Port Adelaide Power: Dream Team Preview

This is the next of our submitted Club Dream Team Previews. Thanks to Dunny for sending this one in! You will receive a stubby holder and if your article is one of the two that gets the most Facebook “Likes’ (just above this blurb), you’ll get yourself an AFL Prospectus! Read on!

2010 was a year to forget for the Power both on the field and in dream teams.  A run of 9 losses in a row did a fair bit to dent the hearts of the supporters, but a couple of players (yes I am looking at you R Gray!) dented the hopes of DT sides all over the nation!  The Power has lost their favourite son in Tredders but this shouldn’t hurt DT coaches as he wasn’t that much of a DT factor.  They have drafted well and with their new coach Matty Primus and the run of form towards the end of the year and the re-emergence of players like Gray (all too late) and the Hoff (Westhoff) should go into 2011 with a fair bit of confidence that they can improve on their 10^th position to battle for a spot in the 8.

The Byes for Port Adelaide are gold for DT coaches!  They are evenly spread out in rounds 12 and 18 so the players should be well rested for the second half of the year and importantly the run into finals.  This should mean that they don’t have any players being rested if they are locked in for finals.  (Speaking of finals, Port plays Hawthorn, Western Bulldogs, Essendon and Melbourne across the DT Finals weeks).  However, even more enticing is that they by the time they have their first bye, the Gold Coast have had both of theirs so if you play your cards right you could use Power players to upgrade to Gold Coast Guns (read: G Ablett) .  In fact, the Power are the last team to have their first bye so upgrading them will mean you only have one bye to contend with at that position at the most.

DT Studs

Kane Cornes – He is truly Mr Reliable.  His last 5 years averages are a staggering 105, 107, 99, 95 and 101.  He hasn’t missed a game in the last 5 years either which means that he is a sure bet each and every week.  He won’t win you a week with a monster score, but he will keep you in the hunt.

Travis Boak – Boak is a player on the rise who is now cementing his place in the Power engine room.  Boak also increased his goalkicking last year, according to the Prospectus he went from 7 to 13 whilst upping his kicking to handballing ratio over each of his years in the comp which means higher DT scores!  He averaged 95 last year and I would look to an average over 100 this season.

A Unique pick anyone?

Dom Cassisi – The captain is a bit of an underrated player from a fantasy point of view.  I have had him for the last 2 years and he hasn’t disappointed.  After a slow start in 2010 he rebounded to finish with an average of 90.  Perhaps a little low for his price, but he has averaged in the 90’s for the last 3 years.  The backbone of his point scoring is his tackling, he laid the second most tackles for the second year in a row in 2010 with 176 (avg of 7.7 and 8.0 over last 2 seasons, that’s 32pts before even touching the ball!).  He does average 21 touches but there are more handballs than kicks given his in and under gamestyle.

Comeback Kids but buyer beware

Hamish Hartlett – This guy is going to be an out and out gun for both the real game and for DT.  However, he has to get over the soft tissue injures that have hampered his career.  Taken at pick 4 in 2008 he has shown silky skills and a knack for getting the ball.  In his 11 games in his rookie year he averaged 16 disposals and averaged 79 DT pts in his 4 games last year.  Should have a nice low discounted price to start the year and if he plays should be good for that Gold Coast upgrade in round 12.

Robbie Gray – The bane of every DT players existence in 2010!  When this guy is fit he is a star who just finds the ball and kicks goals.  He hasn’t played a full season yet but is said to be tearing up the track.  His most consistent year was 2009 where he averaged 73.  If he gets an injury discount after playing only 11 games last year he might be worth a look, but like many DT coaches, I have been burnt once, it won’t happen again!

Rookies

Ben Jacobs is the most fantasy relevant player for the Power rookies.  He dominated at the U18 champs averaging just under 29 disposals with a healthy kick / handball ratio.  He also knows where the big sticks are with 14 goals in the TAC cup in only 5 games and according to the prospectus he averaged a nice 106pts over those 5 so if he can get a game at Port Adelaide (and I believe he will) he will be a nice little Cash Cow that should mature around about round 10. NOTE: As reported this week (after this article was written), Jacobs has glandular fever and may miss the start of the season, at the very least he will be under done – Warnie.

Potential Downgrade Target

John Butcher – This guy could be a nice downgrade target towards the middle of the season.  He is being touted as a replacement for Tredrea as he is a tall marking forward who has some nice accuracy in front of goal.  He had a back injury that sidelined him for most of 2010 but he came in for the Port Adelaide Magpies in the SANFL towards the back end of the year.  Watch for this guy to be getting a few games towards the latter half of the season, particularly if someone like Justin Westhoff or Jay Schulz gets an injury.  He is highly regarded at Alberton and will be given every opportunity at SANFL level to prove he is worthy of an AFL game.

Defenders

Chad Cornes – Can he recapture the glory days?  He started training with the kids and has apparently recaptured the hunger.  If left at CHB he should be able to play a nice sweeper role.  If he is fit and plays all 22 he could be a cheap buy given last year’s poor form.  Remember, his 2009 wasn’t widely regarded but he still averaged 87, it has been 4 years though since his average was over 90.

Troy Chaplin – Averages in the 70’s but I think there is probably some better value out there at his price.

Mids

Kane Cornes and Travis Boak – Look no further than these two guys, see above for their analysis.

Forwards

Robbie Gray is the only player of real DT relevance, but buyer beware with Robbie, just hope that he plays a few games to make him worth the selection.

Rucks

Jackson Trengove was a popular pick last season and he showed towards the end of the season that he is more than capable in the ruck but also down back where he played well.  If Dean Brogan goes down, Jackson is the most obvious player to step up and his scores should reflect that, but his value at the moment is limited as may be his minutes with the new Sub and bench rules.  His average was only 53 which meant he was more bench cover than a regular on your starting lineup.  But did have a 98, 80 and 3 scores in the 70’s.  There is potential there, but unless he gets the number 1 ruck job, may find himself in the SANFL for most of the year without injuries to the starting 22.

Summary

The Power isn’t the best team for high scores, but there is some value to be found.  With guys like Kornes, Boak and Cassisi you generally get what you pay for, but others coming back from injury like Gray and Hartlett could get you some value and potentially be cash cows.