WITH season proper and trade period done and dusted, AFL fans and staff alike now turn their attention towards the draft (November 20-21). The chaos has momentarily settled on player and pick swaps, and budding prospects have completed their combines, leaving a nervous wait until they learn their fate.

In the next of our club-by-club draft previews, we take a look at Port Adelaide’s hand and offer insight into how the Power may utilise the picks at their possession. After its top four finish and having gotten a bunch of trades over the line late, the Alberton club may be in for a quiet few nights at the draft.

LADDER FINISH: 3rd (17-6, 112.7%) | Eliminated: Semi-Finals
2023 PICKS: 73
FUTURE PICKS: PTA R2, PTA R3, CAR R4, ESS R4
CLUB-TIED PLAYERS: Nil.

FIRST PICK:
Pick 73

The 2023 draft shapes as being short and sweet for Port Adelaide, who hold just one pick, and a late one at that. It isn’t very likely the Power will be interested in trading back into the order either, having addressed their list needs at the trade table and expressed concerns over the depth of the draft pool.

With an array of club-tied talent set to attract interest within the first round, Port’s pick 73 will likely shoot up into the 50s after early bids are matched, boosting its value. The Power also have father-son and NGA prospects to consider in 2024, so may be well served to preserve their crop of future picks.

Despite having bolstered its ruck and tall defensive stocks with the arrivals of Jordan Sweet, Ivan Soldo, Esava Ratugolea and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, Port Adelaide could look to find another diamond in the rough in the key position department with a vision for long-term depth.

It’s a ploy which has uncovered the likes of Ollie Lord and Dante Visentini, but there’s also 2022 recruits Tom Scully and Kyle Marshall who will hope to become prime examples of such tactics. Take a punt, and it may well come off. There’s decent variety in the crop too, not limited to talls.

The obvious link is Visentini’s younger brother Vigo, a strongly built and competitive ruck who is developing his craft around the ground. After a solid end to the season, there is a good chance the younger Visentini finds a home at AFL level, and Port could reunite him with his elder brother.

In the second or third tall mould are the likes of Luke Lloyd and Nick Williams. The former, a talented lead-up forward, may be off the board by then, but the latter has flown under the radar as the forgotten fifth Suns Academy talent. An over-ager, he thrives aerially and can play at both ends of the ground.

The local talent doesn’t exactly jump off the page for Port Adelaide this year, but defenders like classy half-back Logan Evans and reliable interceptor Bodie Ryan could be late options. A similar player from Victoria, Oscar Ryan, has a good mix of flair and toughness which may appeal to the Power.

West Australian Joe Fonti is another athletic half-back and outside runner who has risen up the order of late, while sliders like Cooper Simpson and Joel Freijah may be surprising availabilities late on. That kind of player, a late value pick, is perhaps what will present to Port Adelaide this year.

Otherwise, mature-agers could better suit where the club thinks it sits with regards to the premiership window. Most are arguably rookie or 2024 mid-season draft chances, but Port will be one of the number of clubs diversifying where they look for talent in a shallow draft pool.

KEY QUESTIONS:

– Will Port Adelaide look to trade back into the 2023 draft?
– If not, which rookies will Port Adelaide promote to fill out its three required picks?
– How much future stock will Port Adelaide need for its 2024 club-tied talent?