Review The Moderate (Apologist’s) Review of 2023

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Duckimus Prime said:
We gave up 12 in 2017 to get 19 in 2016. Which we then traded for 17 in 2017... which became 19 after bids.

We got extremely lucky there because we gave up 9 to drop back 14 and advance 49 to 31 (for Drew).

The luck being that the Adelaide Crows took Jordan Galluci with what started as 13.

You know what else we also have problems with? Rucks. in 2016 Tim English went the next pick after SPP. Sean Darcy went with pick 38. We had 30 and 31 going into the draft, the first being spent on Atley.
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Yeah but
 
To me it seems it's a more a problem of talent identification and development of tall defenders rather than actually drafting enough talls. We have drafted enough talls but all of them end up being spuds or being traded.

Frampton looked good at the start, and to be honest is ok now for Collingwood as a defender, and we traded him out.
Austin looked like a 200 gamer and then all of a sudden fell off a cliff.
Howard the same.
Pasini the same.
Riley Grundy was a spud that we drafted for some reason.
Sam Skinner was a spud.

Of those players you would think just by chance at least one or two should have been long termers for us and all of them are gone now.
 

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JakeNeadeFan said:
To me it seems it's a more a problem of talent identification and development of tall defenders rather than actually drafting enough talls. We have drafted enough talls but all of them end up being spuds or being traded.

Frampton looked good at the start, and to be honest is ok now for Collingwood as a defender, and we traded him out.
Austin looked like a 200 gamer and then all of a sudden fell off a cliff.
Howard the same.
Pasini the same.
Riley Grundy was a spud that we drafted for some reason.
Sam Skinner was a spud.

Of those players you would think just by chance at least one or two should have been long termers for us and all of them are gone now.
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It’s probably a mixture of both.

Howard was perfectly fine — he was even made captain for a day — until the club decided he wasn’t.

Remember, it was Hinkley’s decision to chop and change him forward and backwards, until he found himself in the reserves with Scott Lycett the night Ben Brown and Todd Goldstein went thermonuclear to cost us a finals berth in 2019.

And as I pointed out in response to Janus’ “who could we have drafted with the picks we had” question, at the absolute barest minimum we could’ve easily had Zerk-Thatcher (instead of one of Barry, Garner and Patmore) from the start.
 
tribey said:
It’s probably a mixture of both.

Howard was perfectly fine — he was even made captain for a day — until the club decided he wasn’t.

Remember, it was Hinkley’s decision to chop and change him forward and backwards, until he found himself in the reserves with Scott Lycett the night Ben Brown and Todd Goldstein went thermonuclear to cost us a finals berth in 2019.

And as I pointed out in response to Janus’ “who could we have drafted with the picks we had” question, at the absolute barest minimum we could’ve easily had Zerk-Thatcher (instead of one of Barry, Garner and Patmore) from the start.
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Why are you even entering into this ridiculous debate about the list? You're falling into their trap.

They themselves have described this list as the best in Hinkley's 11 year tenure and have boasted about winning the second most games of any team across the last 4 seasons.

But the list isn't good enough, apparently. But we have holes in our list in the backline and ruck, apparently. But every other team that does better than us has no holes or weaknesses whatsoever, apparently.

Don't even enter into the discussion. It's all just excuses and buying themselves more time in their highly paid jobs.
 
TeeKray said:
Why are you even entering into this ridiculous debate about the list? You're falling into their trap.

They themselves have described this list as the best in Hinkley's 11 year tenure and have boasted about winning the second most games of any team across the last 4 seasons.

But the list isn't good enough, apparently. But we have holes in our list in the backline and ruck, apparently. But every other team that does better than us has no holes or weaknesses whatsoever, apparently.

Don't even enter into the discussion. It's all just excuses and buying themselves more time in their highly paid jobs.
Click to expand...
There's a little bit of a difference between having the best list in 11 years and that list having the experience necessary to step up to the plate in finals.

If we had our full list to choose from - and I'm talking about everyone fit and firing as we did in 2014, 2017 and 2020, then there would be absolutely no excuses, because regardless of how poor our defensive stocks are compared to other teams, Aliir, McKenzie and Jonas would have been decent enough - in 2021 they conceded 1492 points which was the third best in the competition. 1884 points for.

