THE players are back and training hard for 2015, but here at portadelaidefc.com.au we wanted to give 2014 one last look back.
Here are the 10 biggest stories that made 2014, as read by you!
10. ANZAC Day at Adelaide Oval
You loved this announcement and the story itself hasn't really happened yet. Our tenth most popular story last year was news the club will host Hawthorn at the Adelaide Oval under lights on ANZAC Day 2015. It will be the centenary of the Gallipoli landing and there’s sure to be plenty of special commemorations for the sombre milestone (as well as a cracking game of football).
9. Cornes does it again
The oldest man on the list remains the fastest over three kilometres. That’s what happened on the first day of December when Kane Cornes beat his fellows to post another top mark for this current pre-season. Good news for Cornes fans, bad news for the rest of the pack who are still trying to match his incredible form. WATCH
8. The masses ready to flock to Melbourne.
The incredible semi final win over Freo meant one thing (aside from a prelim final against the Hawks) – Port Adelaide was going to swarm on Melbourne. It was the biggest march on the MCG by a sea of black, white and teal as the Port Adelaide faithful converged on the home of football. Many even thought the Power army outnumbered the brown and gold in the thrilling, albeit ultimately disappointing third final. WATCH THE MARCH
7. Ryder crosses the border.
After Paddy named Port Adelaide as his preferred destination, the faithful clamoured for news on one of the biggest defections in recent trade history. It took a while, but eventually the ruckman’s switch came through at the expense of the Power’s first two national draft picks.
6. Youngy’s crazy taxi ride.
Aaron Young didn’t need telling twice. After Angus Monfries was unable to complete the Power’s final on-field warmup before the Gold Coast game, Young – en route to Coolangatta airport to make the last flight home for his SANFL game the next day – was suddenly promoted in the substitute role. Turning his taxi around Young arrived at the back end of the first term, and ended up adding an unexpected AFL game to his career tally, all with the assistance of one very helpful cabbie.
My view of the first bounce #washalfwaytotheairport #latecallup @PAFC pic.twitter.com/7RpFzkSCbM
— Aaron Young (@AaronYoung40) August 16, 2014
5. ‘Tex’ wears prison bars at Adelaide Oval.
We’ll admit it: it was a craftily crafted headline. No, it wasn’t the Adelaide Crow. Yes, it was the son – whose real name is Tex – of Port Adelaide champion Gavin Wanganeen. Tex Wanganeen was the club’s official junior mascot for the elimination final against the Tigers and we can assure you he enjoyed the thrill of running onto the field with Boaky and co. Here’s hoping there’s a Tex wearing the Port guernsey on the lush green in 2020!
4. Schulzy’s nasty cut.
Okay sickos, it might be time to curb your sadism. Or perhaps someone needs to tell Schulzy to look up the definition of ‘oversharing’. All we know is that one of the most disturbing football images of 2014 went to the Power forward for tweeting the gruesome lip puncture he sustained against the Eagles in Round 5. It drew plenty of reads online and few could find a player who's had more bizarre injuries than Jay.
There's a graphic warning on this one - the picture you're about to see is not for the squeamish!
3. Power recruits ‘The Recruit’
Given he was one of the favourites to win the FOX8 show, and he grew up in South Australia as a Power man, Johann Wagner was always going to factor Port Adelaide into his thinking if he was voted the winner of ‘The Recruit’. The planets aligned for ‘Yoey’ when he was named the TV show’s victor and the Power bid for his services. Wagner will be a Category B rookie for the club in 2015. WATCH
2. Clash at the Oval
This one made headlines for what most traditionalists would argue was the wrong reason. The AFL decided Port Adelaide should wear its clash guernsey in its home final against Richmond. The compromise eventually agreed to was that Port could wear its traditional black-and-white guernsey. WATCH
1. Wanganeen’s guernsey retrieved
It took 10 years, but finally Gavin Wanganeen’s guernsey was retrieved following a public campaign by portadelaidefc.com.au. Needless to say, he was thrilled to finally have the No. 4 jumper he wore in the 2004 premiership returned to him. WATCH