WITH A NEW COACH and new-look playing list, Port Adelaide has a sense of freshness heading into its Opening Round clash with Melbourne.
But after five years outside of the top eight, the road ahead of this playing group is a long and challenging one.
Yet with a move to Adelaide Oval less than a year away, there is optimism about this club and its on-field fortunes in 2013.
A determination by the players to show their true passion for the Port Adelaide jumper exists and they want to bring supporters back to a club playing a new, exciting, disciplined brand of football.
In 23 weeks time, we'll know how successful that determination has been...
Key Matches
The first four rounds of the season will set the scene for Port Adelaide’s year.
It will be looking to get the season off to the best possible start against Melbourne on Easter Sunday when it plays the Dees at the MCG.
It won’t be an easy task, with Melbourne in a similar position to the Power – wanting to climb the ladder and taste success quickly.
But while Round 1 will prove one of the hardest matches of the year as the intensity clicks from pre-season mode into the real deal, Round 2, Port Adelaide’s first home game for the year, will have added importance for the club.
The first home game against GWS will serve as the John McCarthy Tribute Match, where Port Adelaide will formally acknowledge its late midfielder on the field.
It will be an important day for the club, its players, staff and supporters to honour the memory of a man who endeared itself to Port Adelaide and its culture in 2012.
In football terms, the Power will seek vengeance for its loss to the Giants last year by getting a win over the Sydneysiders on home turf.
Immediately after that battle will the Power hosts its crosstown rivals Adelaide in Balfours Showdown XXXIV. As ever the local derby will prove bitter and heated as Port looks to earn payback for a winless local ledger in 2012 and reopen a two-win margin over the Crows.
In round four, the Power travels to Metricon Stadium to play the Gold Coast. Port’s first win at Metricon last year came on the back of an emphatic performance. With a former Suns assistant in Ken Hinkley coaching the Power this year, he will undoubtedly want to get his first game against his old side off to a winning start.
Port will play four top eight fancies from Rounds 5 to 9, with each of West Coast, North Melbourne, Richmond, Carlton and Geelong all rated as finals potentials this year.
Wrapping up before the mid-season bye will be an away clash against the Western Bulldogs in Darwin. A critical game, Port will want to earn its week off by claiming a Bulldog scalp.
After the break the Power will play a string of tough, challenging games against premiers Sydney and top four candidates Collingwood (both at AAMI Stadium), Essendon away and the Hawks at home.
That month of games will truly test the young Port Adelaide side.
A strong, positive start to the year will be critical to the team.
Key Matches
The first four rounds of the season will set the scene for Port Adelaide’s year.
It will be looking to get the season off to the best possible start against Melbourne on Easter Sunday when it plays the Dees at the MCG.
It won’t be an easy task, with Melbourne in a similar position to the Power – wanting to climb the ladder and taste success quickly.
But while Round 1 will prove one of the hardest matches of the year as the intensity clicks from pre-season mode into the real deal, Round 2, Port Adelaide’s first home game for the year, will have added importance for the club.
The first home game against GWS will serve as the John McCarthy Tribute Match, where Port Adelaide will formally acknowledge its late midfielder on the field.
It will be an important day for the club, its players, staff and supporters to honour the memory of a man who endeared itself to Port Adelaide and its culture in 2012.
In football terms, the Power will seek vengeance for its loss to the Giants last year by getting a win over the Sydneysiders on home turf.
Immediately after that battle will the Power hosts its crosstown rivals Adelaide in Balfours Showdown XXXIV. As ever the local derby will prove bitter and heated as Port looks to earn payback for a winless local ledger in 2012 and reopen a two-win margin over the Crows.
In round four, the Power travels to Metricon Stadium to play the Gold Coast. Port’s first win at Metricon last year came on the back of an emphatic performance. With a former Suns assistant in Ken Hinkley coaching the Power this year, he will undoubtedly want to get his first game against his old side off to a winning start.
Port will play four top eight fancies from Rounds 5 to 9, with each of West Coast, North Melbourne, Richmond, Carlton and Geelong all rated as finals potentials this year.