2021 - 1884 points for (81.9 points per game), 1492 points against (64.9 points per game). Aliir - 3.6 intercept marks, McKenzie 2.0, Jonas 1.9

2022 - 1806 points for (78.5 points per game), 1638 points against (74.5 points per game). Aliir - 2.5 intercept marks, McKenzie 1.7, Jonas 1.7

2023 - 2149 points for (89.5 points per game), 1906 points against (79.4 points per game). Aliir - 3.1 interceptmarks, McKenzie 1.8, Jonas 1.2 (replaced with Bergman 1.8)

So while we were 7.6 points better off in attack from 2021, we were a full 14.5 points worse off defensively from 2021. But our defence didn't even have to be that good - even it went at the strike rate of 2022 (74.5 points per game) we would have conceded 1788 points and had a percentage of 120.2% with our 2023 attack.

1 more intercept mark per game = 1 less shot at goal per game = 6 less points per game.

That's why Ratugolea and Zerk-Thatcher don't have to be world beaters - they just need to be good enough to allow Aliir to go back to doing what he was doing in 2021, and allow Bergman, Burton, Houston and Williams to do what they do.
 
You have to remove coaching from the equation if you want a moderate review of 2023.

I think most of us thought we were going to finish in the bottom 8. I certainly did. I didn't see how we would be able to make a good run at being good but we were.

I am going to give a bit of credit to the coaching because they did try and few things. Byrne-Jones to the forward line. Williams to the backline. Bergman to the backline. After that, no so much.

MIDFIELD

The midfield was the big surprise with Butters becoming one of the most damaging midfielders in the game to complement the already AA friend in Rozee with us having two elite midfielders. With the arrival of Horne-Francis who is one in a generational talent and has showed tantalising skill, talent and powers, as soon as next year we may have 4 elite midfielders. Drew played well as the run with players and seemed to expand his game and kicked well into the F50.

Wines had a very distant year form-wise from his Brownlow medal year.
Boak also seemed out of sorts throughout the year and never really settled whether it was injuries, old age or a new role.

We get a massive, massive tick with the midfield. The majority of the improve was based on just overall talent coming to the fore rather than actual coaching. They won us a lot of games this year and unfortunately, Hinkley a new contract.

RUCKS

Rucks were a melodramatic debacle all year so a new and up and coming ruck would help out a lot. Lycett was old and out of form. Teakle brought his WAFL form over for 4 games. Visentini started slowly but looked likely. The black sheep Hayes was probably the best performed and should have played finals.

Finlayson got found out as 2nd ruck and Dixon who generally plays well in 2nd ruck was good there I thought but obviously injured a bit too much.

Rucks were a dog's breakfast. Considering our talent midfield, the rucks were really hard to watch. Hopefully Sweet turns out well. Even if he is average, he will be better than all of this year. Add a couple more rucks and hope that Visentini has a big preseason.

WINGS

I thought our wings were not the best this year. We started with Bergman and Duursma on the wings but this was not the best mix.

Duursma was injured and out of form for most of the year.
Bergman had to slide down back and played on Jeremy Cameron for one game and was excellent.
Boak and Wines looking for time on the ground went to wing with average results.

We seemed to be beaten on the wings most of the time. Not very good and I had real expectations that it was going to be a strength this year.

DEFENCE

The worst part of the ground where we concede goals a bit too easy. We have a dual mix or old codgers and new, young players in there. We definitely tried a few things down back and they seem to work well enough. Defensively not the best, offensively very good.

Houston improved to AA and became the quarterback general of the team. Aliir continued his good form but not to an AA level but very good. Williams was a new addition and generally looked good down back with both stellar kicking and one on one marking and contesting. Lachie Jones settled down back and while still learning, just needs more games and confidence to play down there. Farrell played some good games down back as well as fantastic kicking. Burton was a bit down in form and was dropped a couple of times. McKenzie was good one on one but was exploited by faster and athletic forwards. Jonas did his best and retired.

