How did Port Adelaide lose its soul?

[Waspy79]

I agree that the system of drafts is reasonably contrived. You play **** for a few years, get priority picks and a bunch of first rounders, then have the natural talent to be good and beat the teams that have now aged and need to start again.

But that's not the only way to look at it. Currently Port have 12 (? - not sure exact but know its a fair few) first rounders playing, our 'reward' for being **** the last few years, however we are still not winning. Look at Richmond. They've been arguably one of the worst performing teams for 20 years. They, until the last 18 months, were constantly in the bottom 8, getting high and priority draft picks, but didn't have the right inredients (culture, training, coaches etc.) to develop to a premiership team. Now look at the Eagles, they were spooners last year, but their massive success this year has almost nothing to do with their 'reward' picks in the last draft (arguably Darling has helped).

Then look at Sydney, who have never looked like 'bottoming out' in the last 20 years, but have maintained this show of strength the whole time, with teams genuinely looking at playing the swans at home a real challenge. Top that with a flag in the last half decade.

We need to re-capture that soul of Port Adelaide, re-develop the fighting spirit that Tribey mentioned, that will have our current players constantly fighting on field, while the younger guys are doing everything they can to earn a spot in the greatest team in the comp.

If you take the name in context, most are either first or second year players (Pittard, Butcher, Moore, Jacobs, Lobbe), or were picked up in the trade on the cheap (Schulz, Meyer).

Hartlett and Boak will become top shelf footballers - I am certain about that.

It's the likes of Salopek and Chaplin that let us down, but not all first rounders make it as footballers, whereas these two have at least forged out a semi-respectable career so far.

 

[Forzaport]

A couple of articles have come up today which discuss some of the issues brought up in this thread.

Link

Footy fans are feeling 'alienated' by the AFL and will turn their backs on the game, critics warn

Victoria University football studies expert Dr Matthew Klugman said the AFL should tread carefully or risk sparking an exodus.

"We are seeing a fairly strong shift and it places the AFL in a vulnerable position," Dr Klugman said.

"All we need is another one or two more things before we see a shearing-off of supporters."

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Poor behaviour of players, questions over player loyalty and ongoing rule changes were contributing to the hostility, Dr Klugman said.

...

AFL Fans' Association spokesman Brian Clarke said fans felt shut out.

"They pay their membership and as football taxpayers should be able to have their say.

"But they are losing their voice, they feel alienated."

Link

Whilst this article discusses a potential exodus in Victoria, I believe we're already seeing this here in South Australia. Members are feeling increasingly alienated here particularly when the future of football in this state is discussed without any input from the SA AFL clubs. There's also the issue of the SANFL appointing and forcing club executives out as we've seen with Haysman.

Link

Academy Reward: Magpies Home-Grown Talent Boom

PORT Adelaide has soared to the top of the SANFL in the use of home-grown talent, rewarding the Club’s investment in its local zones and proving it is a pathway to top level football.

...

Coach Tony Bamford says it’s a dividend of the clubs decision to introduce Football Academies in its Metro and Country zones back in 2005. The program targets junior district league footballers aged between 15 and 16 in the city and up to 18 in the rural zone, providing them with specialist training, development and education.

“We decided that we needed to reinvest into our own zones and spend more time identifying potential league footballers and then putting some work into them,” Bamford said.

“That way, we didn’t have to rely on interstate recruits to win us games of football and we could just top up with those guys as we needed them, which is what our club used to do when we were winning Premierships consistently. It was homegrown talent that came through our junior programs and play underage football for us complimented by a handful of interstate recruits who took the team onto Premiership success, and that’s what we want to get back to.”

Link

At least at SANFL level the club is now leading the way with using the zones and actually producing AFL footballers, not just recycling AFL rejects. It's a great result for the club and one hopes this process will unearth a couple of gems that can stay hidden and filter through to the AFL PAFC list. Maybe one day this will lead to us having more home grown talent on our AFL list.

 

[morell]

Good article Forza, I guess I am not alone after all...

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl.../story-e6frf33l-1226101796858?from=public_rss

Poor behaviour of players, questions over player loyalty and ongoing rule changes were contributing to the hostility, Dr Klugman said.

The corporatisation of the game was also a big factor, he said.

"This is also the first time a season has been dominated by stories about players who might shift clubs for more money," he said.

"Fans are tied to footy primarily because they love their club, but their relationship with the AFL as a whole is very hostile."

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl.../story-e6frf33l-1226101796858?from=public_rss

 

[FishingRick04]

Our constitution?