Wrapping up before the mid-season bye will be an away clash against the Western Bulldogs in Darwin. A critical game, Port will want to earn its week off by claiming a Bulldog scalp.
After the break the Power will play a string of tough, challenging games against premiers Sydney and top four candidates Collingwood (both at AAMI Stadium), Essendon away and the Hawks at home.
That month of games will truly test the young Port Adelaide side.
A strong, positive start to the year will be critical to the team.
Confidence counts for much in the modern game – informed observers, coaches and players all rate it – and so Port Adelaide will look to capitalise early in the year and build momentum it can roll into fixtures against tough opponents at home and away.
Players to watch
Jake Neade, Sam Colquhoun, Oliver Wines
These three guys have come into the AFL system and torn up the playing field in the NAB Cup. Wines is an almost-certainty to play in Round 1, such is the size of his body and status as a first round draft pick. He offers a tough, uncompromising inside playing style and should play many games this season if his fitness and skill work is maintained. Neade and Colquhoun have also turned heads in the NAB Cup with their smaller statures concealing an explosive, hard-tackling forward and back respectively. There are still question marks over how far they are from debuting, or how many games they would play in that event. We’ll know soon enough come first selection this week.
Jasper Pittard
We haven’t seen much of Pittard. Plagued by injury during his first two seasons, all observations through this year’s pre-season show a young player capable of using his size and bulkier frame to win and move the ball quickly and efficiently. He was nominated for the NAB Rising Star in his first year and some of the things he has managed to do in the 2013 NAB Cup has shown why. Expect to see him run off half back and provide a strong rebounding presence.
Lewis Stevenson and Campbell Heath
These guys came to the club through the trade period and are similar in many respects. Both have been on the cusp of playing in high-ranked teams in West Coast and Sydney and each have come to Port Adelaide to add new dynamics to the side. You can expect to see both give good run and kicking skills out of defence particularly. Both are rated kicks and their experience in successful club cultures will keep the pair in good stead this year.
Alipate Carlile
Carlile is the fittest he’s ever been and has shown great leadership around the club during the summer. The signals point to a big year from the full backman and defensive coach Matthew Nicks will tell you that Carlile has impressed the entire coaching staff for his application during the pre-season. You won’t see a brand new player, but you will see consistently better performances from him on a week-to-week basis.
Projected Milestones*
50 games
Round 4 v Gold Coast, Metricon Stadium: Hamish Hartlett (46 games at the end of 2012)
Round 16 v Hawthorn, AAMI Stadium: Daniel Stewart (35 games)
Round 19 v Adelaide, AAMI Stadium: Cameron Hitchcock (32 games)
100 games
Round 2 v GWS, AAMI Stadium: Brad Ebert (98 games)
Round 18 v Brisbane Lions, AAMI Stadium: Matt Thomas (83 games)
250 games
Round 5 v West Coast, AAMI Stadium: Kane Cornes (145 games)
Club games record (AFL)
Round 10 v Western Bulldogs, TIO Stadium: Kane Cornes (equal with Warren Tredrea on 255, Round 11 v GWS, Skoda Stadium in own right).
*assumes player plays Round 1 and consecutive games
Keys to victory
Defend first
The new mantra at Port Adelaide is to boost the defensive abilities of the team across the ground. Every man in the team is now accountable for winning the ball back when it isn’t in the hands of a Power player and Hinkley will expect to see it from the coaches box all year.
Focal points
There is a big year ahead for the Power’s spine and engine room. Senior players like Alipate Carlile, Jackson Trengove, Justin Westhoff and Jay Schulz, as well as runners like Travis Boak, Brad Ebert, Matthew Broadbent, Hamish Hartlett and Jasper Pittard will greatly aid in Port’s quest to win as many games as possible in 2013. Ensuring they have consistent, high-quality performances is critical.
Never give up
It’s the theme of Port Adelaide’s new TV commercial and it rings true. Supporters want to see the brand of footy the side has offered up in the pre-season offered to the death in 2013 and a fitter side with potentially one player on the injury list at the start of Round 1 is a step in the right direction.
