Murray MiddletonRound Twelve
June 15th 2008 12:10
Another week, another disappointing performance by Port Adelaide. During Sunday's telecast, commentators Danny Frawley and Liam Pickering frequently said, 'It is time to start judging Port Adelaide on their performances this year, not last year.' They are right. It was difficult to know what to make of Port's metioric rise in 2007. Although the club's younger players improved rapidly last year, it seemed unlikely that the club was on the brink of a successful dynasty. It had only been three seasons since the Power won the premiership. Can any team claim to have re-built in such a short period of time?
Port Adelaide have some of the same core players that took them to the premiership in 2004. Lade, Tredrea, Chad Cornes, Kayne Cornes, Peter Burgoyne and Shaun Burgyone are all still at the club. There is little doubt that Lade and Tredrea are in decline, but the other four players are in the prime of their careers. Port has lost some key players from their premiership. Byron Pickett (a Norm Smith Medalist) and Gavin Wanganeen have retired. Both were superb in the 2004 grand final. Defenders Darryl Wakelin, Matthew Bishop, Brett Montgomery and Adam Kingsley have also gone. The club's spiritual leader, Matthew Primus - who missed the club's only premiership - has also retired.
Mark Williams has blooded some talented young players in recent seasons to fill the void left by the aforementioned players. The one player who seems to embody the Power's 2007 season most is Justin Westoff. Last year he had the element of surprise on his side. This season Westhoff has struggled for form and consistency. He does not run hard enough and is too easily brushed aside. Mark Williams has thus far persevered with him, although on Sunday's performance it will not be long until Westhoff is dropped to the SANFL. Last season the Power got two goals a game out of Ebert, Motlop and Westhoff. While Motlop has had a successful season, the other two have struggled for form.
With a 4-8 record there is little chance of Port making the finals. Knowing the nature of Mark Williams, it won't be long before key players get booked in for season-ending surgery. The Power might take one of two approaches when asking why 2008 has been such a disaster. They can call the year an abherration, likening it to the Bulldogs 2007 season. Such an approach would hold that Port are capable of being one of the top sides in the competition. Or they can consider the possibility that they overachieved in 2007. The problem with overachieving is that the players begin to believe their own hype. THe players seem to be still reeling from the thrashing that they received in last year's grand final.
The Power's mental fragility seems to start at the top. Mark Williams has won a premiership. In his own eyes, this will justify his approach to coaching. He may well be correct. However his seemingly arrogant persona might be costing his team. After his side defeated West Coast in round five to notch up their first win of the season, Williams famously said that he considered his team to be the best 0-4 side of all time. Such a statement counted for nothing. The Power have proven nothing this season. They have been flat track bullies, beating only Essendon, Fremantle, West Coast and St.Kilda. They have not beaten one top eight team. Perhaps Williams now considers them the best 4-8 team of all time?
To make matters worse, Port have suffered last quarter fade-outs at home against Brisbane and Carlton. The results have cost them dearly. Both games ought to have been over at three quarter time. Instead of continuing to attack the contest, the Power have receded into their shells. No player seemed prepared to take a stand. Williams' has done little to stop the two fade-outs. Against Brisbane he continually allowed Brown and Bradshaw to contest one-out with their opponents inside the fifty. If he had have chosen to plug the hole with Chad Cornes for five minutes, both results might have been averted. The only conclusion to draw is that Williams believed his side was too good to lose both matches.
Port ought to continue the rebuilding process that began in 2006. If this is to happen, Williams must stop encouraging his players to think highly of themselves. He has a proven track record with younger players. It is time to get back to the basics. Whether Williams is prepared to do this is another matter. Port has some talented players who are coming into the prime of their careers. Travis Boak is already a very good player. Troy Chaplin should be the club's centre half back for the next decade. Steven Salopek has remained injury-free for almost two seasons and is on the brink of becoming an elite midfielder. Danyle Pierce is beginning to regain the composure that he showed in 2006, when he finished equal tenth in the Brownlow Medal.
Sunday's performance against Geelong was unacceptable. It is difficult to believe that the two sides played off in a grand final only nine months ago. In retrospect, there is little doubt that Port Adelaide over-achieved. They finished second in a season where very few sides got their act together. Although the Kangaroos efforts in 2007 were admirable - and probably saved the club from relocating to the Gold Coast - they were not a good enough side to finish in the top four. The emergence of Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs has hurt the Power this season. Both clubs have clearly overtaken them. The only way for the team to move forward is to stop referring the fact that they made the grand final in 2007, and to remember what actually happened in that game. Then they will understand how far away they are.
