An alarming Port Adelaide statistic has been flying around this week. Since Round 14, 2014 they have a win-loss record of 19-19
It’s close to two years on from their incredible start to that season in which they went 11-2 across the first 14 rounds, but it might be time to start admitting that this patch was somewhat of an anomaly.
Of the 12 games they played in 2014 after this fantastic start they only won five.
Two of those wins came against Melbourne and Gold Coast, which they only won by three and nine points respectively, while another win came against Carlton.
These are not the kind of statistics you generally associate with a team finishing their season a kick away from making a grand final.
2015 was a disaster for the Power who entered the halfway point of the season with a 5-7 record and despite a 7-3 finish to the season they missed out on finals for the first time under Ken Hinkley.
However, of these seven wins to end the season only two of them came against teams that made the finals, Hawthorn, who they have the wood on and Fremantle, who were decimated by injury come the last round of the season.
Port Adelaide’s incredible preliminary final performance in 2014 and convenient string of bottom eight opponents towards the tail end of 2015 fooled everyone into thinking this team was a lock to make finals.
Their start to this year optimises Port Adelaide’s run over the past two years.
They’ve defeated teams expected to finish low (St Kilda and Essendon), but when coming up against teams expected to be pushing for finals (Adelaide and Greater Western Sydney), they haven’t fired a shot.
It’s a far cry from early 2014 where Port Adelaide looked to be the fittest and most skilful side in the competition.
Robbie Gray, Hamish Hartlett, Travis Boak, Brad Ebert, Ollie Wines and Chad Wingard seemed like the perfect midfield core to build around and on paper these names are still incredibly daunting to match-up against.
Their backs and forwards are equally impressive on paper.
Football matches are unfortunately not played on paper and it seems out on the field the Power have lost their biggest advantage; the ability to outwork their opponents no matter who they’re put up against.
After four games they find themselves ranked 17th in marks per game and are ranked 15th in disposals per game differential, only ahead of Brisbane, Fremantle and Collingwood.
Opposition teams are also taking 20 more marks per game than them.
These stats are telltale signs that either a team’s workrate isn’t high enough, or they aren’t fit enough.
Considering Darren Burgess, the most respected high performance coach in the league is running things it leads me to believe that it is a work rate issue.
Port Adelaide have assembled one of the best looking team lists in the league and Ken Hinkley has proven himself to be a very competent coach, so the problem has to lay with the on-field mentality.
There is no reason why such a talented team should be rolling over when coming up against teams like Greater Western Sydney and Adelaide.
Fortunately, they have the power to send their season in the right direction this week as they face Geelong on Saturday night.
Playing at home in a primetime slot against a side that has proved they’re tough to beat when their up and going provides an opportunity to show they can fire a shot against the good teams.
If they lie down and take another beating this week however, they run the risk of becoming branded the AFL’s flat track bully.
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