A Preseason Preview 2006- Part 9 of 16 - Port Adelaide

[pahoffm]

Port Adelaide

Port had a very disappointing 2005. Losing premiership players to other clubs & injury didn't help, but Port never really looked to be at sorts at all last year. Yet with all their problems, they still finished inside the finals. Credit to the footy dept for that.
The coaching department hasn't changed much. Williams is still there, with Dean Bailey, Phil Walsh & Tony McGuinness. Brenton Sanderson, now retired from playing, has joined their coaching staff.
Their list is as follows.

Gavin Wanganeen 181 83 33 vet
Darryl Wakelin 192 95 31
Josh Francou 185 83 31 vet
Matt Bishop 195 96 30
Adam Kingsley 183 83 30
Brendon Lade 199 102 29
Michael Wilson 181 89 29
Peter Walsh 180 82 29
Peter Burgoyne 182 81 28
Josh Mahoney 180 80 28
Dean Brogan 199 97 27
Warren Tredrea 194 100 27
Chad Cornes 191 95 26
Aaron Shattock 187 85 26
Stuart Dew 183 90 26
Toby Thurstans 195 92 25
Daniel Motlop 184 87 24 new
Nathan Lonie 189 84 23 new
Shaun Burgoyne 185 89 23
Domenic Cassisi 184 84 23
Kane Cornes 182 84 23
Elijah Ware 180 72 23
Damon White 192 94 22
Brett Ebert 178 87 22
Michael Pettigrew 193 86 21
Brad Symes 186 81 21
Steve Salopek 183 84 21
Troy Chaplin 196 96 20
Tom Logan 183 73 20 rookie
Jacob Surjan 180 80 20
James Ezard 179 77 20
Danyle Pearce 177 74 20
Fabian Deluca 203 100 19
Ryan Willits 197 100 19
Alipate Carlile 191 93 19 new
Tom Rischbeith 188 81 19 rookie
Nick Lower 187 86 19 new
Greg Bentley 187 83 19 rookie
Tim Looby 187 89 19 rookie
Matt Thomas 184 81 19 new
Adam Thomson 183 84 19
Ben Eckermann 178 79 19
Hugh Minson 202 88 18 new
Jonathan Giles 199 85 18 new

At first look a fairly well balanced list with most of the new players coming into the taller medium group. Not a lot of prime players. There are a few twilight players. And many junior players. Port look to be setting themselves up for the future. My player to watch is Troy Chaplin, who played some regular games late last season. Reckon he's going to explode early at 20yo. Symes at 21yo, hasn't put on weight and at this stage is very disappointing given his junior talent.

Now let's see how their list breaks up into a spread.
Twilight = 28+yo
Prime = 25-27yo
Development = 22-24yo
Junior = 18-21yo

<180 Small Runners
Twilight: 0
Prime: 0
Development: Ebert 22
Junior: Ezard 20, Pearce 20, Eckermann 19

180-184 Smaller Mediums
Twilight: Wanganeen 33, Kingsley 30, Walsh 29, Wilson 29, P.Burgoyne 28, Mahoney 28
Prime: Dew 26
Development: Motlop 24, Cassisi 23, K.Cornes 23, Ware 23
Junior: Salopek 21, Logan 20, Surjan 20, Thomas 19, Thomson 19

185-189 Taller Mediums
Twilight: Francou 31
Prime: Shattock 26
Development: Lonie 23, S.Burgoyne 23
Junior: Symes 21, Rischbeith 19, Lower 19, Bentley 19, Looby 19

190-194 Mobile Key Position
Twilight: Wakelin 31, Bishop 30
Prime: Tredrea 27, C.Cornes 26, Thurstans 25
Development: White 22
Junior: Pettigrew 21, Carlile 19

195-199 Key Position/ Ruck
Twilight: Lade 29
Prime: Brogan 27
Development: 0
Junior: Chaplin 20, Willits 19, Giles 18

200+ Ruck
Twilight: 0
Prime: 0
Development: 0
Junior: DeLuca 19, Minson 18

Ok, so examining the spread we start to see some significant holes in the Port list.
Apart from a few very good developing players, most of the Power running will be done by twilight players who fell away last season. They need more younger players to come up.
Their key positions currently are Ok, with a mixture of twilight & prime players. But when Bishop & Wakelin retire, unless they recruit ready-mades, they'll be in trouble. But Chaplin looks to be progressing well, which will reduce pressure.
Brogan & the aging Lade will carry the ruck, with their understudies far too young.

