OF all the praise Port Adelaide can justifiably earn this AFL season, none will resonate louder across the playing group than the admiration of its peers.
"Hard, they're hard ... I take my hat off to them," said Port Adelaide premiership midfielder and three-time club champion Stephen Clifford (162 games, 1978-1986).
"They play a running game, a fast game ... and I love the hard stuff at the contest. That's what Port Adelaide has been forever ... it is pleasing to see this group is still keen to play that way."
It will need to be this way against the 2017 and 2019 AFL champion Richmond in Friday night's preliminary final at Adelaide Oval.
So what does this "hard football" look like, particularly when this top-eight finals series is dominated by themes (particularly with Richmond) of players "on the edge" - all to drive "tough football" in games that have smaller margins for errors (and bigger costs for disciplinary errors).
So how does "hard football" play out on the field in an intense final?
Cue the tape to the ninth minute of the last term of the opening game of this major round, the Port Adelaide-Geelong qualifying final at Adelaide Oval (where Ken Hinkley's crew had to deal with a finals-hardened team that has practically bullied its way to emphatic wins against Port Adelaide).
Second-year Port Adelaide midfielder-forward Connor Rozee puts the ball into the 50-metre attacking arc with a "toe poke" that proved as critical as Geelong defender Matthew Scarlett's spontaneous moment with Gary Ablett in the 2009 AFL grand final against St Kilda.
The ball bounces with two capable Geelong players - dual All-Australian Tom Stewart and Jed Bews - approaching from the left and right ... and second-year Port Adelaide midfielder-forward Zak Butters, in his return match from suspension, hard in pursuit of Bews.
Butters fairly throws his left shoulder into Bews (going low, showing he has learned from the high bump to North Melbourne midfielder Jy Simpkin that put Butters on the sidelines for two games).
The physics of this bump has Bews tumble into Stewart and sends the Geelong pair tumbling like bowling pins. Just as the footy gods would want, Butters - sitting on his backside - wins possession. His elevated handpass to team-mate Steven Motlop is tapped to ruckman Peter Ladhams who completes the play at the northern end.
"Goal ... team goal," oozes Bruce McAvaney on the Channel Seven commentary.
Hard footy ...
It defines AFL finals. This point is made by one of the hardest players of any era, Hall of Fame legend Leigh Matthews - a premiership player at Hawthorn; a premiership coach at Collingwood and with the three-peat Brisbane.
Matthews played 29 VFL-AFL finals (1969-1985); he coached 27 finals (1986-2008).
Whenever I go to the footy, the team that looks most aggressive normally wins the game.
Now what is "most aggressive"? How hard do you attack the footy? Eyes on the footy. How hard do you and your team-mates go at the footy? How hard are you attacking the opposition when they have the ball to get it back off them? It is all comparative to the opposition. If both sides are doing it, you have a superb contest.
This is playing on the edge ... maximum aggression - not the bullshit stuff off the footy.
Hall of Fame legend Leigh Matthews
Port Adelaide's hardness - as measured by the eagerness to win the contest - stood out on the key performance indicators of the last clash with Richmond, in that match of the year at Adelaide Oval in round 11 (August 8).
Port Adelaide dominated on contested football (155-112) - and then in dictating how the game would be played with a 176-124 edge with uncontested football (as Leigh Matthews would say, not letting the opposition get the ball back).
The "hard footy" barometer was dominated by vice-captain Ollie Wines (22 contested possessions) - and matched by his fellow midfielders, former captain Travis Boak (15), Sam Powell-Pepper (14), Tom Rockliff (10) ... and Zak Butters with 11 and the goalscoring play that lifted the heart of a club hero.
PRELIMINARY FINAL
Port Adelaide v Richmond
A FORTNIGHT ago the toughest finals match-up for Port Adelaide seemed Geelong - and Ken Hinkley's team put aside an earlier 10-goal loss to the 2019 McClelland Trophy holder to make a statement with a 16-point win in the qualifying finals.
Richmond in a preliminary final is a significant challenge too - as it should be. The 2017 and 2019 AFL premier is playing its fourth consecutive preliminary final. The return to the "Tigers of old, we're strong and we're bold" is one of the great revival stories in Australian football.
