PAFC 2026

[Booney]

On the slide with a Tassies team coming shortly and compromised drafts.

Exactly why we've loaded up in the next 2 drafts, NGA and Father Sons coming that we need to match.

[Armchair expert]

Are Port really on the slide?

They are still pretty young overall, maybe they don't have the elite rookie talent but I cant see them finishing bottom 4.

They are primed for a Wild Card game imo

[bertiebeatle1]

From the outside Port does have to look like a bit of a worry!!

On the slide with a Tassies team coming shortly and compromised drafts.

Pretty much traded out of this draft picks.

Can't buy the MSD excuse either. Wasn't Liddy one who they picked up.....absolutely no way you could convince me anyone would think or have thought you better get Liddy at the expense of probably not getting a Dyson Sharp.

I'm glad you think we are on the slide, i feel much more confident now. That whole post shows you have NFI

[Booney]

Are Port really on the slide?

They are still pretty young overall, maybe they don't have the elite rookie talent but I cant see them finishing bottom 4.

They are primed for a Wild Card game imo

Burgoyne 22
Horne-Francis 22
Sinn 22
Jones 22
Bergman 23
Georgiades 23
Butters 24
Lukosius 24
Rozee 25
Farrell 26
Drew 26
Zerk-Thatcher 27
Ratugolea 27

( I've left several out who I wouldn't say are certain best 23 )

Aliir and Wines are 31 and will be the oldest players on our list. Our age profile is not the concern.

https://www.draftguru.com.au/lists/2026/port-adelaide

Edit*

Evans, Cochrane, Berry, Whitlock, Moraes and Ramm are all under 21 and all played AFL in 2025

[whufc]

Are Port really on the slide?

They are still pretty young overall, maybe they don't have the elite rookie talent but I cant see them finishing bottom 4.

They are primed for a Wild Card game imo

2nd to 13th would almost be called the dictionary definition of a slide

I wouldn't be too seduced by how many young players got to play AFL last year.....just because they played doesn't mean they're going to be any good, it's more a reflection of how much Port slipped last year.

[Jim05]

Don’t think they are on the slide as such.
They are nowhere near a bottom 4 side but I doubt they are serious contenders in the next couple of years either. Probably in that 6th to 12th range for the next couple of years

[Booney]

Are Port really on the slide?

They are still pretty young overall, maybe they don't have the elite rookie talent but I cant see them finishing bottom 4.

They are primed for a Wild Card game imo

2nd to 13th would almost be called the dictionary definition of a slide

I wouldn't be too seduced by how many young players got to play AFL last year.....just because they played doesn't mean they're going to be any good, it's more a reflection of how much Port slipped last year.

Or injuries, but you carry on.

[Trader]

Is it true we traded out a pick around 40 this year for a pick in the 60s next year?
Dumped 300ish points this year for 150 next year?
And with next year's max two picks to match points rule, is a pick in the 60s even going to help us match for Dougie?

(I don't know, I'm asking, not questioning).

[Booney]

Don’t think they are on the slide as such.
They are nowhere near a bottom 4 side but I doubt they are serious contenders in the next couple of years either. Probably in that 6th to 12th range for the next couple of years

6th is best case, right in the mix for a Wild Card as noted above. Finished 3 wins behind 10th riddled with injuries and a much harder draw.

Those who have retired or been delisted - Boak, Atkins, Rioli, Finlayson, Burton etc weren't key members and we'll see Marshall and Lukosius for more than a combined 7 games.

[Jim05]

Is it true we traded out a pick around 40 this year for a pick in the 60s next year?
Dumped 300ish points this year for 150 next year?
And with next year's max two picks to match points rule, is a pick in the 60s even going to help us match for Dougie?

(I don't know, I'm asking, not questioning).

That pick will be useless for a straight up crack at Cochrane but you can bundle up a heap of lower picks to try and trade for higher picks and work your way up.
Almost certain that you will need to find a top 10 pick next year

[bertiebeatle1]

Is it true we traded out a pick around 40 this year for a pick in the 60s next year?
Dumped 300ish points this year for 150 next year?
And with next year's max two picks to match points rule, is a pick in the 60s even going to help us match for Dougie?

(I don't know, I'm asking, not questioning).

