Nothing elite about Port's list

Port Adelaide skipper Dom Cassisi walks off after enduring another defeat. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

PORT Adelaide fans sick of hearing a call for patience are in for more pain before the gain according to a damning list assessment in the 2013 AFL Prospectus.

Football's annual statistical bible, compiled by Champion Data, rates the Power as having the second-worst list in the competition, ahead of only GWS.

Its defence is rated a lowly 18th and forwardline 17th in the league, and Port is one of only two clubs without a player considered "elite" - in the top 10 per cent according to their position on the ground.

The Power's director of coaching and strategy Alan Richardson yesterday said he did not dispute Champion Data's statistical rankings.

But he pointed to a correlation between team rankings and their average age and games' experience.

Reigning premier Sydney has the oldest (24.86 years) and second most experienced (85 games per player) team in the competition and has the third best list.

The top-two ranked lists of Hawthorn and West Coast are also the third and fourth oldest in the league.

At the opposite end of the scale is Port Adelaide which has the third youngest and fourth most inexperienced list.

"There's an absolute direct correlation between the age of a list and the way they're ranked," Richardson said.

"From a statistical point of view, we agree with the markers that they rate.

"But the important fact would be that those markers are a true reflection of the impact on the game, and there's no doubt if you have a more experienced group with a team that's performing well, you will rate higher in terms of those individual markers."

Three exceptions to the rule are Fremantle, Adelaide and St Kilda.

The Dockers are considered to have the fourth best list in the game, yet are only the eighth oldest team while the Crows are ranked sixth best but are only the 10th oldest.

St Kilda is at the bottom end of the curve with the second oldest team but only the 12th best list.

Richardson estimates Port Adelaide lost close to 800 games' experience at the end of last season when the likes of Danyle Pearce, Troy Chaplin, David Rodan, Steven Salopek and Jacob Surjan all left Alberton. And he said it would take time to replace their experience.

"Certainly from a fan's point of view there's no doubt they've got to be patient, the club and (coach) Ken (Hinkley) in particular has been on record as saying we're not going to put any limitations on the guys.

"We're not going to talk about how many games we're going to win, we're all very aware that teams can improve very quickly and that's certainly our aim.

"But the reality is we lost 800 games of experience with changes to the list from last year and added 200 and most of that is Angus Monfries."

As part of the Prospectus, Champion Data rated every player - provided they'd played at least five games in the past two years - with a score out of 100.

Gary Ablett is the top-ranked midfielder with 100 while Scott Pendlebury was next best on 92.

Richardson said Port's ranking was not helped by having some of its best young talent including Robbie Gray, John Butcher, Andrew Moore and Jasper Pittard, sidelined with injury last year.

"And they're the future of our footy club," he said.

"We're really positive and bullish that while understanding that they're rated lowly from a statistical market point of view, we know that that's based on experience and how many games they've played."

Richardson said the Power had worked on becoming more "aggressive" over summer after the club was ranked 17th in the competition for tackles and applied pressure outside clearances last season.

It may look to its cross-town neighbour Adelaide as a guide after the Crows became the top-ranked team in the competition for contested possession and went within a kick of making the Grand Final.

"We look at all clubs - how they improve, where do we need to go, what is the model to win a flag and I think most of the industry would have sat back and admired the way Adelaide went about their footy," Richardson said.

Port Adelaide recruit Angus Monfries. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

THE CASE AGAINST PORT ADELAIDE (According to the AFL Prospectus)

THE Power's 2013 player list is rated the second worst in the competition, 17th of the 18 teams and ahead of only GWS.

THE Power's defence is rated the worst in the competition and its forwardline the second-worst.

PORT is one of only two clubs along with GWS without an `elite' ranked player on its list. To be considered elite, a player would be ranked in the top 10 per cent of their position type in the league. West Coast has seven considered in the elite category while Collingwood, Richmond and Hawthorn each have six.

IT HAS seven players ranked in the top 35 per cent of their position, three fewer than any other established club.

THE Power is ranked 17th in the competition for tackles and applying pressure outside clearance situations.

THE CASE FOR PORT ADELAIDE (According to the AFL Prospectus)

WITH an average age of 23.4 years, the Power has the third youngest list in the competition.

ITS midfield is ranked eighth in the competition, and when combined with its ruck stocks, is considered the 12th best going around.

FOUR of its midfielders considered "above average" are all under the age of 25.

PORT Adelaide was ranked eighth in the league in 2012 for clearances, improving from 15th in 2011.

OF Port Adelaide's 40-man primary list, 17 are homegrown from SA which is the most in the competition and one more than the Crows.

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