So is Port Adelaide's ambition to write its own admirable chapter in a story that has many similarities to Richmond's blueprint on clearing debt, building a large and passionate membership base and winning multiple premierships by 2020 (after enduring a 37-year premiership drought, 1989-2017).
Port Adelaide during the off-season decided to live to its mantra of "We exist to win premierships" and - like Richmond with its now fulfilled strategic mission statement from 2010 - ignored the risk of being mocked. No longer was the aspirational target based on reaching the top-eight finals (after near misses in 2018 and 2019) ... now it is about flags, the ethos that has defined the Port Adelaide Football Club since it competed for its first championship in 1877.
I love this club and I love the history of this club and this club's history is premierships. So, that's what we're starting out to try to do.
We're going to start this year wanting to win the premiership in our 150th year.
We're going to do everything we can to do that.
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley, February 11, 2020
For two hours on Friday night at Adelaide Oval, Port Adelaide and Richmond will clash with the same ambition - and seek to secure the first berth to a historic, groundbreaking night AFL grand final in Brisbane. They will work with differing themes.
Port Adelaide will seek superiority at stoppage - where lead ruckman Scott Lycett has developed more to his craft this season and the questions on the balance of the midfield rotations have been answered with Ollie Wines and Travis Boak playing commanding games, Tom Rockliff responding to the challenge posed after he was dropped after round 5 and the definite build in Robbie Gray's influence.
Port Adelaide will strive to command territory from this intended midfield advantage to lock the ball in its forward half.
Richmond is quite accustomed to such strategies - and has built a premiership game from forcing opposition teams into error and working strong defensive rebound to load a potent attack spearheaded by threatening tandem of Tom Lynch and Jack Riewoldt.
Richmond's premiership defence in 2018 ended in the preliminary finals with Collingwood dominating the ruck contests (60-26 on hit-outs), winning the clearances (44-37), edging an advantage on contested possession (155-149) - and strategically avoiding handing back the ball to Richmond by dominating uncontested possession, 260-198. And Collingwood had significant targets in attack.
It is a template Port Adelaide can replicate - without betraying its trademarks - with ruckman-forward Peter Ladhams able to test the Richmond defence as American Mason Cox did for Collingwood in the 2018 preliminary final at the MCG.
Every final has the obvious questions - how to deal with the influence of Brownlow Medallist Dustin Martin, who can turn a game in the midfield and also torment a defence when left to float on the Richmond half-forward line? Who gets Lynch? Who gets Riewoldt?
But there also just as much to anticipate as to which defender - Hamish Hartlett in the Port Adelaide system or the no-fuss Bachar Houli at Richmond - leaves the greater mark in this final?
Is it Port Adelaide half-forward Steven Motlop, after his three-goal hit on his former Geelong team-mates, who delivers an encore ... or Shai Bolton as the opportunist in the Richmond attack?
Richmond on the intercept are lethal. They’ve been that way for a long time. We’ve made strides with the ball in open play. It’s been well documented we’re strong at stoppage and with the ball in our front half, but I strongly believe we have a well-rounded style.
Port Adelaide assistant coach Michael Voss
QUOTES OF THE PRE-GAME
"We have played a lot of good footy this year. We completely back in our game plan and the way we go about things. We definitely shouldn't play second fiddle or be intimidated by (Richmond).
Port Adelaide captain Tom Jonas
"One thing (Port Adelaide) did really well was they just countered every punch we threw - and in terms of ball movement and defensively, they just hand an answer for all our questions."
Richmond premiership defender Dylan Grimes on the round 11 clash
"Port Adelaide plays a brand which suits Adelaide Oval and their personnel. Their midfield gave us a lesson on winning contested ball last time."
Richmond assistant coach - and Port Adelaide premiership defender - Adam Kingsley
LAST STEP
PORT Adelaide is playing its first AFL preliminary final since 2014 - and first at Adelaide Oval. It is Port Adelaide's sixth AFL preliminary final with a 2-3 win-loss record.
