CAS bans could aid Port Adelaide's resurgence

For all the talk and conjecture about the Court of Arbitration in Sport’s final verdict to ban 34 current and former Essendon players, Port Adelaide has felt the greatest impact outside of the beleaguered club.

After Port Adelaide’s ultimately disappointing 2015 campaign, and the loss of form to sole ruckman Matthew Lobbe, Port Adelaide were heavily engaged and committed to recruiting Essendon ruckman Patrick Ryder concluding his well-publicised departure from the tainted club.

They knew the potential consequences and did so for better or for worse.

With Ryder’s 12-month suspension now enforced and a lengthy stint on the sidelines to completely rule out his 2016 season, Port could yet benefit from his absence. Though he had a rather disappointing 2015 season by his lofty standards, Matthew Lobbe was instrumental in Port Adelaide’s rise to the upper echelon of the competition.

With his immaculate ruck work, marking prowess and contributions in front of goal, Lobbe was a valuable asset to Port Adelaide in their rise to a near miss at premiership glory.

With the inclusion of Ryder for the 2015 season, Lobbe’s influence and confidence seemed strained and he lacked penetration. Matthew Lobbe, and his coach, seemed at odds with his role within the side.

Ryder’s ruckwork has always been noteworthy, but as a late inclusion to a team used to its winning ways, structures and past success, Port Adelaide’s midfielders having to gel with a new ruckman throughout the duration of the season was hardly ideal and did not produce the desired outcome.

Ryder’s evolution from a roaming utility to a ruckman of merit has been promising and provided Essendon with a player capable of contributing both forward and in the middle, a skill set Port Adelaide was hoping to benefit from with his immediate inclusion into the team.

The impact from both Lobbe and Ryder playing dual roles within Port Adelaide’s first choice team showed teething problems from an early stage, with Ryder shouldering a majority of the ruck duties. With Lobbe resting up forward, Port Adelaide lacked the specialist tap ruck work they had grown accustomed to in previous campaigns.

Seemingly impacting on their contested possessions, clearances and midfield domination they had grown accustomed to with Lobbe at the helm.

As the season progressed and with Ryder benefiting from a larger role within the side, Lobbe seemingly lost confidence in his own game, ability and started to un-characteristically drop marks and find himself lost in the run of play. This ultimately led to him being omitted from the side and his future prospects at Port Adelaide in murky waters.

With Ryder’s enforced absence and with Matthew Lobbe to be gifted another chance at being the sole ruckman in a team of solid, young and talented clearance players such as Ollie Wines, Travis Boak and the enigmatic Robbie Gray, one would hope he could yet benefit from another extended opportunity and stamp his authority as a ruckman of growing stature.

Ryder’s suspension could yet prove to be a blessing in disguise for both Port Adelaide and Matthew Lobbe alike. It could seemingly provide Port Adelaide with a ruckman confident in his own ability, role within the side and with the skill set to propel Port Adelaide back up the table.