Port Adelaide have some of the same core players that took them to the premiership in 2004. Lade, Tredrea, Chad Cornes, Kayne Cornes, Peter Burgoyne and Shaun Burgyone are all still at the club. There is little doubt that Lade and Tredrea are in decline, but the other four players are in the prime of their careers. Port has lost some key players from their premiership. Byron Pickett (a Norm Smith Medalist) and Gavin Wanganeen have retired. Both were superb in the 2004 grand final. Defenders Darryl Wakelin, Matthew Bishop, Brett Montgomery and Adam Kingsley have also gone. The club's spiritual leader, Matthew Primus - who missed the club's only premiership - has also retired.
Mark Williams has blooded some talented young players in recent seasons to fill the void left by the aforementioned players. The one player who seems to embody the Power's 2007 season most is Justin Westoff. Last year he had the element of surprise on his side. This season Westhoff has struggled for form and consistency. He does not run hard enough and is too easily brushed aside. Mark Williams has thus far persevered with him, although on Sunday's performance it will not be long until Westhoff is dropped to the SANFL. Last season the Power got two goals a game out of Ebert, Motlop and Westhoff. While Motlop has had a successful season, the other two have struggled for form.
With a 4-8 record there is little chance of Port making the finals. Knowing the nature of Mark Williams, it won't be long before key players get booked in for season-ending surgery. The Power might take one of two approaches when asking why 2008 has been such a disaster. They can call the year an abherration, likening it to the Bulldogs 2007 season. Such an approach would hold that Port are capable of being one of the top sides in the competition. Or they can consider the possibility that they overachieved in 2007. The problem with overachieving is that the players begin to believe their own hype. THe players seem to be still reeling from the thrashing that they received in last year's grand final.
The Power's mental fragility seems to start at the top. Mark Williams has won a premiership. In his own eyes, this will justify his approach to coaching. He may well be correct. However his seemingly arrogant persona might be costing his team. After his side defeated West Coast in round five to notch up their first win of the season, Williams famously said that he considered his team to be the best 0-4 side of all time. Such a statement counted for nothing. The Power have proven nothing this season. They have been flat track bullies, beating only Essendon, Fremantle, West Coast and St.Kilda. They have not beaten one top eight team. Perhaps Williams now considers them the best 4-8 team of all time?
To make matters worse, Port have suffered last quarter fade-outs at home against Brisbane and Carlton. The results have cost them dearly. Both games ought to have been over at three quarter time. Instead of continuing to attack the contest, the Power have receded into their shells. No player seemed prepared to take a stand. Williams' has done little to stop the two fade-outs. Against Brisbane he continually allowed Brown and Bradshaw to contest one-out with their opponents inside the fifty. If he had have chosen to plug the hole with Chad Cornes for five minutes, both results might have been averted. The only conclusion to draw is that Williams believed his side was too good to lose both matches.
Port ought to continue the rebuilding process that began in 2006. If this is to happen, Williams must stop encouraging his players to think highly of themselves. He has a proven track record with younger players. It is time to get back to the basics. Whether Williams is prepared to do this is another matter. Port has some talented players who are coming into the prime of their careers. Travis Boak is already a very good player. Troy Chaplin should be the club's centre half back for the next decade. Steven Salopek has remained injury-free for almost two seasons and is on the brink of becoming an elite midfielder. Danyle Pierce is beginning to regain the composure that he showed in 2006, when he finished equal tenth in the Brownlow Medal.
Sunday's performance against Geelong was unacceptable. It is difficult to believe that the two sides played off in a grand final only nine months ago. In retrospect, there is little doubt that Port Adelaide over-achieved. They finished second in a season where very few sides got their act together. Although the Kangaroos efforts in 2007 were admirable - and probably saved the club from relocating to the Gold Coast - they were not a good enough side to finish in the top four. The emergence of Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs has hurt the Power this season. Both clubs have clearly overtaken them. The only way for the team to move forward is to stop referring the fact that they made the grand final in 2007, and to remember what actually happened in that game. Then they will understand how far away they are.
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