GEOF Motley was crowned as SA league football's best player - with the 1964 Magarey Medal - in his 12th season (just two years before retiring). Travis Boak is in his 14th season at Port Adelaide and joining Motley in proving the best continues to be seen when Father Time wants to write a different script.
Motley was approaching his 30th birthday (January 3) when he was awarded SA football's most prestigious individual award.
Boak celebrated his 32nd birthday at the start of the month (precisely, August 1).
At the end of round 13 - after not taking a pit stop during the compressed part of the home-and-away season that became known as the Festival of Football - Boak is ranked by the AFL coaches at No. 2 (behind Brisbane midfielder Lachie Neale) in their annual award for the game's best-performed player of the season.
Boak claimed the perfect 10 in the round 13 home clash with Hawthorn after Ken Hinkley and Alastair Clarkson acknowledged the Port Adelaide midfielder's influence on the game, his service to his team and his power in thwarting the opposition.
And what would the umpires have seen?
No player aged 30 or older has been awarded the AFL's version of the Magarey Medal, the Brownlow, since the umpires hailed Carlton centreman Greg Williams with his second Chas. Brownlow trophy in 1994. His first Brownlow was collected while at Sydney in 1986, in a tie with Hawthorn wingman Robert DiPierdomenico.
"Diesel" Williams was aged 30 years 361 days when he wore his second Brownlow to defy all those who had claimed he was too slow to make his way in an AFL game increasingly favouring athletes rather than "natural, skillful footballers".
Boak has publicly conceded the Brownlow should be immediately sent to the engraver to prepare for Neale's name. "He could stop now ... he's got it done," Boak said a fortnight ago.
Boak is a modest man. He also has a strong record of being appreciated for his outstanding work on the football field by the umpires who cast the 3-2-1 ballots for the Brownlow Medal at the end of each home-and-away match.
Since his AFL debut in 2007, Boak has claimed two top-10 finishes in Brownlow Medal counts. His best placing on the Brownlow Medal leaderboard was equal fifth in 2014 with 21 votes, along with Patrick Dangerfield (then at Adelaide), Joel Selwood (Geelong) and Josh Kennedy (Sydney). Gary Ablett won that Brownlow with 28 votes.
Boak's other top-10 finish was ninth with 16 votes - alongside Jobe Watson (Essendon) and Luke Hodge (Essendon) - in the 2010 count that ended with Chris Judd collecting his second Brownlow Medal after his earlier triumph as West Coast midfielder in 2004.
Last year - when Boak was Port Adelaide's John Cahill Medallist as club champion for the second time, after winning the award in 2011 - Boak repeated his second-best Brownlow Medal tally of 16 votes to match his collection from each of the 2010 and 2015 counts. Time certainly does not work against Boak, who is being rewarded for his enterprise and commitment to strong pre-season training programs including those he privately seeks in the USA.
It is the make of his professionalism in his approach to his sport.
Boak on Saturday - in the round 14 clash with Sydney at Adelaide Oval - will play his 278th AFL game for Port Adelaide (after last week earning league life membership with his 300th senior game in all AFL-sanctioned competitions). He remains No.3 on Port Adelaide's all-time AFL games tally, behind the retired Kane Cornes (300) and still active Justin Westhoff (279) - and next year could surpass both.
"Boaky is a magnificent lesson for any player on maximising your talent," Cornes says. "He is getting what he deserves," adds Cornes adopting Ken Hinkley's trademark.
Boak has in the past nine seasons thrived with durability - playing in 169 of Port Adelaide's past 173 AFL matches. His most recent missed games are - Showdown XLVII in July last year when he suffered back spasms during the warm up to the derby; and the round 6 clash with Brisbane at the Gabba on April 29, 2017 with a hamstring twinge. He also missed one game in each of the 2013 (finger) and 2014 (ankle) home-and-away seasons.
Beyond the hard-wearing reputation of a player asked week after week to work in the heat of an AFL midfield, there also is the remarkable consistency - and the impressive note that his career-best figures, with a disposal average of 30.33, were achieved last season.