Our defence needs some work. With Ratugolea and Zerk-Thatcher, we will get some structure with a couple of big key position defenders to add to the list and with a good age profile. Next year, the medium defenders will really be fighting for spots. Williams seems more on the outer but if you look at form, Burton was a bit of an issue. Hopefully they tend towards youth and guys who at least try to defend.

FORWARDS

People were upset with Marshall but I thought he had a good year, not amazing but good. Hopefully, he stays out of concussions. Finlayson played well for a long stretch but couldn't maintain that form towards the end of the year with his kicking for goal going down then up then down. Dixon played old and injured, was not bad but it was apparent that we don't need him to win games. Ollie Lord played well in his limited time and gave a different look. Sam Powell-Pepper relaxed into his role of high forwards and was impressive for the most part. Byrne-Jones was moved from defence and played OK. McEntee played poorly for most of the year. Rioli got better as the season rolled on and was great in finals. Evans seemed to kick goals and give it his all when he played. Mitch got injured but his form wasn't the best but he never played when we went on our run.

They were average to pretty good all year. Some of them have sublime skills and real creative powers like Marshall, Finlayson and Rioli. The tall forwards look pretty good but they are a bit banged up. We could do with two small to medium forwards who like to kick a goal. One of our major issues was kicking for goal so an hour after practice wouldn't go astray.

PERIPHERAL AND YOUNG PLAYERS

Riley Bonner played softly on the wing and was delisted.
Quinton Narkle came in and looked good and seemed to be able to play midfield, wing or forward, even back but the coaching staff put him on the outer and I don't really know why.
I think the coaching staff needs to take a real long look at Jed McEntee and his poor form.
Jase Burgoyne didn't keep up his form from last year but has the skills and hopefully has a big preseason and pushes for the wing.

DIDN'T PLAY MUCH

Clurey seems to be on the move.
Dumont is delisted.
Fantasia played a couple of games early and never got back into the team. Might be traded or delisted.
Pasini didn't play seniors all year.
Sinn played a couple of games and didn't do much. Hopefully has a big preseason and pushes for the wing position or down back.
Hugh Jackson didn't get a game but seemed to have outstanding SANFL form. Hopefully his chance comes with a big preseason.
Barkla came and went.
The three tall rookies, McCallum, Scully and Marshall played in the SANFL as expected.

THOSE WHO HAD A GOOD YEAR OR WERE IMPROVING OR PERFORMED ABOVE EXPECTATIONS

Butters, Houston, Rozee, Bergman, Horne-Francis, Aliir, Williams, Farrell, Rioli, Narkle, Powell-Pepper, Drew, Evans, Marshall, Lord, Jones

MIDDLING YEAR

Dixon, Byrne-Jones, Finlayson, Hayes, Mead, Jackson, Sinn, Visentini

WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED WITH THEIR YEAR

Boak, McKenzie, Jonas, Wines, Burton, Duursma, Georgiades, Burgoyne

UNSIGHTED

Clurey, Dumont, Fantasia, Bonner, Teakle, Pasini, McEntee, Barkla, Marshall, Scully, McCallum

If you look at the Port Adelaide Power's 2023 year objectively, you would say we have done well. We finished 3rd for the Minor Rounds, won all of those games in a row, the quality of the team is not the veterans but the younger players and we have a few spots in the 22 that were just you could almost say negative net scores.

If we had a decent coach, we would be pushing for the flag. The talent is there. We win in spite of the poor coaching.

I tried to be as moderate as possible.
 
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TeeKray said:
Why are you even entering into this ridiculous debate about the list? You're falling into their trap.

They themselves have described this list as the best in Hinkley's 11 year tenure and have boasted about winning the second most games of any team across the last 4 seasons.

But the list isn't good enough, apparently. But we have holes in our list in the backline and ruck, apparently. But every other team that does better than us has no holes or weaknesses whatsoever, apparently.

Don't even enter into the discussion. It's all just excuses and buying themselves more time in their highly paid jobs.
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You're right, TK. We have a good enough list to win the flag. We just don't have a good coach. He, they continually make bad and baffling decisions.

But no matter how bad the coaching is, the list management has to do their thing and improve the list.
 
EskimoPAFC said:
I agree with a lot of this.

