St Kilda the next Port Adelaide?

[FQF]

Last year the players and coaches regularly drew a comparison between us and Port as the reason we believed we could turn it around quickly. Well, its round 14 and we are both on 20 points. I don't know what's gone wrong with Port, but we should probably stop using them as our inspiration.

[saynta]

Last year the players and coaches regularly drew a comparison between us and Port as the reason we believed we could turn it around quickly. Well, its round 14 and we are both on 20 points. I don't know what's gone wrong with Port, but we should probably stop using them as our inspiration.

Richo left Port and came to the Saints, maybe?

[bigcarl]

The wheels fell off over there when Richo joined us. Now Port Adelaide might be the next St Kilda

[thejiggingsaint]

I definitely do NOT want us to be the "next" anybody! I'm far too excited about being St Kilda!

[FQF]

Phil Walsh also left at the end of last year. Whatever it is, at this stage they look like missing the finals all together which would have been utterly unthinkable a few months ago.

[matrix]

I f****** hope we aren't the next port power.

Christ sake they've dropped the bundle.
Everyone worked out the we only run it thru the middle but don't apply any pressure thing they do....or did.

[gringo]

Their spine is a bit iffy. Schultz needs some help with Westhoff dropping away a bit. They need a few more quality specialist talls. They will be back next year they just dropped away a bit. Geelong did a similar thing the year they got Selwood. They should fly to columbia and bring back supplies to get Dixon over there.

[thejiggingsaint]

[Austinnn]

I was just thinking the same thing as the OP and I think it's definitely worth being vigilant against. They were flying in 13 and 14, good mix of young stars, underrated team players keeping the engine purring and experienced vets, a coach who has done the full apprenticeship.

Richo leaves, Phil Walsh leaves, Cornes retires, the rest of the comp works out how to stop them, a few injuries and they are toast.

We're jumping for joy swallowing everyone's Kool Aid after winning 5 games - and fair enough after last year - but now is the time to get the contracts right with the big boys: Trout, Bains, Richo, Sexton, Basil, Finnis, to stop them persuing better paid higher possies elsewhere.

Now is the time to work on plans B and C for when plan A gets sussed. Now is the time to instill that winning culture so that there is a beacon in the stormy days when things go the way of Essendon, and we absolutely have to get a little bit ruthless come trade time.

We've got a great set of elite VFL players outside our best 22 and some could be good AFL players, some might even become great if we're really lucky. I hate saying it, but we have to investigate trading some of them for picks or players.

For example; Hickey is a good mobile ruckman, and he is probably globally better than Longer now, but is it worth taking our chances on either one of Pierce or Holmes coming good as a backup to Billy and trading Hickey for a gun FB, (dunno who) or a handy tall mid type? If we throw Mitchington or even Wright into the deal, could be another Stanley situation where we wonder if we'd given them enough time, they could have pushed us all the way, but ends up being a win-win trade.

There are other players who don't have enough currency at the moment that could do in the future like Sippos, Markworth, Curren, Saunders, Murdoch, Pierce, Payne. We'll see how they go and in a few years they'll either be tradebait on the fringe, a lock in the best 22 for departing vets or delisted. Its a good situation to be in really.

I don't know much about the individual positions or style of these players, but from what I've read Webster, Roberton, Gilbert, Acres and McKenzie all seem to be very similar. Can we have them all in the squad?

What is undeniable is that Schneider Fisher Dempster Joey Gilbert and Captain Roo will all need replacing soonish, then after that it's Armo, then Steven and Geary. By the time the last 3 are leaving they'll hopefully have a premiership medal or two to pack.

I hate the idea of any of our players leaving, but I don't want any more false dawns.

Maybe Port Adelaide will pull through and win something in the next few years though. They've certainly got enough class. I don't mind em, I like Hinkley, like how they are running things now. Hope they sort it out.

Essendon can burn to the ground and take their false idol with them. I don't hate them, but I hate what they've become.

[Teflon]

Port rose too quickly and simply don't have the spine talent to seriously challenge
Remember Port don't have the luxury of a Riewoldt to play second fiddle up forward or a Sam Fisher to help shore up a back line or a Montagna to drive a midfield....
Point is we are very much held up still by these senior guys and we are some ways off yet having a list to truly challenge the big boys
Now is the time to be patient, be strategic and hold the course of Pelchens plan.... stock pile big time

[karnaby]

Good post Austinnn.

We need to learn from others as much as possible and work to create our own future.