Have the below trades completed:

Durdin Trade saw us trade 29 & 67 this year for Carlton R2 next year.

In:
Durdin
Projected pick 26 (561 points)

Out
27 (479 points)
67 (0 points - not used)

Our other pick trade:

Out
49 (86 points - not used)

In
Projected pick 49 (86 points).


Basically shuffling points from this years draft into next years

[Booney]

Is it true we traded out a pick around 40 this year for a pick in the 60s next year?
Dumped 300ish points this year for 150 next year?
And with next year's max two picks to match points rule, is a pick in the 60s even going to help us match for Dougie?

(I don't know, I'm asking, not questioning).

It's just more points in the bank.
We'll have :

Round 1
Round 2
Round 2 - Tied to Carlton
Round 3
Round 3 - Tied to GC
Round 4

[Booney]

Is it true we traded out a pick around 40 this year for a pick in the 60s next year?
Dumped 300ish points this year for 150 next year?
And with next year's max two picks to match points rule, is a pick in the 60s even going to help us match for Dougie?

(I don't know, I'm asking, not questioning).

That pick will be useless for a straight up crack at Cochrane but you can bundle up a heap of lower picks to try and trade for higher picks and work your way up.
Almost certain that you will need to find a top 10 pick next year

Which we will, ours + an extra 2nd rounder from Carlton that will be in the 20's.

[Jim05]

Is it true we traded out a pick around 40 this year for a pick in the 60s next year?
Dumped 300ish points this year for 150 next year?
And with next year's max two picks to match points rule, is a pick in the 60s even going to help us match for Dougie?

(I don't know, I'm asking, not questioning).

That pick will be useless for a straight up crack at Cochrane but you can bundle up a heap of lower picks to try and trade for higher picks and work your way up.
Almost certain that you will need to find a top 10 pick next year

Which we will, ours + an extra 2nd rounder from Carlton that will be in the 20's.

Your first plus that Carlton pick won’t be anywhere near enough.
12 months is plenty of time to get creative though

[whufc]

Are Port really on the slide?

They are still pretty young overall, maybe they don't have the elite rookie talent but I cant see them finishing bottom 4.

They are primed for a Wild Card game imo

2nd to 13th would almost be called the dictionary definition of a slide

I wouldn't be too seduced by how many young players got to play AFL last year.....just because they played doesn't mean they're going to be any good, it's more a reflection of how much Port slipped last year.

Or injuries, but you carry on.

Well according to Daniel Hoyne from Champion Data Port were the fifth least impacted by injuries last year in the AFL when taking into account disproportionate affect of which players you lose.

[Booney]

Are Port really on the slide?

They are still pretty young overall, maybe they don't have the elite rookie talent but I cant see them finishing bottom 4.

They are primed for a Wild Card game imo

2nd to 13th would almost be called the dictionary definition of a slide

I wouldn't be too seduced by how many young players got to play AFL last year.....just because they played doesn't mean they're going to be any good, it's more a reflection of how much Port slipped last year.

Or injuries, but you carry on.

Well according to Daniel Hoyne from Champion Data Port were the fifth least impacted by injuries last year in the AFL when taking into account disproportionate affect of which players you lose.

When was that from?

[whufc]

Last season. Article was written on July 30.... by then the AFL was round 20 at which point Port were sitting 11th and over 3 games out the eight.

Don't be bluffed by the inflated injury figure at the end of the year once players got put on ice and off for earlier operations etc.

[Booney]

Last season. Article was written on July 30.... by then the AFL was round 20 at which point Port were sitting 11th and over 3 games out the eight.

Don't be bluffed by the inflated injury figure at the end of the year once players got put on ice and off for earlier operations etc.

Ok, I won't.

[bertiebeatle1]

Last season. Article was written on July 30.... by then the AFL was round 20 at which point Port were sitting 11th and over 3 games out the eight.

Don't be bluffed by the inflated injury figure at the end of the year once players got put on ice and off for earlier operations etc.

At the same time he had 5 of the top 10 rated players as half backmen. Surely you are taking the P*ss trying to reference Champion Datain relation to teams being impacted by injury.

[wenchbarwer]

Champion Data also said Nick Blakey was the 4th best player in the comp in 2025...