When we chose to pursure JHF over Dunkley we chose the future - a bloke that could grow in to the role rather than a "safe-looking" option. We took the player with the best chance to win us premierships rather than tread water which is the Port way.

When we chose to pursue Rozee and Butters over Wingard and Polec we also made a gutsy call to choose the future. Again with the option of forgoing immediate output for a chance at sustained success.

Our list management team gets Port Adelaide. They make the right decisions.

When we chose Hinkley over pursuing Kingsley, or McRae, or Voss, or Yze, or Hansen, or any number of other suitable candidates we did the exact opposite. We chose the "safe-looking" option, a bloke who excels at avoiding being the worst in the league, but is never going to have the tactical nous to actually deliver a premiership. We sacrificed the future in order to desperately avoid a bottom 4 finish we are scared of, and as a result none of the good list decisions we make even matter.

Our board is not Port Adelaide. They make terrible decisions.
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In terms of our defense our recruiting(other than aliir) and development have been horrible.
 
Janus said:
There's a little bit of a difference between having the best list in 11 years and that list having the experience necessary to step up to the plate in finals.

If we had our full list to choose from - and I'm talking about everyone fit and firing as we did in 2014, 2017 and 2020, then there would be absolutely no excuses, because regardless of how poor our defensive stocks are compared to other teams, Aliir, McKenzie and Jonas would have been decent enough - in 2021 they conceded 1492 points which was the third best in the competition. 1884 points for.

2021 - 1884 points for (81.9 points per game), 1492 points against (64.9 points per game). Aliir - 3.6 intercept marks, McKenzie 2.0, Jonas 1.9

2022 - 1806 points for (78.5 points per game), 1638 points against (74.5 points per game). Aliir - 2.5 intercept marks, McKenzie 1.7, Jonas 1.7

2023 - 2149 points for (89.5 points per game), 1906 points against (79.4 points per game). Aliir - 3.1 interceptmarks, McKenzie 1.8, Jonas 1.2 (replaced with Bergman 1.8)

So while we were 7.6 points better off in attack from 2021, we were a full 14.5 points worse off defensively from 2021. But our defence didn't even have to be that good - even it went at the strike rate of 2022 (74.5 points per game) we would have conceded 1788 points and had a percentage of 120.2% with our 2023 attack.

1 more intercept mark per game = 1 less shot at goal per game = 6 less points per game.

That's why Ratugolea and Zerk-Thatcher don't have to be world beaters - they just need to be good enough to allow Aliir to go back to doing what he was doing in 2021, and allow Bergman, Burton, Houston and Williams to do what they do.
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Someone call the police , we've found him.
 
Schrödinger's List. It is simultaneously both the shittest, and the most awesomest, depending on who is observing it and the argument they are trying to make.
 
Peninsula Boy said:
You have to remove coaching from the equation if you want a moderate review of 2023.

I think most of us thought we were going to finish in the bottom 8. I certainly did. I didn't see how we would be able to make a good run at being good but we were.

I am going to give a bit of credit to the coaching because they did try and few things. Byrne-Jones to the forward line. Williams to the backline. Bergman to the backline. After that, no so much.

MIDFIELD

The midfield was the big surprise with Butters becoming one of the most damaging midfielders in the game to complement the already AA friend in Rozee with us having two elite midfielders. With the arrival of Horne-Francis who is one in a generational talent and has showed tantalising skill, talent and powers, as soon as next year we may have 4 elite midfielders. Drew played well as the run with players and seemed to expand his game and kicked well into the F50.

Wines had a very distant year form-wise from his Brownlow medal year.
Boak also seemed out of sorts throughout the year and never really settled whether it was injuries, old age or a new role.

We get a massive, massive tick with the midfield. The majority of the improve was based on just overall talent coming to the fore rather than actual coaching. They won us a lot of games this year and unfortunately, Hinkley a new contract.

RUCKS

Rucks were a melodramatic debacle all year so a new and up and coming ruck would help out a lot. Lycett was old and out of form. Teakle brought his WAFL form over for 4 games. Visentini started slowly but looked likely. The black sheep Hayes was probably the best performed and should have played finals.

