Scrappy Power can only improve, says coach

PORT Adelaide’s coaching staff has had an informal midseason review and singled out managing to scrape wins without being anywhere near top form as one of the upsides to 2018.

Senior assistant coach Matthew Nicks noted clubs such as West Coast and North Melbourne had between eight and 10 players performing at close to careerbest levels.

At the same time, the Power struggled to find players other than defender Tom Jonas and captain Travis Boak among those who were playing near their best.

The assessment has left the club bullish with the players now rested after a break following the match in China against Gold Coast and ready to embark on the final 13 rounds of the season.

“We’ve had a little bit more time to get together and have some discussions,” Nicks said yesterday.

“We sit six (wins) and three (losses) — and how can we improve again?

“From a positive point of view — even though it probably doesn’t sound that positive — we’re not playing our best football at the moment and that’s across the board.

“We’re not shooting the lights out.

“Obviously Richmond is very much up and about, North Melbourne is also playing at a really high standard, West Coast, obviously.

“You look across their 22 and they’ve got some guys who are in really good form, we’re talking eight or 10 players who are playing the best football we’ve seen from them.

“At the moment, you look across our group and there’s a lot of room for improvement.

“We’ve been able to scratch out wins, get six wins on the board and that’s a good sign for us because we can still bet better.

“A guy like Tom Jonas is probably playing some of the best football I’ve seen — he’s stepping up and playing at a really high level.

“Travis Boak is having a really strong year.

“But other than that … there’s so much room to improve.”

Nicks expected the break after the Shanghai match to make a difference.

Port’s players should be fresh as they face Hawthorn in Launceston tomorrow.

“It (the break) has come at a good time,” Nicks said.

“For our players it’s great to freshen them up and we’re hoping they’ll come back refreshed and we’ll get a couple of weeks from them when they’re really up and about.”

Meanwhile, Port Adelaide vice-captain Ollie Wines is expected to soon sign a fresh deal with his AFL club.

Wines falls off-contract at season’s end but has been in talks with the Power, who picked him in the 2012 national draft.

The 23-year-old from Victoria is understood to have made up his mind to stay in Adelaide during Port’s bye weekend.

“He’s a real leader off the field, he does everything right,” teammate Steven Motlop said yesterday.

“And he’s a great guy and the boys love being around him.’’