PORT ADELAIDE vice-captain Ollie Wines has used a speech at the club’s annual best and fairest event to farewell six of his teammates who’ll be departing the club.
The club paid special tribute to the retiring Justin Westhoff and Brad Ebert but Wines singled in on the other players who had been delisted.
He also highlighted the huge contribution another retiree, Jack Watts, had made to the playing group in just three years at the club.
“Jack came to the club from Melbourne where he was already a star,” he said.
“He is one of the best blokes to have around the changerooms and it was a shame he couldn’t get back on the park after a nasty leg injury in 2019, but he’ll leave us after 21 games, and hopefully with some good friendships and memories as well.”
Watts came to Alberton in the 2017 trade period from Melbourne and played 21 games before suffering a serious leg injury early last year.
Initially drafted at pick 1 by Melbourne in the 2008 AFL National Draft, Watts finishes his career with 174 AFL games across a twelve-year career, booting 161 goals in that time.
Wines also spoke fondly about Cam Sutcliffe, who he described as “a ripping bloke”.
Sutcliffe featured in nine games for Port Adelaide after being the club’s inaugural mid-season draftee in 2019.
He also captained the Magpies in the SANFL to last year’s Grand Final, winning the Best Finals Player award.
“Cam came to us to be our club’s SANFL leadership player and earned a second shot at the AFL in the mid-season draft with his hard work and persistence,” Wines said.
“He’s a ripping bloke and a real professional, he was a fantastic leader for our young group in the SANFL last year, guiding the side to the Grand Final but falling just short of a flag.”
Wines said Joe Atley had been unlucky not to have played more AFL footy.
Wylie Buzza, Tobin Cox and Riley Grundy did not get the opportunity to feature at AFL level for Port Adelaide but Wines said each had contributed to the club and would be missed.
“Every one of the boys has made a contribution to this club in their own way. On behalf of the playing group I’d like to wish them all well for whatever comes next,” Wines said.
“It is never nice to have to see your teammates move on.
“While we accept in our industry that player movement is inevitable, it is never easy to see people leave who you’ve played with, spent nearly every day with and have genuine friendships with.
“But, one of the things I like most about the Port Adelaide Football Club is that we are a family. Staff and players come and go, but once you’re part of our family, you remain part of the family for life.”
2020 DEPARTING PLAYERS
Jack Watts
AFL games: 21 for Port Adelaide between 2018-2020 (174 overall)
AFL goals: 18 for Port Adelaide between 2015-2019 (161 overall)
Cam Sutcliffe
AFL games: 9 for Port Adelaide between 2019-2020 (113 overall)
SANFL games: 14 in 2019
SANFL goals – 11 in 2019
Best SANFL Finals Player 2019
Joe Atley
AFL games: 4 between 2017-2020
SANFL games: 28 between 2017-2019
SANFL goals: 8 between 2017-2019
Wylie Buzza
AFL games: 0 for Port Adelaide in 2020 (9 overall)
AFL goals: 0 for Port Adelaide in 2020 (6 overall)
Tobin Cox
SANFL games: 15 for Port Adelaide in 2019 (29 overall)
SANFL goals: 30 for Port Adelaide in 2019 (52 overall)
Riley Grundy
SANFL games: 14 in 2019