Finlayson got found out as 2nd ruck and Dixon who generally plays well in 2nd ruck was good there I thought but obviously injured a bit too much.

Rucks were a dog's breakfast. Considering our talent midfield, the rucks were really hard to watch. Hopefully Sweet turns out well. Even if he is average, he will be better than all of this year. Add a couple more rucks and hope that Visentini has a big preseason.

WINGS

I thought our wings were not the best this year. We started with Bergman and Duursma on the wings but this was not the best mix.

Duursma was injured and out of form for most of the year.
Bergman had to slide down back and played on Jeremy Cameron for one game and was excellent.
Boak and Wines looking for time on the ground went to wing with average results.

We seemed to be beaten on the wings most of the time. Not very good and I had real expectations that it was going to be a strength this year.

DEFENCE

The worst part of the ground where we concede goals a bit too easy. We have a dual mix or old codgers and new, young players in there. We definitely tried a few things down back and they seem to work well enough. Defensively not the best, offensively very good.

Houston improved to AA and became the quarterback general of the team. Aliir continued his good form but not to an AA level but very good. Williams was a new addition and generally looked good down back with both stellar kicking and one on one marking and contesting. Lachie Jones settled down back and while still learning, just needs more games and confidence to play down there. Farrell played some good games down back as well as fantastic kicking. Burton was a bit down in form and was dropped a couple of times. McKenzie was good one on one but was exploited by faster and athletic forwards. Jonas did his best and retired.

Our defence needs some work. With Ratugolea and Zerk-Thatcher, we will get some structure with a couple of big key position defenders to add to the list and with a good age profile. Next year, the medium defenders will really be fighting for spots. Williams seems more on the outer but if you look at form, Burton was a bit of an issue. Hopefully they tend towards youth and guys who at least try to defend.

FORWARDS

People were upset with Marshall but I thought he had a good year, not amazing but good. Hopefully, he stays out of concussions. Finlayson played well for a long stretch but couldn't maintain that form towards the end of the year with his kicking for goal going down then up then down. Dixon played old and injured, was not bad but it was apparent that we don't need him to win games. Ollie Lord played well in his limited time and gave a different look. Sam Powell-Pepper relaxed into his role of high forwards and was impressive for the most part. Byrne-Jones was moved from defence and played OK. McEntee played poorly for most of the year. Rioli got better as the season rolled on and was great in finals. Evans seemed to kick goals and give it his all when he played. Mitch got injured but his form wasn't the best but he never played when we went on our run.

They were average to pretty good all year. Some of them have sublime skills and real creative powers like Marshall, Finlayson and Rioli. The tall forwards look pretty good but they are a bit banged up. We could do with two small to medium forwards who like to kick a goal. One of our major issues was kicking for goal so an hour after practice wouldn't go astray.

PERIPHERAL AND YOUNG PLAYERS

Riley Bonner played softly on the wing and was delisted.
Quinton Narkle came in and looked good and seemed to be able to play midfield, wing or forward, even back but the coaching staff put him on the outer and I don't really know why.
I think the coaching staff needs to take a real long look at Jed McEntee and his poor form.
Jase Burgoyne didn't keep up his form from last year but has the skills and hopefully has a big preseason and pushes for the wing.

DIDN'T PLAY MUCH

Clurey seems to be on the move.
Dumont is delisted.
Fantasia played a couple of games early and never got back into the team. Might be traded or delisted.
Pasini didn't play seniors all year.
Sinn played a couple of games and didn't do much. Hopefully has a big preseason and pushes for the wing position or down back.
Hugh Jackson didn't get a game but seemed to have outstanding SANFL form. Hopefully his chance comes with a big preseason.
Barkla came and went.
The three tall rookies, McCallum, Scully and Marshall played in the SANFL as expected.

