Port Adelaide’s win over West Coast on Friday night was a demonstration of everything that Port can be – one of those odd, intimidating evenings where everything goes right for one team.
The game was a series of big-bodied contests in which Port invariably had the bigger bodies.
Travis Boak, Sam Powell-Pepper, Ollie Wines, Tom Rockliff, Brad Ebert – these are giant, rampaging humans who are mean, crushing masses on the field. They were relentless in Perth, punishing a team that hadn’t come to play.
Port’s physicality and ability in the contest have always been there.
A plan to maximise it, and a requisite non-Robbie Gray spark to ignite them, has not.
This year feels different.
They have a plan, which is to take the game on at all costs.
They can’t really kick, so now they just handball instead. They run and carry through the middle of the ground, and if a handball misses the target, they converge on the opposition with sufficient mania to force a stoppage and limit the damage.
They are playing magnetic defensive football, with crunching tackles and a vicious work rate. They are closing space and making the opposition timid. The Eagles were overwhelmed in the first five minutes against Port and then decided it was all going to be too much for the rest of the night.
The offensive spark has come through youth.
Three rookies contributing in significant ways for a finals contender is almost unheard of, but in Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma, that’s what the Power have got. Rozee is the headliner but Butters is every bit as absurd, with skills, vision and creativity beyond his years.
(Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
The defence – perennially uninspiring on paper – is looking unusually stout, competing in the contest and helped by the pressure up the ground.
Scott Lycett has been significant – much more significant than one would figure him to be. The ripple effect of his arrival has pushed other pieces into snugger fits, with Paddy Ryder in his ideal role of forward/ruck.
The team is quick with ball in hand, ferocious without it and has enough strength and height to physically compete with anyone. When the game is played at breakneck speed, their pace, physicality and endurance will win out.
The questions will come when the game slows down. Are the Power just a headless chicken with a gritty purpose, or can they develop a second speed?
Can they when necessary chip the ball around and find the narrowest of gaps in a determined, structured defence?
Perhaps not, which is bad for them but great for the viewer.
But if Port do develop that patient complement to their wonderful mania of bruising collisions and territory domination, they can go as far as anyone.
They’ve already chalked up the best performance this year of any team to date.
Most importantly, it did not feel like the performance of a contented team – it felt like the start of something.
Tim O'Hare
Roar Rookie
Tom Rockliff is 82kg and 183cm. He is hardly a giant rampaging human.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
They were exactly the same last year. Looked top four and then what dropped most of their last 6-8 games?
Samuel Cox
Roar Pro
They jumped them in the first quarter without rain and to be honest only the second quarter was seriously wet so I think to hinge the whole result on it is overdoing it. Nonetheless, I agree the jury is out, they look like they could just as likely make the top four as miss the eight, which is utterly ridiculous.
TomC
Roar Guru
They probably should've beaten Brisbane. Maybe if Wines had been fitter they would have done. That would have made them 4-1. Weirdly, they've been much less impressive at home than away. You'd expect that to even out over the season, but I suspect they'll continue to be inconsistent.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
That's a very well informed guess, O Hairy One. Now is the time to get the money on. Blakely, Hill, Sandi, Ballas, Logue...AND BENNELL...to return. Time to celebrate.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Whereas we are just prone to Pyken it.
sammy
Guest
As a crows fan I have no love for port but the kids they drafted last year are super and will have a big say in how well they go this year. If they tire, then they might fall short of finals as these kids have given them a real energy. If the kids can keep going then finals are on the cards. They are a club prone to inconsistency over the last few seasons and that will define them this year
Raimond
Roar Guru
I guess Fremantle are a contender, too.
Pelican
Roar Rookie
Nearly every team appears to be contenders. There are not many teams who haven't looked improved this year except the Roos. Who ever wins it this year will deserve the chocolates.
Peter Warrington
Guest
It was Powell pepper who set it up. His first 40 mins was incredible. 3 votes for mine. The others followed as he tired. It was Max Rooke level impact
Slick
Roar Rookie
Port Adelaide lost two games this season they should have won. That just goes to show how 'capable' they are when they could very well have been 5-0. Unfortunately, as everyone enjoys to point out, they're incredibly inconsistent. It will be their downfall this season. How many teams do you think have the ability to beat the reigning premiers at their home ground by 40+ points and have people worry they're going to lose at home to North Melbourne in their current state?
User
Roar Rookie
Was a good win but as said above wce aren't a good wet weather team and the old saying tip the underdog in the wet is still true. But yes port look alot more threatening than recent seasons.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
I'm not sure about a contender but they're certainly a side to worry about.
JW
Guest
The switching of roles for Boak and Ebert has also been significant to their improvement, as has the return to form of Tom Rockliff. Ebert looks a better forward than Boak, and having both Boak and Rockliff in form in the midfield has given them an unexpected (from an outsider's perspective) boost from 2018.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Port are still the enigma side for me. Jekyll and Hyde side. They belted the Eagles in atrocious conditions. The Eagles don't like the wet. Jury is still out for me on Port. They do look better than last year, but a contender?