The 2019 AFL Premiership Season is finally upon us with just five days until Port Adelaide kicks off its campaign against Melbourne at the MCG, and with new co-captains, strong drafting and recruiting and a host of fit again stars, there is plenty of reason to be excited.
We have compiled a list of 19 reasons to be excited about season 2019.
- New players
With the recruitment of Scott Lycett from West Coast, Ryan Burton from Hawthorn and Sam Mayes from Brisbane, and a group of very talented recruits through the AFL National and Rookie drafts, it is a revamped list capable of competing against anyone.
Bringing together our history and our future ❤️ #weareportadelaide pic.twitter.com/8TUijRqXFA
— Port Adelaide FC (@PAFC) March 7, 2019
- New coaches
Dean Brogan, Jarrad Schofield and Brett Montgomery return to Alberton, where they won the 2004 AFL Premiership. The coaching box has a new look with Michael Voss becoming senior assistant coach and Nathan Bassett moving from defensive coach to forward coach.
- New game plan
Port Adelaide has promised to be bold, aggressive and flexible. The club is determined to attach the game at every opportunity, moving the ball quicker without fear of hitting 50-50 contests. If the JLT Community Series is anything to go by, it’ll be an exciting and high scoring brand of football.
- New AFL rules
The AFL in its wisdom has made a few rule tweaks which so far seem promising in terms of opening the game up and giving players more freedom to be creative and score more goals. Changes to centre bounce starting positions, kick in rules and limiting the influence of runners will test many sides. How Port Adelaide adapts to the changes will go a long way to how successful it is in 2019.
READ about the new rule changes here
- New captains
For the first time ever, Port Adelaide enters the season with co-captains with Tom Jonas and Ollie Wines replacing Travis Boak, who stepped down at the end of 2018. Both fantastic leaders in their own right, working together should make them even stronger at a time when captaincy commitments are increasing.
- Young talent set for breakout years
There is a lot of excitement around the club about its draft haul, which included three first round picks, but many have forgotten about some of the talent that has yet to reach its full potential as yet. Todd Marshall, Willem Drew, Joe Atley and Kane Farrell are amongst the players who have had a year or two on the list and are set for big 2019 seasons respectively.
- Hammer and Brogsy back
How good will it be to have Hamish Hartlett and Matthew Broadbent back patrolling the half back line after both had long enforced injury layoffs in 2018. Hartlett was recently appointed vice-captain of the club and Broadbent is one of the most popular players in the Port Adelaide family.
- Fully fit Paddy Ryder working with Lycett
Ryder was at his best in 2017 when he earned All-Australian honours for his damaging tap work and ability to outleap his opponents. An injury interrupted 2018 curtailed his season but the addition of West Coast Premiership ruckmen Scott Lycett will ease the burden, leaving both able to rotate through the middle and up forward. The signs were positive in pre-season and they will only get better the more they work together.
- Bumper AFL fixture
Port Adelaide has plenty to get excited about in its fixture for 2019. With six Saturday night games including four at the Adelaide Oval, and three Friday night games in a row, including on Good Friday in Perth, there are endless chances to make a night of the footy. See all of the highlights here
- Big SANFL fixture
Having opened the season against West Adelaide with a Friday night blockbuster on the 29th of March, the Magpies will enjoy a trip to Port Pirie amongst a bumper fixture. They’ll have nine home games with four on Saturday afternoons and five on Sunday afternoons. See all of the highlights here
- New Magpies structure
Port Adelaide made the tough decision to give up its reserves team in the SANFL at the end of 2018 in order to make its league side more capable of adding to its 36 SANFL premierships. It means fewer players at training for the Magpies but changes to the structure mean Port Adelaide can access higher quality players.
- New Magpies players
Under those structural changes, Port Adelaide has been able to recruit former Fremantle Docker Cam Sutcliffe as its SANFL captain for 2019. The Magpies have also shored up a number of key positions with former North Adelaide player Matt Appleton through the midfield, Tom Corcoran, Jack Elsworthy and Adam Mahney in defence and the likes of Dallas Hill up forward.
- New opponent in Shanghai
Having taken our great game to China to play for Premiership points for the first time in 2017 and having beaten Gold Coast that year and in 2018, the time has come for another challenger. St Kilda will join the Power in Shanghai in 2019, bringing new ideas and another opponent to the spectacle.
Planning on heading over for the game, all the information you need here!
- Plans for our 150thanniversary in 2020
In just 12 months’ time the club will be celebrating its 150th anniversary. As the most successful AFL club, there are big plans underway to ensure it’s a bumper year, and a big 2019 will go a long way to ensuring the perfect lead in.
- New corporate partnerships
Port Adelaide is lucky to have a host of corporate partners and having retained most of those for 2019, it has added Sanjeev Gupta and his family of the GFG Alliance as a new Joint Major Sponsor to complement its existing partnership with Oak PLUS.
- 20 years of Power Community Youth programs
Port Adelaide exists to win premierships and to make its community proud. The club takes its commitment to its community very seriously. Beginning with an idea by club great Russell Ebert 20 years ago, the Power Community Youth program has taught thousands of children about the benefits of healthy lifestyles and relationships. Out of that one program was borne a suite of 13 industry-leading programs supporting young people including those with multicultural and Aboriginal heritage, defence force families and others who may be disengaged from their schooling.
- Milestones, milestones, milestones
From 250 games for Best and Fairest Justin Westhoff, former skipper Travis Boak and the reliable Brad Ebert, to 200 games for Robbie Gray there is plenty to look forward to at Port Adelaide in the milestone department. Co-captain Ollie Wines is in line for his 150th game, as is coach Ken Hinkley.
- Indigenous round and our special guernsey
In 2018 it was Paddy Ryder and his uncle who designed the Port Adelaide indigenous guernsey. So popular was it that the design was replicated on the Magpies guernsey and replaced the prison bars for a one-off Indigenous round game. This year the Sir Douglas Nicholls Indigenous round will see Port Adelaide play Hawthorn in Tasmania but the club will hold its own Indigenous round, celebrating the Aboriginal Power Cup high school program when the Power faces Geelong at Adelaide Oval in Round 14. Who will design the special guernsey this year?
- Membership records?
Port Adelaide has broken its membership record year on year since its move to Adelaide Oval and is aiming to do the same in 2019. As well as the usual 11-game membership option, the club has in 2019 brought in a six-game membership because we know life gets busy and you can’t get to every match. There’s also a three-game option and a supporter pack which gives you access to two games plus a scarf! More info here