THOSE WHO HAD A GOOD YEAR OR WERE IMPROVING OR PERFORMED ABOVE EXPECTATIONS

Butters, Houston, Rozee, Bergman, Horne-Francis, Aliir, Williams, Farrell, Rioli, Narkle, Powell-Pepper, Drew, Evans, Marshall, Lord, Jones

MIDDLING YEAR

Dixon, Byrne-Jones, Finlayson, Hayes, Mead, Jackson, Sinn, Visentini

WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED WITH THEIR YEAR

Boak, McKenzie, Jonas, Wines, Burton, Duursma, Georgiades, Burgoyne

UNSIGHTED

Clurey, Dumont, Fantasia, Bonner, Teakle, Pasini, McEntee, Barkla, Marshall, Scully, McCallum

If you look at the Port Adelaide Power's 2023 year objectively, you would say we have done well. We finished 3rd for the Minor Rounds, won all of those games in a row, the quality of the team is not the veterans but the younger players and we have a few spots in the 22 that were just you could almost say negative net scores.

If we had a decent coach, we would be pushing for the flag. The talent is there. We win in spite of the poor coaching.

I tried to be as moderate as possible.
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That's a pretty fair and balanced summary
Don't disagree with too much
 

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Janus said:
There's a little bit of a difference between having the best list in 11 years and that list having the experience necessary to step up to the plate in finals.

If we had our full list to choose from - and I'm talking about everyone fit and firing as we did in 2014, 2017 and 2020, then there would be absolutely no excuses, because regardless of how poor our defensive stocks are compared to other teams, Aliir, McKenzie and Jonas would have been decent enough - in 2021 they conceded 1492 points which was the third best in the competition. 1884 points for.

2021 - 1884 points for (81.9 points per game), 1492 points against (64.9 points per game). Aliir - 3.6 intercept marks, McKenzie 2.0, Jonas 1.9

2022 - 1806 points for (78.5 points per game), 1638 points against (74.5 points per game). Aliir - 2.5 intercept marks, McKenzie 1.7, Jonas 1.7

2023 - 2149 points for (89.5 points per game), 1906 points against (79.4 points per game). Aliir - 3.1 interceptmarks, McKenzie 1.8, Jonas 1.2 (replaced with Bergman 1.8)

So while we were 7.6 points better off in attack from 2021, we were a full 14.5 points worse off defensively from 2021. But our defence didn't even have to be that good - even it went at the strike rate of 2022 (74.5 points per game) we would have conceded 1788 points and had a percentage of 120.2% with our 2023 attack.

1 more intercept mark per game = 1 less shot at goal per game = 6 less points per game.

That's why Ratugolea and Zerk-Thatcher don't have to be world beaters - they just need to be good enough to allow Aliir to go back to doing what he was doing in 2021, and allow Bergman, Burton, Houston and Williams to do what they do.
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So if we really want to look at points per game... given we've seen our club underperform in big games twice more this year, including getting smashed off the park by a team we beat by 50 in H&A... we have to take coaching in to account.

If you compare the very worst coach in the AFL in big games (Hinkley), to the best (with all due respect to Clarko, Dimma and Kingsley, I'd say that is McRae), how many points do you think that's worth? I'd argue about 30 points (I'd actually say more but I'll be conservative).

So even if you can beat the other side on a direct list to list comparison...

And on a list basis you expect to score 90, and the other team expects to score 79

Once you take coaches in to account you have to deduct 15 from our score and add 15 to theirs, meaning you end up with an 75 - 94 loss.

Its why its almost impossible to carry a mediocre coach to a flag (you could argue that the Cats did it with Scott in 2011 - not saying he is a bad coach, but he was probably too new to drive a side to a flag then) and why you need to be ruthless to fix this area before any other.

Make no mistake, if we had Bevo and the Dogs had Hinkley, we would have played in a GF in 2021. If we had Kingsley and the Giants had Hinkley we play in a prelim this year. Hell if we had Dimma in 2020 and the Tiges had Hinkley we might even have a second flag.

Note: This is also why we put up good H&A numbers, because in H&A the coaching doesn't matter anywhere near as much. Our opponents aren't putting anywhere near as much strategic effort in to beating us in round 15 as they are in a final. So that 30 point difference in a big game is probably only worth 5 or 10 in H&A.
 
My season assessment is a solid “F”. If you think making finals is a pass mark, you’re as deluded as Kim Jong Koch and the ‘Yes Men’ minions who continually kiss his ass.
 
We did better this year than I expected us to at the beginning of the year.

