What does the rest of the 2022 season hold for Port Adelaide?
The Power find themselves sitting 12th on the ladder and three games out of the eight in what is proving to be an extremely competitive campaign.
Last weekend’s 12-point loss to Richmond has placed Ken Hinkley’s side in a tricky position which has prompted club great Kane Cornes to wonder what their plans are going forward.
Cornes says the list is in a solid position, but decisions must be made on the likes of veteran Robbie Gray and soon-to-be free agent Karl Amon.
“I think finals are unrealistic, it’s more so about the future of the club,” Cornes said on SEN SA Breakfast.
“What’s their strategy around the likes of Travis Boak and Robbie Gray?
“Boak would probably go on and his form would dictate that he deserves to go on, but does Robbie Gray go on next year? What’s their strategy around Karl Amon?
“How are they going to rejuvenate a list that is still good, because they haven’t neglected the draft and they’ve invested there.
“I’m not doom and glom about the list, but there’s no doubt it needs some rejuvenation.”
After playing off in the last two Preliminary Finals, many expected Port to contend again in 2022.
However, they have since dropped off the pace largely due to a five-game losing run to start the season which has them residing in footy purgatory.
“There’s no point making finals really,” Cornes added.
“I know you (Port fans) would be desperate to do that but the last place you want to be in the AFL system is mid-tier. It doesn’t help you at all being mid-tier.
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“It doesn’t help you being anywhere from 6th to 12th and that’s where they are. So it’s an unfortunate position to be in because your draft selection is not going to be one that is that exciting. You’re going to get a good player but you’re not going to get the elite crop.
“I’d just be interested in what they (the fans) want to achieve out of the back half of the year.”
Another significant call the club hierarchy must make is whether or not they go on with Hinkley at helm.
He has been at Alberton since 2013 and is yet to guide the Power to a Grand Final, despite coming agonisingly close in 2020 and again falling at the penultimate hurdle last year.
“There’s massive decisions for the club,” Cornes said further.
“The coach is the biggest of that and then the playing list.
“The playing list has some significant weaknesses in it which we’ve seen over a couple of years. How are they going to address that?
“The pressure is rightly on (list manager) Jason Cripps to rejuvenate this list somehow.”
The Power meet Sydney in a must-win clash at the Adelaide Oval this Saturday.
A victory would put them within striking distance of the top eight while a defeat would make September action very hard to come by.