Ollie Wines won Port Adelaide’s first Brownlow Medal, with 36 votes equalling the highest tally polled. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

PORT ADELAIDE
2021 record: 18 wins, 6 losses (3rd)

THE INS
Jeremy Finlayson (GWS), Trent Dumont (North Melbourne), Sam Skinner (South Adelaide), Josh Sinn (Sandringham Dragons), Hugh Jackson (North Adelaide), Dante Visentini (Sandringham Dragons), Jase Burgoyne (Woodville-West Torrens)

THE OUTS
Tom Rockliff (retired), Hamish Hartlett (delisted), Peter Ladhams (Sydney), Tyson Goldsack (delisted), Jarrod Lienert (delisted), Boyd Woodcock (delisted), Joel Garner (delisted), Trent Burgoyne (delisted)

THE STRENGTHS
When you make back-to-back preliminary finals, you’re doing a lot right, and on that front, it’s hard to go past midfield strength as the Power’s most potent weapon. Port Adelaide’s on-ball division now has the reigning Brownlow medallist as the jewel in its crown. Ollie Wines created history last year by winning the Power’s first Brownlow after 25 years in the competition, and the All-Australian midfielder was outstanding, finishing third in the AFL for disposals (at an average of 32 a game) and second for contested possessions (15 a game). He also topped his club for disposals, contested possessions and inside 50s, as well as coming in second for clearances and third for tackles. All of that amounted to a whopping 36 votes on Brownlow night – equalling the record set by Richmond superstar Dustin Martin in 2017. But he has plenty of help in the middle of the ground with the evergreen Travis Boak and Karl Amon both coming off arguably career-best years, while the electrifying Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma, as well as 2021 revelation Willem Drew, who came in second only to St Kilda captain Jack Steele in the league for tackles, round out that unit nicely. The Power came in second on differentials for disposals last year, third for tackles, fourth for contested possessions and third for marks. Port Adelaide had another All-Australian down back in Aliir Aliir, who was arguably the recruit of the year in 2021, and with the likes of Tom Jonas, Ryan Burton, Dan Houston, Darcy Byrne-Jones, Miles Bergman, Riley Bonner and Trent McKenzie around him, it’s no surprise that the Power’s defence was ranked third in the league and let in the third-fewest forward entries to the opposition. In attack, they have a pair of very exciting young key forwards in Todd Marshall and Mitch Georgiades to help out the veteran Charlie Dixon. The three of them were the main reason why their team was third for contested marks in the AFL in 2021 and fourth for marks inside 50. Robbie Gray still knows how to turn it on, Connor Rozee had a quiet year but could be absolutely anything, while Orazio Fantasia and Steven Motlop add skill and class when they’re not injured. Former Giant Jeremy Finlayson adds some good depth to their tall timber up forward as well.

PLEASE HELP US CONTINUE TO THRIVE BY BECOMING AN OFFICIAL FOOTYOLOGY PATRON. JUST CLICK THIS LINK.

THE WEAKNESSES
But the flip side of finishing in the top four for the last two seasons is Port’s finals record during that period and its inability to capitalise on a position of strength and qualify for at least one grand final. The 2020 preliminary final loss to Richmond was forgivable given it was such a close game and the Tigers went on to cement themselves as one of the teams of the modern era with another flag a week later, but last year’s smashing at the hands of the Western Bulldogs was diabolical. From the first bounce, Port Adelaide didn’t look like it was even at the ground, startling considering the agony they endured at the same stage of the season a year prior. The Power completely capitulated against the ravenous Dogs, and in losing by 71 points, produced one of the biggest chokes in recent history. They also became the first non-Victorian team to lose consecutive home preliminary finals in VFL/AFL history. For the second year in a row, everything fell in their lap, and for the second year in a row, it counted for nought. Their ability to cope with the intense heat of a deep finals campaign will be a massive watch this year. As will coach Ken Hinkley, who is entering his 10th year as Power coach without a flag. History isn’t kind to coaches in such positions, the only other three men to do that – Neale Daniher, Brad Scott and Nathan Buckley – all found themselves on the scrapheap before the end of the season. Hinkley might be re-signed until the end of 2023, but sacking a coach with a year to run on his contract is hardly a foreign concept in the AFL world. Anything less than a grand final appearance this year for Hinkley could put his job in jeopardy. And if they’re going to challenge for the flag again, they are going to have to improve their record against the best teams. They only beat finalists five times last year, and five of their six losses came against fellow top-five teams. On differentials last year, they surprisingly only came in seventh for clearances, so there’s an area they can probably work on, and despite ranking fourth for total inside 50s, the Power were only seventh for goals per inside 50 and their overall attack was ranked No.6, so forward efficiency can definitely be improved, too.

ONE TO WATCH
Still only 20 years old, Georgiades has already proven to be a key part of a team in its premiership window. The precocious forward kicked 32 goals last year, second only to Dixon (48) at the Power, including a couple of bags of four, and finished third at the club for contested marks (25) as well as equal first for marks inside 50 (44) with Dixon. Make no mistake, the kid is a special talent, and by the end of 2022 could even become the Power’s No.1 man up forward.

UNDER THE PUMP
It might seem harsh to nominate the club’s back-to-back leading goalkicker, but Dixon’s record in finals just isn’t up to scratch. Since kicking 3.6 against West Coast in that epic extra-time elimination final in 2017, Dixon has managed just four goals in four finals, and has largely gone missing when his side needs him to fire the most. If the Power get back to September this year, as they should, Dixon has to dramatically improve his recent finals record. We all know how damaging he can be during the home-and-away season, but it’s time for him to translate that into the most important month.

BEST 23
B: Tom Jonas, Tom Clurey, Ryan Burton
HB: Dan Houston, Aliir Aliir, Darcy Byrne-Jones
C: Xavier Duursma, Travis Boak, Karl Amon
HF: Robbie Gray, Mitch Georgiades, Connor Rozee
F: Todd Marshall, Charlie Dixon, Orazio Fantasia
R: Scott Lycett, Ollie Wines, Zak Butters
Inter: Steven Motlop, Miles Bergman, Riley Bonner, Willem Drew, Sam Powell-Pepper
Emerg: Jeremy Finlayson, Trent McKenzie, Kane Farrell

A really strong 23 from the Power gives them the luxury of having Finlayson just outside of the best team for the time being, as well as the long-kicking McKenzie. Kane Farrell, Lachie Jones, Martin Frederick, ex-North Melbourne midfielder Trent Dumont, Sam Mayes and forgotten former Lion Sam Skinner provide good depth, too.