Port Adelaide 2017

[bennymacca]

So Booney are you saying you are happy with port's depth?

How many 2/3/4th year players look like being genuine stars of the comp? I cant really name one for port since Wines.

[The Bedge]

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet, but Houston and Eddy officially upgraded to the Senior list today..

[Booney]

So Booney are you saying you are happy with port's depth?

How many 2/3/4th year players look like being genuine stars of the comp? I cant really name one for port since Wines.

I'm happy with our current defender and midfield depth, our forward half needs more. From the below list ( see my remarks re age ) I think Pittard, Hombsch, Wingard, Wines, Byrne-Jones and in time Bonner, Howard, Austin and Powell-Pepper are high quality.

Instead of looking at 2/3/4th year players, look at the players age. Monfries and Westhoff are the only players on our list who are 30, Monfries just in January, Westhoff last October. Our list is quite young in the main.

S.Gray, Pittard - 25
Polec, Young, Hombsch - 24
Wingard, Ah Chee - 23
Clurey, Neade, Wines - 22
Austin, Impey , Amon, Byrne-Jones - 21
Howard, Palmer, Bonner - 20
Houston, Snelling, Powell-Pepper, Atley, Drew - 19

What we need, like every club, is your best playing well week in week out. Boak, Wines, Wingard, R.Gray, Ebert, Dixon, Trengove, Ryder all need to be near their best every week and I think only a couple ( R.Gray and Wines ) could lay claim to that over the last 2 years.

[bennymacca]

The list is young but I don't see many young players other than Wingard wines and hombsch that have the potential to become a graders.

[Brodlach]

Riley Bonner will

[amber_fluid]

The list is young but I don't see many young players other than Wingard wines and hombsch that have the potential to become a graders.

Potential?
Surely Wingard and Wines are already there?
I agree that Hombsch will become an A grader though.......

[bennymacca]

Riley Bonner will

still has hardly played, cant really make a call on those lads yet.

Only comparing to the crows because i know their list the best, but we have the likes of Laird, Lever, McGovern, M Crouch, Cameron, Atkins all look like they have the potential to become genuine A graders (not to mention Talia and smith who are already all australians before the age of 25)

I just dont see comparable players in port's list of 20-24 year olds

Bonner and Powell-Pepper look great but they are still 2-4 years away really.

Wingard, Gray and boak are the only all australians in ports team and are the only 3 that have ever been all australian since 2007

So even though Port's team is relatively young, i would have serious concerns about the recruiting department

Potential?
Surely Wingard and Wines are already there?
I agree that Hombsch will become an A grader though.......

Wingard looked like he would be one of the best players in the comp a couple of years ago but seems to have dropped off slightly. Injury related? Still has massive improvement left in him imo.

How far do you think wines is away from being all australian? Potentially this year. But i dont think you can call him one of the best mids in the game right now. Just yet.

[amber_fluid]

I think Wines is their most important player this year.
Many would argue that Ryder is but both are very important to any chance they have of playing finals.
Gray is still their best player but Wingard is close behind I'd say from what I've seen.

[bennymacca]

S.Gray, Pittard - 25
Polec, Young, Hombsch - 24
Wingard, Ah Chee - 23
Clurey, Neade, Wines - 22
Austin, Impey , Amon, Byrne-Jones - 21
Howard, Palmer, Bonner - 20
Houston, Snelling, Powell-Pepper, Atley, Drew - 19

all imo obviously.

you have used that list as cause for optimism but i think its the opposite really.

[stan]

The list is young but I don't see many young players other than Wingard wines and hombsch that have the potential to become a graders.

Potential?
Surely Wingard and Wines are already there?
I agree that Hombsch will become an A grader though.......

If Wines could hit a target.....

[amber_fluid]

The list is young but I don't see many young players other than Wingard wines and hombsch that have the potential to become a graders.

Potential?
Surely Wingard and Wines are already there?
I agree that Hombsch will become an A grader though.......

If Wines could hit a target.....

Yeah that's definitely his weakness.......

[amber_fluid]

S.Gray, Pittard - 25
Polec, Young, Hombsch - 24
Wingard, Ah Chee - 23
Clurey, Neade, Wines - 22
Austin, Impey , Amon, Byrne-Jones - 21
Howard, Palmer, Bonner - 20
Houston, Snelling, Powell-Pepper, Atley, Drew - 19

all imo obviously.

you have used that list as cause for optimism but i think its the opposite really.

Agree with Benny.
If Sam Gray, Young, Ah Chee or Amon play regular footy this year, you ain't playing finals footy!!

[bennymacca]

Young is a decent role player. But i dont see too many potential matchwinners in that lot.

[amber_fluid]

So Booney are you saying you are happy with port's depth?

How many 2/3/4th year players look like being genuine stars of the comp? I cant really name one for port since Wines.

I'm happy with our current defender and midfield depth, our forward half needs more. From the below list ( see my remarks re age ) I think Pittard, Hombsch, Wingard, Wines, Byrne-Jones and in time Bonner, Howard, Austin and Powell-Pepper are high quality.

Instead of looking at 2/3/4th year players, look at the players age. Monfries and Westhoff are the only players on our list who are 30, Monfries just in January, Westhoff last October. Our list is quite young in the main.

S.Gray, Pittard - 25
Polec, Young, Hombsch - 24
Wingard, Ah Chee - 23
Clurey, Neade, Wines - 22
Austin, Impey , Amon, Byrne-Jones - 21
Howard, Palmer, Bonner - 20
Houston, Snelling, Powell-Pepper, Atley, Drew - 19

What we need, like every club, is your best playing well week in week out. Boak, Wines, Wingard, R.Gray, Ebert, Dixon, Trengove, Ryder all need to be near their best every week and I think only a couple ( R.Gray and Wines ) could lay claim to that over the last 2 years.

