CONSTRUCTING a football team takes players of all sizes and shapes.
Diminutive midfielders can’t shine without a towering ruckman dictating play at the stoppages, while crafty small forwards are far less valuable without their imposing key forward counterparts crashing packs and bringing the ball to ground.
Port Adelaide’s playing list features outliers at both ends of the scale – from the Goliath-like presence of Charlie Dixon (200cm, 107kg) to wispy whippet rookie Trent Burgoyne (177cm, 72kg).
But who sits in the comfortable median between?
Here at portadelaidefc.com.au we’ve crunched the numbers to find the Power’s ‘Most Average Player’.
At the conclusion of the 2019 AFL draft, Port Adelaide’s list measured in with averages of:
Height: 188.3cm
Weight: 86.6kg
Age: 23.7 years
Games: 69
Goals: 45.3
Taking these factors into account bring two clear standouts to the forefront.
Emerging on baller Willem Drew weighs in at 188cm and 87kg, a near exact match to the average physicals of the entire playing group.
However, 21-year-old is in the early stages of his playing career at Port Adelaide with only 10 AFL games and two goals to his name – well short of the averages of 69 and 45.3.
Enter Dan Houston.
The defender-cum-midfielder measures in at 186cm and 88kg, turns 23 in 2020 and has 60 AFL games under his belt.
His 10 goals for the Power is also much closer to the mark than Drew’s output, with a proposed move further up the ground in 2020 sure to push this tally higher this season.
Fortunately for Port Adelaide fans, “Mr Average’s” performance on the football field have been anything but average lately – after registering a top three finish in John Cahill Medal voting in 2019.
The makeup of Port Adelaide’s playing group
Shortest: Trent Burgoyne - 177cm
Tallest: Scott Lycett and Sam Hayes - 203cm
Lightest: Trent Burgoyne - 72kg
Heaviest: Charlie Dixon - 107kg
Youngest: Miles Bergman - born 18/10/2001, 18.3 years
Oldest: Justin Westhoff - born 1/10/1986, 33.3 years
Least experienced: 12 yet to debut, Joel Garner and Joe Atley four games
Most experienced: Justin Westhoff 268 (second most AFL game for Port Adelaide)
Least goals: 16 yet to score, Garner, Jarrod Lienert, Joe Atley and Tom Clurey with AFL experience – Tom Jonas one goal
Most goals: Robbie Gray 318 (second most AFL goals for Port Adelaide)