Boak plays his 79th AFL league game on Adelaide Oval on Saturday afternoon. As he exits the Geof Motley race to face Sydney for the 15th time in premiership combat, the prospect of reliving Motley's glorious medal moment in the late stages of his career should not be dismissed - certainly not as quickly as the modest Boak would have it.
ROUND 14
Port Adelaide v Sydney
AN old-fashioned Port Adelaide "blue-collar" training session with the traditional black-and-white bars on the track at Alberton Oval on Wednesday.
Fos Williams would be pleased.
And clearly his modern-day AFL successor Ken Hinkley on post-game review took an even stronger disliking to what he saw at Adelaide Oval at the weekend, particuarly that sluggish start that set the scene for a difficult afternoon against Hawthorn.
"We're not playing our best footy ...," said Hinkley. "That's clear and obvious to everyone."
Port Adelaide and Sydney meet for the 31st time in AFL company in a rivalry that has worked heavily in the Swans' favour (20 wins) since 1997. This has changed recently. Port Adelaide this weekend is seeking an unprecedented fourth consecutive win against Sydney.
It is back to Adelaide Oval - a venue the Swans have savoured with a 5-2 win-loss count - for a Saturday early afternoon clash, as it was last year when Port Adelaide won by 47 points.
Once again, Sydney is out of finals contention - but filled with ambition to remain competitive during a refit of its player list. And Port Adelaide, despite being the league leader since the opening round, has much to prove. If a team is to be taken seriously in September-October, it needs to be able to do the expected in August.
The match marks the 100th AFL game for Port Adelaide defender Darcy Byrne-Jones, the runner-up to Travis Boak in last year's John Cahill Medal club champion count. And it comes with the ultimate match-up of his clash - a duel with Sydney goalsneak Tom Papley, who was held scoreless and chastised by his coach John Longmire for an indifferent 13-touch game in the loss to Fremantle. Papley, a contender for the Coleman Medal as the AFL leading goalkicker a month ago, has kicked just two goals in his past four games and none in the past two.
Byrne-Jones will need to be defensively strong without conceding his buy-in to Port Adelaide's enterprising back-half strategies.
"(Defence coach) Brett Montgomery has brought an attacking side to our half-backs, so he wants us to be aggressive, get going and get involved," Bryne-Jones said. "That's music to our ears to have that freedom. Going out there with that intention has helped us to get involved (in setting up attacking plays) and helped our ball movement."
Port Adelaide's old school image at training this week reflects the key note from every clash with Sydney since 1997 - there is the need to deal with intense one-on-one football and to show strength in the contests. It is a simple script that has worked so well for so long for Sydney.
Port Adelaide can expect a meaningful duel between lead ruckman Scott Lycett and his Sydney counterpart Callum Sinclair - former team-mates at West Coast where Lycett scored a premiership medal in 2018 and Sinclair played in the losing grand final against Hawthorn in 2015. Then it is all about the work of Travis Boak, Ollie Wines and Tom Rockliff against the changing Sydney engine of Josh Kennedy, James Rowbottom and Oliver Florent.
Port Adelaide's ability to signal intent in the midfield battle was enhanced this week with midfielder-half-forward Sam Powell-Pepper successfully appealing against the match review officer's one-game ban for his tackle on Hawthorn ruckman Ben McEvoy.
RUN HOME
FOUR games to go to close the shortest (and longest) home-and-away series in Port Adelaide's AFL chapter. After Saturday's home clash with Sydney, Port Adelaide will rest, resume against North Melbourne at Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast in round 16, play Essendon at Adelaide Oval and close against Collingwood at a time and venue still to be decided.
Under the traditional 22-round home-and-away format, Port Adelaide's best finish to a minor round is the eight wins in a row in 2003 that gave Mark Williams' team a second consecutive minor premiership with an 18-4 win-loss record - and a home qualifying final at Football Park against Sydney. That double-chance play-off ended in Sydney's favour by 12 points, despite the Swans carrying a heavy injury count in the lead-up to the final.
