Port Adelaide sent the AFL world into a frenzy 12 months ago went they pulled off one of the more interesting series of recruiting moves in the modern age.
Rebounding from a premature finals exit, the Power opted to introduce a raft of ready made but dejected footballers from other clubs – namely Jack Watts (Melbourne), Tom Rockliff (Brisbane), Steven Motlop (Geelong) and Lindsay Thomas (North Melbourne).
At the same time Aaron Young, Brendon Ah Chee, Jackson Trengove, Jarman Impey, Logan Austin and Matthew Lobbe all exited the building.
It was a big step up for the Power, who, the year before, failed to make a single deal. While the consensus on the strategy was mixed, the prevailing school of thought seemed to be that Port Adelaide had managed to completely reshape the mature portion of its list and if it worked – boy oh boy would it work.
But did it?
Port Adelaide finished the 2018 season in 10th spot, missing out on a place in the eight by a solitary win and a healthy slice of percentage. It was a disappointing result for the Power who the year before finished fifth with 14 wins.
It was a particularly dismaying result considering Port Adelaide appeared destined for a top four spot at the midway point of the season and sat inside the eight as far as round 20.
Travis Boak of the Power (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Steven Motlop was the most consistent selection from the group of recruits. Motlop played 21 games in 2018. He finished with an average of 17.6 disposals per game and operated at above 70 percent efficiency.
He racked up more than 330 metres gained on average. In the departments he was most required in however he was a let down – averaging a little over three tackles per game, under four inside 50s and kicking just 11 goals for the year.
One of the most heavily debated upon players in the competition, Jack Watts managed to play 19 games in his first season at Port Adelaide. Watts averaged 14 touches and was clean in execution – running at 80 percent accuracy. Watts managed to kick 18 goals and seems to have finally cemented his status as a role players once and for all.
Tom Rockliff was a similar story – far from a nightmare, but also failed to set the world on fire. Rockliff played 18 matches in his first season at Port Adelaide and averaged 20.6 touches, eight of them contested. Rockliff averaged four clearances a game and nearly five tackles, showing the occasional signs of his best form at Brisbane but not reaching those heights.
Port Adelaide Power’s Tom Rockliff in training (AAP Image/Ben Macmahon)
Lindsay Thomas is the final name on our list but really should be in a category of his own, given his age and the fact that he has now retired from the top level. At best, Thomas was going to battle out one last year and help add some polish to an already threatening team.
With Port Adelaide struggling to play cohesively at all for big patches of the season, Thomas played just seven matches – averaging 11 touches and four tackles and kicking four goals. Oh and he got suspended too.
With all this in mind, Port Adelaide’s blockbuster trade period must surely be judged as a failure.
While Scott Lycett has already joined the club from the premiership producing West Coast Eagles, the Power appear positioned to leak players a gain little in return – with Jared Polec and Jasper Pittard off to North Melbourne, Tom Jonas tempted by Sydney and Chad Wingard’s name being pushed on list managers in Victoria.
All this, and Port Adelaide has been linked to no big names beyond Greater Western Sydney’s Dylan Shiel – although Essendon is the clear favourite.
Port Adelaide’s best and fairest award was dominated by the tried and true names of the club. The 32-year-old Justin Westhoff won outright on 179 votes, leading Tom Jonas (162), Ollie Wines (162), Robbie Gray (152), Jared Polec (151) and Chad Wingard (143).
Chad Wingard of the Power (AAP Image/David Mariuz)
Port Adelaide finished in the bottom three for disposal efficiency this year and was perfectly middle of the road in just about every other important metric – total disposals (13th), contested possessions (10th), inside 50s (eighth), efficiency inside 50 (12th), goal assists (11th), total marks (13th), marks inside 50 (12th), interceptions (11th) and even hitouts (10th).
While Lycett and Ryder teaming up together may transform Port Adelaide into one of the more intimidating aerial sides apart from that it’s difficult to see where the improvement is going to come from for this club.
The action and excitement of Port Adelaide 2014 preliminary charge are slipping further and further away and the days when the Power were one kick away from a grand final having disappeared in the rear view mirror.
Pelican
Roar Rookie
Ken should have used Frampton as replacement earlier than he did.
Pelican
Roar Rookie
Rankine would do nicely.
Pelican
Roar Rookie
They don't have to get all of them.
Pelican
Roar Rookie
Hi Darrin Thanks for the extra info. Also what are NGA players and who are the father so players.
