Dwayne Russell has labelled Port Adelaide a “below average” football club.
The Power entered the AFL in 1997 and have since won one premiership while qualifying for the finals in 10 of their 22 seasons.
While leading broadcaster and former Port player Russell suggests the overall result is unsatisfying, what the club has achieved in more recent times is a more pressing issue.
“Port Adelaide has had 22 seasons in the AFL and you’ve got to say has been extremely disappointing overall,” he said on SEN SA’s Dwayne’s World.
“They’ve underachieved and underdelivered by old Port Adelaide standards, which were never going to be replicated in the national competition, but the Power has underachieved by average AFL standards.
“Compared to AFL clubs, it’s a bit nasty to simply use premierships as an achievement guide, even though Port Adelaide’s own creed and mantra does measure itself by its premierships.
“Port Adelaide has won one flag in 22 seasons. In the same period, the great clubs have won at least two.
“Hawthorn has won four, Geelong has won three, Brisbane has won three, West Coast, Sydney and Adelaide have all won two each.
“But let’s use a more fair measurement than premierships.
“Let’s use finals as a guide because I think that’s fair. The good, consistent, well-run, well-coached clubs with great recruiting and development systems play finals more often than they don’t.
“Hawthorn have won four flags in the 22 years since Port Adelaide entered the competition but they’ve also made the finals more times than they’ve missed - 12 out of the past 22 seasons.
“Sydney is a truly great club. They’ve won two flags and also played finals 19 times, missing just three times.
“That’s greatness.
“The level of greatness that Port Adelaide should be aspiring to achieve in its next 22 years, and that its last SANFL achievements should actually demand.
“Geelong has won three flags and played finals 15 times. That’s a great club.
“The West Coast - two flags and 15 finals in 22 years - that’s a great club.
“Adelaide I would categorise as a great club as well. Two flags and finals 14 times.
“Port Adelaide one flag, finals 10 times, and missed more than they’ve actually made it.
“That’s an average club that should be doing better.
“In the past 13 seasons, there have been no flags, played finals four times - that’s below average, it’s very ordinary and it hurts me to say it.”
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