Richmond has qualified for its fourth consecutive preliminary final - and first outside Melbourne since losing to Brisbane at the Gabba in 2001. Overall, Richmond has a 10-6 win-loss records in preliminary finals that have been played at the MCG, Waverley Park, the Junction Oval and Princes Park in Melbourne and at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Port Adelaide and Richmond have met just once in an AFL final, the 2014 elimination final that broke new ground as the first national league play-off at Adelaide Oval.
Port Adelaide advanced to the semi-finals with a blistering 57-point win that is constantly remembered for -
Richmond captain Trent Cotchin winning the toss but opting to ignore the northerly breeze to kick into the wind. Who advised him to take to the old scoreboard end will make for a good chapter in his book.
Port Adelaide having 7.1 on the scoreboard - and seven goalscorers, Justin Westhoff, Jay Schulz, Travis Boak, Matt White, Jared Polec, Ollie Wines and Jake Neade - before Richmond had its first score, a goal from Reece Conca in the 21st minute.
Port Adelaide breaking the 100-point barrier in the eighth minute of the third term with Brad Ebert's goal taking the margin to 81 points (102-21).
Port Adelaide wearing the black-and-white bars for the first time in an AFL final. This followed league headquarters making the strange call of asking the higher-ranked Port Adelaide to wear a clash jumper to avoid the two teams taking to the field with predominantly black jumpers.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan closed the saga with a lesson that still resonates. He said: "Who would have thought grown men would care what other grown men are wearing? But that passion is to be ignored at our peril."
SELECTION TABLE
Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide retains the 22 from the qualifying final win against Geelong with wingman Xavier Duursma (concussion) and forward Todd Marshall (shoulder) gaining invaluable recovery time with the 15-day break.
Port Adelaide is unchanged for the first time since the round 5 clash with Brisbane at the Gabba.
There are five changes to the round 11 team that beat Richmond at Adelaide Oval - defender Ryan Burton, Marshall and midfielder-forwards Steven Motlop, Connor Rozee and former vice-captain Brad Ebert are in the 22 this time. They take the places of defender Jarrod Lienert, inexperienced forwards Mitch Georgiades and Boyd Woodcock and midfielders Kane Farrell and Cam Sutcliffe.
Unchanged
Output from numbers only is one thing but you've got to value the whole thing and for us we value what Todd (Marshall) brings amazingly to our team. We've got a great record with Todd in the side.
There's so many times that you just need to be in the right spot and it helps other people.
The stats don't purely tell you that – they don't tell you exactly what's going on in the game style we're trying to achieve and Todd's an incredibly important part of that game style.
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley
Richmond
No change to Richmond either with coach Damien Hardwick standing by his 22 from the semi-final win against St Kilda on the Gold Coast.
This leaves Richmond to work with one recognised ruckman, Toby Nankervis. Hardwick resisted recalling Mabior Chol to support Nankervis against Scott Lycett and Peter Ladhams.
There are seven Rochmond players in this qualifying final 22 who did not play against Port Adelaide in round 11 - captain and Brownlow Medallist Trent Cotchin, Nankervis, defenders Bachar Houli and David Astbury, midfielder Dion Prestia and South Australian pair Shane Edwards and Jack Graham.
Unchanged
BIRD SEED
(the little stuff that counts most)
Where: Adelaide Oval
When: Friday, October 16.
Time: 7.20pm (SA time)
Last time: Port Adelaide 13.15 (93) d Richmond 11.6 (72) at Adelaide Oval, round 11, August 8, 2020
Overall: Port Adelaide 19, Richmond 13, one drawn
Past five games (most recent first): W L L W L
Scoring average: Port Adelaide 91, Richmond 85
Drawn game: Port Adelaide 16.10 (106) drew with Richmond 16.10 (106) at the MCG in round 23, September 2, 2012
Tightest winning margin - Port Adelaide by two points (32-30) at Football Park in round 11, June 12, 1999; Richmond by four points (127-123) at Football Park in round 13, June 21, 2008
Biggest margin - Port Adelaide by 84 points (154-70) at Football Park in round 12, June 23, 2002; Richmond by 85 points (146-81) at the MCG in round 21, August 24, 1997
By venues: Adelaide Oval (4-3), Football Park (10-5), MCG (2-1-3), Docklands (2-2), Marrara Oval, Darwin (1-0)
By States and territories - South Australia (14-8), Victoria (4-1-5), Northern Territory (1-0).
