Port Adelaide player of the week: Tom Jonas

If you ever want to know what a ‘Captain’s Game’ looks like, then do yourself a favour and watch the performance of Power skipper Tom Jonas on Sunday against Carlton.

While not flashy or headline grabbing, it was a performance of determination, grit and the desire to never give up as Jonas had one of his best games for the year in Port Adelaide’s nail-biting win over Carlton with Robbie Gray converting after the siren to live out every player’s dream to see Port home by three.

In truth there could have been several choices for Player of The Week, but I am going with Jonas. The Power defender had a day out for his side as he was a constant rock across the backline.

He amassed 20 disposals, ten of which were contested for the day, took nine marks which tied for most on the ground with other power defender Ryan Burton. Jonas also had 213 metres gained, had five score involvements, went at 75 per cent efficiency by foot and had a game high 11 intercept possessions to further illustrate his ability to cut off countless forays forward by the Blues as Port looked to pull ahead in the contest late in the last term.

Jonas was everything you would want in a captain on Sunday. Fearless, strong at the ball, was composed under pressure in the final term and lead his side by example to further put an exclamation point on as to why he was chosen over Ollie Wines as the Power’s sole captain this year.

A superb game from the Power skipper that now sees his side a game and percentage atop the AFL ladder. It was great to see the Port Adelaide number one out on the field being the defensive general once again.

Honourable mention: Charlie Dixon
Boy oh boy what a game from big Charlie. As I said in my preview for this game, it was a great opportunity for Dixon to get the better of Liam Jones and he did not just do that, he absolutely monstered the Carlton defender who simply had no answer to the Power forward.

Although it was the best and worst at some stages of Charlie with his goalkicking. Had he kicked straight Port probably would have been out of sight earlier in the game.

Dixon finished with 3.4 from his 15 possessions, nine of which were contested. He took seven marks, six of those were contested and had a huge ten score involvements as the Carlton defence could not live with him. After having a tough couple of weeks in the lead up with Harris Andrews and Phil Davis his opponents, Charlie relished the chance to get some one on one contests and he got that.

He is a brute of a man and to quote the fox commentators on Sunday “Charlie is the scariest player in the competition” and it is hard to argue the point. Dixon was back to his best Sunday as the most dominant forward on the ground and if he can continue that form, Port will go along way to them perhaps fighting for a chance at the premiership.