Port Adelaide's 2025 campaign hasn't exactly gone to plan for a multitude of reasons.
In Ken Hinkley's final season as senior coach before he rides off into the sunset, there was a poetic finish with him lifting the AFL premiership cup in mind. But alas, that won't be the case.
Despite speculation over the public and highly scrutinised announcement of the succession plan, which will result in Josh Carr taking over, Hinkley has struggled to field his best side for most of the season, primarily due to injuries.
Key forward Todd Marshall failed to get on the park after rupturing his Achilles tendon in the pre-season.
Boom recruit Jack Lukosius fractured his kneecap in Round 2, and only recently returned, while star on-baller Zak Butters wasn't seen for the first month of the season.
Much-loved pressure player Sam Powell-Pepper was another heartbreaking story for the Alberton club. After missing the majority of last year, he tore his ACL once again last month.
"Some footy seasons are just full of injury," said Hinkley.
"It's not just the number of injuries, it's the type. This year, having had Benny Barrett also have syndesmosis surgery this week, we've had 18 surgeries since January.
"That's a really big number. And they're collision injuries. They're really unfortunate injuries; you can't do too much about them.
"I think we've had one year worse... it might have been 21 surgeries in a season (January to end of the season) in the early 2020s. So we've had our share."
Key defenders Esava Ratugolea and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher have battled with their bodies in Hinkley's farewell season, as has emerging forward Ollie Lord.
Only four players (Willem Drew, Mitch Georgiades, Jase Burgoyne and Miles Bergman) have featured in every game this year, although that number will be reduced to three, given Miles Bergman has been ruled out for the rest of the year with a persistent shoulder issue.
