The emergence of Jase Burgoyne was one of the big highlights of Port Adelaide’s 2024 campaign. Photo: AFL MEDIA

PORT ADELAIDE
2024 record: 17 wins, 9 losses (3rd)

THE INS
Jack Lukosius (Gold Coast), Rory Atkins (Gold Coast), Joe Richards (Collingwood), Joe Berry (Murray Bushrangers), Jack Whitlock (Murray Bushrangers), Christian Moraes (Eastern Ranges), Tom Cochrane (Central District), Jacob Moss (Sturt Sabres – NBL1 Central), Benny Barrett (South Adelaide), Josh Lai (Cheltenham)

THE OUTS
Dan Houston (Collingwood), Charlie Dixon (retired), Trent McKenzie (retired), Quinton Narkle (delisted – Fremantle), Francis Evans (delisted – Carlton), Tom Clurey (delisted), Tom McCallum (delisted), Thomas Scully (delisted), Kyle Marshall (delisted)

THE STRENGTHS
It all starts in the midfield for every team, and when your on-ball brigade contains the likes of Zak Butters, Connor Rozee, Jasone Horne-Francis, Ollie Wines, Willem Drew and Travis Boak, as well as the emerging Jase Burgoyne and Jackson Mead, you are given an instant leg-up most weeks. Butters finished eighth in the league for disposals last year and Drew was sixth for tackles as he further enhanced his reputation as one of the best taggers in the competition. The aforementioned cohort was largely responsible for the Power ranking fourth for clearances, inside 50s and tackles last year as well as second for centre clearances. Previously unheralded recruit Jordon Sweet proved to be more than a competent ruckman and in his breakout season, he catapulted his side to fourth for hitouts. The midfield also played a key role in Port Adelaide having the third-best defence last year, but so did the Power’s backline, headlined by star key defender Aliir Aliir, who was ninth in the AFL for contested marks and was one of the main reasons why his side finished fifth in that category. But another pair of recruits Esava Ratugolea and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher were also surprisingly effective down back, while Kane Farrell and Miles Bergman continued their impressive evolution. The Power have also unearthed a ripper in Logan Evans who was taken at pick 12 in last year’s mid-season draft. Another player who had a career-best year last season was forward Mitch Georgiades who booted a personal high 44 goals, which was also his team’s best individual haul in 2024, while also ranking seventh for marks inside 50 to be the driving force behind the Power’s No.1 ranking in that stat. Darcy Byrne-Jones was effective, too, with 28 majors while recording the ninth-most goal assists in the league. The Power’s high-end pressure was even more evident in attack as they finished second for tackles inside 50, thanks largely to Willie Rioli (33 goals), and they consistently created a lot of looks for themselves as they ended up fifth for scores per inside 50. All of that culminated in another deep run into the finals series after a September win for the ages against Hawthorn in a three-point semi-final thriller. Meanwhile, the recruitment of Jack Lukosius could prove to be a masterstroke because the former Sun has enormous potential and being back in his home state might see him realise it. With the seventh-youngest team and 10th-most experienced list, the Power should be around the mark for a few more years to come at least.

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THE WEAKNESSES
But while Port Adelaide racked up another top-four finish, it failed miserably under the intense glare of finals heat once again with a disastrous first-up performance against Geelong at Adelaide Oval. The 84-point mauling they copped was their equal-biggest loss at the venue and their second heaviest finals defeat, behind only their 119-point spanking in the 2007 grand final (also delivered by the Cats). It served as yet another September spanner in the works and denied them the chance of a home preliminary final, which basically scuppered any hopes of a grand final appearance as they were forced to go through Sydney at the SCG. Port Adelaide has now lost three of its last four home finals, for an overall 4-5 record at Adelaide Oval in finals, which is just not good enough, and has served as the big knock on coach Ken Hinkley throughout his tenure. Despite his ability to produce consistent top-four finishes, they are still yet to win a premiership in his 12-year reign, which is a VFL/AFL record for a first-time coach, smashing the previous mark held by Neale Daniher, Nathan Buckley and Brad Scott, who didn’t survive their 10th seasons. But Daniher and Buckley made a grand final at least, which is something Hinkley has also failed to achieve. And it’s probably the main reason why the Power announced that 2025 will be Hinkley’s last season in charge before he hands over the reins to Josh Carr. Some teams might be content with having the eighth-best attack, but when you’re routinely finishing up the pointy end of the ladder, every little bit counts, and that is one area that needs drastic improvement if they are to finally break through for that elusive grand final and/or premiership under Hinkley. And while the Power have little issues scoring, their accuracy was woeful last year, and at 48 per cent, only wooden spooners Richmond (47 per cent) were more wayward. Port Adelaide also finished 12th for goals per inside 50. Despite having a star-studded engine room, the Power surprisingly ended up 10th for disposals and an alarming 14th for contested possessions last year. Hinkley’s men would also like to tidy up their skill level as they ranked 11th for both turnovers and intercepts, as well as ninth for clangers. Meanwhile, key forward Todd Marshall will most likely miss the entire year due to a ruptured Achilles suffered in the pre-season and the Power will also be without inspirational Zak Butters for at least a month due to a knee injury. Dual All-Australian Dan Houston is a massive loss from their backline as well.

ONE TO WATCH
Burgoyne was another Power player who announced himself last season playing on a wing. His confidence grew as the year wore on, missing just two games and averaging 18 touches (seven contested), five marks, four tackles, four score involvements, four intercepts and 294 metres gained. Expect this son of a gun to go to another level in 2025.

UNDER THE PUMP
Jeremy Finlayson enters the final year of his contract needing to perform. While his season ended prematurely last year due to a lacerated spleen, the key forward was trending downwards before then with just three goals in his last seven games. His 2024 was also marred by a three-game suspension for a homophobic slur. With Charlie Dixon no longer there and Marshall almost certainly unavailable all year, Finlayson has to step up and meet the moment if he wants to extend his career into 2026 and beyond.

BEST 23
B: Ryan Burton, Esava Ratugolea, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher
HB: Kane Farrell, Aliir Aliir, Miles Bergman
C: Jase Burgoyne, Jasone Horne-Francis, Travis Boak
HF: Darcy Byrne-Jones, Jeremy Finlayson, Sam Powell-Pepper
F: Jack Lukosius, Mitch Georgiades, Willie Rioli
R: Jordon Sweet, Zak Butters, Connor Rozee
Inter: Ollie Wines, Willem Drew, Jackson Mead, Logan Evans, Lachie Jones
Emerg: Josh Sinn, Will Lorenz , Joe Richards

Finlayson has been used in defence during the pre-season, but with everyone fit and available, he will be needed more in attack. Sam Powell-Pepper is a welcome return to the line-up after an ACL rupture ruined his 2024 campaign.

*all team stat rankings mentioned are based on differentials, not totals (apart from overall offence and defence).