Their coverage of positions is as follows:
B: Walsh 29 Wakelin 31 Bishop 30
                Chaplin 20 Lonie 23
                                  Carlile 19


HB: Shattock 26 C.Cornes 26 Wanganeen 33
Lower 19                                  Kingsley 30
Looby 19                                  Wilson 29
                                             Thomas 19

C: Salopek 21 Francou 31 Ware 23
Logan 20 K.Cornes 23 Symes 21
Pearce 20 Thomson 19 Surjan 20
Rischbeith 19

HF: Mahoney 28 Tredrea 27 Dew 26
Motlop 24                                 Cassisi 23
Bentley 19

F: Lade 29 White 22 Ezard 20
Thurstans 25 Pettigrew 21
Willits 19

R: Brogan 27 P.Burgoyne 28 Ebert 22
DeLuca 19 S.Burgoyne 23 Eckermann 19
Minson 18
Giles 18

Yep, Port will struggle a bit more in 2006. They may even fall outside the finals.
I think they'll rebuild for about 5 years until their next crop of juniors & development players become their leaders.
This year, just outside the 8, maybe 9th.

 

[Tigermad2005]

Just can not stand port or there coach, lets hope they miss the 8 and Williams get the sack.

 

[craig]

Port OH DEAR

 

[Dyer'ere]

My player to watch is Troy Chaplin, who played some regular games late last season. Reckon he's going to explode early at 20yo.

Certainly one to watch. Agree, showed plenty late 2005.

His groundplay, running, smarts, use etc look very good. Did some very good things on the weekend BUT-

was hopelssly outpointed by the undersized Perrie in the aerial duels. Troy's spoiling was a long way behind the rest of his game. In fact, it was a long way behind the rest of anyone's game. Didn't show any understanding of the princples of spoiling. Didn't look to be getting much altitude. Good physical awareness but no aggression.

I'm not drawing any conclusions from this except that I've decided what I'm looking for.

BTW Salopek or "Cellopak" as one of the commentators called him, looked big and classy. Got a lot of it.

 

[pahoffm]

BTW Salopek or "Cellopak" as one of the commentators called him, looked big and classy. Got a lot of it.

May have finally clicked. Hope so, for his sake.

 

[mk33]

Have already biten the bullet and started to rebuild, they do though need more forwards but the on ball divison and rucks rebuild have started.

Tredrea is really the only key forward of note and only has support from the rucks and Thursatans. Dew, White, Ebert and Pettigrew are not really key position players more flankers. Expect Wanganeen to play closer to goal thi year with Mahoney there as well as a Burgoyne at times.

The midfielder will still see Francou at times but is more led now by Kane Cornes, Burgoyne and possibly Chad Cornes. Salopek if injury free will play all year there and new ones Pearce and Motlop may be rotated through to add some bite. Cassisi will be the prime run with player.

The rucks are Lade/ Brogan with rookies Deluca, Giles and Minson, maybe one of these may get some game time later in year depending on injuries.

Backline Wakelin and Bishop are good sevants but at the twilight, Chaplin will help at CHB as with Cornes who may play midfield, Pettigrew is another option. Lonie will play off hbf as a running player with Wilson, Walsh and Eckermann.

Good enough to be top 6 but need 70 goals from Tredrea, be interesting to see how midfield develop

Players to watch
Daniel Motlop, lot of hype at North but resticted due to injuries, now at club of choice
Danyle Pearce, speed machine could be like Davey
Mark Pettigrew, good kick adaptable at either end

Need to lift
Aaaron Shattock - is just no good
Nathan Lonie, has talent but deficiencies in other errors
Steven Salopek - If injury free should play every game