Adam
Guest
2015 not 2016 Ryder was out for the year.my bad
Adam
Guest
Port tried two rucks in 2016 ( Ryder and Lobbe ) it didn't work. Ryder works best as a solo ruck. Their recruiting for 2017 was a failure.
Fraser
Guest
Lycett is an expensive solution to its ruck dillema. Ryder is on his last legs, but is capable of a big year as a semi-permanent forward who only rucks centre bounces. Lycett should fill this role well - moving to full-forward following goals or having a rest. Port's half back stocks is actually very strong, with Dan Houston and Riley Bonner establishing themselves and taking Pittard's permanent sport. Personally I think the hype surrounding Wingard is massively overflated, and the Victorian media are obsessed with Victorian teams poaching interstate stars. If you listen closely to the interviews with both list managers for hawthorn and western bulldogs, they each admit that they haven't even spoken to Wingard or his management. Wingard has been well below his best, but is also learning a new role as an A mid in a similar mould to martin, fyfe, dangerfield etc. Would not surprise me if he massively increases his output next year, but still in Port colours. Rockliff and Motlop are quality players and will only be better for the run. The thing with Watts, is that Port only gave away Pick 33 to get him. He still gets talked about as a #1 draft pick, when in reality, he is no different in value to other second string tall forwards/utility. If Port gets 15 games a season from a pick 33 that they are paying 350k (with melbourne absorbing the rest of his old contract) then this is fine. With pick 6 secured, expect Port to draft Rankine as an elite half forward, together with a pick 10 outside run player.
Bearfly
Roar Rookie
Correct, Jonas has never asked for a trade despite the media beating up the Swans interest. In fact, having Pittard and Polec's salaries off the books, combined with the fact that Port have the 2nd best salary room in the league, Jonas and the club are already in discussions for a long term (and more lucrative) contract extension. In the most part, the improvement will come from the players you mentioned - but also the returns of Hartlett and Broadbent who were both sorely missed in 2018. Port are also looking to snare 2 NGA players late in the draft, Martin Frederick and Kai Pudney, who will both be looking to fill the roles vacated by Polec and Pittard (pretty much like for like players but with better disposal). Port are also preparing for FS selections from 2019 onwards with several "sons of guns" on the horizon. Definitely not as bleak as some like to make it out to be - and if the club can snare 1 or 2 of Lukosious/Rankine/Rozee, then there is definitely something for fans to look forward to.
Larry1950
Guest
How would Port be anywhere near in the running for those 3 draftees, they'd have to give up half a team of decent quality to get suitable picks & that's not on the horizon. As for 2018, I'd consider their season a flop with all the publicity for their trade ins.
Gyfox
Roar Rookie
The trading of Lobbe last year was bizzare. Not only was he a fan favourite - he was a key leader when the team was in the doldrums a few years ago. He also would have been handy when Ryder got injured.
Pelican
Roar Rookie
Tom Jonas and Chad Wingard haven't asked to be traded. Chad is testing the market and finding he is not as valuable as he thinks he is.
Pelican
Roar Rookie
Where will improvement come from? To begin with it is not unreasonable to expect improvement from the three recruits being more settled in their second year. Also Port have some very exciting young players about to get more game time, Atley, Bonner, Johnston, Marshall, Liernert, Houston, Snelling, Howard
Pelican
Roar Rookie
Port have not been linked to Dylan Shiel at any point. They are after Rankine Lukosious and Cozee. Lycett is also an important get.
Pelican
Roar Rookie
Port were fourth after round fifteen. Despite playing with Ryder out injured. When he came back he was compromised. Then Dixon broke his foot. Jonas was also an important out for a few weeks. Considering those out's I think tenth is not the disaster you are making it.
AD
Guest
Lycett is definitely what they need - Ryder is the lynchpin of that team, but age is rapidly catching up with him, so some support from Lycett may help them squeeze a little more out of the latter stages of Ryder's career. A bigger problem for them is the loss of Polec, Pittard and (probably) Wingard. Polec and Pittard provide more run for them than pretty much anybody else in the team. Pittard's ball use can be questionable, but Polec is generally OK in that department, and Wingard on song is probably second only to Robbie Gray in terms of what he can do with the ball in his hands. Losing these guys leaves a midfield full of guys who can win the ball (Wines, Powell Pepper, Rockliff, Ebert, etc), but very few who can actually carry it and/or kick it. Even if they can turn these guys into the draft pick necessary to snare one of the young SA guns in this year's draft, it seems like break-even at best when you consider what they're having to move out in order to get that early pick.