Gray excites senses for teammate, coach
WATCHING from afar, Tom Rockliff knew Robbie Gray was a “special player’’.
“As an opposition player, you knew he was a class act and someone who could turn a game with a moment of magic,’’ the former Brisbane Lions captain said.
But Rockliff admits he did not realise how jawdroppingly good the triple Port Adelaide club champion was until he started training and playing alongside him.
“He’s a freak, unbelievable,’’ said the player who joined the Power as a free agent at the end of last season.
“Robbie’s one of the most hard-working and gifted players I’ve ever come across. I don’t think there’s anyone in the competition who has his ability to win one-on-one contests.
“He has a rare ability to be able to keep his feet under intense pressure and hardly ever goes to ground.
“And he can turn opponents inside out with his evasiveness and balance, and then finish off with a freakish goal, which is outstanding.
“The public sees what he does in games but they don’t get to see some of the stuff he does at training, particularly in match simulation drills, which just makes your jaw drop.
“He’s a definite matchwinner for us who stands up in big games.’’
Triple All-Australian midfielder/forward Gray last week jumped to the head of an elite queue of players when he had 28 disposals and kicked three goals in Port’s 57-point win against the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval.
It was the 15th time Gray had compiled 20 or more disposals and kicked three or more goals in a game in the past five seasons.
No other player has achieved the feat.
The next two players on the “20 and three’’ list are Geelong Brownlow medallist Patrick Dangerfield and champion Sydney key forward Lance Franklin. They have done it 13 times. Gray’s standout performance against the Dogs came five rounds after he kicked six goals from 20 disposals against Adelaide to win the Showdown Medal as the Power booted a finalminute goal through Steven Motlop to win by five points.
The 30-year-old recorded at least 20 disposals and three goals four times in 2014 and three times in 2015, 2016 and last year.
This year he has done it twice.
In his first seven seasons at the Power after being a draft steal at pick 55 in 2006 from Victorian TAC Cup side Oakleigh Chargers, Gray had four “20 and three’’ games.
But since returning from a career-defining knee reconstruction in 2013, he has catapulted into elite territory.
Rockliff says Gray, who before his injury was not renowned as the hardest worker on the track, is now meticulous with his preparation.
“He ticks every box and goes above and beyond to make sure he is cherry ripe for games,’’ he said.
“That’s one of the reasons he’s become a superstar.’’
This season Champion Data ranks Gray in the elite category for a mid-forward in average disposals (23.8), contested possessions (11.2), groundball-gets (7.6), clearances (4.8), goals (1.7) and score involvements (7.2).
Illustrating his effectiveness is that 32 per cent of the chains of play he has been involved in have ended in a Port score — the fourthhighest percentage in the league.
Gray’s brilliant 2018 is remarkable considering he was diagnosed with testicular cancer last September and had a delayed start to pre-season training because of his medical treatment.
Power coach Ken Hinkley, who worked closely with dual Brownlow medallist Gary Ablett at Geelong, believes Gray is in his class.
“He’s right up the top,” Hinkley said of his 183cm magician.
“I’ve been lucky enough to be around Junior — Gary. He’s an outstanding player. Stevie J (Johnson) as well.
“He (Gray) is probably at least their equal. He’s a pretty good player.”