PORT ADELAIDE had two AFL debutants in 2020 and another who played his first game for the Power this season.

Mitch Georgiades and Boyd Woodcock each played their first AFL game during the season, while Sam Mayes pulled on the Power guernsey for the first time.

Portadelaidefc.com.au takes a quick look at each of their debuts, which were celebrated at the club’s best and fairest event at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Thursday night.

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2020 B&F: Player debutants | PTV

A look at our players who made their debut in 2020.

 

Mitch Georgiades

Round 1 v Gold Coast

Round 1 saw Mitch Georgiades presented with his Port Adelaide guernsey for the first time by captain Tom Jonas.

Georgiades had landed at Alberton with the club’s second pick at the 2019 AFL National Draft and made a strong impression on debut in the season opener on the Gold Coast.

The teenager performed strongly against the Suns, kicking two goals from 11 disposals and launching high into packs at Metricon Stadium.

It was a solid return to football after sitting out close to 18 months due to a nasty quad injury before his draft year.

He would finish 2020 with eight goals in seven games and an average of nearly three marks and two tackles per game and took home an AFL Rising Star nomination after booting three goals and taking five marks against Melbourne in Round 9.

Sam Mayes

Round 7 v Carlton

 Mayes came to Port Adelaide as part of the trade which saw Chad Wingard go to Hawthorn and Ryan Burton land at Alberton.

After patiently waiting more than two years to feature for the club at AFL level, the 26-year-old finally got his chance against Carlton at the Gabba in Round 7.

It was a memorable encounter with neither side able to kick away and the lead switching hands on several occasions before Robbie Gray kicked a goal after the final siren to win it for Port.

Mayes was heavily involved in the build-up to the winning goal, gathering under pressure but showing composure before chipping the ball onto Gray’s chest.

Mayes had 17 disposals, four marks and four tackles that day and played six of the next seven games, missing Round 11 with suspension.

Boyd Woodcock

Round 10 v Western Bulldogs

Claimed in the same draft at Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma, Woodcock’s career went on a different trajectory when he was delisted at the end of 2019 but then recontracted as a rookie.

When the Port Adelaide side moved up to the AFL hub on the Gold Coast after the COVID break, Woodcock was left behind in Adelaide and it appeared he could not be further from an AFL debut.

By Round 10, the crafty forward was in the team to face the Western Bulldogs, replacing the injured Brad Ebert, and it appeared he had booted a clever snapped goal on debut, only to have it taken away by a score review that deemed the ball nicked the post.

He finished that game with 11 disposals, two tackles, a mark and two inside 50s.

Woodcock stayed in the side for four consecutive games, and also featured in the Round 18 win over Collingwood as the side confirmed its place at the top of the AFL ladder. He finished with three goals for the year and averaged ten disposals per game.

2020 Debutants

Mitch Georgiades (Round 1 v Gold Coast; AFL, club)

Sam Mayes (Round 7 v Carlton; club)

Boyd Woodcock (Round 10 v Western Bulldogs; AFL, club)

AFL denotes debut game, club denotes first game for Port Adelaide