What went wrong for Port Melbourne?
It is now a couple of months since the might of Port Melbourne lost the VFL Grand Final & it is perhaps time allow my previous thoughts to the world! I wrote the following piece shortly after the GF loss, in hasty and unforgiving mood! While the dust may have settled on the season and the GF loss, the failure to convert a fantastic opportunity is what will forever remain with the Port Melbourne Football Club.
So whilst I do go pretty hard on some individuals below, I think there are many people who would agree with what has been written.
Ruckman
Wayde Skipper is a much maligned footballer, who has played to moderate success at the highest level of football. His VFL performances in 2011 for Port Melbourne were admirable, when he was pushed by fellow bigmen Fabian DeLuca & co.
2012 was a different story for Skipper who was the leading man for the season, with support from Adrian Bonnedeo. The club failed to list another ruckman in the 2012 squad leaving itself venerable to injury and poor form. This no more apparent when Skipper spent the first 16 weeks of the season turning up to late to training, take a half-hearted approach to game day and effectively cornering the club with his "its me or no one" approach.
The club clearly had enough of Skippers attitude and promoted a 17yo Oakleigh Cannons ruckman to the first team under the 23rd man rule. This was the first time Skipper was tested as a ruckman but more importantly as a person. The kid took it upto Skipper and in the eyes of some out performed the aging ruckman.
Finals arrived and Skipper played a career best game, dominating the first final and showing what he can do at his best on the small Port ground. For many it looked like the persistence had paid off and when push came to shove, Skipper was still interested and still the man.
That was until a disgraceful performance by Skipper on the biggest stage of the year, the Grand Final. Skipper was outclasses, outworked and out muscled by two of the games best VFL ruckman, Dawson Simson & 4 time premiership ruckman Orial Stevenson. Skipper was a duck out of water on the big ground and lost hitouts 3-1. Skipper failed to provide an option on the big ground and become more of a liability than an asset. With Bonnedeo needed up forward, it was left to Skipper to slowly fade away, much like the rest of the team in the ruck.
Bonnedeo is a fantastic ruckman against smaller developing ruckman in the VFL, where he can use his size and weight advantage to full effect. He is also suited to the smaller confinements of Port Melbourne home ground and can be found wanting on the larger grounds, where his tank (not his endeavor like Skipper) lets him down. Bonnedeo provided a quality backup options for Skipper throughout the year.
Port Melbourne failed to create a plan B option for the ruck when things were not going as to plan. It was either Skipper or Bonnedeo for Port and the club never looked for a third plan 'B' get out classless. Never once was a dynamic player like Billy Burstain thrown into the middle or the occasionally lacking confidence key forward, Dean Gallea or even key defender Ryan Gale. The nearest Port came to trying something was by promoting reserves Key Defender/Utility Luke Casey-Leigh.
The clubs failure to provide a valued second option cost the club on the biggest day of the year. Its over-reliance on a temperamental and inadequate footballers proved costly to a proud club.
Lack of plan 'B'
As mentioned in the Ruckman saga, the lack of a plan 'B' option was no more evident than in the Grant Final. The failure to look 'out side the box' enabled Geelong to get clearances time after time, with relative ease. Geelong went with two big blokes who were both listed inside their top 6 on the day. Port were unable to find a suitable option to nullify either Simpsons or Stephenson.
Geelong found good space through the midfield by running players with youthful exuberance into the engine room and simple running rings around the static Port midfield. Port failed to create another option to combat the continuing losses and stuck with the tried and true old man brigade in the midfield, much to their detriment.
The forward line also never once throughout the year tried a different set up. The nearest they came was around mid season when Shane Valenti was conditionally injured and he was played a small leading forward out of the square. 5 minutes later the idea was shammed, not because it was an epic fail, and Valenti failed to return to a small forward role. Port Melbourne needed to find avenues to goal other than the standard, 'kick it long to Galea' option. Whether this could have come from playing Valenti out of the square more often or trying Plemming or Gale as a lead up forward, the club continued to stick to their stubborn guns and it ultimately cost them the Grand Final
Loss of Dwyer
The loss of Dwyer at the pointy end of the season proved a costly situation for Port Melbourne. Dwyer was a key component in the Port Melbourne setup and was a leading man for the outfit. While it is not Port's fault he went down injured, the loss certainly didn't help the clubs cause. More significantly was the fact they played a visibly limping and distressed Dwyer in key finals. While he performed admirably, there were full fit options available who would feel a little hard done by from their exclusion from the team.
Failure of key players in big moments (Note: Players who failed to 'step up' in defining moments of the season and/or the Grand Final. More importunity, these guys are leaders who have no excuse. They should thrive on the big stage, not wilt into third division SFL player)
Dean Gallea
John Baird
Matthew Dillion
Wayde Skipper
Flat Track Bullies (Note: We are talking about players who love beating up on inferior opponents, especially on the small North Port Oval. - Also I am a big fan of each of the players listed below & watching them in full flight is a sight to behold. I just wish we could see it week in week out!)
Dean Gallea
Adrian Bonnedeo
Shane Valenti
Chris Cain