Gerard Whateley believes Port Adelaide has a lucrative job offer on notice to the competition’s ruckman as a young, star-studded midfield continues to take shape.
With the Power moving up to third on the ladder after defeating Melbourne on Friday night, it was Zak Butters, Connor Rozee and Jason Horne-Francis standing up and delivering the win.
Butters especially was a standout with 41 disposals and two goals, while Rozee kicked the winning major and Horne-Francis provided the X-Factor.
None are older than 22 years of age.
The only missing link, Whateley suggests, is a consistent ruckman. Scott Lycett hasn’t delivered as hoped in 2023, but he’s been preferred to last year’s mid-season draftee Brynn Teakle.
“I’ve got the best job vacancy in footy,” Whateley declared on SEN.
“Come and be the ruckman to Butters, Rozee and Horne-Francis for the next 10 years. That is an open position.
“The job application is they need a ruckman to feed these three boys. Give me that job if I’m over 6'8" and have any scrap of ability whatsoever, that’s a pretty good scenario.”
Meanwhile, David King believes Eagle Nic Naitanui could be the prime candidate to come to Alberton.
Naitanui managed just eight games last year and none so far in 2023 and may only have one season left at the top level. But King suggested that if the 33-year-old gets his body right, he could be part of a flag push for the Power.
“Go and get Nic Naitanui. Spend a second round pick next year, a third round pick you might even get him for. Then have 12 months while you still have (Charlie) Dixon, (Travis) Boak, (Tom) Jonas and the guys down back, go and get a guy who’s a difference maker who can set these boom youngsters on the path,” King urged.
“Zak Butters is the best players in the competition in the last six weeks… they’ve got two of the top five mids, Rozee’s the fifth rated midfielder in the competition, a bee’s whisker behind (Marcus) Bontempelli, Newcombe and (Christian) Petracca.”
Jeremy Finlayson has also been tried in the ruck to impressive effect this season, but partners well with Dixon in the forward 50. Four-gamer Ollie Lord also has the potential to feature in the ruck, while Sam Hayes looms as a project player.