The four amigos (I count Drew in there, his contribution to the blue-collar hard-hat footy basics enables the others to shine even more) showed a high-level midfield can take you a long way.

We have identifiable shortcomings in ruck (not all the list management team's doing) and key defence (although losing Clurey, Jonas and McKenzie to inury and Pasini's struggles in his return from an ACL didn't help). And we struggle in small forward, although our commitment to deensive small forwards who don't kick goals was debilitating. Rioli was good, pity the AFL likes to suspend him.

I'm sure he's a good guy and decent footballer but Narkle was not a needs-based pick in the mid-season draft.

Despite all that we finished top 4, but again blew up in finals and lost both Showdowns. Unacceptable. We looked cooked with about 4-5 rounds to go, the high pressure game plan is unsustainable and physically not suitable, and we put too much stock in players who can't stay fit.

Nail our recruiting targets and with continued growth in the midfield and players like Bergman, Williams, Jones and Lord, the return of Georgie, I want to be confident of stepping up again next year. But the Hinkleyphant in the room remains. What is going to be different to go that extra step?
 
Sewer de Lance said:
My season assessment is a solid “F”. If you think making finals is a pass mark, you’re as deluded as Kim Jong Koch and the ‘Yes Men’ minions who continually kiss his ass.
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I feel like an F would be failing on field to the worst possible extent.

Somehow we managed to not only fail on field but also re-sign the reason why we've failed on field for the past 11 years while under no pressure to do so.

There has to be a ranking lower than F for this - maybe F-?
 
Ford Fairlane said:
We did better this year than I expected us to at the beginning of the year.

The four amigos (I count Drew in there, his contribution to the blue-collar hard-hat footy basics enables the others to shine even more) showed a high-level midfield can take you a long way.

We have identifiable shortcomings in ruck (not all the list management team's doing) and key defence (although losing Clurey, Jonas and McKenzie to inury and Pasini's struggles in his return from an ACL didn't help). And we struggle in small forward, although our commitment to deensive small forwards who don't kick goals was debilitating. Rioli was good, pity the AFL likes to suspend him.

I'm sure he's a good guy and decent footballer but Narkle was not a needs-based pick in the mid-season draft.

Despite all that we finished top 4, but again blew up in finals and lost both Showdowns. Unacceptable. We looked cooked with about 4-5 rounds to go, the high pressure game plan is unsustainable and physically not suitable, and we put too much stock in players who can't stay fit.

Nail our recruiting targets and with continued growth in the midfield and players like Bergman, Williams, Jones and Lord, the return of Georgie, I want to be confident of stepping up again next year. But the Hinkleyphant in the room remains. What is going to be different to go that extra step?
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What do you mean by better? Better than the teams that failed to make the 8? Tell me Ford, when did the PAFC begin to measure success by the lowest common denominator?

We were with out a doubt the meekest performing Finals team, our much lauded midfield were soundly beaten on both occasions, our coach has a losing mentality that paralyses the entire playing group, our President runs the club like a 3rd world dictator, our List deficiencies in KPD & Ruck haven’t been effectively addressed since our core 2004 Premiership side, our on field leadership is underwhelming, & our off field somehow worse.

The most damaging aspect of all, is the cultural shift which has occurred within the club. You know as I know, we once had something that was quite unique, a swaggering arrogance that instilled fear into our most ardent opposition. What the hell happened, how did we surrender that proud mantle so easy?

To go forward, we need to go back to our roots. Abandon the good citizen policy, & immediately reintroduce a non negotiable policy of ruthlessness. Purge the all hangers on, & self serving personalities, & replace them with demanding, high achievers in the mould of Fos, Jack & Tredders.
 
shewho said:
About 12 months ago Josh Dunkley was touring Alberton. He wanted to move to SA as his fiance lived here. The deal fell through, officially because we “couldn’t guarantee getting a deal done”. At almost exactly the same time, JHF requested a trade to Port Adelaide. Despite a much greater degree of difficulty, we got the deal done.

