Regardless what happens in regard to the future of Zak Butters, Port Adelaide have put together a solid 2026 season.
Sounds dumb, right? They’re 15th, HB.
Yeah, I know it does, and I know they are, but it is only when you drill down on their form that it becomes apparent that the Power are not your ordinary 15th-placed AFL team. They’re far better than their ladder position indicates, and as clubs at the tail end of the ladder start to make plans for the next season, that is an important aspect to consider.
In a season that has seen Port Adelaide appoint a new senior coach, and saw them lose their captain due to a savage hamstring injury, Port have five losses by a cumulative margin of 11 points. Their percentage of 101.0 after 14 rounds of footy is only bettered by the 2023 Sydney Swans, who were another team that were a lot closer to being an excellent side than they were to bottoming out.
However, when I look at this Port list, I am torn between thinking this team has a bright future, or that it might be performing way above its pay grade.
I have to give a lot of credit to Josh Carr this season. I am not one to start taking aim at players, particularly the younger cohort – all good things take time, after all. However, he has this team playing competitive footy weekly, whilst boasting names like Jacob Wehr, Ewan Mackinlay, Joe Richards, and Josh Lai, in regular senior positions. This, whilst being unable to access Connor Rozee, Jack Lukosius, Miles Bergman, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, and Sam Powell-Pepper for the majority, or in Powell-Pepper’s case the entire season.
It makes you wonder just what this team could be capable of if they’re able to get a good run at it, and if they’re able to use those players mentioned as depth and developmental players, as they should be.
Barring some sort of miracle, the Power are out of the conversation for a wildcard spot this season. With just four wins, they are three games behind the teams vying for the ninth and tenth positions. However, I hark back to those close losses – five games by 11 points – and wonder what this team could have been this season had they pulled out a last gasp win against the Crows, Swans, Dogs, Hawks, or… gulp… the Eagles. Yeah, that last one really stings, doesn’t it? Particularly when you know what type of footy this team is capable of playing – their defeat of Geelong remains one of the upsets of the season.
But for a few stray shots at goal, this team could have been right in the mix.
So, what does the future hold for Port?
Assuming that Butters does opt to leave – and the longer it takes for any contract to be signed, the more likely it is that he is leaving – Port are probably set to receive at least two first-round picks for him. Butters is a restricted free agent, but Port can play hard-ball if they want to. And they should. If a team wants Butters, the Power can force a trade by matching any offer someone like the Dogs, Tigers, or Pies make.
Right now, the indicative draft order tells us that the Tigers have pick two, the Pies would have pick six, and the Dogs pick 11.
All will need to do better than that. Peak Butters is worth a bomb!
Port are also looking like they will have the points, even under the new bidding system, to draft Dougie Cochrane. As it stands, it will cost them picks four and 22, but if they can also swing deals for high draft picks via a deal for Butters, the Power could plunder the draft in the final season before Tassie comes in and cocks it all up for everyone else.
Their defence is solid, with Zerk-Thatcher, Esava Ratugolea, and Aliir Aliir, an imposing three pillars to build around, whilst Miles Bergman provides an interesting half-back/midfield conundrum. Jason Horne-Francis is starting to shape into the type of damaging mid/forward he was expected to be when he was drafted. He has the ability to win a Brownlow if his body holds up.
Up forward, questions abound regarding the future of Mitch Georgiades, with former Port assistant, Chad Cornes, basically stating that Mitch would be heading back to Western Australia sooner rather than later. If this is the case, I would expect even more draft capital to flow into Alberton, expediting their rebuild on the run. West Coast currently has pick three, but I would expect them to attempt to split that pick if they’re after Georgiades. They may wish to deal a player, as well, with the club having a plethora of recent first round picks on the list.
This could well end up seeing Port having enough first round picks to draft Cochrane, as well as two to three other highly-touted young talents. If the result is another tilt at something like the Rozee/Butters/Duursma draft, you take that in an instant.
Normally, the potential loss of Georgiades would cause panic, but the development of Jack Whitlock gives the club some room to move, particularly if Lukosius can get his brittle body right actually play up to his potential (I have genuine question marks around this). Having Powell-Pepper return to add some grunt at ground level would be a welcome sight as well.
So, when I look at this team, I don’t see a team ready to bottom out at all. Nor do I see a club positioning themselves for a run at the flag in the next two years, either.
What I do see is a team that has a coach who is getting the best out of the current playing group, has had five agonising losses, and couple very well be retooling in preparation of being a power (pardon the pun) in three years time.
By then, you have Rozee and Horne-Francis at the peak of their powers, Whitlock maturing, Bergman, Burgoyne, and Evans all coming into, or at their peaks.
I’ve read a bit of doom and gloom about Port this season, but I am not buying it. If Butters were to stay (which he won’t) they’d be fine. If Georgiades were to stay (they’d be wise to trade him whilst under contract – better value) they’d have their spearhead, but without them, they have the tools necessary to give this club a legitimate shot at winning big.
And it is only with a step back that you see that bigger picture.
Putting Josh Carr in charge of this team was the right move. I can see it in the way the players respond to him. Give him a shot with a healthy list and a few bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, highly-talented kids, and we may just look back on the 2026 season as the year Port turned it all around.
They’re better than a 15th-place team.
Hell, they’re better than several of the teams above them.
As always, massive thanks to those who support this work. You can see the amount of care that goes into it. I love footy, I love writing about it, and I hope you enjoy reading it. Without you, this whole thing falls over. Sincerely… thank you – HB
Like this content? You could buy me a coffee – I do like coffee, but there is no guarantee I won’t use it to buy a doughnut… I like them more. And I am not brought to you by Sportsbet or Ladbrokes… or Bet365, or any of them.
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