Good analysis, our improvement in clearances leading into the 20 finals campaign, was a premiership winning movePort Adelaide are a contest orientated team who highly value both contested possessions and centre clearances. They run a forward press where they aim to get the ball in quickly to their forward fifty and lock the ball in. They were ranked number 2 for time in forward half last season (2nd to only Richmond) and opponents struggle to move the football out of their d 50 to attack against port especially when they play on the narrow wings of Adelaide oval. Their gameplay somewhat mirrors Richmond with a couple of talls and a few speedy small forwards who can apply pressure to opponents. Teams that have beat Port in the last 12 months have been the ones who have beat them in the middle
Since the start of 2020:
When Port Adelaide do not lose contested possession and centre clearances they are 13-0 with a percentage of 170%
Conversely when they lose both contested possessions and centre clearances they are 0-3 with a percentage of 49.4%
When they win one of contested possessions or centre clearances and lose the other they hold a record of 3-1 with a percentage of 146.9% with their sole loss against Richmond in the prelim
Finally in situations where Port Adelaide lose or win in contested possessions or clearances whilst breaking even in the other stat they are 2-0
We play them interstate in round 4 and beating them up at the coalface we go a long way to getting the crucial 4 points