, Port Adelaide were in first place for eight weeks after winning 11 of their first 13 matches. Injuries hit the club hard in the second half the year, with three wins over the final nine matches relegating them to fifth. But any doubts that they were a top team were brushed by a superb, yet ultimately heartbreaking, finals campaign.
After rising from 14th to fifth and then third (after finals) over the last three years, it’s no surprise that Power fans have optimism in spades.
What’s changed?
The Power kept their list virtually intact last off-season, with the only notable loss being the mid-season retirement of former skipper Dom Cassisi. Only one player on Port’s list is 30 years of age or older, and so recognising that their list was on its way to premiership potential, the Power wisely avoided making many moves in the off-season.
Something that did emerge over the course of Port’s season was a need to find a suitable back-up ruckman for Matthew Lobbe and some support up front for Jay Schulz. The Power could not have possibly found themselves someone better suited for both of those roles than Paddy Ryder.
Any potential ASADA rulings could prove to be a spanner in the works, but assuming Ryder’s season isn’t completely derailed, he will make Port Adelaide an elite side in just about every area of the ground.
With no glaring weaknesses, especially thanks to Ryder, Port could be well on their way to ultimate glory.
What needs to happen in 2015?
Port Adelaide only need to make minor adjustments if they’re to retain their spot among the competition’s best in 2015.
Goalkicking was something that proved costly for the Power last season. Had they taken full advantage of their dominant first quarter against Hawthorn in the preliminary final, they’d have easily won. The Power tallied 11 games where their behind total was even or higher than their goal total, with nine such occasions occurring after Round 14. Successfully converting dominant play on the scoreboard is a must.
While Port Adelaide’s high-energy style of play makes them a tough team to score against, they’re a little weak at the key defensive position. Lance Franklin, Jack Riewoldt, Travis Cloke, Hayden Ballantyne and Eddie Betts all enjoyed days out against the Power in victories for their respective sides. Port must ensure the defensive play of their midfield and medium-sized defenders continues to improve, so the key defenders get the support they clearly need.
Additionally, Port Adelaide would ideally like to register a win over Sydney at some point in the season, as they’ve tasted success against the Swans just once since 2006. Finals are a good a place as any to crack a hoodoo, but if any team ever looked a cut above Port in 2014 it was the Swans.
The verdict
Last season was all about proving 2013 was no fluke, and Port proved as such so successfully that they’ll now have to prove 2014 was no fluke in 2015. In their encounters with top sides all across last season, they proved they were at that level, and instead of shrinking in the finals like most up-and-coming sides, they got even better.
Depth is still a minor issue for Port, and their premiership window is only opening, but there’s no reason why they can’t take it all this season.
Prediction: second.
Aransan
Guest
Rad, Ryder was excellent in the latter part of the 2014 season for Essendon and he won't need to improve on that form to be a valuable addition for Port. Apart from the ruck and forward line many forget that he played a lot on the back line earlier in his career and has done some pinch hitting there in recent years. I am sad to see him leave Essendon but wish him and his family all the best in Adelaide.
Radelaide
Guest
I agree with you Tom that I think Ryder will be a much better player at Port.
Gecko
Guest
Stirling you mentioned the weakness re tall defenders. Actually it's the whole defence. Their defence lacks a bit of rebounding polish. Hinkley has made up for this by getting wings and midfielders to push back hard into defence so they are the main cog in the rebounding. Port could have taken a bit of pressure off their midfielders by recruiting a Malceski type over the off-season. To patch up their weakness re key defender, it might be worth trying dropping their CHF Westhoff in defense and requiring him to sprint forward to help rebounding (he often does this anyway but against Swans etc he should perhaps do it more often). In summary, against the better teams, Port's entire backline is suspect and needs lots of support.
Don Freo
Guest
Ryder could be a great disappointment. I don't get the hype. He is very inconsistent, not just week by week but minute by minute. He goes missing a heck of a lot.
TomC
Roar Guru
I think there's a bit of a misconception about Ryder as a forward. He doesn't really get a lot of goals for someone who's spent a significant amount of time in the forwardline. That said, I reckon with his agility and hard running around half forward he can be more effective at the Power than he was at Essendon. The Power have some excellent users of the ball in the forward half. Ryder will only need to get a little space.
Stirling Coates
Editor
Hey Jake, roar rookies have no control over what photos or videos are attached to their article.
Aransan
Guest
It will be interesting to see how Paddy Ryder goes at Port Adelaide, he played his best football at Essendon as the number 1 ruckman. He is good for a couple of goals on the forward line and he can play very well at centre half back. When rucking in the centre he becomes an additional midfielder at ground level shortly after the bounce.
Jake
Guest
OK so it's a preview of Port. So why have you got a photo of Phil Walsh on there. He has defected to that poor excuse for a football club called the Crows. Apart from that glaring error from your editing department perhaps, the actual review is a good one.