Port Adelaide was 6-0 on the final stretch in 2001 and 2002; 4-0 in the premiership-winning season of 2004; and 4-0 on the final run to the 2007 AFL grand final.
In the past decade, Port Adelaide went without loss in the last four home-and-away games in 2015, but did not play AFL finals.
SELECTION TABLE
Port Adelaide
"FIVE changes this week," said senior coach Ken Hinkley, sending a ripple across many ears.
Five changes to a winning side. But no concern with lead ruckman Scott Lycett who battled a knock to the knee early in the game against Hawthorn. And captain Tom Jonas will not be sidelined no matter how often he is battered with his determined work in defence.
Half-back Ryan Burton resumes. He has been sidelined since July 19 after copping a hip injury in the third term of the round 7 clash with Carlton. This will be his fifth game of the season which twice has been derailed by injury.
Wingman Xavier Duursma is refreshed after sitting out the win against Hawthorn.
Forward Todd Marshall has recovered from the broken thumb suffered against St Kilda while making a spoil to an opposition kick at Adelaide Oval on July 25.
Midfielder-forward Connor Rozee has cleared away his heel pain. He will play his first AFL game since the round 10 win against the Western Bulldogs on August 3.
Utility Cam Sutcliffe will play his third AFL game of the season - and first since the epic clash with 2019 premiers Richmond on August 8.
Falling out of the line-up are midfielder-forward Steve Motlop, first-year forwards Boyd Woodcock and Mitch Georgiades and defenders Sam Mayes and Jarrod Lienert.
In: Burton, Duursma, Marshall, Rozee, Sutcliffe.
Out: Georgiades (hamstring), Lienert (omitted), Mayes (omitted), Motlop (omitted), Woodcock (omitted).
Sydney
THREE unforced changes at Sydney, which leaves its Perth hub with Aliir Aliir to return to the defensive unit after recovering from a toe injury that has kept the 196cm key defender out of action for the past three games.
John Longmire has adjusted his midfield by recalling Ryan Clarke and Justin McInerney, a refit that costs South Australian Dylan Stephens the chance to play on Adelaide Oval months after leaving SANFL club Norwood as the No. 5 draft pick.
Irish recruit, half-back Colin O'Riordan, and teenager Zac Foot also fall out of the match 22.
Meanwhile, the Swans will also be hoping for an extra milestone edge of their own as the dashing Jake Lloyd fronts up for his 150th AFL game.
In: Aliir, Clarke, McInerney
Out: Foot (omitted), O'Riordan (omitted), Stephens (omitted)
BIRD SEED
(the little stuff that counts most)
Where: Adelaide Oval
When: Saturday, August 29
Time: 1.15pm (SA time)
Last time: Port Adelaide 15.13 (103) d Sydney 7.14 (56) at Adelaide Oval in round 21, August 10 last year.
Overall: Port Adelaide 10, Sydney 20.
Past five games (most recent first): W W W L L
Scoring average: Port Adelaide 81, Sydney 93.
Tightest winning margin - Port Adelaide by two points (94-92) at the SCG in round 15, July 14, 2002; Sydney by four points (98-94) at the SCG in round 13, June 14, 2014.
Biggest winning margin - Port Adelaide by 72 points (132-60) at Football Park in round 12, June 13, 2004; Sydney by 67 points (100-33) at the SCG in round 20, August 6, 2016.
By venues - Adelaide Oval (1-2), Football Park (4-7), SCG (5-11).
By States - South Australia (5-9), New South Wales (5-11).
FORM LINES
Port Adelaide
WLWWWLWWLWWWW
IT has been erratic recently. A mixed bag for a 13-point win against the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval in round 10. Game of the season in knocking down 2019 AFL premier Richmond by 21 points at the Oval in round 11. Completely overwhelmed by Geelong with a season-high 60-point loss on the Gold Coast in round 12. And last week a return to the sluggish ways with a 10-point win against Hawthorn at home.
Port Adelaide's scorelines in the past month have underlined this story - 55-42, 93-72, 31-91 and 68-58. Also telling is the conversion rate in the past three games - 13.15, 4.7 and 9.14 for a season total of 126.138.
