BACKS
Stephen Paxman
The silver fox is a best and fairest winner with the club. He was the defensive rock in the club’s initial years in the AFL. Very professional and overall a great bloke.

Darryl Wakelin 
A premiership player and unlucky never to be selected as an All-Australian. He was the leader of our backline and his record against the opposition’s big gorillas between 2001-2005 was exceptional.

Michael Wilson
A great team man. He was super-tough and universally admired within the walls of Alberton. Wilbur was voted the ‘players’ player’ numerous times and played the entire 2004 premiership year with constantly dislocating shoulders - he couldn’t tackle but made up for it by running into the opposition.  

HALF-BACKS
Shaun Burgoyne
A powerful, tough and gun clearance player. Shaun is an All-Australian, a premiership player and an out-and-out Rolls Royce of the competition. He’s unlucky to be named on the back flank, but he started his career in defence and I can remember him doing a great job on a red-hot Jason Akermanis in 2004 grand final.

Chad Cornes
An All-Australian in both the midfield and defence - he is the ultimate swingman. His move to be an attacking centre-half-back was vital to our premiership success of ‘04. 

Brett Montgomery
Another best and fairest winner with the club. He played numerous roles throughout his career, but was most accustomed to playing across half-back with his aerial marking a highlight. He was also used in the occasional run-with role and as a pinch-hitting forward.  

CENTRES
Peter Burgoyne
A gun midfielder with great skills, speed and endurance. Lips was one of the most damaging midifleders in the comp between 2001-05 and I have to say I rated him slightly higher than his younger brother.  

Roger James
Super tough and the best kick I have ever played with on both sides of his body. He single-handedly kept us in the 2004 prelim final and is a great fella, unheralded by all media. A natural footballer with the smartest footy brain.

Nick Stevens
Left the club end of 2003 to return home to Victoria. He was a gun midfielder during his service to the Power. A hard runner and unbelievable kick, Pinky’s record in Showdowns was right up there.  

HALF-FORWARDS
Stuart Dew
Another premiership player. His left foot was the best I’ve led to in my career and his precision passing made it impossible for defenders to spoil. If I had to (and was allowed to) put money on a player to kick a goal on the run it would be him. Dewy retired early from Port and his absence was notably missed right away. He was a great personality around the place.  

Warren Tredrea
…Like any guy picking his team in the schoolyard you have to start with yourself! 

Byron Pickett
A premiership player who struggled for consistency, but his best was brilliant and there was none better than his best-a-field performance in the 2004 grand final. Was a funny character off the field but ruthlessly tough on it. His legal bumping was certainly something to fear.  

FORWARDS
Gavin Wanganeen
Quite simply a superstar and the best player I have ever played with. His record is second-to-none and he’s the most down-to-earth superstar I have met. Gav could do anything and play anywhere.

Brendon Lade
Undoubtedly the smartest big man I have played with. His skills and tap work were the absolute top of the tree and he was a great friend and loyal teammate. A premiership player and dual All-Australian, who fought back after missing successive seasons with a broken leg.  

Daniel Motlop
A super-talented forward with a deep bag of tricks. His goalkicking has improved remarkably since joining Port and he’s difficult to match up on. Motts has missed a lot of footy in his career. He needs to get his body right and if he does has the potential to get better, as he approaches the peak years of his career.

FOLLOWERS
Matthew Primus (captain)
The most influential player I’ve played with. As skipper he made his teammates stand taller. For his size Matty was a phenomenal athlete. He was unbelievably strong and ran like a midfielder. He was the best ruckman in the competition between 2001-02 before injuries prematurely interrupted then ended his dominant career. A genuine workhorse, who finished his career as a multiple All-Australian and best and fairest winner. Unfortunately injuries also cost him the chance to hold up the 2004 premiership cup.

Josh Francou
A jet onballer and All-Australian, who was - along with Simon Black - one of the best clearance players of the decade. His stoppage work with Lade and Primus was clinical. Unfortunately, back-to-back knee reconstructions robbed Josh of his place in our premiership team, but if there any young kids that want to be inside midfielders simply google Josh Francou.

Josh Carr
My old housemate. The tough and competitive smiling assassin found it hard to crack it in the AFL initially, but eventually made his mark. His battles with Mark Ricciuto are of SA footy folk-law. Josh plays the Port way. Unfortunately, he returned home to WA after tasting premiership success, but like Primus, was a player who made his teammates stand taller - you loved playing with him, but hated playing against him.

INTERCHANGE
Kane Cornes
Very unlucky not to start on the ground. A great run-with player, a premiership player & dual best and fairest winner. His consistency is amazing. Kane is super professional and sets very high standards

Adam Kingsley
A very skilful and hard-working player. He came into AFL football the hard way via the rookie list at Essendon, but finished his career a premiership player and best and fairest winner.  

Matthew Bishop
A versatile defender, who could play on both talls and smalls. Bish gave us great drive as a running defender and was a vital cog in our 2004 premiership team. 

Dom Cassisi
Dom played in a premiership at a young age. He is a highly respected teammate a key member of our engine room. He’s the best one-percent player I’ve played with in terms of his ability to tackle, chase and smother and his best years are still ahead of him. Dom is a skipper I’d happily follow into battle.

* Honourable mentions and apologies to Damien Hardwick, Brayden Lyle, Toby Thurstans, Jarrad Schofield, Darren Mead and Dean Brogan.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.