Time on the park
Injury to key players was the bane of Port Adelaide’s 2012 season. This was exemplified in the Power’s away match against Geelong where its entire leadership group was out of action. Football is a game of luck and when it comes to the medical bill, the club will be hoping to have a bit of it come its way in 2013.
Players to watch
Jake Neade, Sam Colquhoun, Oliver Wines
These three guys have come into the AFL system and torn up the playing field in the NAB Cup. Wines is an almost-certainty to play in Round 1, such is the size of his body and status as a first round draft pick. He offers a tough, uncompromising inside playing style and should play many games this season if his fitness and skill work is maintained. Neade and Colquhoun have also turned heads in the NAB Cup with their smaller statures concealing an explosive, hard-tackling forward and back respectively. There are still question marks over how far they are from debuting, or how many games they would play in that event. We’ll know soon enough come first selection this week.
Jasper Pittard
We haven’t seen much of Pittard. Plagued by injury during his first two seasons, all observations through this year’s pre-season show a young player capable of using his size and bulkier frame to win and move the ball quickly and efficiently. He was nominated for the NAB Rising Star in his first year and some of the things he has managed to do in the 2013 NAB Cup has shown why. Expect to see him run off half back and provide a strong rebounding presence.
Lewis Stevenson and Campbell Heath
These guys came to the club through the trade period and are similar in many respects. Both have been on the cusp of playing in high-ranked teams in West Coast and Sydney and each have come to Port Adelaide to add new dynamics to the side. You can expect to see both give good run and kicking skills out of defence particularly. Both are rated kicks and their experience in successful club cultures will keep the pair in good stead this year.
Alipate Carlile
Carlile is the fittest he’s ever been and has shown great leadership around the club during the summer. The signals point to a big year from the full backman and defensive coach Matthew Nicks will tell you that Carlile has impressed the entire coaching staff for his application during the pre-season. You won’t see a brand new player, but you will see consistently better performances from him on a week-to-week basis.
Projected Milestones*
50 games
Round 4 v Gold Coast, Metricon Stadium: Hamish Hartlett (46 games at the end of 2012)
Round 16 v Hawthorn, AAMI Stadium: Daniel Stewart (35 games)
Round 19 v Adelaide, AAMI Stadium: Cameron Hitchcock (32 games)
100 games
Round 2 v GWS, AAMI Stadium: Brad Ebert (98 games)
Round 18 v Brisbane Lions, AAMI Stadium: Matt Thomas (83 games)
250 games
Round 5 v West Coast, AAMI Stadium: Kane Cornes (145 games)
Club games record (AFL)
Round 10 v Western Bulldogs, TIO Stadium: Kane Cornes (equal with Warren Tredrea on 255, Round 11 v GWS, Skoda Stadium in own right).
*assumes player plays Round 1 and consecutive games
Keys to victory
Defend first
The new mantra at Port Adelaide is to boost the defensive abilities of the team across the ground. Every man in the team is now accountable for winning the ball back when it isn’t in the hands of a Power player and Hinkley will expect to see it from the coaches box all year.
Focal points
There is a big year ahead for the Power’s spine and engine room. Senior players like Alipate Carlile, Jackson Trengove, Justin Westhoff and Jay Schulz, as well as runners like Travis Boak, Brad Ebert, Matthew Broadbent, Hamish Hartlett and Jasper Pittard will greatly aid in Port’s quest to win as many games as possible in 2013. Ensuring they have consistent, high-quality performances is critical.
Never give up
It’s the theme of Port Adelaide’s new TV commercial and it rings true. Supporters want to see the brand of footy the side has offered up in the pre-season offered to the death in 2013 and a fitter side with potentially one player on the injury list at the start of Round 1 is a step in the right direction.
Time on the park
Injury to key players was the bane of Port Adelaide’s 2012 season. This was exemplified in the Power’s away match against Geelong where its entire leadership group was out of action. Football is a game of luck and when it comes to the medical bill, the club will be hoping to have a bit of it come its way in 2013.