FORM LINES
Port Adelaide
WWWWBWWLWWWLWWLWWWW
PORT Adelaide is on its longest in-season winning streak since combining eight consecutive triumphs from rounds 4-12 in 2014.
The run of six successive wins includes two significant results in the past two starts - the minor-premiership sealer against Collingwood in round 18 and the 16-point win against 2019 minor premier Geelong in the qualifying final.
In these six wins, Port Adelaide has shown impressive scoring power - and no limiting reliance of key forward Charlie Dixon - while averaging 70 points. It also has earned the title of the league's meanest defence by conceding an average 44 points.
Goalkicking accuracy has improved when it has mattered most - the past two high-stakes games against Collingwood and Geelong. In the six wins, Port Adelaide has scored 60.57 (51.28 per cent conversion) compared with 117.124 (48.54) in the previous 12 matches.
Richmond
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SINCE August - the old traditional pointer to finals prospects - Richmond has lost just two matches: To the two teams ranked higher on the AFL ladder. It fell by 21 points to top-placed Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on August 8; and by 15 points to second-ranked Brisbane at the Gabba in the qualifying final on October 2.
Between these two losses, Richmond did overcome lower-ranked finalists Geelong (by 26 points on September 11) and West Coast (by 27 points on August 27).
Most notable - to the eye rather than from the statistics taken during Richmond's recent wins - is a team that puts the body into the contest to push off rivals and the strong connection among the team's well-established players.
In question is the discipline of a team that is either preferring to live on the edge ... or struggling when the agenda does not play to the Richmond script.
ANNIVERSARY NOTE
March 16, 2002
Wizard Cup grand final, Docklands Melbourne
Port Adelaide 10.11 (71) d Richmond 9.8 (62)
DEFENDING champion against 2020 pacesetter would have made an ideal match-up for the first VFL-AFL grand final under lights. Richmond's fall in the qualifying final has advanced this duel to the preliminary finals.
And it leaves 2002 as the last - and only - time Port Adelaide and Richmond have played in a "grand final" at night - the pre-season Wizard Cup finale in the AFL's indoor arena in west Melbourne.
Port Adelaide was the defending champion then (claiming the Ansett Australia Cup as its first AFL competition trophy by beating Brisbane in a whitewash final at Football Park in 2001).
Richmond had rebuilt its image in 2001 by reaching the AFL preliminary finals during its first finals appearances since 1995. The late Danny Frawley was coach.
Port Adelaide emerged from Group 2 with an unbeaten record against Essendon, Fremantle and the Western Bulldogs; Richmond started the group matches with a 24-point loss to Geelong but recovered with wins against West Coast in Perth and the decider against Carlton.
At Football Park, Port Adelaide had a challenging semi-final against Sydney (a team that came to dismiss pre-season competitions) but won by 14 points. Richmond convincingly dismissed Adelaide by 39 points at the Docklands.
Despite being the defending champion and drawing a larger crowd to its semi-final (14,162 compared with 11,265), Port Adelaide was called to the Docklands for the Saturday night final.
Port Adelaide became the eighth team in VFL-AFL history - and first from outside Victoria - to win consecutive night crowns with the nine-point win against Richmond in the Cup final. This marked the tightest finish to a Cup final since 1989 and first Cup double since Essendon in 1993-1994.
A three-goal rush - from Stuart Dew, Josh Francou and Warren Tredrea - across five minutes of the last term put Port Adelaide comfortably in front; comfortably enough to withstand a late charge from Richmond.
Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams took issue with a computer failure denying him live statistics; Port Adelaide midfielder Nick Stevens claimed the Michael Tuck Medal as best-afield; and defender Damien Hardwick started his Port Adelaide career on report - for tripping. His debut in Port Adelaide colours was delayed until the round 2 clash with Melbourne at the MCG.
Port Adelaide collected the first AFL trophy that drew comparisons with a satellite dish or a wok.
