PORT ADELAIDE is playing consecutive AFL final series for the first time since 2013-14 - and lead ruckman Scott Lycett expects lessons learned from last year's run to a preliminary final to pay off during the next month.
Port Adelaide will open the 2021 AFL major round at home at Adelaide Oval against Geelong, the most finals-hardened team among the top-eight contenders. The Victorian club has played 22 finals since 2011, two more than Sydney during the same time - while Port Adelaide has played eight finals.
"Last year, we were a kick off getting to a grand final," said Lycett who has featured in six finals, including a winning grand final with West Coast in 2018.
"I feel this year we have had to overcome a lot more obstacles. The experience we went through last year is going to put us in really good stead. We have some guys in the team, such as (defender) Aliir Aliir and (midfielder) Karl Amon, who are in the All-Australian squad and have had great seasons.
"We have added Orazio Fantasia (to the attack from Essendon) and had done a really good job. So we are a different team this year - and the finals experience from last year puts us in good stead."
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley also expects the experiences from last year's home finals against Geelong and eventual premier Richmond to serve his team well in this year's major round.
"We are better prepared because we have been through this only 12 months ago," Hinkley said. "It was quite a young group last year that had their first chance of playing in finals for a period of time. They have experience now. They have done it. They have been through it. They understand it a little bit better. They are better prepared to understand what the challenges of finals will be.
"It is good that we have had that experience."
Port Adelaide appears better prepared for finals by its six games decided by 13 points or less this season - and all won by a resilient Port Adelaide team.
"There are a few things this year that have built our confidence," Lycett said. "Tight games, we know what we are doing - and we have won six games in a row now. We might not have beaten too many of the top sides, but we know we have won a lot of games with a depleted squad through the year - and now we are starting to come good. Everyone has confidence. So it is full steam ahead."
Lycett will play Geelong for the first time this season after missing the round 13 clash at Adelaide Oval that ended with the Port Adelaide defence conceding 12 goals to the new triple-tandem of Tom Hawkins, Jeremy Cameron and Gary Rohan.
Lycett notes "team defence" will be critical in defying the new-look Geelong attack in the double-chance qualifying final on Friday night.
"We have reviewed pretty heavily the last game we played against them," Lycett said. "After that weekend, Geelong was being called the 'three-headed monster' again. It is not just a back line thing. It is a team defence thing.
"It is about the pressure you put on the Geelong midfielders and the half-forwards before the ball actually gets delivered to those guys. So if we can put pressure on the kicker and make kicks come in off the side of the boot or just pressured kicks, it makes the backs' jobs so much easier.
"It is going to be a whole team thing. Our backs will need to stand up - and they are a pretty proud group, so they will want to get one back from that last game."
For the record, the AFL finals count since 2011 for all eight finalists is - Geelong 22, Sydney 20, Greater Western Sydney 11, Port Adelaide eight, Western Bulldogs seven, Essendon four, Melbourne three and Brisbane two.