Did anyone hear Rucci on as yesterday have a go at us for allowing the club to change?

Supposedly in an 08 board meeting the consistution was changed stopping us electing members or something?

My reception was crap so could just hear!

 

[Macca19]

Re: Our constitution?

Hes been going on about this for a month or so now without actually stating what was changed.

 

[Forzaport]

Re: Our constitution?

We certainly didn't vote on any change. I really don't see the point of blaming the members 3 years later. If it was that important, why didn't he make noise about it back then?

 

[bomberclifford]

Re: Our constitution?

Hes been going on about this for a month or so now without actually stating what was changed.

He mentioned that he posted the paragraphs that had changed on Adelaide Now. I'll see if I can find it.

He also mentioned that he was overseas at the time and had arranged for a proxy to attend on his behalf. Apparently the proxy didn't turn up.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

He was on his annual Tuscany pilgrimage and the Woody High mates he left questions with to ask let him down. So excuses work for someone at least.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Re: Our constitution?

He mentioned that he posted the paragraphs that had changed on Adelaide Now. I'll see if I can find it.

He also mentioned that he was overseas at the time and had arranged for a proxy to attend on his behalf. Apparently the proxy didn't turn up.

You don't need to - nivek48 posted them on page 6 of this thread.

 

[FishingRick04]

Re: Our constitution?

I don't get why he is laying
The
Boot into us
ContinuLly now, how is that going to bring us back?

 

[Milde29]

AFL and SANFL have sucked the soul from the club

4 million license fee (GWS and Suns $0)
No father sons possible for non Melb clubs
Change in priority pick to end of first round now we are bottom
Shit stadium
Shit stadium deal
No draft concessions
SANFL no support of bastard child, the child they never wanted

They have destroyed us

 

[Ebert80]

Gosh, now we have Fitzroy supporters trolling us. Yes we've been crap since 2007 but now apparently I learn that the following summarises our time in the AFL "yet all for a brief period around 2004 has continually struggled".

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?p=21884914#post21884914

I guess its pretty easy to overlook 2 grand finals in 8 years when we compare our record to Fitzroy's

 

[Ford Fairlane]

And we have been over this topic to show Port's entry into the AFL did not cause Fitzroy's demise. Still this myth will not die. Like smallpox.

I've posted in that thread to bring this to their attention. It will probably get me some robust responses.

 

[PortBrillance]

**** off fitzroy. i'm sick of them saying we killed their club.

give me a break

 

[Zakk Wylde]

Some classic responses from some on that board. 2004 still stinging them ? Note to Brisbane....you've won 2 more games than we have thus far this season.

 

[Waspy79]

AFL and SANFL have sucked the soul from the club

4 million license fee (GWS and Suns $0)
No father sons possible for non Melb clubs
Change in priority pick to end of first round now we are bottom
Shit stadium
Shit stadium deal
No draft concessions
SANFL no support of bastard child, the child they never wanted

They have destroyed us

I think the general lack of respect and understanding shown to the club (both SA clubs) by these two leagues (not so much SANFL for Crows) has led to resentment from the fans and this has worn away at them to the point of turning many, several, away.

Do not absolve the club from some responsibility though, the choking, the reappointment of Choco and recent poor recruiting is also to blame.

The soul is there, the worry is will it return, given a chance? Will Adelaide Oval really generate renewed interest in a club that has its origins just a few kilometres from West Lakes? Im not convinced unfortunately.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

The message is sinking in ...

link

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"WE'VE spent $5 million taking advice from people outside the football club telling us who we are when we should have known we are PORT ADELAIDE and spent that money on our football team."

- Power official at AAMI Stadium on Sunday.

link

As The Boss sings - "it's a sad man my friend who's living in his own skin and can't stand the company"

Here's to Better Days.

 

[tribey]

^The absolute irony is we've picked up guys like TSW, Christoh and Jumbo precisely because we're Port Adelaide, not because "o hai guise I like bran noo teams, teal is so kewl and Bob Quinn yuk! <3" and on the flipside we've lost some Port people because we weren't Port enough.

A massive thankyou to the marketing genuises who are counting our money.

 

[Forzaport]

Money well spent I say. Ironic, but at least there's some marketing data concluding that Port Adelaide should be Port Adelaide!

 

[PowerKat]

I told them for free

 

[El_Scorcho]

You guys are forgetting about the 50,000 neutral supporters who would just love to come to the footy and pump mega dollars into a football club but haven't jumped on the Crows and are just itching to follow the black white and teal side provided it isn't named Port.