Make no mistake, 12 months ago we chose JHF over Dunkley. We chose the future over the present. 12 months on, the natural consequences of that choice played out. Two tougher, finals hardened midfields (one with Josh Dunkley) out muscled our young, agile and spectacular, burst out of stoppage midfield. Disappointing but no real surprise if you put yourself back 12 months.

This is the second time in the Hinkley era the club has invested in the future rather than take a sugar hit. 2018 saw Wingard, Polec, Pittard and others depart to get the draft hand we wanted. Two of that class got all-Australian jumpers this year.

That is why Ken got another deal- not because of a 13 game winning streak. And on one level, he should have got another deal. You ought be given a chance to reap what you have sown- whether the investments were your idea or not. All said and done, 2023 proved we are on track to shake the top of the tree over the next few years. Sure, questions remain but come October, 17 clubs will have similar questions to answer.

Having said all that, a 2 year deal should never have been agreed.

Those in charge have forgotten Port’s values and forgotten Port’s history. For years our most successful coach, John Cahill had no contract. Every year for many, he had a handshake agreement to coach the next year. Sure, new coaches need a period of time to show what they can achieve and would need some security to be able to recast the playing style. But Hinkley has gone past that. The fact that he is the longest serving coach to have never made a grand final in AFL history is the most compelling reason why a one year extension should have been the maximum allowed.

I suspect that the 2 year extension was for the benefit of the Board as much as for Ken. A year-by-year arrangement makes the Board more obviously accountable- each year they have to decide who is best to lead the club and they will get judged each year on that decision. A 2 year deal kicks that scrutiny down the road.

As the dust settles on a bitterly disappointing end to 2023, it is now time to shake up the Board. It is now more important than ever to have a football person on the Board who has the history and expectations which have always been at the core of the club in his bones. We don’t need and won’t get a ”sack Ken candidate“. We just need someone who understands that this is first and foremost a football club designed to win premierships and not a member club of an entertainment industry.

If it is Tredrea, he will have to moderate his stance. It is not time to throw the baby out with the bathwater- Cripps and Davies, for instance are doing a great job and ought to be backed. But his strength would be that he would make Ken very uncomfortable- as he should be. For me, it ought to be Ginever- he is more measured, gives credit where it is due but there is no mistaking that he is in tune with the club’s history and values and would make the tough decisions when required.

At the moment, there is nobody on the board you would trust to do that.
Click to expand...
Interesting to re visit our own post season reviews 3 months on.

The investment in the future (ie JHF over Dunkley) has been doubled down with the new, young leadership group. The “identifiable” gaps in our list that I think Ford talks about have been covered albeit with children in the case of goal kicking small forwards.

The downgrading of Wines is a surprise- in many ways he is now our most important player. We lost those finals because our young mids got bullied. They are dynamic but need grunt in September. A fit Ollie could do that. Maybe his demotion is designed to anger him into shape.

Off field, Tredrea is likely to get on the board and, if nothing else, this will add a degree of discomfort to Kenny’s deckchair. Most of our young guns have been signed up except Marshall and the squad, especially the under 26s, look like a future premiership team.

Except, perhaps, for an A-Grade tall forward. Most premiership sides have one or two: Brown and Lynch (Brisbane), Hawkins and Cameron (Geelong), Riewoldt and Lynch (Richmond), Kennedy and Darling (WC), Franklin and Roughead (Hawthorn). You’d have to go way back to 2023 for an exception to this rule- Collingwood (and perhaps Melbourne 2021). But it is a challenge to win a premiership without a dominant TF and Collingwood had Hill (Melbourne had Fritsch) kick a bag to win it.

We have a bevy of B-Grade TFs: Dixon (ex A Grade), Marshall, Finlayson, Georgiades, Lord (soonish) but no one who will dominate games or become AA. Still, 3 B-Grade TFs is more than Collingwood have and we have deliberately structured our list this way.

All in all, I stand by my early review. We need Tredrea on the board to keep Ken uncomfortable. This young leadership group smacks of excuses for 2024 and we might be in danger of wasting 2024. Sure we will be better 2025-2028 but we have the cattle to really shake up the comp now with a Brisbane 3-peat like midfield. Even the moderate, apologists like me will ask in 2024:

”We have the right cattle but do we have the right farmer?”
 

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