Sceptics scoffed in the pre-season when Ken Hinkley called the Power’s 2023 list the best he’d coached. After swamping reigning premiers Geelong for an eleventh straight win he’s looking vindicated.
Ken Hinkley is not shy when it comes to making bold pre-season statements.
After arriving at Port Adelaide ahead of the 2013 campaign, the new coach said: “We will never give up”.
In early 2020, fresh from two consecutive years outside the top eight, Hinkley spruiked: “Look out, we‘re coming”.
Then before the next season, coming off a six-point preliminary final defeat, it was “we‘re ready”.
Four months ago, Hinkley made more headlines, saying the Power‘s 2023 list was the best he had coached in his 11 years at Alberton.
It felt like a huge call considering the club had finished 11th last season, he had overseen three Port preliminary final teams (2014, 2020, 2021) and all-time great Robbie Gray was now retired.
After a 1-2 start, the claim raised eyebrows.
Now, 11 successive wins later, it is looking vindicated.
Port Adelaide‘s depth looks very strong, helped by the fact its squad is relatively healthy.
None of its stars are on the sidelines.
Its injury list features forward Mitch Georgiades (season), wingman Xavier Duursma (three to four weeks), halfback Lachie Jones (four), reserve ruckman Brynn Teakle (eight to 10) and veteran defender Tom Clurey (three to five).
Hinkley has never been afraid to make a tough selection call but few are bigger than leaving out your captain, which is the ultimate example of players needing to earn their spots and the AFL team being chosen on form.
Skipper Tom Jonas has been overlooked at selection for the past three matches and former Essendon goalsneak Orazio Fantasia is coming off a four-goal SANFL display in his second game back from injury but needs to keep performing well in the Magpies to be considered for a recall.
The Power has used 35 players this year – the equal fourth-most in the AFL.
Mid-season draftee Quinton Narkle became the latest one on Thursday night, coming in as a late replacement for goalsneak Junior Rioli (flu).
Narkle kicked two goals and would be unlucky to lose his spot after the bye.
Rioli replacing four-gamer Josh Sinn and Narkle moving from attack to the wing would be a strong chance you would think.
Reliable defender Ryan Burton was a casualty of the Power‘s selection squeeze last week, kept out by the likes of emerging defenders Lachie Jones, Dylan Williams and Miles Bergman, only to get recalled to face Geelong due to Jones’s jaw injury.
Power halfback Dan Houston told this masthead this was the most even team he had been part of in his eight seasons.
“I‘ve definitely seen some stars of the club, but I reckon we’ve got the most balanced, consistent team across each line that I’ve seen,” Houston said.
“Across the ground, we don‘t have a line which is better or worse than the others, it’s just very consistent.
“And we have a lot of talent, which helps us score and play some fast footy.
“I think we have the right balance and we‘ve got some good young players who are still finding their feet but have been able to produce some really big games.”
Houston said the club had great depth.
“We haven‘t had many injuries so when a player’s coming out they’re getting replaced by a quality player who’s probably stiff to be playing in the SANFL,” he said.
“When we have had injuries along the way … guys have been able to come in and play their role.”
Four months on from his pre-season call, Hinkley described the Power‘s list as healthy and strong.
The Magpies have won four of their past six, while the AFL side will enter the bye in great shape, extending its club AFL record run to 11 matches.
“I think the whole club‘s building belief and confidence,” Hinkley said.
HOUSTON ROCKETING TO STARDOM
Zak Butters and Connor Rozee are getting a lot of the external plaudits during the Power‘s winning streak, but Houston’s brilliant form cannot be overlooked.
According to a new Champion Data metric, which measures every AFL player over 100 minutes based on expectations for their positional splits, Houston ranked fourth in the competition going into round 14.
He was averaging 13.7 player rating points per 100 minutes, a differential of +5.2 from what was being predicted of him, based on his role.
Champion Data ranks Houston elite in 2023 for his position for inside 50s (4.9), contested possessions (seven), clearances (2.6), tackles (3.1), pressure acts (17.9), as well as above average for disposals (22.1 per game), metres gained (485.6) and disposal efficiency (80.6 per cent).
On Thursday night, the 26-year-old was exceptional across halfback, finishing:
* First on the ground for most disposals (31)
* Second for total distance covered (14.1km)
* Equal second for inside 50s (five)
* Third for metres gained (571)
* Fourth for clearances (six)
Houston, who had played 135 games for the Power since debuting in 2017, thought he was having his most consistent season.
Last year he placed third in the club‘s best-and-fairest.
“I know I‘ve had some really good games in the past but probably haven’t been able to string them together,” Houston told this masthead.
“I feel like this season I‘m on top of my game, know what works and been able to do that each week.
