AHEAD of the 2018 Port Adelaide Football Club Best and Fairest event on October 5, we thought we would profile some of the players who could be in contention to win the coveted A. R. McLean Medal as the best player in the club’s SANFL side.
Steven Summerton will go down as a modern great of the club, demonstrating loyalty and unsurpassed leadership during the difficult reunification of the Port Adelaide brand.
A consistent and reliable contributor in the Magpies’ midfield, the club captain was also used in a variety of roles in 2018 including off half-back and up forward.
He finished the season as the club’s equal second highest vote-getter at the Magarey Medal count with six votes.
Key stats
Summerton played all 18 SANFL games in 2018, one of just four players to do so.
He was a prolific ball-winner at times and he chipped in with two goals for the season.
The 30-year-old had 297 kicks at an average of 16.5 per game, 169 handballs and an average of 25.9 disposals per game.
He took 118 marks to go with 40 clearances for the season and averaged 3.6 tackles per game.
Key games
Summerton was busy in Round 1 against Adelaide when he had 28 disposals and eight marks.
Against reigning premier Sturt in Round 4 he had 27 touches, 10 marks and three tackles while providing vital rebound off half-back.
He was among Port’s better players on a gloomy day at Kadina when his side went down to the Crows in Round 14. He had 23 touches, nine tackles and a booming goal from the centre square in the third quarter when the Magpies hit the front after trailing early.
The veteran was important as the Magpies mounted a late comeback but fell short against West Adelaide in Round 17, managing 31 disposals, seven marks and four tackles while playing off half-back.
After announcing his retirement ahead of Round 18, Summerton produced a vintage performance against Central District in his last home game, finishing with 29 disposals, four marks, three tackles and six inside 50s.
In the last game of his SANFL career in Round 19 against North Adelaide, Summerton had 34 disposals, a game-high 12 marks and three tackles as well as an important goal that nearly saw him sign off with one last win.
