Some facts about Port Adelaide at the time;

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/nothin ... 6567303294

Wake up. We should never entertain the idea of letting go a player of BG calibre. Just when he is finally starting to flourish? It would be stupidity of the highest order. Highly skilled, durable, able to play in multiple positions.....
Sure we could get a fa compensation pick but the odds of the new guy coming in and matching GB in performance is not high. And we would lose all that fitness base the he has.
Leadership. We need leaders. BG and murphy and thomas are a good start. Hopefully judd keeps playing for another 3 years as a forward. Curnow to show how to gut run and train. Buckley has shown real dedication and desire. There is a core leadership. But it needed BG in it.
Trading. You just dont trade players that you need. We were moaning about Betts being traded, but betts is a highly skilled small forward. He cant play all over the ground like gibbs. His role was too specific. And we would have had to pay overs...you dont do that for one dimensional players.
You do trade players that have currency and that you have replacements for. One of kreuzer or warnock should go at year end. We should then live with the choice, and revel in the fact that we have gained another top player in exchange , that fills a need.

The clock. I prefer to remain positive. I am not a "no hoper" like synbad and co . Sure we have some challenges, just like the other 12 clubs in a similar situation as us...in no mans land. If we say that we should have let gibbs go because we need to rebuild, then we are conceding that we are unable to add enough players to our core group to get to say 16 top performing players ( i always feel that the last 4-6 players in your team are what defines you, more than your stars) also in a top side those last 4-6 players are made to look much better due to the talent around them. Beware the trade that comes from a top side.
How far are we from a core 16 in the next 3 years?

1 murphy-Yeah first picked always when fit
2 gibbs-Great signing, showing improvements and could really lift off from here
3 simpson ( no reason he cant keep playing)-Hope so, a leader, being found out a bit with a tag of late but can play a number of roles.
4 thomas--Yeah, hope his ankle is okay as well. Got him for Betts.
5 judd(imo will keep playing but in an altered role)-Not sure? What role?
6 walker-Shits me to tears this guy. Like Jarrad Waite.
7 curnow (elite gut runner)-I don't rate him as highly as others. Does play a role for us though but looks like he does not have outstanding skills with ball in hand. I think he is a 4-6 player at best.
8 yarran-Improved under MM. Outstanding attacking abilities and I hope he is nearly as good with his defensive things.
9 buckley-Showing signs of improvement but more a 4-6 at this stage.
10 kreuzer/warnock (one of stays the other is trade)-I would keep Kreuzer (if/when he is fit)
11 jamieson-Limited footballer but does his job accordingly well. Hope there are others who can stand up to the task. In there for now.
12 henderson (when not playing injured)-Yeah. Our best tall wish we had 2 at both ends.
13 docherty-Looks a talent, scope for improvement. We don't have mid depth.
14 menzel-Great skills.
15 cripps ( with reservations)-Wait and see but hope so. Not there yet.
16 replacement for kreuzer/warnock trade-Wait and see again.
17 first round draft pick end of 2014-They're not always successful but I hope so.
18 big name recruit end of 2014 using either fa or $ freed up to attract-Who will we get?

I have left out the following
1 waite. He is a show pony. If we can use as trade bait we should do so.-Doubt we would get interested parties at all. Past his best and nearly done.
2 carrazo. Is not going to last three more years-Has one year left. I think 2015 will be his last imo.
3 garlett. Not good enough atm. He is one of the 4-6... Looks good with a betts beside him.-More attention and wonder if he is happy.
4 robinson. Love his endeavour and aggression. Needs to work on disposal, which he is doing-I think he will become part of our core 16.
5 mcLean will retire-Not sure.
6 casboult/rowe. I am hoping that out of the ashes at least one of these guys takes the next step. But i like to be conservative.-Hope and think so.
7 white -is showing some good signs. Is a real goer. Probably a 4-6 player-Very injury prone as well and can't string many games together. Been on the list for a fair while now. I have my doubts.
8 tuohy. A mystery to me . Showed great signs last year but this year has been found out. A 4-6 player-A bit of work by the opposition. New role on the wing maybe? Delighfully skilful.
9 armfield. Love his pace and effort. A 4-6 player-I would pick him when fit despite what others would say.
10 bell. Love his aggression and hardness . Is really working on his fitness and i am hopeful that he could take the next step.-Potential 4-6 player with room for improvement.
11 ellard . Maybe a 4-6 player as a defensive forward-Always had my doubts. Love his endeavour but looks too slow and small for AFL.
12 everitt. Potentially in the core 16 . We need to define his role. Atm is being tried everywhere.-HBF he played his best football with the Swans. Will we find him a role? Been very good for us in some matches this year.
13 lucas. Could potentially be a 4-6 player. Definitely has flashes of good football in him, but his defensive side needs work. Trade?-Trade I think.
14 watson. I think his opinion of himself is much greater than his ability-Frustrating to see lack of progess so far. One more year?
15 mcinnes. Not sure. Would like to think he is in 4-6.-Was once. I liked what I saw at first.


Are we really that far away?-At the moment yes.

very average numbers

a coach can do wonders

or you can hire a guy like mick

He is no Judd and never will be. IF he walked, he walked. Three years maximum for Gibbs.

Hinkley didn't do many signings or trades when he took over in 2012. He just asked the players to train hard because he has a very exciting and rewarding game plan for them to follow at the start of 2013.

Don't you remember? Hinkley won his first 5 games in 2013, port made the finals off their own steam, beat the pies in melbourne, almost beat the cats the following week in melbourne again.

And Hinkley ended up the AFL coaches Association coach of the year whilst being paid in the bottom 3 in the AFL and having one of the lowest footy department budgets in the league.

And in his first draft he said he was surprised Oli Wines lasted until pick 7, and was wrapped to pick him up. Had no choice but to snare wines with pick 7.

Meanwhile Mick was running around Arizona singing the carlton song because they climbed a low mountain, planning sausage sizzles, desperately begging Swann to recruit his son to the club from collingwood. And easy job for for the great Swan who is an expert at relocating collingwood staff and players to his current place of employment.

Yes ladies and gentlemen let's build a super team around Daisy, Docherty, Everritt and Wood, and save Micks job and Wiley's and the brilliant Green, until the year 2022 where we should have a shot at making the top 4.

[FRYBIE]

Exactly

We might get Nick Maxwell next year, pull Ben Johnson and Didak out of retirement and we might make the 8 next season. It wouldn't surprise me if the pensioner wants his retired players back, they used to know his game plan, so it might win a couple games

Did you actually read the article?

the title should tell you what you need to know but let’s sum up

ranked 17th in defence
18th in attack
17th in tackles
8th midfield (clearances)
1 elite player(?)

and they're the third youngest and fourth most inexperienced team

so they are the only team that matured in one summer to make the finals
only port players gained experience over the pre season and got older
their game has improved in one year out of their own accord with a relative minimal list cull
are they as experienced as the swans, hawks and cats to be on top of the ladder this year or have the others just lost experience
there tackling, defence and forward line grow out of natural progression without the influence of Hinckley

lets face it our coach has creamed us for two years

retiring him when his contract is up is in the best interest for our future

TCs little ray of sunshine has returned!