Former Carlton and Adelaide midfielder Bryce Gibbs has highlighted five Port Adelaide players that could make their All-Australian debut in 2023.
Gibbs pointed to the rise of Power midfielder Connor Rozee as the blueprint for what he would want to see from one of his choices, with Rozee taking a leap in 2022 to become one of the competition’s premier players.
While Gibbs doesn’t expect all of these players to make a similar leap, he believes that progression across the board is necessary for Port Adelaide to climb back up the ladder.
“If Port are serious contenders this year, and I think they can bounce back into the finals, coming off the back of a prelim final only two years ago, their players are going to have to play well,” he told SEN’s Saturdays in SA.
“Who is going to be the next Connor Rozee to really elevate their game to All-Australian-type status?”
See Gibbs’ picks below:
Zak Butters
“The obvious one is Zak Butters, so obviously he took his game to another level two years ago, making the All-Australian squad,” Gibbs said.
“Injuries cost him last year but he’s looking forward to bouncing back this year.”
Xavier Duursma
“Xavier Duursma is really setting himself to have a big year.
“We’ve heard him speak in the media about being the one from that Rozee-Butters draft that he hasn’t quite got his game to where he thinks it can be.
“If Port are up and going, and him running hard on the wing, getting involved, can hit the scoreboard, getting the arrow out, which we know he can, I think he can really have a big year.”
Josh Sinn
“Josh Sinn, I think he’s ready to take the next step and I think he can really fit into that Karl Amon wing spot that’s available now.
“He has been battling a little bit of an injury over the pre-season, so probably his preparation is not quite where he wants it to be.
“I think he’s folding back into full training over the next couple of weeks, so he’ll be looking forward to ramping that up.”
Mitch Georgiades
“The other one that’s a bit of a smokey will be Mitch Georgiades, his name was thrown up a lot through that trade period.
“I reckon if you were Mitch Georgiades, you don’t like to pay attention to too much outside noise, but you do hear it, and that sort of stuff can motivate you to take your game to the next level.
“If Port are going to be a serious finals contending team, if they want to push for top four, if he can have a big year that will certainly help them do that.
“I’d like to see him up on the wing as well, being run up and down the wing.
“He’s good in the air, he can get back and help chop the defence out, but then also push forward on his opponent and take marks in the forward line as well.
“A good mix of that half-forward third tall, but get up on the wing and move around a bit, a bit more freedom.”
Jason Horne-Francis
“There’s one more, I couldn’t leave my man Jason Horne-Francis out, I’m looking forward to him playing more as a mid.
“North Melbourne played him more as a forward in his first year, pinch-hitting in the midfield.
“He obviously needs to get a bit fitter to be able to do that, I know he’s been determined in this off-season, we know about his surgery prior to Christmas, obviously interrupted that pre-season plan a little bit, but he’s back.
“I’m really looking forward to him playing as a genuine centre-square mid, hopefully 70 per cent mid, 30 per cent forward, that sort of breakdown.
“As an inside mid he’s tough, he’s hard, he tackles, he’s relentless, and he is that player that can burst out of stoppage like a (Patrick) Dangerfield, like a (Christian) Petracca, ball under his arm, fend off a few opposition, drive the ball inside 50.
“He can also hit the scoreboard as well, so if he can be a goal-kicking inside mid, I think the competition will see the arrival of Jason Horne-Francis this year.”