White is 30 next month as well.

[valleys07]

S.Gray, Pittard - 25
Polec, Young, Hombsch - 24
Wingard, Ah Chee - 23
Clurey, Neade, Wines - 22
Austin, Impey , Amon, Byrne-Jones - 21
Howard, Palmer, Bonner - 20
Houston, Snelling, Powell-Pepper, Atley, Drew - 19

all imo obviously.

you have used that list as cause for optimism but i think its the opposite really.

Polec absolutely has the potential to become an A Grade player, but has been dogged by a near career ending injury. Now that he looks (touch wood) back to full fitness on the back of a strong pre-season, I expect him to supersede his 2014 season, where he was a very handy B grader for us. Green for me.

Clurey is absolutely ready to grab the FB role, and I predict will be a big improver for us. Has had an outstanding JLT I think, and whilst he might not fit the physical prototype of the modern day full back, has all the aerobic traits and smart body positioning to succeed. Yellow is fair, but depends on what you are looking for in a FB to determine what quantifies them as an A grade player.

Young might not become an A grader, but will be a solid B grade player for us in that Gus Monfries type role, but better on offense. Kicked 37 goals last year in a side that was rubbish at moving the footy, and even worse at converting F50 entries into goals, and if this season's JLT is anything to go by, is on his way to proving that 2016 was no fluke. Yellow is fair, but 2 or 3 seasons of nigh on 40 goals would make him a more than serviceable small forward. Betts has set the standard there, though- which Young won't reach.

Harsh rating on Austin- was very serviceable as our fullback when we were dogged by injury late last year. Mightn't reach A grade status, but will be a good player for us moving into the future. Not unhappy with his development, considering we drafted him at 68. Yellow for me.

Harsh rating on Impey- I don't think we have seen the best of Jars yet, as he has spent 3 years being exposed to a variety of roles. See Austin- mightn't be an A grader, but I'd rate him a yellow. Has all the physical attributes, just needs to polish the skills. Yellow for me.

Ah Chee is red. He will be gone at seasons end. Struggling to mount a case for Neade also. Will need to add something fairly significant to his game in terms of hitting the scoreboard for him to be considered this season.

Agreed with the rest- either fringe players or too young to assess.

[bennymacca]

yeah a few of those guys are harder for me to assess as i dont watch port as closely as you guys.

My point was, there are very few that I would be genuinely excited about as a port fan.

I think the reason bonner and Powell Pepper are being talked about is more to do with the fact that there are no slightly older breakout candidates that usually get all the attention in a preseason

[amber_fluid]

Polec is the one player with more upside than anyone on the list
If he can recapture his 2014 form and have that run and carry and deliver back in his game, he will be very important.
I know he has had injuries but he has been harshly treated by Ken and been made the scapegoat for others that should have been dropped before him IMO.

[Brodlach]

Riley Bonner will

still has hardly played, cant really make a call on those lads yet.

Only comparing to the crows because i know their list the best, but we have the likes of Laird, Lever, McGovern, M Crouch, Cameron, Atkins all look like they have the potential to become genuine A graders (not to mention Talia and smith who are already all australians before the age of 25)

I just dont see comparable players in port's list of 20-24 year olds

Bonner and Powell-Pepper look great but they are still 2-4 years away really.

Wingard, Gray and boak are the only all australians in ports team and are the only 3 that have ever been all australian since 2007

So even though Port's team is relatively young, i would have serious concerns about the recruiting department

Potential?
Surely Wingard and Wines are already there?
I agree that Hombsch will become an A grader though.......

Wingard looked like he would be one of the best players in the comp a couple of years ago but seems to have dropped off slightly. Injury related? Still has massive improvement left in him imo.

How far do you think wines is away from being all australian? Potentially this year. But i dont think you can call him one of the best mids in the game right now. Just yet.

Posted on here just before or just after Rory Laird was drafted that he is a jet and would be probably the best player the Crows drafted that year, I've seen a lot of Bonner and would say he is just below the Laird level so they have got themselves a beauty

[Spargo]

Polec is the one player with more upside than anyone on the list
If he can recapture his 2014 form and have that run and carry and deliver back in his game, he will be very important.
I know he has had injuries but he has been harshly treated by Ken and been made the scapegoat for others that should have been dropped before him IMO.

Polec

[Booney]

yeah a few of those guys are harder for me to assess as i dont watch port as closely as you guys.

My point was, there are very few that I would be genuinely excited about as a port fan.

I think the reason bonner and Powell Pepper are being talked about is more to do with the fact that there are no slightly older breakout candidates that usually get all the attention in a preseason

I watch a lot of everyone and I think you've over rated Cameron and Atkins, I don't see them as A graders, anywho.

Not many clubs have more than 3 or 4 A graders, it's not possible to have 10 on your list who are in the upper echelon of the AFL. What you want is 5-10 B graders who play their role every week to the best of their ability.

Hawthorn, the most recent measuring stick, guys like Gunston, Puopolo, Breust even Gibson I don't rate as highly as Hodge, Mitchell, Burgoyne and Lewis, but they do their job every week to their best. Likewise, Port need the likes of Young, Impey, Byrne-Jones, Broadbent etc playing their best. I'm not comparing the Port guys to the Hawks guys, but saying in our system they're the ones who need to be consistently playing at their best to support the top end talent.