Hey guys, welcome back to the True Footer YouTube channel. It seems our 2019 Predictions video proved pretty divisive and port fans in particular were a bit unhappy with the way it unfolded. Apparently I didn't include a single port highlight. Whoops, Apologies port fans, I promise I don't have an anti-port agenda. The video was just a lot of hard work and that was in the state. It seems the power of a popular choice to slide down the ladder in 2019. As proof I'm not a hater, I'm going to use this video to explain why port probably shouldn't be written off in 2019. 12 months ago, the power went on a well-documented recruiting drop, picking up a combination of established talent and opposition discards in an attempt to position themselves for a premiership assault. These recruits were largely unsuccessful. Tom Rockley battled through injury while Jack Watts and Stephen Mottlove were inconsistent. Thomas, Tringo and McKenzie had virtually no impact. The power appeared in top 4 contention after 16 rounds last year, before losing 6 winnable games of their last 7 to miss out on final. Compounding this bitter result, the club parted ways with StarFord Chad Wingard and Wingman Jared Pollack, deepening their needs for outside speed and skill. Jasper Pittard also left the club, but the power managed to bring in talented Hawke Ryan Burton as a replacement. This disappointing end to the season and the loss of these key players has driven most of the AFL community to discount port ad-late as a genuine finals contender in 2019. The fact that the club traded aggressively for draft picks last year added to this perception as it might suggest the power under taking a list rebuild and thus may shift their focus from actually winning games to developing their list. But this is not necessarily the case. In my opinion, the strength of their midfield should not be overlooked. Tom Rockliff may have struggled in 2018, but has well documented him miss most of the preseason due to injury and struggled to build fitness. There was a 6 game stretch in the middle of the season where it averaged nearly 26 positions however, and my bet is that with better luck in 2019, he can return to his absolute bet. Rockliff, alongside stars Oli Wines and Robbie Gray, actually forms part of a talented midfield group. Additionally, Sam Powell Pepper is one of the most talented young inside mids of the competition. Powell Pepper's season may have been clouded by some off-field incidents, but it is easy to forget that he is just 19 years old, such as his contested ability. With his blend of explosive pace and the ability to win the contested 40, he should be able to shoulder even more midfield responsibility in 2019. But Adelaide's defence was arguably their strength in 2018 despite injuries, with Tom Jonas leading from the front last year to earn an Australian nomination. Up forward, a forwardline spear headed by Charlie Dixon with Gray and Westhof Roding through, boasts plenty of quality. It's also important to remember that the power were 10 and 4 last season for a reason. The power were travelling well up until that point, in a run that included impressive wins of the Premiership Tigers and the Swans in Sydney. Admittedly, the season began to fall apart after the club's shock loss to Fremantle and Perth, and here low point with their after the siren lost to their Eagles, in which three players went down with injury. It's unclear what exactly caused the power season to derail, but I don't subscribe to the theory that they were simply found out against tough opposition. More likely, the form slump was at least partly mental, as things within the club got stale. However, port have gone through an extensive list shakeup, moving from being the sixth oldest list in the league last year to 14th in 2019. Allegedly, Chad Wingard was offloaded on the basis of attitude problems, as the power also set to address cultural issues within the club. There is no doubt of Wingard's prodigious talent, but it is quite possible that his worth to put out late has been overstated. Wingard averaged 21 possessions and the goal of the game in 2018, but for the money he reportedly wanted, keeping him on the list probably didn't represent great value. The club also let Wim in Jared Pollack walk to North Melbourne, as he sort of bigger contract, unwilling to match their offer. The effect of these losses in the short term is obvious. Both Wingard and Pollack are quality players in the prime of their careers, and losing them weekends decided in an area in which they are already deficient, outside speed. However, losing them allowed the club to obtain a really strong draft position last year, taking three picks in the first round. Connor Rosy, Zach Budders, and Xavier Derser. While they may just be kids, all three players would talented outside mids who don't rely on a contested game, and therefore, in my opinion, could impact in their first season with their pace and skill. Connor Rosy, in particular, could also help Ville de Void by Wingard by playing Minutes as a lead up forward. An influx of youth can also have a rejuvenating effect on a playing list. Last year's Premieres, West Coast, offloaded hundreds of games of experience at the end of 2017 and attacked the draft heavily. Many perceived this to be a start of a rebuild, but a refreshed Eagle Side was able to go all the way to claim for a mission boring. Similarly, I don't necessarily believe the power about to embark on a list rebuild, and can remain a final's contender in 2019. It seems part of the issue at Port Adelaide is mental, with several late season losses by under 10 points ultimately costing them a top 8 spot. In the past four seasons, the power have finished 9 for 10 three times, showing an inability to take the next step. So that begs the question, is 2019 the year the power take the next step? Look, despite the points I've made in this video, I'm going to reinforce my prediction in my previous video and say they will narrowly miss the 8. I certainly consider them a final's contender, but for me, they form part of a mid-table glut that I find hard to separate, and it's difficult to see them improving as much as other sides around them in 2019. From a talent perspective, there is no issue. I believe there are actually more talented lists and their recent results have suggested, and perhaps succeed teams like North Melbourne and Essendon in this regard. However, the lack of consistency in this regard makes it hard for me to slot them into my top 8. So at the end of all that, how do you feel? Do you agree with my assertion that the power shouldn't be written off in 2019? Or do you feel that I'm actually underselling their ability? As always, I welcome you to comment your opinion in the comment section below. Thanks for watching this video. I'll see you next time.