Sydney
LWLLWLLLLWLW
SYDNEY has tumbled from AFL pacesetter, but it has not lost its competitive spirit. in the past month, Sydney has embarrassed its derby rival Greater Western Sydney with a 41-point belting in the Battle of the Bridge played in Perth during round 12. It also pushed Collingwood to the limit before losing by nine points at the Gabba in round 9.
Sydney has a 4-8 win-loss record that includes the scalps of GWS, Adelaide, North Melbourne and Hawthorn. It has not beaten a top-eight side, but it has scared Richmond (eight points) and Collingwood and pushed would-be finalist Essendon (six points).
Sydney has broken the 10-goal barrier just once (against Greater Western Sydney) in the past nine weeks.
SOCIAL SWANS
WHEN VFL club South Melbourne was gathering its "Foreign Legion" at Albert Lake in the 1930s, the Swans set their eyes on Port Adelaide premiership ruckman and state representative Jack Wade. This was not taken well by the Port Adelaide hierarchy that spent the 1930 season blocking any clearance - creating a saga that divided opinions on both sides of the SA-Victoria border.
Wade, a 49-game player for Port Adelaide from 1927, appeared before the SANFL permit in May 1930 declaring he had moved to Melbourne for work - and was not poached by South Melbourne. The VFL in 1930 banned clubs offering signing-on bonuses and inducements to potential recruits. The Coulter Rule also capped match payments to no more than £3 ($270 today).
"I left Adelaide to gain work in Melbourne; football was a secondary consideration," Wade said. "A man is only in the game for a short time and I wanted to improve my position in life. South Melbourne invited me to play. They obtained me a position where I can learn the trade of silversmith and electroplater.
"I have done everything openly. And I was astonished at the action of my old club."
Wade declared South Melbourne offers him no cash to sign with the Swans, but the VFL did send him £6 to cover travel costs to Melbourne and offered him £2 a week until he found a job.
The SANFL permit board voted 10-6 against Wade's request for a clearance. He spent 1930 on Port Adelaide's player list.
Born in Berri where his father William built the town's first hotel, Wade was the youngest of seven boys and reached Port Adelaide on the recommendation of club legend Harold Oliver.
Wade finally appeared in South Melbourne's red-and-white colours in 1931, playing 26 VFL games in three seasons - and also represented Victoria in badminton.
Wade enlisted for service during World War II and was killed in action in Lebanon on June 12, 1941. Before the start of the 1941 SANFL grand final between Norwood and Sturt, there was a minute's silence for South Australian football heroes who had become true heroes in making the ultimate sacrifice in war. This included honouring Private Wade and his former Port Adelaide comrades Rudd and Brock.
Port Adelaide's roll call of South Melbourne-Sydney players grew in 1978 with the move of 1977 premiership hero Max James to the VFL. He played 54 games - making his mark at centre half-forward - in five seasons, repeatedly battling injury. James made the move to Sydney in 1982 but returned to Port Adelaide in 1983 to finish his 148-game SANFL league career under the coaching of long-time friend Russell Ebert.
James also served as a board member at Port Adelaide and had his son Heath join Sydney under the father-son rule in the 1998 AFL national draft. Heath played 18 AFL games from 1999-2004.
The most notable Swan to become a Port Adelaide player was Adam Heuskes, a member of the club's inaugural AFL squad in 1997 and Port Adelaide's first All-Australian under AFL selection. He played 37 AFL games in two seasons with Port Adelaide before moving to Brisbane.
QUOTES OF THE PRE-GAME
"I've only played one final in my career (against West Coast in 2017), so my real driving force behind trying to win, trying to play well is finals footy."
Port Adelaide defender Darcy Bryne-Jones, who reaches his 100-game milestone on Saturday.
"We have the second youngest team in the competition at the moment and almost every game this season we have been younger than our opponents."
Sydney coach John Longmire.
"It was a bit of fun pulling on the prison bars the other day ... a good excuse to give the boys some 'old school' coaching."
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley.
TIP
Port Adelaide by 41 points.