“I‘m at that age where I know what gets me up for a game, I’ve been keeping a very basic mindset going into games with what I have to do and my leadership, helping the young defence out, has helped me grow my game as well.”
Houston played deeper in the backlines earlier this year, helping the talls in the first three rounds, before Darcy Byrne-Jones‘s shift forward opened up a spot higher up the ground from round 4.
Settling into that role, after being shifted into the midfield and wing at times in previous years, had helped him play to his strengths.
Port Adelaide and Hawthorn champion Shaun Burgoyne, now back at Alberton in a multifaceted off-field role, said on Channel 7 that Houston needed to be in All-Australian discussions.
“It‘s definitely something nice to hear,” Houston said.
“If I‘m contributing to that and get some recognition that’s good, but winning and playing with my mates is why I play footy.”
Hinkley said of Houston: “Dan‘s had an unbelievable season”.
“We‘ve had some pretty good players through this period of time (victory streak) but not many better than Dan,” he said.
Eleven on the trot: Power surge claims biggest scalp yet
-Jason Phelan
It was the seven-goal onslaught in 22 minutes that helped Port Adelaide keep its winning streak rolling into the bye.
The Power had trailed Geelong by 13 points after Patrick Dangerfield converted a 50m penalty into a goal, two minutes into the third quarter at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night.
Then the hosts exploded into action.
First, Sam Powell-Pepper kicked a crafty, dribbling goal from the southern pocket at the six-minute mark.
Jeremy Finlayson followed it up with a major two minutes later, then Todd Marshall added one to give the Power the lead.
Just two more minutes passed before Port kicked another, as Darcy Byrne-Jones got through on goal and slotted on the run.
Three more majors in seven minutes – to Willem Drew, Marshall and Finlayson – pushed Ken Hinkley’s side out to a 30-point lead.
It was a stunning turnaround from the Power, which looked flat and reactive to start the match.
Cats forward Ollie Henry finally ended the run of Port goals when he kicked truly with five minutes remaining in the quarter.
The Power led the key statistics for the term: clearances (14-6), tackles (23-9), inside 50s (14-11) and disposals (77-67).
“That was a statement wasn’t it,” Fox Footy’s David King said of the Power barrage.
“They just smashed them in that quarter.
“We haven’t seen them as damaging as that from clearance for a long time.”
Between Dangerfield’s goal and Byrne-Jones’s major 10 minutes later, the Power recorded 24 disposals to Geelong’s one.
During the quarter, Port won nine of the first 10 clearances and scored 24 points from clearance.
“That’s an amazing number because 32 points (from clearance) is the average per team per game,” King said.
“They just hunt, they just turn up in waves, they’re aggressive … and they found ways to put the Geelong back six under pressure.
“They gave them a situation they really couldn’t handle.
“It’s a big statement to make on Thursday night, under the bright lights.”
Quinton Narkle helped to spark the Power’s charge against his former side.
Just two weeks after arriving at Port in the mid-season draft, Narkle made his club debut as a late replacement for goalsneak Junior Rioli (flu) and overcame a slow start to make his mark during the second term.
Narkle registered just one disposal in the first quarter before having the second-most disposals (eight) on the ground in the next, as well as kicking a major and registering two inside 50s.
The 25-year-old’s first goal cut the margin back to 13 points.
His second, 10 minutes into the last term, made it a 30-point lead and went a long way to icing the result.
Narkle was rewarded for two strong SANFL showings after joining the Power from Essendon’s VFL side.
POWER 2.6 5.8 12.9 16.14 (110)
CATS 6.2 7.3 10.4 11.6 (72)
PHELAN’S BESTPOWER: Rozee, Houston, Butters, Wines, Finlayson, Powell-Pepper, Williams. CATS: Holmes, Guthrie, Blicavs, Rohan, Duncan, O’Connor, Smith, Tuohy.
GOALS POWER: Finlayson 4, Marshall 3, Powell-Pepper 2, Narkle 2, Drew, McEntee, Byrne-Jones, Burton, Butters. CATS: Rohan 3, Hawkins 2, Cameron, O’Connor, O Henry, Dangerfield, Close, Smith.
INJURIES POWER: Rioli (flu – late withdrawal). CATS: Ceglar (adductor – late withdrawal).
UMPIRES: Findlay, Broadbent, Fleer, Mollison.
36,316 at ADELAIDE OVAL
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
JASON PHELAN’S VOTES
3 Rozee (Port)
2 Holmes (Geel)
1 Houston (Port)
Originally published as AFL round 14 Port Adelaide vs. Geelong: Ken Hinkley’s bold prediction vindicated after Power win 11th straight game