It could be good bye if Power struggles
PORT Adelaide is not a big goalkicking side and I think it’s coming up against the best backline in the comp this Saturday night.
Charlie Dixon will more than likely come in, which I think is a great match-up for Mark Blicavs.
But if you have a look at their avenues towards goal, I think their kids are their leading scorers at the moment — Connor Rozee is their leading goalkicker on 15, followed by Sam Gray, so their two smalls are their leading goalkickers and they haven’t even got 30 between them.
That shows they’re really struggling up forward.
Dixon is going to be a huge in for them, but with no AFL game time under his belt, there’s every chance he’ll run out of puff after halftime.
They play Paddy Ryder down there but he’s not a natural forward. He’s only kicked 12 for the year, so he’s averaging just one a game.
Travis Boak and Robbie Gray are playing more midfield minutes because Tom Rockliff is out.
Kane Farrell kicked four last week, but, again, he’s just another small.
It is a worrying sign for Port Adelaide against arguably the best backline in the comp right now.
If Blicavs can do the job on Charlie and Harry Taylor on Ryder, and then Stewart, O’Connor and Tuohy blanket their opponents, I can’t see how Port Adelaide will kick a winning score.
The biggest test for Geelong is coming off the bye, which the Cats have struggled with.
The Cats lost to the Dogs off the bye last year and then underperformed in the elimination final against Melbourne.
That was after a loss to West Coast off the mid-season bye in 2017, followed by another disappointing final against Richmond off the bye.
In fact, the Cats haven’t won off a mid-season bye since 2011.
I think they’ve tried everything; bringing players back early on a Sunday so they can hit the ground running early in the week, or giving players more of a break.
I don’t think anyone has a real answer, so this will be a great test against a side that’s not scoring that much.
Obviously it’s a real mental game for Geelong, but if the Cats can kick off where they left off, they will blanket and smother Port Adelaide.
The only way the Power can win is by dominating in the midfield.
Boak right now is probably the All-Australian centreman and might even be pushing for a Brownlow, so they’re getting a lot from him.
But with Brad Ebert and Tom Rockliff out, they’re missing two big-bodied midfielders who can go forward.
If Port can match Geelong in the middle somehow, it can protect their defence by not allowing that easy ball delivery to Geelong’s attack.
Richmond failed to stop it before the bye; its backline was under extreme pressure because Patrick Dangerfield, Tim Kelly and Mitch Duncan all had 30-plus.
The Power just needs its midfield to really get on top, or it could be an avalanche if Geelong gets its mental game right.
Just on the game, congratulations to Harry Taylor who plays his 250th for the Cats.
He’s been arguably in the top two or three key defenders in the past 20 years, so I couldn’t be more happy he’s playing 250.
When this time last year no one thought Harry had any footy left in him, to not only come back but to play great football, it’s a terrific credit to him.